The end result was that the chicane was slowed considerably from the old left-right flick it was previously, plus it added 16 metres to the circuit length.

Patrick Tambay had a spectacular accident when he and Martin Brundle tangled at Mirabeau, and Tambay's Lola-Ford went right over Brundle's Tyrrell-Renault, caught six feet of air and barrel-rolled into the protective Armco right next to some spectators, and in the process almost went over the Armco into a bar next to the track.

The 78-lap race was won from pole position by Frenchman Alain Prost, driving a McLaren-TAG.

His Finnish teammate Keke Rosberg finished second, with Brazilian Ayrton Senna third in a Lotus-Renault.

This was also the last Grand Prix for Italian Elio de Angelis, before his fatal testing accident at Paul Ricard three days later.