The weekend would consist of a Can-Am race on Friday, the Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday, then the track would be converted to an oval for Indy cars on Sunday.

It was also done so the American television broadcaster, NBC, would not have a conflict with their coverage of the 1982 World Series being held the same weekend.

Keke Rosberg of Williams had 42 points, to 33 for McLaren's John Watson, and needed to finish sixth or better to secure the title.

The course's tight turns and short straights allowed the non-turbo cars to be more competitive than usual, with Michele Alboreto's Tyrrell and Eddie Cheever's Talbot Ligier fastest among them.

The turbocharged Renaults of Alain Prost and René Arnoux took first and second positions in qualifying, more than eight-tenths clear of Alboreto.

The two Championship contenders, Rosberg and Watson, meanwhile, were in sixth and ninth places respectively, separated by the Ferraris of Mario Andretti and Patrick Tambay.

The Tyrrell began to match Arnoux's times, however, and then to close on him, as Prost took back the lead on lap 15.

Speculation of a problem with Arnoux's car proved true, as the Renault was faltering, and he retired on lap 21.

Niki Lauda's McLaren retired on lap 54, while Alboreto had eliminated the gap to Prost, and gotten by him to take the lead in a Grand Prix for the first time.