# 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 33rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

## Season summary

In the 500cc world championship, two Suzuki teams fought for the title with Marco Lucchinelli riding for Roberto Gallina's Italian Suzuki team and, Randy Mamola riding for the Heron Suzuki team backed by the UK Suzuki importer. Mamola started the season strongly with two victories and two second-place finishes to take the lead in the championship but then, Lucchinelli took command with four victories in the next five races to claim the world championship. Mamola finished in second place for the second year in a row.
Barry Sheene would win the final race of his career with a win in Sweden while a young American named Freddie Spencer made his first foray into the world championships as a member of the Honda factory racing team, riding the four-stroke Honda NR500 up to fifth place at the British Grand Prix before it suffered a mechanical failure.
Germany's Anton Mang scored double world championship victories, defeating defending champion Jon Ekerold for the 350cc title and, winning ten of twelve 250 events to take that title. Frenchman Michel Rougerie, who finished second in 1975 250 championship, was killed when he was hit by another rider after crashing in the 350 race in Yugoslavia. Angel Nieto won his tenth championship by winning eight of twelve rounds on his Minarelli while Ricardo Tormo won the 50cc crown for Bultaco.
Beginning in 1981, motorcycle frame technology evolved quickly as motorcycle manufacturers moved from the steel, featherbed frame chassis first developed in the 1950s, to aluminium frames featuring large, twin beams as first pioneered by Spanish constructor, Antonio Cobas.

## 1981 Grand Prix season calendar

The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1981:
| Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
| 1 | 22 March | Argentine Grand Prix | Autódromo Municipal de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
| 2 | 26 April | Großer Preis von Österreich | Salzburgring |
| 3 | 3 May | Großer Preis von Deutschland | Hockenheimring |
| 4 | 10 May | Gran Premio delle Nazioni | Autodromo Nazionale Monza |
| 5 | 17 May | Grand Prix de France Moto | Circuit Paul Ricard |
| 6 | 24 May | Gran Premio de España | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama |
| 7 | 31 May | Yu Grand Prix | Automotodrom Rijeka |
| 8 | 27 June | Dutch TT Assen | TT Circuit Assen |
| 9 | 5 July | Grand Prix Moto | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps |
| 10 | 12 July | Gran Premio di San Marino | Autodromo Dino Ferrari |
| 11 | 2 August | Marlboro British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit |
| 12 | 9 August | Finnish GP | Imatra Circuit |
| 13 | 16 August | Swedish TT | Scandinavian Raceway |
| 14 | 30 August | Grand Prix ČSSR | Brno Circuit |

### Calendar changes

* The Argentine Grand Prix was added to the calendar.
* The Austrian Grand Prix returned on the calendar after a one-year absence. Last year's scheduled running of the event was cancelled due to snowy weather conditions on race week.
* The German Grand Prix was moved forward, from 24 August to 3 May.
* The German Grand Prix moved from the Nürburgring-Nordschleife to the Hockenheimring for the next three years due to ongoing construction to replace it with a new venue.
* The Nations Grand Prix moved from the Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
* The Yugoslavian Grand Prix was moved forward, from 15 June to 31 May.
* The Belgian Grand Prix moved from Circuit Zolder to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps after the track problems at Spa-Francorchamps were resolved.
* The San Marino Grand Prix was added to the calendar.
* The Finnish Grand Prix was moved back, from 27 July to 9 August.
* The Swedish Grand Prix was added to the calendar after a one-year absence.

## Results and standings
### 1981 Grand Prix season results

| Round | Date: | Race | Location | 50cc winner | 125cc winner | 250cc winner | 350cc winner | 500cc winner | Report |
| 1 | 22 March | Argentine Grand Prix | Buenos Aires | | Angel Nieto | Jean-François Baldé | Jon Ekerold | | Report |
| 2 | 26 April | Austrian Grand Prix | Salzburgring | | Angel Nieto | | Patrick Fernandez | Randy Mamola | Report |
| 3 | 3 May | German Grand Prix | Hockenheim | Stefan Dörflinger | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | Anton Mang | Kenny Roberts | Report |
| 4 | 10 May | Nations Grand Prix | Monza | Ricardo Tormo | Guy Bertin | Eric Saul | Jon Ekerold | Kenny Roberts | Report |
| 5 | 17 May | French Grand Prix | Paul Ricard | | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | | Marco Lucchinelli | Report |
| 6 | 24 May | Spanish Grand Prix | Jarama | Ricardo Tormo | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | | | Report |
| 7 | 31 May | Yugoslavian Grand Prix | Rijeka | Ricardo Tormo | Loris Reggiani | | Anton Mang | Randy Mamola | Report |
| 8 | 27 June | Dutch TT | Assen | Ricardo Tormo | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | Anton Mang | Marco Lucchinelli | Report |
| 9 | 5 July | Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps | Ricardo Tormo | | Anton Mang | | Marco Lucchinelli | Report |
| 10 | 12 July | San Marino Grand Prix | Imola | Ricardo Tormo | Loris Reggiani | Anton Mang | | Marco Lucchinelli | Report |
| 11 | 2 August | British Grand Prix | Silverstone | | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | Anton Mang | Jack Middelburg | Report |
| 12 | 9 August | Finnish Grand Prix | Imatra | | Angel Nieto | Anton Mang | | Marco Lucchinelli | Report |
| 13 | 16 August | Swedish Grand Prix | Anderstorp | | Ricardo Tormo | Anton Mang | | Barry Sheene | Report |
| 14 | 30 August | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix | Brno Circuit | Theo Timmer | | Anton Mang | Anton Mang | | Report |

### 500cc riders' standings
#### Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top ten finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Place | Rider | Team | Machine | AUT | GER | NAT | FRA | YUG | NED | BEL | SMR | GBR | FIN | SWE | Points |
| 1 | Marco Lucchinelli | Nava Gallina-Suzuki | RG500 | Ret | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 105 |
| 2 | Randy Mamola | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 2 | 1 | Ret | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 94 |
| 3 | Kenny Roberts | Yamaha International | YZR500 | Ret | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Ret | 2 | DNS | 2 | 7 | Ret | 74 |
| 4 | Barry Sheene | Akai-Yamaha | YZR500 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Ret | 4 | 2 | Ret | Ret | 1 | 72 |
| 5 | Graeme Crosby | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Ret | 7 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 5 | 68 |
| 6 | Boet van Dulmen | IMN Yamaha | YZR500 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 5 | Ret | 6 | Ret | 2 | 64 |
| 7 | Jack Middelburg | Racing Westland Suzuki | RG500 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | DNS | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 60 |
| 8 | Kork Ballington | Team Kawasaki | KR500 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 7 | DNS | 3 | 19 | 5 | Ret | 3 | 4 | 43 |
| 9 | Marc Fontan | Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha | YZR500 | 12 | 9 | Ret | 10 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
| 10 | Hiroyuki Kawasaki | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | 3 | 7 | Ret | 6 | | | | | | | | 19 |
| 11 | Bernard Fau | GPA Total | RG500 | Ret | 25 | | 12 | 12 | 7 | 10 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 10 | 14 |
| 12 | Guido Paci | Belgarda Yamaha | YZR500 | | | 6 | | 9 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 13 | Ret | Ret | 14 |
| 13 | Franco Uncini | Uncini-Suzuki | RG500 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 16 | Ret | 7 | 12 |
| 14 | Willem Zoet | Stimorol Racing | RG500 | | | | | 14 | 4 | 9 | Ret | | | | 10 |
| 15 | Seppo Rossi | | RG500 | 15 | Ret | 16 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 14 | | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| 16 | Gianni Pelletier | | RG500 | 10 | Ret | Ret | | 6 | Ret | 16 | 9 | | Ret | Ret | 8 |
| 17 | Michel Frutschi | Hostettler Yamaha | YZR500 | Ret | 5 | | | | 16 | 23 | 16 | Ret | 11 | Ret | 6 |
| 18 | Dave Potter | Team BP-Yamaha | YZR500 | | Ret | Ret | | | 6 | 26 | | NC | | | 5 |
| 19 | Stuart Avant | Ellis Racing | RG500 | Ret | Ret | 19 | 16 | | 19 | 22 | | 7 | | | 4 |
| 20 | Sergio Pellandini | | RG500 | 17 | 21 | 10 | 13 | Ret | 8 | 15 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 16 | 4 |
| 21 | Ikujiro Takai | Yamaha International | YZR500 | | | | | | | | | 8 | Ret | | 3 |
| 22 | Steve Parrish | Mitsui Yamaha | YZR500 | | | DNQ | | | 18 | 20 | Ret | 9 | 10 | 15 | 3 |
| 23 | Frank Gross | | RG500 | | | DNQ | DNQ | 15 | DNQ | Ret | | | 9 | | 2 |
| 24 | Wil Hartog | Riemersma Racing | RG500 | 9 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 25 | Christian Sarron | Sonauto Gauloises-Yamaha | YZR500 | | Ret | 9 | Ret | | 17 | Ret | 12 | 18 | Ret | Ret | 2 |
| 26 | Sadao Asami | Yamaha International | YZR500 | 23 | 11 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 11 | Ret | NC | Ret | Ret | 1 |
| 27 | Chris Guy | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | 1 |
| 28 | Keith Huewen | Heron-Suzuki | RG500 | | Ret | 17 | Ret | | DNQ | 13 | 10 | Ret | | | 1 |
| 29 | Kimmo Kopra | | RG500 | | 16 | | 14 | 10 | 20 | Ret | 15 | | Ret | 18 | 1 |
| | Graziano Rossi | Morbidelli | Morbidelli 500-4 | Ret | Ret | Ret | | Ret | Ret | Ret | | 11 | Ret | 11 | 0 |
| | Philippe Coulon | Frankonia-Suzuki | RG500 | 11 | 12 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 15 | 27 | Ret | Ret | 15 | 17 | 0 |
| | Dominique Pernet | | YZR500 | | 26 | | 19 | 11 | | 18 | | | | | 0 |
| | Leandro Beccheroni | | RG500 | | | 11 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Gianni Rolando | | RG500 | | | 12 | Ret | Ret | | | Ret | | 12 | Ret | 0 |
| | Peter Sjöström | | RG500 | | 17 | 21 | Ret | | | Ret | | 12 | Ret | 22 | 0 |
| | Dick Alblas | Hollande Isolatie | RG500 | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | 0 |
| | Lars Johansson | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 0 |
| | Walter Migliorati | | RG500 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 15 | Ret | | | 13 | | | | 0 |
| | Alain Roethlisberger | | RG500 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 13 | | | | | | 20 | 0 |
| | Takazumi Katayama | HRC-Honda | NR500 | 13 | Ret | Ret | Ret | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| | Timo Pohjola | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | | 13 | | 0 |
| | Borge Nielsen | | RG500 | | | | | 16 | | 21 | Ret | | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| | Roberto Pietri | | RG500 | | | DNQ | 21 | | | | | 14 | | | 0 |
| | Dale Singleton | Beaulieu Yamaha | YZR500 | | Ret | | | | Ret | 14 | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Gregg Hansford | Team Kawasaki | KR500 | | | | | | 14 | Ret | | | | | 0 |
| | Raymond Roche | | RG500 | Ret | 15 | 15 | Ret | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Andreas Hofmann | | RG500 | | Ret | | 20 | | | | | 15 | | | 0 |
| | Christian Estrosi | | YZR500 | 16 | 19 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 29 | Ret | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Josef Hage | Dieter Braun Team | YZR500 | 19 | 23 | DNQ | 23 | 17 | DNQ | | | 20 | | | 0 |
| | Jean Lafond | | RG500 | | Ret | | 17 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Fabio Biliotti | | RG500 | | | Ret | | | | | 17 | | | | 0 |
| | Graham Wood | | YZR500 | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | 0 |
| | Henk de Vries | Henk de Vries Motoren | YZR500 | 18 | 20 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Marco Greco | | RG500 | | 29 | DNQ | 24 | 18 | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Rafaelle Pasqual | | YZR500 | Ret | | | DNQ | | | | 18 | | | | 0 |
| | Jacques Agopian | | RG500 | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Carlo Perugini | Sanvenero | Sanvenero 500 | | | DNQ | DNQ | 19 | DNQ | | Ret | 23 | Ret | | 0 |
| | Virginio Ferrari | Cagiva | GP500 | | 30 | Ret | DNQ | Ret | DNQ | | 19 | | | | 0 |
| | Åke Grahn | | YZR500 | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | 0 |
| | Michael Schmid | | RG500 | 20 | 24 | DNQ | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Marco Papa | | RG500 | | | 20 | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Jochen Schmid | | RG500 | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Lennart Bäckström | | RG500 | 21 | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Alex George | | YZR500 | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | 0 |
| | Peter Sköld | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | | | 21 | 0 |
| | Barry Woodland | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | 22 | | | 0 |
| | Philippe Chaltin | | RG500 | | | | | | | 24 | | | | | 0 |
| | Dennis Ireland | | RG500 | | | | | | | 25 | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Gerhard Vogt | | RG500 | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Günter Dreier | | RG500 | | 28 | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Gary Lingham | | RG500 | | | | | | | 28 | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Gustav Reiner | Team Solitude Deutschland | Solo | Ret | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Jon Ekerold | Team Solitude Deutschland | Solo | Ret | Ret | DNQ | | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Mike Baldwin | | RG500 | | Ret | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Stefan Klabacher | Saga Racing | YZR500 | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Adelio Faccioli | | RG500 | | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Patrick Fernandez | | YZR500 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Graeme Geddes | | YZR500 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Fritz Kerschbaumer | Triumph Club Wien | YZR500 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Wolfgang von Muralt | | YZR500 | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Klaus Klein | FKN | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Peter Ammann | | RG500 | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Herve Guilleux | | YZR500 | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Hubert Rigal | | YZR500 | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Sergio Bertocchi | | RG500 | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Freddie Spencer | HRC-Honda | NR500 | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Steve Henshaw | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | John Newbold | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Corrado Tuzii | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | 0 |
| | Seppo Korhonen | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | 0 |
| | Bengt Slydal | | RG500 | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 0 |
| | Gina Bovaird | | YZR500 | | | | DNQ | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Rob Punt | | RG500 | | | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |