1981 Formula 1 World Championship

1981 Formula 1 World Championship

World Champion
Driver:	Nelson Piquet
Constructor:	Williams-Ford
Season dates
Number of races:	15th
<1980 season	1982 season>

Ferrari 126CK with starting number 27 by Gilles Villeneuve (1981)

The 1981 Formula 1 World Championship was the 32nd season of the Formula 1 World Championship . It was held over 15 races in the period from March 15, 1981 to October 17, 1981. Nelson Piquet won the drivers' championship for the first time. Williams became world constructors champion for the second time.

background

The 1981 season, like the previous and the following seasons, was marked by the so-called FISA-FOCA war . In it stood the FISA headed by Jean-Marie Balestre , a sub-organization of the FIA responsible for the rules of Formula 1 , and the FOCA , an association of Formula 1 designers founded in 1971 by Bernie Ecclestone , among others British factory teams belonged to. Since 1980, various points of controversy had arisen between the two organizations, which, in addition to the distribution of income, mainly included questions of the regulations. The FISA had issued a ban on the side skirts for the 1981 season, which cut the ground effect . This development actually favored the mostly continental European turbo teams, while the primarily British FOCA teams felt disadvantaged.

In the course of the FISA-FOCA war, the FIA dissolved the automobile world championship and instead established the Formula 1 world championship . From 1981 onwards, the series was then regularly referred to as the Formula 1 World Championship.

The FOCA took the persistent differences in November 1980 as an opportunity to split off from FISA and organize its own championship, often referred to in the media as the "pirate series", which was to be held from 1981 under the name World Professional Championship . Under the direction of Ecclestone, FOCA concluded separate contracts with various racetracks and set up a schedule that contained 18 races worldwide. Just a month later, the World Professional Championship failed : Both the national automobile clubs and the sponsors and suppliers of Formula 1 stood unanimously behind the FISA. Nevertheless, by January 1981, the parties concerned had not clarified the situation. As a result, the Argentine Grand Prix , which should have opened the new Formula 1 season on January 25, 1981, had to be postponed to April. It wasn't until March 1981 that FISA and FOCA reached an agreement; The result was the first Concorde Agreement , with which FISA was recognized as the highest regulatory body and as the owner of the commercial rights, although the latter was assigned to FOCA.

Following the Concorde Agreement, an agreement was also reached on the 1981 racing calendar. After that, the World Championship began on March 15, 1981 with the Grand Prix of the USA West . The previously held on February 7, 1981 Grand Prix of South Africa , which was contested exclusively by the FOCA teams, was not a race of the Formula 1 World Championship.

Teams and drivers

photo	team	chassis	engine	tires	No.	Regular driver	run
	Albilad Williams Racing Team  TAG Williams Racing Team	Williams FW07C Williams FW07D	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M G	01	Alan Jones	1-15
					02	Carlos Reutemann	1-15
	Tyrrell Racing Team	Tyrrell 010 Tyrrell 011	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A	03	Eddie Cheever	1-15
					04th	Kevin Cogan	1
						Ricardo Zunino	2, 3
						Michele Alboreto	4-15
	Parmalat Racing Team	Brabham BT49C Brabham BT50	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M G	05	Nelson Piquet	1-15
					06th	Hector Rebaque	1-15
	Marlboro McLaren International	McLaren M29F McLaren MP4 / 1	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M.	07th	John Watson	1-15
					08th	Andrea de Cesaris	1-15
	Team ATS	ATS D4 ATS D5	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A	09	Jan Lammers	1-4
						Slim Borgudd	5-15
					10	Slim Borgudd	4th
	Team Essex Lotus  John Player Team Lotus	Lotus 81B Lotus 87 Lotus 88 Lotus 88B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M G	11	Elio de Angelis	1-3, 5-15
					12	Nigel Mansell	1-3, 5-15
	Ensign Racing	Ensign N180B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A	14th	Marc Surer	1-6
						Ricardo Londoño	2
						Eliseo Salazar	7-15
	Equipe Renault Elf	Renault RE20B Renault RE30	Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5 V6t	M.	15th	Alain Prost	1-15
					16	René Arnoux	1-15
	March Grand Prix Team	March 811	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A	17th	Derek Daly	1-3, 7-15
						Eliseo Salazar	4-6
					18th	Eliseo Salazar	1-3
						Derek Daly	4-6
	Fittipaldi Automotive	Fittipaldi F8C	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A P	20th	Keke Rosberg	1-10, 12-15
					21st	Chico Serra	1-10, 12-15
	Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo	Alfa Romeo 179B Alfa Romeo 179C Alfa Romeo 179D	Alfa Romeo 1260 3.0 V12	M.	22nd	Mario Andretti	1-15
					23	Bruno Giacomelli	1-15
	Equipe Talbot Gitanes	Ligier JS17	Matra MS81 3.0 V12	M.	25th	Jean-Pierre Jarier	1, 2
						Jean-Pierre Jabouille	3-7
						Patrick Tambay	8-15
					26th	Jacques Laffite	1-15
	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Ferrari 126CK	Ferrari 021 1.5 V6t	M.	27	Gilles Villeneuve	1-15
					28	Didier Pironi	1-15
	Ragno Arrows Beta Racing Team	Arrows A3	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M P	29	Riccardo Patrese	1-15
					30th	Siegfried Stohr	1-13
						Jacques Villeneuve sr.	14, 15
	Osella Squadra Corse	Osella FA1B Osella FA1C	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M.	31	Miguel Ángel Guerra	1-4
						Piercarlo Ghinzani	5
						Beppe Gabbiani	6-15
					32	Beppe Gabbiani	1-5
						Piercarlo Ghinzani	6th
						Giorgio Francia	7th
						Miguel Ángel Guerra	8th
						Jean-Pierre Jarier	9-15
	Theodore Racing Team	Theodore TY01	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M A	33	Patrick Tambay	1-7
						Marc Surer	8-15
	Candy Toleman Motorsport	Toleman TG181	Hard 415T 1.5 L4t	P	35	Brian Henton	4-15
					36	Derek Warwick	4-15

Remarks

1. ↑ Participation in training only

Racing calendar

The binding racing calendar for the 1981 season was not fixed until mid-March 1981. As a result of the FISA-FOCA war, there were various changes compared to the initial planning.

The Argentine Grand Prix, which should have opened the new Formula 1 season on January 25, 1981, was postponed to April, and the South African Grand Prix ultimately did not take place as an official Formula 1 race at all.

In the original FISA calendar, the race in Kyalami was planned as a Formula 1 race and as the second world championship run of the year; The date of the event was February 7, 1981. The operator of the racetrack had also signed a contract with FOCA for this event. Due to the disputes between FISA and FOCA, there were considerable delays at the turn of the year 1980/81, which among other things led to a postponement of the Argentine Grand Prix from January to April 1981. At the end of December 1980, FISA ordered the South African Grand Prix to be postponed to the end of April. However, since the preparation of the race, including the promotion and the commitment of sponsors, was well advanced, the South African organizers stuck to the original date in February. The FISA, for its part, did not change its position regarding the permitted vehicles and the date and gave the 1981 Grand Prix of South Africa the status of a Formula Libre race. As a result, the Formula 1 rules were not applied, so that cars with side aprons, which were banned in Formula 1 after the FISA was introduced in 1981, could certainly compete in Kyalami.

Ultimately, only the FOCA teams took part in the 1981 Grand Prix of South Africa. The continental European racing teams Alfa Romeo , Ferrari , Ligier , Renault and Osella stayed away from the race in South Africa, so that the entry list included eleven teams with a total of 19 drivers.

No.	date	Grand Prix	route	Distance (km)	Pole position	Fastest race lap	winner	Overall leading driver	Overall leading designer
01	March, 15	USA West	Long Beach Grand Prix Circuit	261.625	Riccardo Patrese	Alan Jones	Alan Jones	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford
02	March 29	Brazil	Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet	311,922	Nelson Piquet	Marc Surer	Carlos Reutemann
03	12. April	Argentina	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez	316,304	Nelson Piquet	Nelson Piquet	Nelson Piquet	Carlos Reutemann
04th	May 3rd	San Marino	Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari	302,400	Gilles Villeneuve	Gilles Villeneuve	Nelson Piquet
05	17th of May	Belgium	Circuit Zolder	230.148	Carlos Reutemann	Carlos Reutemann	Carlos Reutemann
06th	31. May	Monaco	Circuit de Monaco	251.712	Nelson Piquet	Alan Jones	Gilles Villeneuve
07th	June 21st	Spain	Circuito del Jarama	264,970	Jacques Laffite	Alan Jones	Gilles Villeneuve
08th	5th July	France	Circuit de Dijon-Prenois	304,000	René Arnoux	Alain Prost	Alain Prost
09	July 18th	Great Britain	Silverstone Circuit	320.892	René Arnoux	René Arnoux	John Watson
10	August 2nd	Germany	Hockenheimring	305.505	Alain Prost	Alan Jones	Nelson Piquet
11	August 16	Austria	Österreichring	314,926	René Arnoux	Jacques Laffite	Jacques Laffite
12	August 30th	Netherlands	Circuit Park Zandvoort	306.144	Alain Prost	Alan Jones	Alain Prost	Nelson Piquet
13	13.september	Italy	Autodromo Nazionale Monza	301,600	René Arnoux	Carlos Reutemann	Alain Prost	Carlos Reutemann
14th	September 27th	Canada	Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve	277.830	Nelson Piquet	John Watson	Jacques Laffite
15th	October 17th	Las Vegas	Caesars Palace Grand Prix Circuit	273.750	Carlos Reutemann	Didier Pironi	Alan Jones	Nelson Piquet

Race reports

US Grand Prix West

→ Main article : USA Grand Prix West 1981

space	driver	team	time
1	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 50: 41.330
2	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	+ 9.190
3	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	+ 34.920
PP	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows Ford	1: 19.399
SR	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 20.901

The US Grand Prix in Long Beach, California took place on March 15, 1981 and went over 80.5 laps (261.706 km).

Brazilian Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Brazilian Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	2: 00: 23.660
2	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	+ 4.440
3	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows Ford	+1: 03.080
PP	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 35.079
SR	Marc Surer	Ensign-Ford	1: 54.302

The Brazilian Grand Prix in Jacarepaguá , a suburb of Rio de Janeiro , took place on March 29, 1981 and went over 62 laps (311.922 km).

The Swiss Marc Surer drove his first and only fastest race lap at this Grand Prix.

Argentina Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Grand Prix of Argentina

space	driver	team	time
1	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 34: 32.740
2	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	+ 26.610
3	Alain Prost	Renault	+ 49.980
PP	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 42.665
SR	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 45.287

The Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires took place on April 12, 1981 and lasted 53 laps (316.304 km).

San Marino Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 San Marino Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 51: 23.970
2	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows Ford	+ 4.580
3	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	+ 6.340
PP	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1: 34.523
SR	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1: 48.064

The San Marino Grand Prix in Imola took place on May 3, 1981 and went over 60 laps (302.4 km).

Belgian Grand Prix

→ Main article : Belgian Grand Prix 1981

space	driver	team	time
1	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	1: 16: 31.610
2	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	+ 36.060
3	Nigel Mansell	Lotus Ford	+ 43.690
PP	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	1: 22.280
SR	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	1: 23,300

The Belgian Grand Prix in Zolder took place on May 17, 1981 and ran over 54 laps (230.148 km).

During Saturday training there was a fatal accident in which Carlos Reutemann ran over a mechanic from the Osella team. Another incident occurred at the start of the race. While an Arrows mechanic was still trying to restart Riccardo Patrese's broken-down car , the starting process was initiated for inexplicable reasons. Siegfried Stohr hit his team colleague Patrese who had stopped, the mechanic got between the car and was seriously injured. Patrese and Stohr, who was seriously shocked, did not resume the race that had started again after three laps.

The race was stopped after 54 of 70 laps due to rain.

Monaco Grand Prix

Nelson Piquet on Brabham in Monaco

→ Main article : 1981 Monaco Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1: 54: 23.380
2	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	+ 39.910
3	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	+1: 29.240
PP	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 25.710
SR	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 27.470

The Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo took place on May 31, 1981 and ran over 76 laps (251.712 km).

Spanish Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Spanish Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1: 46: 35.010
2	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	+ 0.220
3	John Watson	McLaren-Ford	+ 0.580
PP	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	1: 13.754
SR	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 17.818

The Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuito del Jarama took place on June 21, 1981 and covered a distance of 80 laps (264.960 km).

French Grand Prix

Lotus 87 Ford Cosworth in the pit lane of the Dijon-Prenois circuit

→ Main article : 1981 French Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 35: 48,130
2	John Watson	McLaren-Ford	+ 2.290
3	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	+ 24.220
PP	René Arnoux	Renault	1: 05.950
SR	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 09.140

The French Grand Prix at the Circuit de Dijon-Prenois took place on July 5, 1981 and covered a distance of 80 laps (304.0 km).

The race was stopped after 58 laps due to rain and then restarted for the remaining 22 laps.

Great Britain Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 British Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	John Watson	McLaren-Ford	1: 26: 54.800
2	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	+ 40.650
3	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	+ 1 lap
PP	René Arnoux	Renault	1: 11.00
SR	René Arnoux	Renault	1: 15.06

The Great Britain Grand Prix at Silverstone took place on July 18, 1981 and went over a distance of 68 laps (320.892 km).

Grand Prix of Germany

→ Main article : 1981 German Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 25: 55,600
2	Alain Prost	Renault	+ 11,520
3	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	+1: 04,600
PP	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 47.50
SR	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 52.42

The German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring took place on August 2, 1981 and covered a distance of 45 laps (305.505 km).

Grand Prix of Austria

→ Main article : Austrian Grand Prix 1981

space	driver	team	time
1	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	1: 27: 36.470
2	René Arnoux	Renault	+ 5.170
3	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	+ 7.340
PP	René Arnoux	Renault	1: 32.018
SR	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	1: 37,620 |}

The Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring in Spielberg took place on August 16, 1981 and covered a distance of 53 laps (314.926 km).

Grand Prix of the Netherlands

→ Main article : 1981 Dutch Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 40: 22.430
2	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	+ 8.240
3	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	+ 35,500
PP	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 18.176
SR	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 21.83

The Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort took place on August 30, 1981 and covered a distance of 72 laps (306.144 km).

Italian Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Italian Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Alain Prost	Renault	1: 26: 36.897
2	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	+ 22.175
3	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	+ 50.587
PP	René Arnoux	Renault	1: 33.457
SR	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	1: 37,528 |}

The Italian Grand Prix in Monza took place on September 13, 1981 and ran over a distance of 52 laps (301.60 km).

Canadian Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Canadian Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Jacques Laffite	Ligier-Matra	2: 01: 25,200
2	John Watson	McLaren-Ford	+ 6.230
3	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	+ 1.50.270
PP	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford	1: 29.211
SR	John Watson	McLaren-Ford	1: 49.475

The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal took place on September 27, 1981 and went over 63 laps (277.83 km).

Las Vegas Grand Prix

→ Main article : 1981 Las Vegas Grand Prix

space	driver	team	time
1	Alan Jones	Williams-Ford	1: 44: 09,077
2	Alain Prost	Renault	+ 20.048
3	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	+ 20,428
PP	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford	1: 17.821
SR	Didier Pironi	Ferrari	1: 20.156

The Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Caesars Palace Grand Prix Circuit in Las Vegas took place on October 17, 1981 and covered a distance of 75 laps (273.75 km).

Nelson Piquet finished fifth and won the driver's world title in 1981. The previous leader in the world championship, Carlos Reutemann , crossed the finish line in eighth.

World championship ratings

The six first-placed drivers in each race received points according to the following scheme:

Distribution of points
space	1	2	3	4th	5	6th
Points	9	6th	4th	3	2	1

The best eleven results were counted in the drivers 'classification and all results in the constructors' classification.

Driver ranking

Item	driver	constructor																Points
01	N. Piquet	Brabham-Ford	3	12	1	1	DNF	DNF	DNF	3	DNF	1	3	2	6th	5	5	50
02	C. Reutemann	Williams-Ford	2	1	2	3	1	DNF	4th	10	2	DNF	5	DNF	3	10	8th	49
03	A. Jones	Williams-Ford	1	2	4th	12	DNF	2	7th	17th	DNF	11	4th	3	2	DNF	1	46
04th	J. Laffite	Ligier-Matra	DNF	6th	DNF	DNF	2	3	2	DNF	3	3	1	DNF	DNF	1	6th	44
05	A. Cheers	Renault	DNF	DNF	3	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	1	DNF	2	DNF	1	1	DNF	2	43
06th	J. Watson	McLaren-Ford	DNF	8th	DNF	10	7th	DNF	3	2	1	6th	6th	DNF	DNF	2	7th	27
07th	G. Villeneuve	Ferrari	DNF	DNF	DNF	7th	4th	1	1	DNF	DNF	10	DNF	DNF	DNF	3	DSQ	25th
08th	E. de Angelis	Lotus Ford	DNF	5	6th		5	DNF	5	6th	DSQ	7th	7th	5	4th	6th	DNF	14th
09	R. Arnoux	Renault	8th	DNF	5	8th	DNQ	DNF	9	4th	9	13	2	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	11
10	H. Rebaque	Brabham-Ford	DNF	DNF	DNF	4th	DNF	DNQ	DNF	9	5	4th	DNF	4th	DNF	DNF	DNF	11
11	R. Patrese	Arrows Ford	DNF	3	7th	2	DNF	DNF	DNF	14th	10	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	11	10
12	E. Cheever	Tyrrell-Ford	5	NC	DNF	DNF	6th	5	NC	13	4th	5	DNQ	DNF	DNF	12	DNF	10
13	D. Pironi	Ferrari	DNF	DNF	DNF	5	8th	4th	15th	5	DNF	DNF	9	DNF	5	DNF	9	9
14th	N. Mansell	Lotus Ford	DNF	11	DNF		3	DNF	6th	7th	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	4th	8th
15th	B. Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	DNF	NC	10	DNF	9	DNF	10	15th	DNF	15th	DNF	DNF	8th	4th	3	7th
16	M. Surer	Ensign-Ford	DNF	4th	DNF	9	11	6th										4th
		Theodore Ford								12	11	14th	DNF	8th	DNQ	9	DNF	0
17th	M. Andretti	Alfa Romeo	4th	DNF	8th	DNF	10	DNF	8th	8th	DNF	9	DNF	DNF	DNF	7th	DNF	3
18th	A. de Cesaris	McLaren-Ford	DNF	DNF	11	6th	DNF	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	DNF	8th	DNS	7th	DNF	12	1
19th	P. Tambay	Theodore Ford	6th	10	DNF	11	DNQ	7th	13									1
		Ligier-Matra								DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	0
20th	S. Borgudd	ATS Ford				13	DNQ	DNPQ	DNQ	DNQ	6th	DNF	DNF	10	DNF	DNF	DNQ	1
21st	E. Salazar	March-Ford	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNF	DNQ	DNPQ										0
		Ensign-Ford							14th	DNF	DNQ	NC	DNF	6th	DNF	DNF	NC	1
-	J.-P. Jarier	Ligier-Matra	DNF	7th														0
		Osella-Ford									8th	8th	10	DNF	9	DNF	DNF	0
-	D. Daly	March-Ford	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNPQ	16	DNF	7th	DNF	11	DNF	DNF	8th	DNQ	0
-	S. Stohr	Arrows Ford	DNQ	DNF	9	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNQ	DNF	12	DNF	7th	DNQ			0
-	C. Serra	Fittipaldi-Ford	7th	DNF	DNF	DNQ	DNF	DNQ	11	DNS	DNQ	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0
-	K. Rosberg	Fittipaldi-Ford	DNF	9	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNQ	12	DNF	DNF	DNQ		DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	10	0
-	M. Alboreto	Tyrrell-Ford				DNF	12	DNF	DNQ	16	DNF	DNQ	DNF	9	DNF	11	13	0
-	B. Henton	Toleman-Hart				DNQ	DNQ	DNPQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	10	DNQ	DNQ	0
-	J. Lammers	ATS Ford	DNF	DNQ	12	DNQ												0
-	R. Zunino	Tyrrell-Ford		13	13													0
-	P. Ghinzani	Osella-Ford					13	DNQ										0
-	J.-P. Jabouille	Ligier-Matra			DNQ	NC	DNF	DNQ	DNF									0
-	B. Gabbiani	Osella-Ford	DNF	DNQ	DNQ	DNF	DNF	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	0
-	D. Warwick	Toleman-Hart				DNQ	DNQ	DNPQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNF	0
-	M. Guerra	Osella-Ford	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNF												0
-	J. Villeneuve sr.	Arrows Ford														DNQ	DNQ	0
-	K. Cogan	Tyrrell-Ford	DNQ															0
-	G. Francia	Osella-Ford							DNQ									0
-	R. Londoño	Ensign-Ford		DNP														0

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	P / bold	Pole position
	SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

Constructors' championship

Williams FW07 Ford Cosworth from 1981

Item constructor Points 1  Williams-Ford 95 2  Brabham-Ford 61 3  Renault T 54 4th  Ligier-Matra 44 5  Ferrari T 34 6th  McLaren-Ford 28 7th  Lotus Ford 22nd 8th  Arrows Ford 10 9  Alfa Romeo 10

Item constructor Points 10  Tyrrell-Ford 10 11  Ensign-Ford 5 12  Theodore Ford 1 13  ATS Ford 1 14th  March-Ford 0 15th  Fittipaldi-Ford 0 16  Osella-Ford 0 17th  Toleman-Hart T. 0

^T = turbo engine

News in brief Formula 1

• The two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi resigned.
• At the Spanish GP , the top five were within 1.24 seconds.
• John Watson won the British GP - it was the first win for a carbon fiber chassis and the first for McLaren in the Ron Dennis era.
• Niki Lauda announced his comeback; Alan Jones stopped.

Web links

Commons : Formula 1 World Championship 1981  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official Formula 1 website Results Season 1981 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Adriano Cimarosti: The century of racing , motor book publisher Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01848-9 , S. 309th
2. ↑ Mattijs Diepraam, Felix Muelas: "The one did did not count". forix.autosport.com, December 24, 2000, accessed April 30, 2015 . 
3. ^ Statistics of the 1981 Grand Prix of South Africa on the website www.silhouet.com (accessed December 11, 2014).