South African Grand Prix 1982 - Race Schedule and Countdown

The 1982 season opened at Kyalami with immediate controversy as the FISA-FOCA war dominated proceedings. Alain Prost delivered Renault's turbocharged RE30B to victory, demonstrating the forced-induction engines' growing superiority over naturally aspirated Ford-Cosworth DFVs. The race was marred by political tensions, with several FOCA teams threatening to boycott future events over technical regulations.

Carlos Reutemann finished second in what would prove to be his final Formula 1 podium before his shock retirement announcement just weeks later. The Argentine's unexpected departure robbed the sport of one of its most talented drivers and left Frank Williams scrambling to find a replacement mid-season. René Arnoux completed the Renault 1-2, showcasing the French manufacturer's determination to finally convert their technical excellence into championship success after years of promise undermined by reliability failures.