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1981 Monaco Grand Prix

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Coord|43|44|4.74|N|7|25|16.8|E|scale:1563_type:landmark_region:MC|display=title}}

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report

|Type = F1

|Country = Monaco

|Grand Prix = Monaco

|Image = Circuit de Monaco 1976.png

|Official name =

|Date = 31 May

|Year = 1981

|Race_No = 6

|Season_No = 15

|Location = Circuit de Monaco

|Course = Street circuit

|Course_mi = 2.057

|Course_km = 3.312

|Distance_laps = 76

|Distance_mi = 156.406

|Distance_km = 251.712

|Weather = Dry

|Pole_Driver = Nelson Piquet

|Pole_Team = Brabham-Ford

|Pole_Time = 1:25.710

|Pole_Country = Brazil

|pole_flag_suffix= 1968

|Fast_Driver = Alan Jones

|Fast_Team = Williams-Ford

|Fast_Time = 1:27.47

|Fast_Lap = 48

|Fast_Country = Australia

|First_Driver = Gilles Villeneuve

|First_Team = Ferrari

|First_Country = Canada

|Second_Driver = Alan Jones

|Second_Team = Williams-Ford

|Second_Country = Australia

|Third_Driver = Jacques Laffite

|Third_Team = Ligier-Matra

|Third_Country = France

|Lapchart = {{F1Laps1981|MON}}

}}

File:Piquetmonaco.jpg in a Brabham BT49C]]

The 1981 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on 31 May 1981. It was the sixth race of the 1981 Formula One World Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/covers/_Monaco-1981-05-31e.jpg|title=1981 Monaco Grand Prix Entry list}}

The 76-lap race was won by Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve, driving a Ferrari. Brazilian Nelson Piquet took pole position in his Brabham-Ford and led until he crashed out on lap 54. Australian Alan Jones finished second in a Williams-Ford, with Frenchman Jacques Laffite third in a Ligier-Matra.

Race

The start of the race was delayed after a fire in the Loews Hotel kitchens, which necessitated the fire service pumping large quantities of water to put the fires out. Water then seeped through the floors of the hotel and into the tunnel, delaying the race for an hour. Nelson Piquet led for much of the race, but crashed out late on. New race leader Alan Jones then suffered a fuel feed problem in the latter stages of the race, allowing Gilles Villeneuve in his Ferrari, to take his first victory since 1979 as well as becoming the first, and to this day, the only Canadian to win in Monaco. Championship leader Carlos Reutemann retired with gearbox problems, breaking a 15-race streak of consistently finishing in the points.

Classification

=Pre-qualifying=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
PosNoDriverConstructorTimeGap
1

| 33

| {{flagicon|France}} Patrick Tambay

| Theodore-Ford

| 1:30.492

|

2

| 14

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Marc Surer

| Ensign-Ford

| 1:31.249

| +0.757

3

| 31

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Beppe Gabbiani

| Osella-Ford

| 1:32.704

| +2.212

4

| 32

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piercarlo Ghinzani

| Osella-Ford

| 1:33.189

| +2.697

5

| 10

| {{flagicon|Sweden}} Slim Borgudd

| ATS-Ford

| 1:33.285

| +2.793

6

| 18

| {{flagicon|Ireland}} Derek Daly

| March-Ford

| 1:33.800

| +3.308

7

| 17

| {{flagicon|Chile}} Eliseo Salazar

| March-Ford

| 1:35.249

| +4.757

8

| 35

| {{flagicon|UK}} Brian Henton

| Toleman-Hart

| 1:37.528

| +7.036

9

| 36

| {{flagicon|UK}} Derek Warwick

| Toleman-Hart

| 1:41.966

| +11.474

=Qualifying=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
PosNoDriverConstructorQ1Q2Gap
1

| 5

| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} Nelson Piquet

| Brabham-Ford

| 1:25.710

| 1:28.667

|

2

| 27

| {{flagicon|Canada}} Gilles Villeneuve

| Ferrari

| 1:26.891

| 1:25.788

| +0.078

3

| 12

| {{flagicon|UK}} Nigel Mansell

| Lotus-Ford

| 1:27.174

| 1:25.815

| +0.105

4

| 2

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Carlos Reutemann

| Williams-Ford

| 1:27.643

| 1:26.010

| +0.300

5

| 29

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Riccardo Patrese

| Arrows-Ford

| 1:27.447

| 1:26.040

| +0.330

6

| 11

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Elio de Angelis

| Lotus-Ford

| 1:28.381

| 1:26.259

| +0.549

7

| 1

| {{flagicon|Australia}} Alan Jones

| Williams-Ford

| 1:26.938

| 1:26.538

| +0.828

8

| 26

| {{flagicon|France}} Jacques Laffite

| Ligier-Matra

| 1:27.468

| 1:26.704

| +0.994

9

| 15

| {{flagicon|France}} Alain Prost

| Renault

| 1:27.623

| 1:26.953

| +1.243

10

| 7

| {{flagicon|UK}} John Watson

| McLaren-Ford

| 1:28.137

| 1:27.058

| +1.348

11

| 8

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Andrea de Cesaris

| McLaren-Ford

| 1:28.966

| 1:27.122

| +1.412

12

| 22

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mario Andretti

| Alfa Romeo

| 1:27.512

| 1:28.162

| +1.802

13

| 16

| {{flagicon|France}} René Arnoux

| Renault

| 1:28.613

| 1:27.513

| +1.803

14

| 30

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Siegfried Stohr

| Arrows-Ford

| 1:29.789

| 1:27.564

| +1.854

15

| 3

| {{flagicon|USA}} Eddie Cheever

| Tyrrell-Ford

| 1:29.282

| 1:27.594

| +1.884

16

| 33

| {{flagicon|France}} Patrick Tambay

| Theodore-Ford

| 1:28.897

| 1:27.939

| +2.229

17

| 28

| {{flagicon|France}} Didier Pironi

| Ferrari

| 1:29.150

| 1:28.266

| +2.556

18

| 23

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Bruno Giacomelli

| Alfa Romeo

| 1:28.335

| 1:28.323

| +2.613

19

| 14

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Marc Surer

| Ensign-Ford

| 1:29.611

| 1:28.339

| +2.629

20

| 4

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Michele Alboreto

| Tyrrell-Ford

| 1:30.699

| 1:28.358

| +2.648

21

| 20

| {{flagicon|Finland}} Keke Rosberg

| Fittipaldi-Ford

| 1:29.924

| 1:28.436

| +2.726

22

| 25

| {{flagicon|France}} Jean-Pierre Jabouille

| Ligier-Matra

| 1:29.752

| 1:28.841

| +3.131

23

| 6

| {{flagicon|Mexico}} Héctor Rebaque

| Brabham-Ford

| 1:29.188

| 1:29.256

| +3.478

24

| 21

| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} Chico Serra

| Fittipaldi-Ford

| 1:32.109

| 1:29.434

| +3.724

25

| 32

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piercarlo Ghinzani

| Osella-Ford

| no time

| 1:29.694

| +3.984

26

| 31

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Beppe Gabbiani

| Osella-Ford

| 1:30.963

| 1:29.795

| +4.085

colspan="7" style="text-align: center"|Source: {{cite book |editor-last=Hamilton |editor-first=Maurice |title=AUTOCOURSE 1981–82 |publisher=Hazleton Publishing Ltd |year=1981 |pages=138 |isbn=0-905138-17-1}}

= Race =

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
PosNoDriverConstructorTyreLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
1

| 27

| {{flagicon|Canada}} Gilles Villeneuve

| Ferrari

| {{Michelin}}

| 76

| 1:54:23.38

| 2

| 9

2

| 1

| {{flagicon|Australia}} Alan Jones

| Williams-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 76

| + 39.91

| 7

| 6

3

| 26

| {{flagicon|France}} Jacques Laffite

| Ligier-Matra

| {{Michelin}}

| 76

| + 1:29.24

| 8

| 4

4

| 28

| {{flagicon|France}} Didier Pironi

| Ferrari

| {{Michelin}}

| 75

| + 1 Lap

| 17

| 3

5

| 3

| {{flagicon|USA}} Eddie Cheever

| Tyrrell-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 74

| + 2 Laps

| 15

| 2

6

| 14

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Marc Surer

| Ensign-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 74

| + 2 Laps

| 19

| 1

7

| 33

| {{flagicon|France}} Patrick Tambay

| Theodore-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 72

| + 4 Laps

| 16

|  

Ret

| 5

| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} Nelson Piquet

| Brabham-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 53

| Spun off

| 1

|  

Ret

| 7

| {{flagicon|UK}} John Watson

| McLaren-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 52

| Engine

| 10

|  

Ret

| 4

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Michele Alboreto

| Tyrrell-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 50

| Collision

| 20

|  

Ret

| 23

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Bruno Giacomelli

| Alfa Romeo

| {{Michelin}}

| 50

| Collision

| 18

|  

Ret

| 15

| {{flagicon|France}} Alain Prost

| Renault

| {{Michelin}}

| 45

| Engine

| 9

|  

Ret

| 2

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Carlos Reutemann

| Williams-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 33

| Gearbox

| 4

|  

Ret

| 11

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Elio de Angelis

| Lotus-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 32

| Engine

| 6

|  

Ret

| 16

| {{flagicon|France}} René Arnoux

| Renault

| {{Michelin}}

| 32

| Spun off

| 13

|  

Ret

| 29

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Riccardo Patrese

| Arrows-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 29

| Gearbox

| 5

|  

Ret

| 12

| {{flagicon|UK}} Nigel Mansell

| Lotus-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 15

| Suspension

| 3

|  

Ret

| 30

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Siegfried Stohr

| Arrows-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 14

| Fuel system

| 14

|  

Ret

| 8

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Andrea de Cesaris

| McLaren-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

| 0

| Collision

| 11

|  

Ret

| 22

| {{flagicon|USA}} Mario Andretti

| Alfa Romeo

| {{Michelin}}

| 0

| Collision

| 12

|  

DNQ

| 20

| {{flagicon|Finland}} Keke Rosberg

| Fittipaldi-Ford

| {{Avon}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNQ

| 25

| {{flagicon|France}} Jean-Pierre Jabouille

| Ligier-Matra

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNQ

| 6

| {{flagicon|Mexico}} Héctor Rebaque

| Brabham-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNQ

| 21

| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} Chico Serra

| Fittipaldi-Ford

| {{Avon}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNQ

| 32

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piercarlo Ghinzani

| Osella-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNQ

| 31

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Beppe Gabbiani

| Osella-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNPQ

| 10

| {{flagicon|Sweden}} Slim Borgudd

| ATS-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNPQ

| 18

| {{flagicon|Ireland}} Derek Daly

| March-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNPQ

| 17

| {{flagicon|Chile}} Eliseo Salazar

| March-Ford

| {{Michelin}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNPQ

| 35

| {{flagicon|UK}} Brian Henton

| Toleman-Hart

| {{Pirelli}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

DNPQ

| 36

| {{flagicon|UK}} Derek Warwick

| Toleman-Hart

| {{Pirelli}}

|  

|  

|  

|  

colspan="9" style="text-align: center"|Source: {{cite web |title=1981 Monaco Grand Prix |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1981/363/ |publisher=formula1.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516114659/http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1981/363/ |archive-date=16 May 2014 |access-date=23 December 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://gparchive.com/formula-1/1981-monaco-grand-prix/|title=1981 Monaco Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive|website=GPArchive.com|date=31 May 1981 |access-date=7 November 2021}}

Notes

  • This was the 5th Grand Prix win and the 10th podium finish for a Canadian driver.
  • This was the 50th Grand Prix start for Arrows.
  • This was the 25th pole position for Brabham.

Championship standings after the race

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

;Drivers' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Pos

! Driver

! Points

1

| {{flagicon|ARG}} Carlos Reutemann

| style="text-align: right" | 34

2

| {{flagicon|AUS}} Alan Jones

| style="text-align: right" | 24

3

| {{flagicon|BRA|1968}} Nelson Piquet

| style="text-align: right" | 22

4

| {{flagicon|CAN}} Gilles Villeneuve

| style="text-align: right" | 12

5

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jacques Laffite

| style="text-align: right" | 11

colspan=4|Source: {{Cite web |title=Monaco 1981 - Championship • STATS F1 |url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1981/monaco/championnat.aspx |website=www.statsf1.com |access-date=19 March 2019}}

{{col-2}}

;Constructors' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Pos

! Constructor

! Points

1

| {{flagicon|UK}} Williams-Ford

| style="text-align: right" | 58

2

| {{flagicon|UK}} Brabham-Ford

| style="text-align: right" | 25

3

| {{flagicon|ITA}} Ferrari

| style="text-align: right" | 17

4

| {{flagicon|FRA}} Ligier-Matra

| style="text-align: right" | 11

5

| {{flagicon|UK}} Arrows-Ford

| style="text-align: right" | 10

colspan=4|Source:

{{col-end}}

  • {{small|Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.}}

References

{{Reflist | 30em}}

{{F1 race report |

Name_of_race = Monaco Grand Prix |

Year_of_race = 1981 |

Previous_race_in_season = 1981 Belgian Grand Prix |

Next_race_in_season = 1981 Spanish Grand Prix |

Previous_year's_race = 1980 Monaco Grand Prix |

Next_year's_race = 1982 Monaco Grand Prix

}}

{{Monaco Grand Prix}}

{{F1GP 80-89}}

Monaco Grand Prix

Category:Monaco Grand Prix

Grand Prix