1981 Italian Grand Prix

The 1981 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 13 September 1981.[1]

1981 Italian Grand Prix
Race 13 of 15 in the 1981 Formula One World Championship
Race details
Date 13 September 1981
Official name LII Gran Premio d'Italia
Location Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Monza, Lombardy, Italy
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.8 km (3.604 mi)
Distance 52 laps, 301.6 km (187.406 mi)
Weather Dry and sunny
Pole position
Driver
Renault
Time 1:33.467
Fastest lap
Driver Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford
Time 1:37.528 on lap 48
Podium
First
Renault
Second
Williams-Ford
Third
Williams-Ford
Lap leaders

Formula One returned to the Monza circuit after a year's absence; the year previous's Italian Grand Prix had been held at the Imola circuit.

Coming into Italy, both Nelson Piquet and Carlos Reutemann were tied on points in the Drivers' Championship; Reutemann would eventually leave with the lead. Alain Prost was also becoming a challenger for the world title, having been challenging both leaders in the recent races.

The race would be known for the first time a Toleman-Hart qualified and finished in a race with Brian Henton qualifying the car in 23rd place.

Race

Haunted by the trauma of nearly killing mechanic Dave Luckett earlier in the season, Siegfried Stohr crashed his Arrows during the qualifying session. He ultimately decided to stop racing and started a successful motor racing academy.

When the race started, pole-man René Arnoux fell back to third while Prost and Reutemann battled for the lead. Behind, Didier Pironi was fourth after overtaking four cars on the run up to the first chicane. Pironi continued his charge with Reutemann and Arnoux soon behind him. As his opponents dropped behind, Prost increased his lead and would keep it for the rest of the race. Jacques Laffite also made an excellent start, and was running third when he retired from the race with a puncture on lap 11.

On Lap 19, John Watson lost control of his car at the Lesmo and smashed into the barriers at high speed, igniting a small fire at the back of the car. His McLaren's engine tub broke off from the car and debris littered the track. Michele Alboreto, who was behind Watson, crashed into the broken off engine, while Carlos Reutemann took to the grass and brushed a barrier whilst avoiding the accident, losing a place and sustaining minor damage. Watson escaped unharmed.[2][3]

As the race reached the halfway point, the standings stood as: Prost, Jones, Piquet, Reutemann and de Angelis. In an incredible case of misfortune, Piquet's engine blew on the last lap, promoting Reutemann into third and turning the tables for title hopes of the two. The Brazilian, however, was able to score a point as the sixth driver to have covered the entire race distance. Andrea de Cesaris, suffered a puncture on the last lap.

Classification

Qualifying
PosNoDriverConstructorQ1Q2Gap
1 16 René Arnoux Renault 1:34.042 1:33.467  —
2 2 Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford 1:35.153 1:34.140 +0.673
3 15 Alain Prost Renault 1:34.492 1:34.374 +0.907
4 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra 1:36.529 1:35.062 +1.575
5 1 Alan Jones Williams-Ford 1:35.983 1:35.359 +1.892
6 5 Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford 1:35.449 1:35.484 +1.982
7 7 John Watson McLaren-Ford 1:35.795 1:35.557 +2.090
8 28 Didier Pironi Ferrari 1:35.977 1:35.596 +2.129
9 27 Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 1:35.627 1:55.012 +2.160
10 23 Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo 1:38.617 1:35.946 +2.479
11 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford 1:36.158 1:36.309 +2.691
12 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford 1:38.100 1:36.210 +2.743
13 22 Mario Andretti Alfa Romeo 1:37.166 1:36.296 +2.829
14 6 Héctor Rebaque Brabham-Ford 1:37.131 1:36.472 +3.005
15 25 Patrick Tambay Ligier-Matra 1:36.515 1:36.545 +3.048
16 8 Andrea de Cesaris McLaren-Ford no time 1:37.019 +3.552
17 3 Eddie Cheever Tyrrell-Ford 1:38.736 1:37.160 +3.693
18 32 Jean-Pierre Jarier Osella-Ford 1:38.167 1:37.264 +3.797
19 17 Derek Daly March-Ford 1:38.852 1:37.303 +3.836
20 29 Riccardo Patrese Arrows-Ford 1:37.355 1:37.552 +3.888
21 9 Slim Borgudd ATS-Ford 1:39.106 1:37.807 +4.340
22 4 Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford 1:38.411 1:37.912 +4.445
23 35 Brian Henton Toleman-Hart 1:41.369 1:38.012 +4.545
24 14 Eliseo Salazar Ensign-Ford 1:39.033 1:38.053 +4.586
DNQ 33 Marc Surer Theodore-Ford 1:38.778 1:38.114 +4.647
DNQ 31 Beppe Gabbiani Osella-Ford 1:40.930 1:38.474 +5.007
DNQ 36 Derek Warwick Toleman-Hart 1:39.936 1:39.279 +5.812
DNQ 30 Siegfried Stohr Arrows-Ford 1:39.713 1:39.776 +6.246
DNQ 20 Keke Rosberg Fittipaldi-Ford 1:42.229 1:40.345 +6.878
DNQ 21 Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford 1:41.185 1:40.437 +6.970
Source: [4]

Race
PosNoDriverConstructorTyreLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
1 15 Alain Prost Renault M 52 1:26:36.897 3 9
2 1 Alan Jones Williams-Ford G 52 + 22.175 5 6
3 2 Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford G 52 + 50.587 2 4
4 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford G 52 + 1:32.902 11 3
5 28 Didier Pironi Ferrari M 52 + 1:34.522 8 2
6 5 Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford G 51 Engine 6 1
7 8 Andrea de Cesaris McLaren-Ford M 51 Puncture 16  
8 23 Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo M 50 + 2 Laps 10  
9 32 Jean-Pierre Jarier Osella-Ford M 50 + 2 Laps 18  
10 35 Brian Henton Toleman-Hart P 49 + 3 Laps 23  
Ret 22 Mario Andretti Alfa Romeo M 40 Engine 13  
Ret 17 Derek Daly March-Ford A 36 Gearbox 19  
Ret 25 Patrick Tambay Ligier-Matra M 22 Puncture 15  
Ret 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford G 21 Suspension 12  
Ret 7 John Watson McLaren-Ford M 19 Accident 7  
Ret 29 Riccardo Patrese Arrows-Ford P 18 Gearbox 20  
Ret 4 Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford G 17 Accident 22  
Ret 14 Eliseo Salazar Ensign-Ford A 13 Spun Off 24  
Ret 16 René Arnoux Renault M 12 Spun Off 1  
Ret 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra M 11 Puncture 4  
Ret 3 Eddie Cheever Tyrrell-Ford G 11 Spun Off 17  
Ret 9 Slim Borgudd ATS-Ford A 10 Spun Off 21  
Ret 27 Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari M 5 Engine 9  
Ret 6 Héctor Rebaque Brabham-Ford G 1 Electrical 14  
DNQ 33 Marc Surer Theodore-Ford A    
DNQ 31 Beppe Gabbiani Osella-Ford M    
DNQ 36 Derek Warwick Toleman-Hart P    
DNQ 30 Siegfried Stohr Arrows-Ford P    
DNQ 20 Keke Rosberg Fittipaldi-Ford P    
DNQ 21 Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford P        
Source:[5][6]

Championship standings after the race
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

References
  1. "1981 Italian Grand Prix Entry list". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "John Watson Accidente en Monza, GP Italia 1981". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
  3. "Grand Prix Results: Italian GP, 1981". Grandprix.com. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  4. Hamilton, Maurice, ed. (1981). AUTOCOURSE 1981–82. Hazleton Publishing Ltd. p. 206. ISBN 0-905138-17-1.
  5. "1981 Italian Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  6. "1981 Italian Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive". GPArchive.com. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  7. "Italy 1981 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
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