# 1981 BRDC International Trophy

The 33rd BRDC International Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held at Silverstone on 29 March 1981. It was the opening race of the 1981 European Formula Two Championship.
The 47-lap race was won by New Zealander Mike Thackwell, driving a works Ralt-Honda. Italian Riccardo Paletti finished second in a March-BMW entered by Onyx Race Engineering, with another Italian, Corrado Fabi, third in a works March-BMW.

## Report
### Entry

A total of 46 F2 cars were entered for the event, however just 31 took part in qualifying.

### Qualifying

Mike Thackwell took pole position for Ralt Racing Ltd, in their Ralt-Honda RH6/81, averaging a speed of 133.59 mph.

### Race

The race was held over 47 laps on a wet Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Mike Thackwell took the winner spoils for works Ralt team, driving their Ralt-Honda RH6/81. Thackwell won in a time of 1hr 11:44.67mins., averaging a speed of 115.23 mph. Over 30 seconds behind was the second place car, driven by Riccardo Paletti, in the March Onyx Racing Team’s March-BMW 812. The podium was completed by another Italian, Corrado Fabi, in his Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd-entered March-BMW 812, albeit one lap adrift.

## Race classification

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Entrant | Car - Engine | Laps | Time/Retired |
| 1st | 15 | Mike Thackwell | Ralt Racing Ltd | Ralt-Honda RH6/81 | 47 | 1:11:44.67 |
| 2nd | 7 | Riccardo Paletti | March Onyx Racing Team | March-BMW 812 | 47 | + 36.19 |
| 3rd | 3 | Corrado Fabi | Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd | March-BMW 812 | 46 | + 1 lap |
| 4th | 77 | Jim Crawford | Plygrange Racing Ltd | Toleman-Hart TG280 | 46 | + 1 lap |
| 5th | 12 | Carlo Rossi | Sanremo Racing Srl | Toleman-Hart TG280 | 46 | + 1 lap |
| 6th | 48 | Brian Robinson | Grange Performance Cars | Chevron-Hart B42 | 46 | + 1 lap |
| 7th | 14 | Geoff Lees | Ralt Racing Ltd | Ralt-Honda RH6/81 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 8th | 36 | Ray Mallock | Cliff Smith Racing | Ralt-Hart RT4 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 9th | 1 | Stefan Johansson | Docking Spitzley Team Toleman | Lola-Hart T850 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 10th | 5 | Christian Danner | March Racing Ltd | March-BMW 812 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 11th | 10 | Michele Alboreto | Minardi Team | Minardi Fly-BMW 281 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 12th | 24 | Jürg Lienhard | Lista Racing Team | March-BMW 802 | 45 | + 2 laps |
| 13th | 27 | Sewi Hopfer | Sewi Hopfer Racing | Toleman-Hart TG280 | 44 | + 3 laps |
| 14th | 9 | Johnny Cecotto | Minardi Team | Minardi Fly-BMW 281 | 44 | + 3 laps |
| 15th | 18 | Fredy Schnarwiler | Formel Rennsport Club | Lola-BMW T850 | 43 | + 4 laps |
| 16th | 29 | Warren Booth | Colin Bennett Racing | Chevron-Hart B48 | 43 | + 4 laps |
| 17th | 28 | Guido Daccò | DAC Sport Racing Team | Minardi-BMW GM75 | 42 | + 5 laps |
| 18th | 16 | Eje Elgh | Maurer Motorsport | Maurer-BMW MM81 | 42 | + 5 laps |
| 19th | 2 | Kenny Acheson | Docking Spitzley Team Toleman | Lola-Hart T850 | 41 | + 6 laps |
| 20th | 20 | 'Gianfranco' | Astra Team Merzario Srl | March-BMW 812 | 39 | + 8 laps |
| DNF | 4 | Thierry Boutsen | Marlboro Racing for Zolder/March Racing Ltd | March-BMW 812 | 36 | Spin/gearbox |
| DNF | 11 | Guido Pardini | Sanremo Racing Srl | Lola-BMW T850 | 24 | Crown wheel & pinion |
| DNF | 31 | Kim Mather | Kim Mather | March-Hart 792 | 24 | Wheel bearing |
| DNF | 17 | Roberto Guerrero | Maurer Motorsport | Maurer-BMW MM81 | 21 | Electrical |
| DNF | 8 | Richard Dallest | Team AGS Motul GPA | AGS-BMW JH17 | 8 | Accident |
| DNF | 40 | Paul Smith | BMTR | March-Hart 782 | 8 | Engine |
| DNS | 19 | Piero Necchi | Astra Team Merzario Srl | March-BMW 812 | | |
| DNS | 35 | Jochen Dauer | GRS Motorsport | GRS-BMW TC 001 | | |
| DNQ | 21 | Arturo Merzario | Astra Team Merzario Srl | Merzario-BMW M1 | | |
| DNQ | 33 | Roy Baker | Roy Baker | Chevron-Hart B48 | | |
| DNQ | 46 | Bob Howlings | Bob Howlings | Chevron-Hart B42 | | |
* Fastest lap: Geoff Lees, 1:22.82 secs (125.94 mph)