Total de pilots participants: 40
Total d’equips participants: 17
Debutants: 7 (Mauro Baldi, Raul Boesel, Tommy Byrne, Teo Fabi, Roberto Guerrero, Roberto Moreno, Riccardo Paletti)
Última temporada: 13 (Mario Andretti, Slim Borgudd, Tommy Byrne, Derek Daly, Brian Henton, Rupert Keegan, Geoff Lees, Jochen Mass, Riccardo Paletti, Didier Pironi, Carlos Reutemann, Gilles Villeneuve, Emilio de Villota)
Defuncions a la F1: 2 (Riccardo Paletti, Gilles Villeneuve)
Defuncions en altres categories: 0
Defuncions en altres categories: 0
Defuncions no relacionades amb l’esport: 0
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 1 (Didier Pironi)
Retirats per lesions a la F1: 1 (Didier Pironi)
Retirats per lesions en altres categories: 0
Pilot més jove: Andrea de Cesaris, 22 anys i 243 dies, Sud-Àfrica
Pilot més vell: Mario Andretti, 42 anys i 220 dies, Las Vegas
| Entrant | Cotxe | Pneu. | Pilots |
| Parmalat Racing Team | Brabham BT49C-Ford Brabham BT49D-Ford Brabham BT50-BMW |
G | 1. Nelson Piquet 2. Riccardo Patrese |
| Team Tyrrell | Tyrrell 011-Ford | G | 3. Michele Alboreto 4. Slim Borgudd 4. Brian Henton |
| TAG Williams Racing Team |
Williams FW07C-Ford Williams FW07D-Ford Williams FW08-Ford |
G | 5. Carlos Reutemann 5. Mario Andretti 5. Derek Daly 6. Keke Rosberg |
| Marlboro McLaren International |
McLaren MP4/1B-Ford | M | 7. John Watson 8. Niki Lauda |
| Team ATS | ATS D5-Ford | M A |
9. Manfred Winkelhock 10. Eliseo Salazar |
| John Player Team Lotus | Lotus 87B-Ford Lotus 91-Ford |
G | 11. Elio de Angelis 12. Nigel Mansell 12. Roberto Moreno 12. Geoff Lees |
| Ensign Racing | Ensign N180B-Ford Ensign N181-Ford |
A P |
14. Roberto Guerrero |
| Équipe Renault Elf | Renault RE30B | M | 15. Alain Prost 16. René Arnoux |
| Rothmans / LBT Team March |
March 821-Ford | P A |
17. Jochen Mass 17. Rupert Keegan 18. Raul Boesel 19. Emilio de Villota |
| Fittipaldi Automotive | Fittipaldi F8D-Ford Fittipaldi F9-Ford |
P | 20. Chico Serra |
| Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo |
Alfa Romeo 179D Alfa Romeo 182 Alfa Romeo 182B Alfa Romeo 182T |
M | 22. Andrea de Cesaris 23. Bruno Giacomelli |
| Équipe Talbot Gitanes | Ligier JS17B-Matra Ligier JS19-Matra |
M | 25. Eddie Cheever 26. Jacques Laffite |
| Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC |
Ferrari 126C2 | G | 27. Gilles Villeneuve 27. Patrick Tambay 28. Didier Pironi 28. Mario Andretti |
| Arrows Racing Team | Arrows A4-Ford Arrows A5-Ford |
P | 29. Brian Henton 29. Marc Surer 30. Mauro Baldi |
| Osella Squadra Corse | Osella FA1C-Ford Osella FA1D-Ford |
P | 31. Jean-Pierre Jarier 32. Riccardo Paletti |
| Theodore Racing Team | Theodore TY01-Ford Theodore TY02-Ford |
A G |
33. Derek Daly 33. Jan Lammers 33. Geoff Lees 33. Tommy Byrne |
| Candy Toleman Motorsport |
Toleman TG181B-Hart Toleman TG181C-Hart Toleman TG183-Hart |
P | 35. Derek Warwick 36. Teo Fabi |