1981 South African Grand Prix

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1981 South African Grand Prix
Non-championship race in the 1981 Formula One season
Kyalami 1961 - 1988 Layout.png
Race details
Date7 February 1981
Location Kyalami
Transvaal Province, South Africa
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.104 km (2.550 miles)
Distance 77 laps, 316.008 km (196.358 miles)
Weather Wet/Dry
Pole position
Driver Brabham-Ford
Time 1:12.78
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of Argentina.svg Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford
Time 1:13.61 on Lap 72
Podium
First Williams-Ford
Second Brabham-Ford
Third Lotus-Ford

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.

Contents

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. [1] 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. [1] The downgraded race was supported by the teams affiliated with FOCA, but not by the manufacturer teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Ligier, Osella and Renault), all of whom were aligned with FISA. (Toleman was experiencing troubles with its overweight car and would not debut until the San Marino Grand Prix). [1] The eleven teams present all fielded cars fitted with sliding side skirts, aerodynamic devices which were illegal in Formula One for 1981 but acceptable under Formula Libre regulations. [1] The absence of the manufacturer teams meant that all 19 cars in the race were powered by Ford Cosworth engines. [1] Due to tyre manufacturer Goodyear's retirement from the sport at the end of the previous season and Michelin's alignment with FISA, the cars ran equipped with old Avon tyres supplied by Bernie Ecclestone. [2]

The race was eventually won by Carlos Reutemann, driving a Williams, with Nelson Piquet second in a Brabham and Elio de Angelis third in a Lotus.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos.No.DriverConstructorQ1Q2Gap
15 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford 1:12.941:12.78 
22 Flag of Argentina.svg Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford 1:12.98-+0.20
31 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Jones Williams-Ford 1:13.781:13.28+0.50
420 Flag of Finland.svg Keke Rosberg Fittipaldi-Ford 1:14.451:13.29+0.51
511 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford 1:14.001:13.47+0.69
629 Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Patrese Arrows-Ford 1:15.031:14.07+1.29
76 Flag of Argentina.svg Ricardo Zunino Brabham-Ford 1:14.711:14.35+1.57
812 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford 1:14.381:14.48+1.60
98 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Cesaris McLaren-Ford 1:14.911:14.39+1.61
109 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Lammers ATS-Ford 1:14.931:14.85+2.07
1130 Flag of Italy.svg Siegfried Stohr Arrows-Ford 1:16.161:14.93+2.15
123 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Cheever Tyrrell-Ford 1:14.951:15.32+2.17
1321 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford 1:15.06-+2.28
1414 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Marc Surer Ensign-Ford 1:15.631:15.18+2.40
157 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford 1:15.251:15.85+2.47
164 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Desire Wilson Tyrrell-Ford 1:15.561:16.22+2.78
1717 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Daly March-Ford 1:16.80-+4.02
1833 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Geoff Lees Theodore - Ford 1:17.391:17.08+4.30
1918 Flag of Chile.svg Eliseo Salazar March-Ford ---
Source: [3]

Race

Pos.DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredQual
1 Flag of Argentina.svg Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford 771.44:54.032
2 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford 77+ 20.141
3 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford 77+ 1:06.245
4 Flag of Finland.svg Keke Rosberg Fittipaldi-Ford 76+ 1 Lap4
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford 76+ 1 Lap15
6 Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Patrese Arrows-Ford 76+ 1 Lap6
7 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Cheever Tyrrell-Ford 76+ 1 Lap12
8 Flag of Argentina.svg Ricardo Zunino Brabham-Ford 75+ 2 Laps7
9 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford 75+ 2 Laps13
10 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford 74+ 3 Laps8
11 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Daly March-Ford 74+ 3 Laps17
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Jones Williams-Ford 62Skirt3
Ret Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Marc Surer Ensign-Ford 58Battery14
Ret Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Cesaris McLaren-Ford 54Accident9
Ret Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Desiré Wilson Tyrrell-Ford 51Accident16
Ret Flag of Chile.svg Eliseo Salazar March-Ford 32Gearbox19
Ret Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Lammers ATS-Ford 16Brakes10
Ret Flag of Italy.svg Siegfried Stohr Arrows-Ford 12Engine11
Ret Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Geoff Lees Theodore-Ford 11Accident18
Source: [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "The one that didn't count". forix.autosport.com. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  2. Edmondson, Laurence (31 October 2010). "Bernie Ecclestone timeline". ESPN. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  3. "1981 South African Grand Prix – Race Results & History – GP Archive". GPArchive.com. 7 February 1981. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  4. "1981 South African GP". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 31 August 2024.

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/

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