Grand Prix 1980-1989 🏁

Grand Prix debutant Tiff Needell (Ensign-Ford-N180) runs 21st ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi's Fittipaldi-Ford-F7. Needell would retire (engine) on lap 12 of what would be his only Grand Prix start. Belgian Grand Prix, Zolder, 4 May 1980. © Getty Images #F1

Now recovered from the wrist injury picked up during qualifying for the South African Grand Prix, Alain Prost returned to McLaren. The Frenchman had been running 16th at the time of his retirement (transmission) on lap 29. Belgian Grand Prix, Zolder, 4 May 1980. © Imago Images

René Arnoux (Renault RE20) overtook Jean-Pierre Jarier's Tyrrell-Ford-010 for 4th place on the last lap. Gilles Villeneuve brought his Ferrari 312T5 home in 6th place for his first point of the season. Belgian Grand Prix, Zolder, 4 May 1980. © Getty Images #F1

Didier Pironi led all 72 laps, his first F1 victory & Liger's first in over a year. Williams teammates Alan Jones (2nd) & Carlos Reutemann (3rd) claimed the remaining podium places. Belgian Grand Prix, Zolder, 4 May 1980. © Getty Images #F1

#OnThisDay in 1980. At Zolder, Didier Pironi raced his Ligier-Ford-JS11/15 to an impressive first F1 victory, beating pole man Alan Jones (Williams-Ford-FW07B) by 47 seconds in winning the Belgian Grand Prix. #F1

Remembering Jochen Mass, who passed away aged 78 #OnThisDay last year. Mass took part in 105 Grand Prix between 1973-1982, winning the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. Away from F1, he won the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans. © Getty Images #F1

Happy Birthday to five-time Grand Prix winner John Watson, 80 today. Watson started 152 Grand Prix between 1973-1985. His F1 victories included the 1976 Austrian (Penske's only F1 win), the 1981 British & 1983 Long Beach Grand Prix (from 22nd on the grid!). © Getty Images #F1

Happy Birthday to former race car designer & technical director John Barnard, 80 today. Barnard introduced the first carbon-fibre composite F1 chassis (1981), & the first semi-automatic gearbox (1989). He worked for McLaren, Ferrari, Benetton & Arrows. 📷 Ercole Colombo #F1

The Minardi M185 was now powered Motori Moderni's 615-90 V6 turbo, designed by Carlo Chiti. Pierluigi Martini ended the session 18th quickest with a time of 1 min:32.770 sec. San Marino Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Imola, 3 May 1985. © Girardo & Co/Getty Images

#OnThisDay in 1985. At Imola, Ayrton Senna (Lotus-Renault-97T) was quickest (1 min:27.589 sec) during the first qualifying session for the San Marino Grand Prix. The Brazilian two tenths of a sec quicker than championship leader Michele Alboreto's Ferrari 156/85. © Getty Images

Drivers'/Constructors'/Jim Clark Trophy/Colin Chapman Trophy standings. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. #F1

Nigel Mansell led 53 of the race's 59 laps for his first win of the year. Ayrton Senna & Michele Alboreto battled over 2nd, Senna winning their contest. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. Full race report statsf1.com/fr/1987/saint-… Highlights youtu.be/n5f3WtbMbOw?si… #F1

With teammate René Arnoux non-starting after a suspension failure during the morning warm-up, Piercarlo Ghinzani gave Ligier a first start of the season. Running 13th, the Italian withdrew (handling) on lap 7. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. © Imago Images #F1

Running 4th in the non-turbo class (18th) overall, Ivan Capelli retired (broken distributor) the new March-Ford-871 on lap 18. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. © FOM #F1

Gabriele Tarquini stepped up from F3000 to make his Grand Prix debut in a second Osella-Alfa Romeo. The 25 year old Italian was running 20th & last when a gearbox problem (lap 26) ended his race. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. #F1

Special mention must go to Riccardo Patrese (Brabham-BMW-BT56), who overtook Ayrton Senna & Michele Alboreto to run 2nd. An alternator problem would slow the Brabham dramatically & Patrese would fade to 9th. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. © FOM #F1

Philippe Streiff (Tyrrell-Ford-DG016) won the non-turbo class from.Phillipe Alliot in the new Larrousse & Calmels Lola-Ford-LC87 & Pascal Fabre (AGS-Ford-JH22). Streiff 8th, Alliot 10th & Fabre 13th. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. © Getty Images #F1

Satoru Nakajima started from the pit lane in the spare Lotus-Honda-99T. 25th & last at the end of lap one, Nakajima went on to finish 6th, becoming the first Japanese driver to score points in F1. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. 📷 Rainer Schlegelmilch #F1

Benefitting from the attrition, Martin Brundle brought the new Zakspeed 871 home in 5th position, two laps down. It would be Zakspeed's only F1 points finish. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. #F1

Stefan Johansson finished 4th in his McLaren-TAG-MP4/3. Martin Brundle was 5th in a Zakspeed 871. Satoru Nakajima rounded off the points scorers with 6th in the second Lotus-Honda-99T. San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, 3 May 1987. © Getty Images #F1