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1981 South African Grand Prix

FieldValue
TypeNC
CountrySouth Africa
Flag_suffix1928
Grand PrixSouth African Grand Prix
ImageKyalami 1961 - 1988 Layout.png
LocationKyalami
Transvaal Province, South Africa
Date7 February
Year1981
CoursePermanent racing facility
Course_mi2.550
Course_km4.104
Distance_laps77
Distance_mi196.358
Distance_km316.008
WeatherWet/Dry
Pole_DriverNelson Piquet
Pole_CountryBRA
Pole_flag_suffix1968
Pole_TeamBrabham-Ford
Pole_Time1:12.78
Fast_DriverCarlos Reutemann
Fast_TeamWilliams-Ford
Fast_CountryARG
Fast_Time1:13.61 on Lap 72
First_DriverCarlos Reutemann
First_CountryARG
First_TeamWilliams-Ford
Second_DriverNelson Piquet
Second_CountryBRA
Second_flag_suffix1968
Second_TeamBrabham-Ford
Third_DriverElio de Angelis
Third_CountryITA
Third_TeamLotus-Ford

Transvaal Province, South Africa

The 1981 South African Grand Prix was a Formula Libre motor race held on 7 February 1981 at Kyalami featuring the FOCA-aligned Formula One teams and Formula One chassis.

The race was originally scheduled to be the opening round of the 1981 FIA Formula One World Championship. However, the ongoing war between Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) and the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) resulted in FISA insisting on a date change which was not acceptable to the race organisers. Approval was ultimately given for the race to go ahead on its original date, but as a Formula Libre race rather than as a round of the Formula One World Championship.

The race began in very wet conditions but the rain stopped, and the track soon dried. The race was eventually won by Carlos Reutemann, driving a Williams. Reutemann was the only driver to make the bold choice to start the race on slick tyres, which proved very effective in the drying conditions. Nelson Piquet, who led early, was second in a Brabham and Elio de Angelis third in a Lotus.

Reutemann summed up the unsettled political climate of the weekend by saying, "I raced for nothing. No points, no money, no trophy."

Classification

Qualifying

Pos.No.DriverConstructorQ1Q2Gap12345678910111213141516171819Source:
5Brazil Nelson PiquetBrabham-Ford1:12.94**1:12.78**—
2Argentina Carlos ReutemannWilliams-Ford**1:12.98**-+0.20
1Australia Alan JonesWilliams-Ford1:13.78**1:13.28**+0.50
20Finland Keke RosbergFittipaldi-Ford1:14.45**1:13.29**+0.51
11Italy Elio de AngelisLotus-Ford1:14.00**1:13.47**+0.69
29Italy Riccardo PatreseArrows-Ford1:15.03**1:14.07**+1.29
6Argentina Ricardo ZuninoBrabham-Ford1:14.71**1:14.35**+1.57
12UK Nigel MansellLotus-Ford**1:14.38**1:14.48+1.60
8Italy Andrea de CesarisMcLaren-Ford1:14.91**1:14.39**+1.61
9Netherlands Jan LammersATS-Ford1:14.93**1:14.85**+2.07
30Italy Siegfried StohrArrows-Ford1:16.16**1:14.93**+2.15
3USA Eddie CheeverTyrrell-Ford**1:14.95**1:15.32+2.17
21Brazil Chico SerraFittipaldi-Ford**1:15.06**-+2.28
14Switzerland Marc SurerEnsign-Ford1:15.63**1:15.18**+2.40
7UK John WatsonMcLaren-Ford**1:15.25**1:15.85+2.47
4South Africa Desire WilsonTyrrell-Ford**1:15.56**1:16.22+2.78
17Ireland Derek DalyMarch-Ford**1:16.80**-+4.02
33United Kingdom Geoff LeesTheodore**-**Ford1:17.39**1:17.08**+4.30
18Chile Eliseo SalazarMarch-Ford---

Race

Pos.DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredQual1234567891011RetRetRetRetRetRetRetRet
Argentina Carlos ReutemannWilliams-Ford771.44:54.032
Brazil Nelson PiquetBrabham-Ford77+ 20.141
Italy Elio de AngelisLotus-Ford77+ 1:06.245
Finland Keke RosbergFittipaldi-Ford76+ 1 Lap4
UK John WatsonMcLaren-Ford76+ 1 Lap15
Italy Riccardo PatreseArrows-Ford76+ 1 Lap6
USA Eddie CheeverTyrrell-Ford76+ 1 Lap12
Argentina Ricardo ZuninoBrabham-Ford75+ 2 Laps7
Brazil Chico SerraFittipaldi-Ford75+ 2 Laps13
UK Nigel MansellLotus-Ford74+ 3 Laps8
Ireland Derek DalyMarch-Ford74+ 3 Laps17
Australia Alan JonesWilliams-Ford62Skirt3
Switzerland Marc SurerEnsign-Ford58Battery14
Italy Andrea de CesarisMcLaren-Ford54Accident9
South Africa Desiré WilsonTyrrell-Ford51Accident16
Chile Eliseo SalazarMarch-Ford32Gearbox19
Netherlands Jan LammersATS-Ford16Brakes10
Italy Siegfried StohrArrows-Ford12Engine11
UK Geoff LeesTheodore-Ford11Accident18

References

1981 SA Grand Prix Dieter Rencken RacingLines https://www.racefans.net/2019/01/23/wpdc-the-breakaway-threat-which-set-the-template-for-modern-f1/

References

  1. "The one that didn't count". forix.autosport.com.
  2. Edmondson, Laurence. (31 October 2010). "Bernie Ecclestone timeline".
  3. Autoweek magazine, February 14, 1981
  4. (7 February 1981). "1981 South African Grand Prix – Race Results & History – GP Archive".
  5. "1981 South African GP". ChicaneF1.
Info: Wikipedia Source

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