1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix

The 1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix was a non-championship Formula One motor race held at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola on 16 September 1979.

1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix
Non-championship race in the 1979 Formula One season
Race details
Date	16 September 1979
Official name	Dino Ferrari Grand Prix
Location	Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	5.060 km (3.144[1] miles)
Distance	40 laps, 202.40 km (125.76 miles)
Pole position
Driver	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari
Time	1:32.91
Fastest lap
Driver	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari
Time	1:33.61
Podium
First	Niki Lauda	Brabham-Alfa Romeo
Second	Carlos Reutemann	Lotus-Cosworth
Third	Jody Scheckter	Ferrari

The event was held in order for the Imola circuit to qualify for World Championship status from the 1980 season onwards,[2] as part of plans to share the Italian Grand Prix with Monza in alternate years. The 1980 Italian Grand Prix was indeed held at Imola, but the race returned permanently to Monza in 1981, with Imola instead given its own race, the San Marino Grand Prix, which was held until 2006.

Sixteen cars entered the race; the eventual winner was Niki Lauda, driving a Brabham-Alfa Romeo. Carlos Reutemann was second in a Lotus-Ford, while Jody Scheckter, who had won the Drivers' Championship at Monza the previous week, was third in his Ferrari. This was the last F1 race in which Brabham used Alfa Romeo engines, and Lauda's last race with the team before he quit the sport during practice for the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks later.