The 51-lap race was won by Austrian Niki Lauda, driving a McLaren-TAG, with local drivers Michele Alboreto and Riccardo Patrese second and third in a Ferrari and an Alfa Romeo respectively.

[3] Stefan Johansson, out of a drive as a result of Tyrrell's ban, was drafted in to replace the Brazilian at Monza; he would be joined by newcomer Pierluigi Martini.

Nelson Piquet took his seventh pole position of the season in his Brabham, with Alain Prost alongside him on the front row in his McLaren.

The second Lotus of Nigel Mansell, the Renault of Patrick Tambay and the two Alfa Romeos of Riccardo Patrese and Eddie Cheever completed the top ten.

On lap 16, Piquet's engine failed; at around the same time Fabi, continuing his charge, overtook Lauda to run second.

The win, Lauda's fifth of the season, put him 10.5 points clear of Prost at the top of the Drivers' Championship with two races remaining.

* Neither Gartner nor Berger were eligible for points, as they were driving the respective "second entries" of Osella and ATS and both teams had officially entered only one car for the entire championship.