Brundle later said that he ran back to the pits and had actually gotten into the spare car before team boss Ken Tyrrell got on the radio and asked him if he was OK after the accident.

He then took Brundle to see Formula One medical chief Sid Watkins, who after an examination concluded that the rookie driver was slightly concussed and the decision was made to withdraw him from the race weekend.

The turbo cars of Eddie Cheever (Alfa Romeo) and Thierry Boutsen (Arrows-BMW) both failed to qualify.

The race, held amidst heavy rain, was one of the most contentious in Formula One history, and announced the emergence of at least two new stars.

With the rain soaking the track, Niki Lauda sought out Bernie Ecclestone on the grid in a bid to have the tunnel flooded as well.

Ecclestone used his power as the head of the Formula One Constructors Association to do exactly that, with a local fire truck called in to water down the only dry road on the track.

Lauda disposed of Arnoux but Prost assumed the lead again, only to have the Toleman-Hart of Ayrton Senna, who had also passed the Ferrari, quickly closing in.

Senna had started thirteenth in the generally uncompetitive Toleman, in the first Formula One street race in his rookie season, and was showing his wet weather skills that would become legendary.

[4] The stoppage was controversial, as it benefited Prost with a Porsche-designed engine, and was made by Ickx, the lead driver with the factory run Rothmans Porsche team in sports car racing.

[6] The Tyrrell team's results were erased later in the season due to weight infringements, meaning that Bellof was stripped of his podium finish, with his place being taken by René Arnoux.