Carlos Reutemann won a troubled Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Jacques Laffite and Nigel Mansell, who earned his first podium. The meeting was overshadowed by serious accidents involving mechanics, including the injuries from which Osella’s Giovanni Amadeo later died. Confusion at the original start compounded concerns about safety at Zolder.
Race Guide
Season: 1981 F1 World Championship
Race date: 17 May 1981
Race start time: 15:00; restart 15:40 local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Circuit Zolder
Laps: 54 laps (70 laps scheduled)
Circuit length: 4.262 km
1980 winner: Didier Pironi
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Carlos Reutemann | Williams |
| Pole time | 1:22.280 | |
| Fastest lap | Carlos Reutemann | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:23.300 on lap 37 | |
| First | Carlos Reutemann | Williams |
| Second | Jacques Laffite | Ligier |
| Third | Nigel Mansell | Lotus |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1981 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 15 May 1981 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 16 May 1981 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 16 May 1981 | Qualifying 2 | 13:00–14:00 |
| 17 May 1981 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 17 May 1981 | Race | 15:00; restart 15:40 |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Carlos Reutemann arrived at round 5 leading the 1981 F1 World Championship on 25 points, with Nelson Piquet on 22. Williams – Ford headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 43 points.
Race entries
Lotus returned after missing Imola, while Piercarlo Ghinzani replaced the injured Miguel Angel Guerra at Osella. ATS entered Slim Borgudd alone. Renault brought the new RE30 but also retained its older cars. With more entrants than the permitted practice field, Patrick Tambay’s participation became caught up in a dispute over access to the sessions.
Friday Free Practice
The crowded, narrow pit lane became the focus of a tragedy on Friday when Amadeo fell into the path of Carlos Reutemann’s Williams and was seriously injured. Renault meanwhile struggled to make its new cars handle properly. The practical work of preparing for the race took place amid growing concern about the conditions in which mechanics had to operate.
Friday Qualifying
Carlos Reutemann took pole from Friday’s dry session. Ride-height checks cost several drivers lap times, including Alan Jones, while Renault’s difficulties left Rene Arnoux outside the grid. Nelson Piquet qualified second, with Didier Pironi and Riccardo Patrese on the next row.
Saturday Free Practice
Saturday offered little relief for drivers still needing a competitive time, as rain prevented improvements during the decisive qualifying hour. Patrick Tambay was allowed to run after a Toleman withdrawal, but the lost dry opportunity left him at a severe disadvantage. The entry dispute had already shaped his weekend before the weather intervened.
Saturday Qualifying
Saturday’s wet session gave Rene Arnoux and Patrick Tambay no realistic opportunity to recover. Alan Jones and Gilles Villeneuve were quick in the difficult conditions, but Friday’s times remained decisive. Nigel Mansell qualified tenth, setting up the opportunity for his first major race result.
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Friday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:22.28 | 1:36.27 | 1:22.280 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:23.13 | no time | — | — |
| 3 | 28 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:23.47 | 1:36.76 | — | — |
| 4 | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:23.67 | 1:38.28 | — | — |
| 5 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:23.73 | 1:30.92 | — | — |
| 6 | 1 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:23.82 | 1:27.43 | — | — |
| 7 | 27 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:23.94 | 1:27.33 | — | — |
| 8 | 3 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:24.38 | 1:31.00 | — | — |
| 9 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:24.41 | 1:44.07 | — | — |
| 10 | 12 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:24.44 | no time | — | — |
| 11 | 20 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:24.46 | no time | — | — |
| 12 | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:24.63 | 1:43.35 | — | — |
| 13 | 30 | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | 1:24.66 | no time | — | — |
| 14 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:24.96 | no time | — | — |
| 15 | 14 | Marc Surer | Ensign | 1:25.19 | no time | — | — |
| 16 | 25 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier | 1:25.28 | 1:38.87 | — | — |
| 17 | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.31 | 1:37.77 | — | — |
| 18 | 22 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.56 | 1:32.17 | — | — |
| 19 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:25.91 | 1:32.21 | — | — |
| 20 | 21 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:25.93 | no time | — | — |
| 21 | 6 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:26.52 | 2:49.14 | — | — |
| 22 | 32 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 1:26.69 | no time | — | — |
| 23 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:26.95 | 1:30.99 | — | — |
| 24 | 31 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:27.48 | no time | — | — |
| 25 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:27.93 | 1:30.71 | — | — |
| 26 | 17 | Eliseo Salazar | March | 1:28.38 | 1:35.66 | — | — |
| 27 | 9 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 1:28.98 | 1:35.79 | — | — |
| 28 | 33 | Patrick Tambay | Theodore | no time | 1:32.47 | — | — |
| 29 | 36 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:35.97 | no time | — | — |
| 30 | 35 | Brian Henton | Toleman | 1:36.37 | 1:42.95 | — | — |
| 31† | 18 | Derek Daly | March | — | — | — | — |
Sunday warm-up
Sunday’s warm-up was comparatively straightforward. Renault abandoned the new cars for the race, leaving Alain Prost with the older machinery, while Ferrari used different wheelbase settings for its drivers. A sharp shower immediately afterwards underlined how uncertain the weather remained as the teams prepared for the start.
What happened in the 1981 Belgian Grand Prix?
A protest over safety preceded a confused start. Riccardo Patrese stalled, and mechanic Dave Luckett went behind the Arrows to help restart it. Siegfried Stohr struck the stationary car and injured Luckett when the race began. The field eventually stopped, and both Arrows cars were absent from the restart.
Didier Pironi led the restarted race before falling back. Nelson Piquet retired after contact with Alan Jones, whose own race later ended in a crash following mechanical trouble. Carlos Reutemann moved into the lead and maintained control as the weather deteriorated.
Rain brought an early end, with the result taken after 54 laps. Carlos Reutemann won ahead of Jacques Laffite and Nigel Mansell, followed by Gilles Villeneuve, de Elio de Angelis and Eddie Cheever. The result strengthened Carlos Reutemann’s championship lead, but the safety failures remained the defining concern of the meeting.
After the race, Carlos Reutemann headed the drivers’ standings with 34 points, followed by Nelson Piquet on 22. Williams – Ford led the constructors’ table on 52, with Brabham – Ford on 25.
1981 Belgian Grand Prix race results
The 1981 Belgian Grand Prix was held on 17 May 1981, with a scheduled start of 15:00; restart 15:40 local time.
1981 Belgian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 37 | 1:23.300 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1981 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1981 Belgian Grand Prix.
1981 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1981 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams – Ford | 52 |
| 2 | Brabham – Ford | 25 |
| 3 | Arrows – Ford | 10 |
| 4 | Lotus – Ford | 9 |
| 5 | Ligier – Matra | 7 |
| 6 | Renault | 6 |
| 7 | Ferrari | 5 |
| 8 | Alfa Romeo | 3 |
| 9 | Ensign – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | Tyrrell – Ford | 3 |
| 11 | McLaren – Ford | 1 |
| 12 | Theodore – Ford | 1 |
| — | Fittipaldi – Ford | 0 |
| — | ATS – Ford | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | March – Ford | 0 |
| — | Toleman – Hart | 0 |
No driver needed to discard a points-scoring result this season. Constructors counted every round.
1981 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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