A total of 53 cars were entered for the event, across seven classes/divisions ranging through Group 2 up to Group 6, with a class for local prototypes. Of these 40 cars practised.[1]
Although the race maintained the traditional title of 1000 km of Monza, the race was actually run over 6 hours, the winner covering 183 laps, approximately 1061 km.[3]Alain de Cadenet and Desiré Wilson took the winner spoils for the de Cadenet team, driving their De Cadenet Lola-Cosworth LM1. The pair won in a time of 6hr 01:08.800mins., averaging a speed of 110.211 mph. This race was only decided three laps from the end; the Porsche 935 of Henri Pescarolo had to pit for a little bit of fuel during the rain, so that Wilson could pass and win the race. Close behind was the little Lancia Montecarlo of Riccardo Patrese and Walter Röhrl.[4][5]