1981
Formula One Legends: World Championship 1981
The 1981 Formula One season included the 32nd FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 15, 1981, and ended on October 17 after fifteen races
Carlos Reutemann attempred a quick start on the 1981 Formula One World Championship. After six races he had a ten-point lead over his closest competitor, his teammate, Alan Jones, a man with whom he did not have the best of relationships, especially after the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, where Reutemann refused to let Jones by for the win. After nine races a new competitor slowly began to show himself; that man was Nelson Piquet. He won already two initial races of the championship but he then lacked of consistency.
| Grand Prix | Date | Winning Driver | Team | Laps | Time |
| USA West | 15/03/1981 | Alan Jones | Williams-Ford | 80 | 1:50’41.33 |
| Brazil | 29/03/1981 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams-Ford | 62 | 2:00’23.66 |
| Argentina | 12/04/1981 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-Ford | 53 | 1:34’32.74 |
| San Marino | 03/05/1981 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-Ford | 60 | 1:51’23.97 |
| Belgium | 17/05/1981 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams-Ford | 54 | 1:16’31.61 |
| Monaco | 31/05/1981 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 76 | 1:54’23.38 |
| Spain | 21/06/1981 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 80 | 1:46’35.01 |
| Switzerland | 05/07/1981 | Alain Prost | Renault | 80 | 1:35’48.13 |
| Great Britain | 18/07/1981 | John Watson | McLaren-Ford | 68 | 1:26’54.80 |
| Germany | 02/08/1981 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-Ford | 45 | 1:25’55.60 |
| Austria | 16/08/1981 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier-Matra | 53 | 1:27’36.47 |
| Netherlands | 30/08/1981 | Alain Prost | Renault | 72 | 1:40’22.43 |
| Italy | 13/09/1981 | Alain Prost | Renault | 52 | 1:26’36.897 |
| Canada | 27/09/1981 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier-Matra | 63 | 2:01’25.20 |
| Las Vegas | 17/10/1981 | Alan Jones | Williams-Ford | 75 | 1:44’09.077 |
At the end of the season Nelson Piquet won the Drivers’ Championship, claiming the first of his three Formula One titles. Although not a part of the Championship, the 1981 South African Grand Prix attracted high-calibre drivers and cars and was won by Carlos Reutemann in a Williams. Well impressed the new Renault driver, the french Alain Prost.
Championship Final Standing – Drivers
| 1 | Nelson Piquet | 50 |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | 49 |
| 3 | Alan Jones | 46 |
| 4 | Jacques Laffite | 44 |
| 5 | Alain Prost | 43 |
| 6 | John Watson | 27 |
| 7 | Gilles Villeneuve | 25 |
| 8 | Elio de Angelis | 14 |
| 9 | René Arnoux | 11 |
| 10 | Hector Rebaque | 11 |
Championship Final Standing – Constructors
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
| 1 | Williams-Ford | 95 |
| 2 | Brabham-Ford | 61 |
| 3 | Renault | 54 |
| 4 | Ligier-Matra | 44 |
| 5 | Ferrari | 34 |
| 6 | McLaren-Ford | 28 |
| 7 | Lotus-Ford | 22 |
| 8 | Arrows-Ford | 10 |
| 9 | Alfa Romeo | 10 |
| 10 | Tyrrell-Ford | 10 |
