# 1981 German Formula Three Championship

The 1981 German Formula Three Championship (German: 1981 Deutsche Formel-3-Meisterschaft) was a multi-event motor racing championship for single-seat open wheel formula racing cars held in Germany, Belgium and Austria. The championship featured drivers competing in two-litre Formula Three racing cars which conformed to the technical regulations, or formula, for the championship. It commenced on 29 March at Nürburgring and ended at the same place on 20 September after eleven rounds.
Bertram Schäfer Racing driver Frank Jelinski had successfully defended his championship crown. He won races at Wunstorf, Erding and Nürburgring. Franz Konrad lost in the title battle just by three points. Stefan Bellof completed the top-three in the drivers standings with wins at Diepholz, Hockenheim and Siegerland. Peter Schindler and 1981 FIA European Formula 3 Championship driver Oscar Larrauri were the only other drivers who won race in the season.

## Teams and drivers

Entry List :
| Team | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
| AC Mayen | Bernd Suckow | Chevron B47 | Toyota | 1–3, 10–11 |
| Andy Wietzke | Andy Wietzke | Martini MK34/016 | Toyota | 4–11 |
| Bertram Schäfer Racing | Frank Jelinski | Ralt RT3/214 | Toyota | 1, 3–11 |
| Bewa Fritid | Thomas Kaiser | Ralt RT3/245 | Toyota | 2, 7 |
| BP Racing | Alain Ferté | Martini MK34 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Helmut Bross | Maco 381/M017 | Toyota | 2–4, 10–11 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Miguel Muniz-Rizo | Maco 381/M017 | Toyota | 5–7 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Harald Brutschin | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 1–7 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Herve Roger | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 1–9 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Thomas von Löwis | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 11 |
| Druck Chemie — Partner der Druckindustrie | Maurice Roger | Chevron B47/47–79–02 | Toyota | 1–6, 8–9, 11 |
| Ecurie Elf Antar | Denis Morin | Martini MK34 | Toyota | 1 |
| Ecurie Motul Nogaro | Philippe Streiff | Martini MK34 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| EMSC Bitburg | Albert Hamper | Chevron | Toyota | 6, 9 |
| EMSC Bitburg | Manfred Hebben | Ralt RT1 | Toyota | All |
| EMSC Bitburg | Heinrich Heintz | Ralt RT1/23 | BMW | 2, 6, 8–9, 11 |
| EMSC Bitburg | Harald Tonat | March | BMW | 3–7 |
| Escuderia TR Balear | Helmut Kalenborn | Derichs D37/F3-78-02 | Toyota | 6 |
| Euroracing | Mauro Baldi | March 813/4 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Euroracing | Fabio Mancini | March 813 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Formel Rennsport Club | Hanspeter Kaufmann | March 803/11 | Toyota | 8–9, 11 |
| Formel Rennsport Club | Marcus Simeon | Argo JM3 | Toyota | 7, 11 |
| Formel Rennsport Club | Robert Treichler | March 783 | Toyota | 2, 8–9 |
| Formel Rennsport Club | Jo Zeller | March 793 | Toyota | All |
| Fredy Eschenmoser | Fredy Eschenmoser | Ralt RT3 | | 8 |
| Gelo Nachwuchs Racing Team | Stefan Bellof | Ralt RT3/215 | Toyota | 3–11 |
| Gebhardt Motorsport — Spiess Tuning | Günter Gebhardt | Ralt RT3 | Mercedes | 2–7 |
| Gummi Scheufele Racing Team | Rudi Seher | March 793/4 | Toyota | 1–2, 4–5, 9 |
| Gummi Scheufele Racing Team | Gerold Hirth | Chevron B43 | Toyota | 1–2, 4–6 |
| Hans-Joachim Hösch | Hans-Joachim Hösch | Chevron B43 | Toyota | 3–4 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Donald Bradway | March 813 | Toyota | 1–7, 9–11 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Herbert Bürgmayr | March 803 | BMW | 4–5, 9 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Ramon Gonzales | March 803 | BMW | 6–7 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Gero Fleck | March 803B | Toyota | 1, 3, 10 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Jürgen Schlich | March 803B | Toyota | 2 |
| Heidsieck Monopole Racing Team | Uwe Teuscher | March 793 | Toyota | All |
| Hubert de Spiegelaere | Hubert de Spiegelaere | March 803B | | 8 |
| Ignazio Rizza | Ignazio Rizza | March 743/3 | BMW | 1, 9 |
| Jan Thoelke | Jan Thoelke | Maco 381/M024 | Toyota | 1–2 |
| Jean-Louis Schlesser | Jean-Louis Schlesser | Martini MK34/002 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Jeans Michel Racing Team | Pierre-Alain Lombardi | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 8 |
| Johann Eisenmann | Johann Eisenmann | March 753/5 | Toyota | 5–6 |
| Josef Kaufmann Racing | Josef Kaufmann | Martini MK31 | Toyota | All |
| Klaus Hansert | Klaus Hansert | Maco 378/M021 | BMW | 3 |
| Klaus Zimmermann Racing Team | Jochen Dauer | March 813 | Toyota | 11 |
| Konrad Racing | Peter Kroeber | March 803 | Toyota | 1 |
| Marlboro Racing for Zolder | Didier Theys | Martini MK34 | Alfa Romeo | 1, 8 |
| Michael Bleekemolen | Michael Bleekemolen | Ralt RT3/208 | Toyota | 8 |
| Monopole Suze Weigel Racing | Harald Brutschin | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 8–10 |
| Monopole Suze Weigel Racing | Edgar Pohl | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 11 |
| Pascal Fabre | Pascal Fabre | Martini MK34 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Peter Cornand | Peter Cornand | Ralt RT1 | Toyota | 1–3, 5–6, 9–11 |
| Peter Wicks | Peter Wicks | Chevron B38 | Toyota | 6, 11 |
| Peter Wisskirchen | Peter Wisskirchen | Ralt RT1/137 | Toyota | 2–3, 6–7, 10–11 |
| RGA Sohler Ski Racing Team | Franz Oelmayer | Ralt RT1 | BMW | 4–5 |
| Scuderia Calanda | Jakob Bordoli | Martini MK31/003 | Toyota | 1 |
| Scuderia Colonia | Willi Hüsgen | Maco 376/M013 | Toyota | 1, 3, 6–11 |
| Scuderia Teutonia | Franz Konrad | March 803B/1 | Toyota | All |
| Scuderia Torino Corse | Oscar Larrauri | March 813/7 | Toyota | 1 |
| Scuderia Torino Corse | Emanuele Pirro | Martini MK34 | Toyota | 1 |
| Team Motor Presse Dienst MPD „Sport“ | Bernd Wicks | Derichs D380/01 | Toyota | 3–11 |
| Thomas Holert | Thomas Holert | March 803 | Toyota | 1 |
| Thorbjörn Carlsson | Thorbjörn Carlsson | Ralt RT3/244 | Toyota | 2, 7 |
| Total | Philippe Alliot | Martini MK34 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Ursula Ortmann — Ortmann Racing Team | Karl Hasenbichler | March 813/8 | Toyota | 2, 4, 6, 9 |
| Victory Team Berlin | Peter Katsarski | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 1, 3–5, 7–11 |
| Walter Lechner Racing School | Harald Brutschin | Ralt RT3 | Toyota | 11 |
| Walter Lechner Racing School | "Umberto Calvo" | Ralt RT3/220 | Toyota | 1, 4–5, 7–10 |
| Walter Lechner Racing School | Peter Schindler | Ralt RT3/234 | Toyota | 1–2, 5, 8 |

## Calendar

| Round | Location | Circuit | Date | Supporting |
| 1 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 29 March | XVI. ADAC Goodyear 300 km Rennen |
| 2 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 23 May | XXVII. ADAC 1000 km Rennen |
| 3 | Wunstorf, West Germany | Wunstorf Air Base | 21 June | ADAC-Flugplatzrennen Wunstorf |
| 4 | Erding, West Germany | Erding Air Base | 5 July | 4. ADAC-Flugplatz-Rennen Erding |
| 5 | Salzburg, Austria | Salzburgring | 12 July | 9. ADAC-Bavaria-Rennen |
| 6 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 19 July | ADAC-H.G.Bürger-Gedächtnisrennen — Preis von Luxembourg |
| 7 | Diepholz, West Germany | Diepholz Airfield Circuit | 26 July | 14. ADAC-Flugplatzrennen Diepholz |
| 8 | Heusden-Zolder, Belgium | Circuit Zolder | 23 August | 15. ADAC Westfalen-Pokal-Rennen" |
| 9 | Hockenheim, West Germany | Hockenheimring | 6 September | ADAC-Hessen Cup" |
| 10 | Siegerland, West Germany | Siegerland Airport | 13 September | 4. ADAC Siegerland Flughafenrennen |
| 11 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 20 September | VIII. ADAC-Bilstein-Super-Sprint |

## Results

| Round | Circuit | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Winning driver | Winning team |
| 1 | Nürburgring | Mauro Baldi | Oscar Larrauri | Oscar Larrauri | Scuderia Torino Corse |
| 2 | Nürburgring | Peter Schindler | Peter Schindler | Peter Schindler | Walter Lechner Racing School |
| 3 | Wunstorf Air Base | Stefan Bellof | Stefan Bellof | Frank Jelinski | Bertram Schäfer Racing |
| 4 | Erding Air Base | „Umberto Calvo“ | Stefan Bellof | Frank Jelinski | Bertram Schäfer Racing |
| 5 | Salzburgring | Franz Konrad | no data | Peter Schindler | Walter Lechner Racing School |
| 6 | Nürburgring | Stefan Bellof | Stefan Bellof | Frank Jelinski | Bertram Schäfer Racing |
| 7 | Diepholz Airfield Circuit | Stefan Bellof | Frank Jelinski | Stefan Bellof | Gelo Nachwuchs Racing Team |
| 8 | Circuit Zolder | Peter Schindler | Peter Schindler | Peter Schindler | Walter Lechner Racing School |
| 9 | Hockenheimring | Stefan Bellof | Stefan Bellof | Stefan Bellof | Gelo Nachwuchs Racing Team |
| 10 | Siegerland Airport | „Umberto Calvo“ | Frank Jelinski | Stefan Bellof | Gelo Nachwuchs Racing Team |
| 11 | Nürburgring | Stefan Bellof | Harald Brutschin | Frank Jelinski | Bertram Schäfer Racing |

## Championship standings

* Points are awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | WUN | ERD | SAL | NÜR3 | DIE | ZOL | HOC | SIE | NÜR4 | Points |
| 1 | Frank Jelinski | 7 | | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 13 | 2 | 1 | 135 |
| 2 | Franz Konrad | 10 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 132 |
| 3 | Stefan Bellof | | | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 124 |
| 4 | Harald Brutschin | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 14 | DNS | 2 | Ret | 3 | 93 |
| 5 | Peter Schindler | Ret | 1 | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 60 |
| 6 | „Umberto Calvo“ | Ret | | | 2 | 5 | | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | | 60 |
| 7 | Josef Kaufmann | 13 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 8 | Ret | 6 | 4 | 53 |
| 8 | Uwe Teuscher | 12 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 12 | Ret | 8 | 5 | 5 | 44 |
| 9 | Günter Gebhardt | | 8 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | DNS | | | | | 36 |
| 10 | Andy Wietzke | | | | 15 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 5 | Ret | 6 | 33 |
| 11 | Bernd Wicks | | | 6 | 7 | 10 | 19 | Ret | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 29 |
| 12 | Manfred Hebben | 17 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 17 |
| 13 | Peter Katsarski | DNQ | | 7 | 12 | 14 | | 8 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 17 | 14 |
| 14 | Rudi Seher | 15 | 10 | | 13 | Ret | | | | Ret | | | 9 |
| 15 | Herve Roger | DNQ | 13 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 15 | Ret | | | 9 |
| 16 | Helmut Bross | | 23 | Ret | 9 | | | | | | 7 | Ret | 6 |
| 17 | Thomas Holert | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 18 | Jürgen Schlich | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 19 | Jochen Dauer | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 4 |
| 20 | Donald Bradway | DNQ | 16 | 10 | Ret | 18 | 11 | | 16 | 9 | Ret | 22 | 4 |
| 21 | Peter Wisskirchen | | 12 | 13 | | | 18 | Ret | | | 9 | 12 | 3 |
| 22 | Jan Thoelke | 18 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 23 | Maurice Roger | DNS | 11 | 15 | 21 | Ret | DNS | | 17 | DNS | | 19 | 2 |
| 24 | Bernd Suckow | DNQ | 17 | 14 | | | | | | | Ret | 10 | 2 |
| 25 | Gero Fleck | 19 | | DSQ | | | | | | | 12 | | 1 |
| 26 | Herbert Bürgmayr | | | | 11 | 15 | | | | 11 | | | 1 |
| | Miguel Muniz-Rizo | | | | | 16 | 12 | DNS | | | | | 0 |
| | Willi Hüsgen | DNQ | | Ret | | | 16 | 15 | Ret | 17 | 13 | 18 | 0 |
| | Peter Wicks | | | | | | 13 | | | | | 15 | 0 |
| | Ramon Gonzales | | | | | | Ret | 13 | | | | | 0 |
| | Peter Cornand | DNQ | 20 | 16 | | 21 | 20 | | | 14 | Ret | 21 | 0 |
| | Gerold Hirth | DNQ | 19 | | 18 | 17 | 14 | | | | | | 0 |
| | Karl Hasenbichler | | 24 | | 16 | | Ret | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Thomas von Löwis | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 0 |
| | Helmut Kalenborn | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | 0 |
| | Albert Hamper | | | | | | Ret | | | 16 | | | 0 |
| | Edgar Pohl | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | 0 |
| | Johann Eisenmann | | | | | 20 | 17 | | | | | | 0 |
| | Hans-Joachim Hösch | | | Ret | 17 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Heinrich Heintz | | 21 | | | | 21 | | 19 | 18 | | 20 | 0 |
| | Robert Treichler | | 18 | | | | | | Ret | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Marcus Simeon | | | | | | | | 18 | | | Ret | 0 |
| | Franz Oelmayer | | | | 20 | 19 | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Peter Kroeber | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Harald Tonat | | | Ret | 22 | 22 | 22 | DNS | | | | | 0 |
| | Klaus Hansert | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Herbert Lingmann | | DNS | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Heinz Hermann | | | DNS | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Rainer Lindeken | | | | | | DNS | | | DNS | | | 0 |
| | Henning Hagenbauer | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Georg Lorenz | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| guest drivers ineligible to score points ||||||||||||||
| | Oscar Larrauri | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Philippe Alliot | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Michael Bleekemolen | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 0 |
| | Didier Theys | 11 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 0 |
| | Alain Ferté | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Jean-Louis Schlesser | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Thorbjörn Carlsson | | 4 | | | | | 4 | | | | | 0 |
| | Thomas Kaiser | | 5 | | | | | 6 | | | | | 0 |
| | Mauro Baldi | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Hanspeter Kaufmann | | | | | | | | 12 | 6 | | 7 | 0 |
| | Denis Morin | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Fabio Mancini | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Pierre-Alain Lombardi | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | 0 |
| | Pascal Fabre | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Fredy Eschenmoser | | | | | | | | 14 | | | | 0 |
| | Ignazio Rizza | 22 | | | | | | | | 15 | | | 0 |
| | Jo Zeller | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Philippe Streiff | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Jakob Bordoli | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Emanuele Pirro | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Hubert de Spiegelaere | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | WUN | ERD | SAL | NÜR3 | DIE | ZOL | HOC | SIE | NÜR4 | Points |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |