The 1980 Spanish Grand Prix had intended to be the seventh round of the 1980 Formula One World Championship. Following the Monaco race, Nelson Piquet led the championship by one point ahead of René Arnoux with Alan Jones a further three points adrift in third. Williams led the constructor's standings, five points ahead of Ligier. As a result the race would go ahead without the sanctioning of the FIA and therefore losing its status as a 1980 World Championship event.