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Home / Seasons / 1981 F1 World Championship Season

1981 F1 season

Season info

Season

32

Races

15

Drivers’ Champion

Nelson Piquet (1st title; 19th different World Champion, 2nd Brazilian champion)

Constructors’ Champion

Williams-Ford Cosworth (2nd title for Williams)

Reigning Drivers’ Champion

Alan Jones

Reigning Constructors’ Champion

Williams

← 1980 1982 →

Quick links

Standings

  • Driver standings
  • Constructor standings

Wins, poles & fastest laps

  • Race winners
  • Pole positions
  • Fastest laps

Qualifying

  • Qualifying stats

Season stats

  • Driver stats
  • Constructor stats
  • Championship leaders
  • Home Grand Prix stats

On this page

  • Calendar
  • Race results
  • Driver and constructor entries
  • First-time winners, podium finishers and polesitters

Calendar

#Grand PrixCircuitDate
1USA WestLong Beach15 March
2BrazilJacarepagua29 March
3ArgentinaBuenos Aires12 April
4San MarinoImola03 May
5BelgiumZolder17 May
6MonacoMonte Carlo31 May
7SpainJarama21 June
8FranceDijon-Prenois05 July
9BritainSilverstone18 July
10GermanyHockenheim02 August
11AustriaOsterreichring16 August
12NetherlandsZandvoort30 August
13ItalyMonza13 September
14CanadaMontreal27 September
15Caesars PalaceLas Vegas17 October
← 1980 1982 →
First race (Grand Prix)
Caesars Palace
San Marino
First race (circuit)
Las Vegas (sixth American circuit to host a World Championship race)
Last race (circuit)
Jarama
First Grand Prix since…
1979 for Spain
First race at a circuit since…
1978 for Jacarepagua
1979 for Dijon-Prenois, Jarama, Monza and Silverstone
Last Grand Prix until…
1986 for Spain
1995 for Argentina
Last race at a circuit until…
1983 for Silverstone
1995 for Buenos Aires

Race results

#Grand PrixResult
1USA WestResult
2BrazilResult
3ArgentinaResult
4San MarinoResult
5BelgiumResult
6MonacoResult
7SpainResult
8France (350th World Championship race)Result
9BritainResult
10GermanyResult
11AustriaResult
12NetherlandsResult
13ItalyResult
14Canada (constructors’ title decider)Result
15Caesars Palace (drivers’ title decider)Result
← 1980 1982 →

Driver and constructor entries

The following drivers and constructors participated in the 1981 F1 season. Round(s) entered are shown in parentheses.

Alfa Romeo
(USA) Mario Andretti (All)
(ITA) Bruno Giacomelli (All)
Arrows
(ITA) Riccardo Patrese (All)
(ITA) Siegfried Stohr (1-13) (Rookie)
(CAN) Jacques Villeneuve Sr (14-15) (Rookie)
ATS
(NLD) Jan Lammers (1-4)
(SWE) Slim Borgudd (4-15) (Rookie)
Brabham
(BRA) Nelson Piquet (All)
(MEX) Hector Rebaque (All)
Ensign
(CHE) Marc Surer (1-6)
(CHL) Eliseo Salazar (7-15) (Rookie) (first Chilean driver to enter a World Championship race)
Ferrari
(FRA) Didier Pironi (All)
(CAN) Gilles Villeneuve (All)
Fittipaldi
(FIN) Keke Rosberg (1-10, 12-15)
(BRA) Chico Serra (1-10, 12-15) (Rookie)
Ligier
(FRA) Jacques Laffite (All)
(FRA) Jean-Pierre Jarier (1-2)
(FRA) Jean-Pierre Jabouille (3-7)
(FRA) Patrick Tambay (8-15)
Lotus
(ITA) Elio de Angelis (1-3, 5-15)
(GBR) Nigel Mansell (1-3, 5-15)
March
(IRL) Derek Daly (All)
(CHL) Eliseo Salazar (1-6) (Rookie) (first Chilean driver to enter a World Championship race)
McLaren
(ITA) Andrea de Cesaris (All)
(GBR) John Watson (All)
Osella
(ITA) Beppe Gabbiani (All) (Rookie)
(ARG) Miguel Angel Guerra (1-4) (Rookie)
(ITA) Piercarlo Ghinzani (5-6) (Rookie)
(ITA) Giorgio Francia (7)
(FRA) Jean-Pierre Jarier (9-15)
Renault
(FRA) Rene Arnoux (All)
(FRA) Alain Prost (All)
Theodore
(FRA) Patrick Tambay (1-7)
(CHE) Marc Surer (8-15)
Toleman
(GBR) Brian Henton (4-15)
(GBR) Derek Warwick (4-15) (Rookie)
Tyrrell
(USA) Eddie Cheever (All)
(USA) Kevin Cogan (1)
(ARG) Ricardo Zunino (2-3)
(ITA) Michele Alboreto (4-15) (Rookie)
Williams (works team)
(AUS) Alan Jones (All)
(ARG) Carlos Reutemann (All)
Williams (privateer)
(ESP) Emilio de Villota (7)
← 1980 1982 →
Final season (drivers)
Kevin Cogan
Giorgio Francia
Beppe Gabbiani
Miguel Angel Guerra
Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Hector Rebaque
Siegfried Stohr
Ricardo Zunino
First entry (drivers) since…
1977 for Giorgio Francia
1978 for Emilio de Villota, Beppe Gabbiani and Brian Henton
1979 for Patrick Tambay
Last entry (drivers) until…
1983 for Piercarlo Ghinzani, Alan Jones and Jacques Villeneuve Sr
Debut season (constructors)
Toleman
First entry (constructors) since…
1978 for March and Theodore

Maiden wins

DriverGrand Prix
Alain Prost (Renault)France
← 1980 1982 →

Maiden podium finishes

DriverGrand Prix
Alain Prost (Renault)Argentina
Nigel Mansell (Lotus)Belgium
Bruno Giacomelli (Alfa Romeo)Caesars Palace
← 1980 1982 →

Maiden pole positions

DriverGrand Prix
Riccardo Patrese (Arrows)USA West
Alain Prost (Renault)Germany
ConstructorGrand Prix
Arrows (Riccardo Patrese)USA West
← 1980 1982 →

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