F1 pole positions
Polesitters
| No. | Grand Prix | Circuit | Driver | Constructor | Race | Pole margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Brazil | Jacarepagua |  Elio de Angelis |  Lotus-Renault | 3 | 0.506s |
| 2 |  South Africa | Kyalami | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | DNF | 0.187s |
| 3 |  Belgium | Zolder | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1 | 0.552s |
| 4 |  San Marino | Imola | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | DNF | 0.111s |
| 5 |  France | Dijon-Prenois | Patrick Tambay | Renault | 2 | 0.136s |
| 6 |  Monaco | Monte Carlo | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 1 | 0.091s |
| 7 |  Canada | Montreal | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 1 | 0.756s |
| 8 |  Detroit | Detroit | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 1 | 0.660s |
| 9 | Dallas | Dallas | Nigel Mansell | Lotus-Renault | 6R | 0.594s |
| 10 | Britain | Brands Hatch | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 7 | 0.207s |
| 11 |  Germany | Hockenheim | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 1 | 0.053s |
| 12 |  Austria | Osterreichring | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 2 | 0.030s |
| 13 |  Netherlands | Zandvoort | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 1 | 0.305s |
| 14 | Italy | Monza | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | DNF | 0.087s |
| 15 |  Europe | Nurburgring | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 3 | 0.304s |
| 16 |  Portugal | Estoril | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-BMW | 6 | 0.071s |