It was contested over 13 rounds and featured 22 different teams, 53 different drivers, seven different chassis and five different engines.
Corrado Fabi won the championship in a works March-BMW after a season-long battle with teammate Johnny Cecotto and the Spirit-Honda of Thierry Boutsen.
[1] Note The Spa race was originally scheduled over 30 laps, but was abandoned after 23 due to heavy rain.
Discarded points and gross totals are displayed within parentheses.
R = retired, Rx = retired but classified (placing denoted by x), NC = not classified, NS = did not start, NQ = did not qualify, NPQ = did not pre-qualify, DIS = disqualified (if after race, placing beforehand displayed alongside in parentheses)