The 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 33rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
In the 500cc world championship, two Suzuki teams fought for the title with Marco Lucchinelli riding for Roberto Gallina's Italian Suzuki team and, Randy Mamola riding for the Heron Suzuki team backed by the UK Suzuki importer. Mamola started the season strongly with two victories and two second-place finishes to take the lead in the championship but then, Lucchinelli took command with four victories in the next five races to claim the world championship. [1] Mamola finished in second place for the second year in a row. [1]
Barry Sheene would win the final race of his career with a win in Sweden while a young American named Freddie Spencer made his first foray into the world championships as a member of the Honda factory racing team, riding the four-stroke Honda NR500 up to fifth place at the British Grand Prix before it suffered a mechanical failure. [1]
Germany's Anton Mang scored double world championship victories, defeating defending champion Jon Ekerold for the 350cc title and, winning ten of twelve 250 events to take that title. [1] Frenchman Michel Rougerie, who finished second in 1975 250 championship, was killed when he was hit by another rider after crashing in the 350 race in Yugoslavia. [2] Angel Nieto won his tenth championship by winning eight of twelve rounds on his Minarelli while Ricardo Tormo won the 50cc crown for Bultaco. [1]
Beginning in 1981, motorcycle frame technology evolved quickly as motorcycle manufacturers moved from the steel, featherbed frame chassis first developed in the 1950s, to aluminium frames featuring large, twin beams as first pioneered by Spanish constructor, Antonio Cobas. [3]
The following Grands Prix were scheduled to take place in 1981: [4] [5]
Round | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 March | Argentine Grand Prix | Autódromo Municipal de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires |
2 | 26 April | Großer Preis von Österreich | Salzburgring |
3 | 3 May | Großer Preis von Deutschland | Hockenheimring |
4 | 10 May | Gran Premio delle Nazioni | Autodromo Nazionale Monza |
5 | 17 May | Grand Prix de France Moto | Circuit Paul Ricard |
6 | 24 May | Gran Premio de España | Circuito Permanente Del Jarama |
7 | 31 May | Yu Grand Prix | Automotodrom Rijeka |
8 | 27 June | Dutch TT Assen | TT Circuit Assen |
9 | 5 July | Grand Prix Moto | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps |
10 | 12 July | Gran Premio di San Marino | Autodromo Dino Ferrari |
11 | 2 August | Marlboro British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit |
12 | 9 August | Finnish GP | Imatra Circuit |
13 | 16 August | Swedish TT | Scandinavian Raceway |
14 | 30 August | Grand Prix ČSSR | Brno Circuit |
Points are awarded to the top ten finishers. A rider has to finish the race to earn points.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
350cc standings250cc standings125cc standings50cc standingsBibliography
Related Research ArticlesBarry Steven Frank Sheene was a British professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1971 and 1984, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team where he won two consecutive 500cc World Championships in 1976 and 1977. Sheene's 1977 title remained as Britain's last solo motorcycle world championship until Danny Kent won the 2015 Moto3 championship. However, Sheene is still the last British champion in the premier class. Randy Mamola is an American former professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between 1979 and 1992. A 13-time Premier Class race winner, Mamola was one of the most charismatic Grand Prix road racers of his generation, becoming a favourite because of his interaction with race fans both on and off the track as well as his aggressive and spirited riding style. Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen was a Finnish professional Motorcycle racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1968 to 1971 as Yamaha privateer, before receiving the Yamaha factory's full support in 1972 and 1973. In the early 1970s, he was considered one of the most promising and talented motorcycle road racers of his era until he was killed during the 1973 Nations Grand Prix in Italy. Saarinen's death led to increased demands for better safety conditions for motorcycle racers competing in the world championships. He remains the only Finn to have won a solo motorcycle road racing world championship. Saarinen was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2009. The 1983 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 35th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season. The 1978 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 30th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1975 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 27th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Hugh Neville "Kork" Ballington is a South African former professional motorcycle racer. He competed in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1976 to 1982, most prominently as a member of the Kawasaki factory racing team with whom he won four FIM road racing world championships. Ballington was inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame in 2018. The 1972 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 24th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 30 April, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 23 September. The 1979 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 31st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1965 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 17th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 21 March, with United States Grand Prix and ended with Japanese Grand Prix on October, 24. The 1969 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 21st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 4 May, with Spanish Grand Prix and ended with Yugoslavian Grand Prix on 14 September. The 1976 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 28th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1977 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 29th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 32nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1982 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 34th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The 1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 23rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 9 May, with Austrian Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 26 September. The 1970 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 22nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc. It began on 3 May, with West German Grand Prix and ended with Spanish Grand Prix on 27 September. Marco Lucchinelli is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was 1981 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He is a MotoGP Legend. Anton "Toni" Mang is a former five-time world champion in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from Germany. Ricardo Tormo Blaya was a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1973 to 1984, most prominently as a two-time 50cc world champion riding Bultaco motorcycles. The Circuit de Valencia race track was renamed Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in his honor. References
External links
|