1981 Formula One World Championship

The 1981 Formula One season was the 32nd of the championship. The champion was Nelson Piquet in a close battle.

 Season review 
 Round Race Date Location Winning driver Constructor Report 1  United States Grand Prix West March 15 Long Beach  Alan Jones Williams-Ford Report 2  Brazilian Grand Prix March 29 Jacarepaguá  Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford Report 3  Argentine Grand Prix April 12 Oscar Gálvez  Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford Report 4  San Marino Grand Prix May 3 Imola  Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford Report 5  Belgian Grand Prix May 17 Zolder  Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford Report 6  Monaco Grand Prix May 31 Monaco  Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari Report 7  Spanish Grand Prix June 21 Jarama  Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari Report 8  French Grand Prix July 5 Dijon-Prenois  Alain Prost Renault Report 9  British Grand Prix July 18 Silverstone  John Watson McLaren-Ford Report 10  German Grand Prix August 2 Hockenheimring  Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford Report 11  Austrian Grand Prix August 16 Österreichring  Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra Report 12  Dutch Grand Prix August 30 Zandvoort  Alain Prost Renault Report 13  Italian Grand Prix September 13 Monza  Alain Prost Renault Report 14  Canadian Grand Prix September 27 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve  Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra Report 15  Caesars Palace Grand Prix October 17 Las Vegas  Alan Jones Williams-Ford Report

 1981 Drivers Championship final standings 
 Pos Driver USW BRA ARG SMR BEL MON ESP FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN CPL Points 1  Nelson Piquet 3 12 1 1 Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 3 2 6 5 5 50 2  Carlos Reutemann 2 1 2 3 1 Ret 4 10 2 Ret 5 Ret 3 10 8 49 3  Alan Jones 1 2 4 12 Ret 2 7 17 Ret 11 4 3 2 Ret 1 46 4  Jacques Laffite Ret 6 Ret Ret 2 3 2 Ret 3 3 1 Ret Ret 1 6 44 5  Alain Prost Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 Ret 2 Ret 1 1 Ret 2 43 6  John Watson Ret 8 Ret 10 7 Ret 3 2 1 6 6 Ret Ret 2 7 27 7  Gilles Villeneuve Ret Ret Ret 7 4 1 1 Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 3 DSQ 25 8  Elio de Angelis Ret 5 6 WD 5 Ret 5 6 DSQ 7 7 5 4 6 Ret 14 9  René Arnoux 8 Ret 5 8 DNQ Ret 9 4 9 13 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 10  Hector Rebaque Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret DNQ Ret 9 5 4 Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret 11 11  Riccardo Patrese Ret 3 7 2 Ret Ret Ret 14 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 10 12  Eddie Cheever 5 NC Ret Ret 6 5 NC 13 4 5 DNQ Ret Ret 12 Ret 10 13  Didier Pironi Ret Ret Ret 5 8 4 15 5 Ret Ret 9 Ret 5 Ret 9 9 14  Nigel Mansell Ret 11 Ret WD 3 Ret 6 7 DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 8 15  Bruno Giacomelli Ret NC 10 Ret 9 Ret 10 15 Ret 15 Ret Ret 8 4 3 7 16  Marc Surer Ret 4 Ret 9 11 6 12 11 14 Ret 8 DNQ 9 Ret 4 17  Mario Andretti 4 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret 8 8 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 3 18  Andrea de Cesaris Ret Ret 11 6 Ret Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret 8 DNS 7 Ret 12 1 19  Patrick Tambay 6 10 Ret 11 DNQ 7 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 1 20  Slim Borgudd 13 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 6 Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret DNQ 1 21  Eliseo Salazar DNQ DNQ DNQ Ret DNQ DNQ 14 Ret DNQ NC Ret 6 Ret Ret NC 1 22  Jean-Pierre Jarier Ret 7 8 8 10 Ret 9 Ret Ret 0 23  Siegfried Stohr DNQ Ret 9 DNQ Ret Ret Ret DNQ Ret 12 Ret 7 DNQ 0 24  Derek Daly DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 16 Ret 7 Ret 11 Ret Ret 8 DNQ 0 25  Chico Serra 7 Ret Ret DNQ Ret DNQ 11 DNS DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 26  Keke Rosberg Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 12 Ret Ret DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 10 0 27  Michele Alboreto Ret 12 Ret DNQ 16 Ret DNQ Ret 9 Ret 11 13 0 28  Brian Henton DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 10 DNQ DNQ 0 29  Jan Lammers Ret DNQ 12 Ret 0 30  Piercarlo Ghinzani 13 DNQ 0 31  Ricardo Zunino 13 13 0 —  Beppe Gabbiani Ret DNQ DNQ Ret Ret DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0 —  Jean-Pierre Jabouille DNQ NC Ret DNQ Ret 0 —  Derek Warwick DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ Ret 0 —  Miguel Angel Guerra DNQ DNQ DNQ Ret 0 —  Jacques Villeneuve (elder) DNQ DNQ 0 —  Kevin Cogan DNQ 0 —  Ricardo Londono DNQ 0 —  Giorgio Francia DNQ 0 Pos Driver USW BRA ARG SMR BEL MON ESP FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN CPL Points

Category:Formula One seasons
Category:1981 in sports