The 1981 Formula One season was the 32nd season of Formula One. Alan Jones and Williams entered the season as reigning World Champions for a second successive year, but for the first time since 1976 Jones would not be racing for Williams, instead switching to Lotus.
However, the McLaren-Renault combination proved to be the package to beat for much of the season, truly ushering in the era of turbocharged engines in Formula One. Despite Keke Rosberg - Jones' replacement at Williams - taking the championship battle to the penultimate race at the Canadian Grand Prix, Clay Regazzoni would clinch the driver's title with a round to spare, becoming the first driver to win a title for McLaren in over five years.
The season saw many entertaining races and despite the large pace advantage of the McLaren duo of Clay Regazzoni and Jean-Pierre Jarier in the first part of the season has been judged favourably by motorsports journalists. Somewhat ironically, the title deciding 16th round of the season is regarded as one of the worst Formula One title deciders in history, coming in 3rd place during an online fan voting contest held in late 2004.
Teams and drivers
Team Changes
Pre-season
- After failing to qualify for a single race in 1980, Theodore pulled out of Formula One.
- The mysterious Riviera team would fall victim to their assortment of financial issues and disappear from the grid.
- After several reasons of poor results and failing to score points, Hesketh elected to wind up at the end of 1980.
- As a result of pressure from title sponsor Philip Morris, McLaren team boss Teddy Mayer was forced to merge the outfit with Ron Dennis' Project Four Formula Two team and was ultimately replaced by him as head of the team. As a result of this merger, McLaren cars began carrying the MP4 (McLaren Project 4) designation. McLaren also began a customer relationship with Renault, using their turbocharged V6 engines.
- New team Toleman would make their debut in Formula One, purchasing Alfa Romeo's experimental flat-12 turbocharged engines and rebadging them as Bandits after their titular sponsor.
- Perennial privateer Emilio de Villota would return to the sport with another part-time team outing, this time under the Equipo Banco Occidental banner.
- Tyrrell would also start fielding turbocharged engines, having forged a works partnership with newcomer manufacturer BMW.
Mid-season
- Having been accused of violating the technical regulations by FISA, Equipo Banco Occidental were excluded from the Spanish Grand Prix and would ultimately not race in F1 again. As a result of this, FOCA President Bernie Ecclestone arranged a boycott by all teams affiliated with his organisation from the race, initially leading to only the FISA-affiliated teams participating (Ferrari, McLaren, Ligier, Alfa Romeo and Renault). However, several backmarker FOCA teams (Spartec, Osella and Toleman) would elect to break ranks and join in the race.
Driver Changes
Pre-season
- After the merry-go-round caused by Chico Serra's season-ending collision in 1980, March opted to keep none of the drivers they used in his seat and instead recruited Derek Daly for his first full-time drive.
- Arrows, having lost both of their 1980 drivers, decided to run a new lineup. They took on displaced Hesketh driver Jérémy-Étienne Voeckler for his first full season, and also negotiated a deal with Ligier that would see the former employ Patrick Depailler for the season in exchange for the latter covering the cost of his salary.
- Osella, having already signed Bruno Giacomelli, would also sign Patrick Gaillard to partner him.
Mid-season
- Seemingly still being affected by his injuries, Spartec opted to bench Rupert Keegan from the Spanish Grand Prix in favour of Patrick Depailler, a free agent for the race as a result of Arrows joining the FOCA boycott. Keegan would then quit the team after the race in protest of his benching and was replaced for the rest of the season by rookie Derek Warwick.
- René Arnoux was sacked by Renault after the British Grand Prix and was replaced by Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
- A collision at the Swiss Grand Prix between Eliseo Salazar and Jean-Pierre Jabouille saw the former put out of action for the rest of the season and the latter elect to stand down from driving duties. Toleman would replace Salazar with Gabriel Château and Renault would replace Jabouille with rookie Jacques Godard.
Calendar
Championship Grands Prix
Standings
Points System
Position
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
Points
|
9
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
Only a driver's best 12 finishes counted towards the championship
FIA Formula One World Drivers Championship
|
Key
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue
|
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Orange
|
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
Pale Blue
|
Withdrawn (WD)
|
Blank
|
Did Not Enter (No text)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Did not Start (DNS)
|
Did not Arrive (DNA)
|
Event cancelled (C)
|
Injured (INJ)
|
Bold denotes pole position
|
Italics denote fastest lap
|
† Classification despite retirement
|
‡ Race not run to scheduled distance
|
|
FIA Formula One World Constructors Championship
Pos
|
Constructor
|
#
|
ARG
|
RZA
|
BRA
|
USW
|
ESP
|
BEL
|
MON
|
SMR
|
MEX
|
FRA
|
GBR
|
GER
|
AUT
|
SUI
|
ITA
|
CAN
|
CPL
|
Total
|
1
|
McLaren-Renault
|
11
|
Ret
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
Ret
|
1
|
Ret
|
1
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
1
|
Ret
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
104
|
12
|
1
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
3
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
1
|
2
|
6†
|
Ret
|
3
|
Ret
|
2
|
Ret
|
2
|
Williams-Ford
|
6
|
DSQ
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
WD
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
2
|
3
|
Ret
|
100
|
5
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
2
|
WD
|
Ret
|
1
|
2
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
6
|
2
|
Ret
|
1
|
1
|
33
|
DNQ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34
|
DNQ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Tyrrell-BMW
|
4
|
2†
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
5
|
WD
|
Ret
|
13†
|
3
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
1
|
1
|
Ret
|
5
|
Ret
|
49
|
3
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
6
|
8
|
WD
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
11†
|
Ret
|
1
|
4
|
17†
|
Ret
|
6
|
4
|
4
|
Renault
|
14
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
Ret
|
7†
|
WD
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
2
|
Ret
|
3
|
Ret
|
2
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
4
|
Ret
|
44
|
15
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
3
|
8†
|
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
5
|
11
|
8†
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ret
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
Ferrari
|
27
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
6
|
1
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
3
|
5
|
16†
|
5
|
9
|
Ret
|
9
|
7
|
33
|
28
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
2
|
Ret
|
5
|
5
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
3
|
7
|
8
|
Ret
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
Brabham-Ford
|
7
|
Ret
|
3
|
2
|
Ret
|
WD
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
3
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
11
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
|
8
|
Ret
|
8
|
5
|
7
|
WD
|
3
|
Ret
|
6
|
4
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
4
|
EX
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Alfa Romeo
|
24
|
Ret
|
6
|
7
|
9
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
4
|
7
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
9
|
5
|
Ret
|
7
|
2
|
17
|
23
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
10
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
8
|
14†
|
5
|
10
|
10
|
13
|
Ret
|
4
|
12
|
Ret
|
8
|
Brabham-TAG
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ret
|
4
|
3
|
Ret
|
3
|
11
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18†
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
9
|
Ligier-Matra
|
26
|
6
|
12
|
11
|
Ret
|
2
|
Ret
|
5
|
Ret
|
7
|
Ret
|
6
|
Ret
|
10
|
13
|
7
|
13
|
8
|
10
|
25
|
8
|
11
|
Ret
|
12
|
9†
|
12
|
7
|
13†
|
11
|
9
|
14
|
DNQ
|
16
|
10
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
9
|
10
|
Lotus-Ford
|
1
|
4
|
7
|
Ret
|
11
|
|
6
|
Ret
|
11
|
6
|
Ret
|
7
|
7
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
5
|
11
|
11
|
10
|
2
|
7
|
13
|
Ret
|
13
|
WD
|
9
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
9
|
4
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
7
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
11
|
Spartec-Hart
|
29
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
3
|
11
|
Ret
|
9
|
13†
|
6
|
Ret
|
8
|
Ret
|
14
|
10
|
14
|
Ret
|
5
|
30
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
13
|
11
|
10
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
11
|
13
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
17
|
13
|
12
|
Osella-Ford
|
32
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
DNPQ
|
4
|
DNPQ
|
12
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
12†
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
19
|
Ret
|
5
|
31
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
DNPQ
|
5
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
18
|
DNQ
|
13
|
Arrows-Ford
|
19
|
5
|
9
|
Ret
|
16
|
WD
|
5
|
8
|
DNQ
|
8
|
Ret
|
9
|
Ret
|
14
|
11
|
8
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
4
|
18
|
11
|
14
|
8
|
10
|
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
14
|
15
|
Ret
|
11†
|
16
|
12
|
14
|
March-Ford
|
9
|
Ret
|
10
|
9
|
Ret
|
WD
|
7
|
6
|
12
|
10
|
8
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
12
|
16
|
6
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
2
|
10
|
10
|
15†
|
Ret
|
17†
|
WD
|
8†
|
10
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
7
|
DNPQ
|
12
|
DNQ
|
15
|
9
|
15
|
10
|
15
|
Toleman-Bandit
|
22
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
15
|
6
|
15
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
13
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
1
|
21
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
14†
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
17
|
Ret
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
16
|
ATS-Ford
|
17
|
9
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
14
|
WD
|
Ret
|
9
|
Ret
|
12
|
10
|
12
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
0
|
16
|
Ret
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
WD
|
10
|
DNQ
|
Ret
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
15
|
15
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNQ
|
DNQ
|
17
|
de Villota-Ford
|
33
|
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
EX
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
34
|
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
DNPQ
|
EX
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Links