World Drivers' Championship

1981

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Cumulative championship points for each driver after every round.

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Season guide

1981 Formula One World Championship

Nelson Piquet won the 1981 World Drivers' Championship for Brabham with 50 points, 1 ahead of Carlos Reutemann (Williams).

Piquet won 3 of the 15 races. Williams won the most races (4 of 15). Seven different drivers won a race.

Final standings

PosDriverWinsPodiumsPts
1Nelson PiquetBrabham3750
2Carlos ReutemannWilliams2749
3Alan JonesWilliams2646
4Jacques LaffiteLigier2744
5Alain ProstRenault3643
6John WatsonMcLaren1427
7Gilles VilleneuveFerrari2325
8Elio de AngelisTeam Lotus0014
9René ArnouxRenault0111
10Hector RebaqueBrabham0011
11Riccardo PatreseArrows0210
12Eddie CheeverTyrrell0010
13Didier PironiFerrari009
14Nigel MansellTeam Lotus018
15Bruno GiacomelliAlfa Romeo017
16Marc SurerTheodore / Ensign004
17Mario AndrettiAlfa Romeo003
18Andrea de CesarisMcLaren001
19Patrick TambayLigier / Theodore001
20Slim BorguddATS001
21Eliseo SalazarEnsign / March001

Only a driver's best results counted towards the title this season, so totals can be lower than the points scored.

Races

RdGrand PrixDateWinnerPoleFastest lap
1United States Grand Prix West15 Mar 1981Alan JonesWilliamsRiccardo PatreseAlan Jones
2Brazilian Grand Prix29 Mar 1981Carlos ReutemannWilliamsNelson PiquetMarc Surer
3Argentine Grand Prix12 Apr 1981Nelson PiquetBrabhamNelson PiquetNelson Piquet
4San Marino Grand Prix3 May 1981Nelson PiquetBrabhamGilles VilleneuveGilles Villeneuve
5Belgian Grand Prix17 May 1981Carlos ReutemannWilliamsCarlos ReutemannCarlos Reutemann
6Monaco Grand Prix31 May 1981Gilles VilleneuveFerrariNelson PiquetAlan Jones
7Spanish Grand Prix21 Jun 1981Gilles VilleneuveFerrariJacques LaffiteAlan Jones
8French Grand Prix5 Jul 1981Alain ProstRenaultRené ArnouxAlain Prost
9British Grand Prix18 Jul 1981John WatsonMcLarenRené ArnouxRené Arnoux
10German Grand Prix2 Aug 1981Nelson PiquetBrabhamAlain ProstAlan Jones
11Austrian Grand Prix16 Aug 1981Jacques LaffiteLigierRené ArnouxJacques Laffite
12Dutch Grand Prix30 Aug 1981Alain ProstRenaultAlain ProstAlan Jones
13Italian Grand Prix13 Sep 1981Alain ProstRenaultRené ArnouxCarlos Reutemann
14Canadian Grand Prix27 Sep 1981Jacques LaffiteLigierNelson PiquetJohn Watson
15Caesars Palace Grand Prix17 Oct 1981Alan JonesWilliamsCarlos ReutemannDidier Pironi

Race by race

Round 1

United States Grand Prix West

15 Mar 1981 · Long Beach, California, USA

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from P2, 9.190s ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • Alan Jones's 3rd consecutive win.
  • Attrition: only 8 of 24 starters were classified.
  • A one-two finish for Williams.
  • Polesitter Riccardo Patrese retired (fuel system).
  • Alan Jones leads the championship by 3 points from Carlos Reutemann with 14 rounds to go.
Round 2

Brazilian Grand Prix

29 Mar 1981 · Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Williams from P2, 4.440s ahead of Alan Jones.
  • A one-two finish for Williams.
  • Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann are level on points at the top with 13 rounds to go.
Round 3

Argentine Grand Prix

12 Apr 1981 · Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Nelson Piquet won for Brabham from pole, 26.610s ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • Carlos Reutemann took the championship lead from Alan Jones.
  • A hat-trick for Nelson Piquet: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • First career podium for Alain Prost.
Round 4

San Marino Grand Prix

3 May 1981 · Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy

  • Nelson Piquet won for Brabham from P5, 4.580s ahead of Riccardo Patrese.
  • Nelson Piquet's 2nd win of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 3 points from Nelson Piquet with 11 rounds to go.
Round 5

Belgian Grand Prix

17 May 1981 · Zolder, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Williams from pole, 36.060s ahead of Jacques Laffite.
  • The last of Carlos Reutemann's 12 Grand Prix wins.
  • A hat-trick for Carlos Reutemann: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • First career podium for Nigel Mansell.
  • Carlos Reutemann's 2nd win of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 12 points from Nelson Piquet with 10 rounds to go.
Round 6

Monaco Grand Prix

31 May 1981 · Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from P2, 39.910s ahead of Alan Jones.
  • Championship leader Carlos Reutemann retired (gearbox).
  • Attrition: only 7 of 20 starters were classified.
  • Polesitter Nelson Piquet retired (spun off).
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 10 points from Alan Jones with 9 rounds to go.
Round 7

Spanish Grand Prix

21 Jun 1981 · Jarama, Madrid, Spain

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from P7, 0.220s ahead of Jacques Laffite.
  • The last of Gilles Villeneuve's 6 Grand Prix wins.
  • Gilles Villeneuve's 2nd win of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 13 points from Alan Jones with 8 rounds to go.
Round 8

French Grand Prix

5 Jul 1981 · Dijon-Prenois, Dijon, France

  • Alain Prost won for Renault from P3, 2.290s ahead of John Watson.
  • First career win for Alain Prost.
  • A home win for Alain Prost.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 11 points from Nelson Piquet with 7 rounds to go.
Round 9

British Grand Prix

18 Jul 1981 · Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, UK

  • John Watson won for McLaren from P5, 40.650s ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • John Watson became the 6th different winner of 1981.
  • A home win for John Watson.
  • Polesitter René Arnoux retired (distributor).
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 17 points from Nelson Piquet with 6 rounds to go.
Round 10

German Grand Prix

2 Aug 1981 · Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany

  • Nelson Piquet won for Brabham from P6, 11.520s ahead of Alain Prost.
  • Championship leader Carlos Reutemann retired (engine).
  • Nelson Piquet's 3rd win of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 8 points from Nelson Piquet with 5 rounds to go.
Round 11

Austrian Grand Prix

16 Aug 1981 · Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

  • Jacques Laffite won for Ligier from P4, 5.170s ahead of René Arnoux.
  • Jacques Laffite became the 7th different winner of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 6 points from Nelson Piquet with 4 rounds to go.
Round 12

Dutch Grand Prix

30 Aug 1981 · Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands

  • Alain Prost won for Renault from pole, 8.240s ahead of Nelson Piquet.
  • Nelson Piquet took the championship lead from Carlos Reutemann.
  • Championship leader Carlos Reutemann retired (collision).
  • Alain Prost's 2nd win of 1981.
Round 13

Italian Grand Prix

13 Sep 1981 · Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy

  • Alain Prost won for Renault from P3, 22.175s ahead of Alan Jones.
  • Carlos Reutemann took the championship lead from Nelson Piquet.
  • Championship leader Nelson Piquet retired (engine).
  • Polesitter René Arnoux retired (spun off).
  • Alain Prost's 3rd win of 1981.
Round 14

Canadian Grand Prix

27 Sep 1981 · Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada

  • Jacques Laffite won for Ligier from P10, 6.230s ahead of John Watson.
  • The last of Jacques Laffite's 6 Grand Prix wins.
  • Jacques Laffite's 2nd win of 1981.
  • Carlos Reutemann leads the championship by 1 point from Nelson Piquet with 1 round to go.
Round 15

Caesars Palace Grand Prix

17 Oct 1981 · Las Vegas Street Circuit, Nevada, USA

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from P2, 20.048s ahead of Alain Prost.
  • Nelson Piquet finished as champion, 1 point ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • The last of Alan Jones's 12 Grand Prix wins.
  • First career podium for Bruno Giacomelli.
  • Alan Jones's 2nd win of 1981.