Months before the race, a number of drivers including world champion Jody Scheckter, wanted to boycott the event due to safety concerns with the circuit.

Pole-sitter Jabouille had made a poor start and dropped to fourth, with both Ligier JS11/15s and Gilles Villeneuve in his Ferrari 312T5 getting past; however, Jabouille's horsepower advantage on the high-altitude circuit meant that he passed both Ligiers; Jacques Laffite immediately on the Retao straight, Didier Pironi at Arquibacanas at the end of the first lap and took the lead from Villeneuve at the end of Reta Oposta into Curva do Sol.

Brazilian hopeful Nelson Piquet fought back to sixth after a poor start but then suffered a puncture which subsequently caused suspension failure.

Pironi had to make an early pit stop after one of his aerodynamic skirts was stuck upwards, and he rejoined near the back of the field, however he began a charge and he was able to finish 4th on this most difficult and demanding of circuits.

In addition to the safety problems not helped by the rather lackluster upgrades of the circuit, Sāo Paulo had grown at an alarming rate over the space of 10 years from 5 to 8 million people.