1981 F1 Championship Standings

1981 F1 Championship Standings
1981 F1 World Championship · 32 of 77

Drivers & Constructors Standings

Final standings · 15 rounds

3
Most GP driver wins
Alain Prost Alain Prost
50pts
World Champion
Nelson Piquet Nelson Piquet
7
Different GP winners
95pts
Constructors' Champion
Williams Williams
Last updated:

Nelson Piquet clinched his first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship in 1981 with 50 points, taking three wins, seven podiums and four pole positions along the way. The Brazilian driver finished just one point clear of Carlos Reutemann. The Constructors' Championship, however, went not to Piquet's Brabham but to Williams, who took their second straight title with 95 points and four race wins.

Piquet only wrapped up the title at the season finale, the Caesars Palace Grand Prix, while Williams had already secured the Constructors' crown one round earlier, at the Canadian Grand Prix (round 14 of 15).

See all 1981 F1 results for each race, driver and team. Here you can find the 1981 F1 teams overview, we also have all other F1 results since 1950.

Drivers Standings

1981 F1 Drivers' Championship Standings

POSDriverPTS1981 USA West F1 GP1981 Brazilian F1 GP1981 Argentine F1 GP1981 San Marino F1 GP1981 Belgian F1 GP1981 Monaco F1 GP1981 Spanish F1 GP1981 French F1 GP1981 British F1 GP1981 German F1 GP1981 Austrian F1 GP1981 Dutch F1 GP1981 Italian F1 GP1981 Canadian F1 GP1981 Caesars Palace F1 GP
1Nelson PiquetNelsonPiquet503121*1DNFDNFDNF3DNF132655
2ArgentinaCarlosReutemann4921231*DNF4102DNF5DNF3*108
3Alan JonesAlanJones461*2412DNF2*7*17DNF11*43*2DNF1
4FranceJacquesLaffite44DNF6DNFDNF232DNF331*DNFDNF16
5Alain ProstAlainProst43DNFDNF3DNFDNFDNFDNF1*DNF2DNF11DNF2
6United KingdomJohnWatson27DNF8DNF107DNF32166DNFDNF2*7
7CanadaGillesVilleneuve25DNFDNFDNF7*411DNFDNF10DNFDNFDNF3DSQ
8ItalyEliode Angelis14DNF56WD5DNF56DSQ77546DNF
9FranceRenéArnoux118DNF58DNQDNF949*132DNFDNFDNFDNF
10MexicoHectorRebaque11DNFDNFDNF4DNFDNQDNF954DNF4DNFDNFDNF
11ItalyRiccardoPatrese10DNF372DNFDNFDNF1410DNFDNFDNFDNFDNF11
12United StatesEddieCheever105NCDNFDNF65NC1345DNQDNFDNF12DNF
13FranceDidierPironi9DNFDNFDNF584155DNFDNF9DNF5DNF9*
14Nigel MansellNigelMansell8DNF11DNFWD3DNF67DNQDNFDNFDNFDNFDNF4
15ItalyBrunoGiacomelli7DNFNC10DNF9DNF1015DNF15DNFDNF843
16SwitzerlandMarcSurer4DNF4*DNF9116-121114DNF8DNQ9DNF
17Mario AndrettiMarioAndretti34DNF8DNF10DNF88DNF9DNFDNFDNF7DNF
18ItalyAndreade Cesaris1DNFDNF116DNFDNFDNF11DNFDNF8DNS7DNF12
19FrancePatrickTambay1610DNF11DNQ713DNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNF
20SwedenSlimBorgudd1---13DNQDNQDNQDNQ6DNFDNF10DNFDNFDNQ
21ChileEliseoSalazar1DNQDNQDNQDNFDNQDNQ14DNFDNQNCDNF6DNFDNFNC
22FranceJean-PierreJarier0DNF7------8810DNF9DNFDNF
23IrelandDerekDaly0DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ16DNF7DNF11DNFDNF8DNQ
24ItalySiegfriedStohr0DNQDNF9DNQDNFDNFDNFDNQDNF12DNF7DNQ--
25BrazilChicoSerra07DNFDNFDNQDNFDNQ11DNSDNQDNQ-DNQDNQDNQDNQ
26Keke RosbergKekeRosberg0DNF9DNFDNFDNFDNQ12DNFDNFDNQ-DNQDNQDNQ10
27ItalyMicheleAlboreto0---DNF12DNFDNQ16DNFDNQDNF9DNF1113
28United KingdomBrianHenton0---DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ10DNQDNQ
29NetherlandsJanLammers0DNFDNQ12DNF-----------
30ArgentinaRicardoZunino0-1313------------
31ItalyPiercarloGhinzani0----13DNQ---------
-FranceJean-PierreJabouille0--DNQNCDNFDNQDNF--------
-United KingdomDerekWarwick0---DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNF
-ItalyBeppeGabbiani0DNFDNQDNQDNFDNFDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ
-ArgentinaMiguel-AngelGuerra0DNQDNQDNQDNF-----------
-United StatesKevinCogan0DNQ--------------
-CanadaJacquesVilleneuve Sr.0-------------DNQDNQ
-ColombiaRicardoLondoño0-DNP-------------
-ItalyGiorgioFrancia0------DNQ--------

Best 11 of 15 results counted. Points in brackets are all points scored; the lower figure is the championship total.

1981 Drivers' Championship Progression

P1P2P3P4P5P6P7P8P9P10P11P12P13P14P15P16P17P18P19P20P21P22P23P24P25P26P27P28P29P30P31P32P33P34P35P36P37P38P39PiquetReutemannJonesLaffiteProstWatsonVilleneuveAngelisArnouxRebaquePatreseCheeverPironiMansellGiacomelliSurerAndrettiCesarisTambayBorguddSalazarJarierStohrZuninoDalyLammersSerraCoganRosbergAlboretoHentonGhinzaniGuerraLondoñoJabouilleWarwickGabbianiSr.Francia👑

1981 F1 Driver Statistics

POSDriverTeamGP1st2nd3rdPodPoleLapsFLDNFPTS
1Nelson PiquetNelsonPiquetBrabham15313748081550
2Alain ProstAlainProstRenault15321625661943
3ArgentinaCarlosReutemannWilliams15232728522349
4Alan JonesAlanJonesWilliams15231608275446
5FranceJacquesLaffiteFranceLigier15223717281644
6CanadaGillesVilleneuveFerrari15201315421925
7United KingdomJohnWatsonMcLaren15121408091527
8ItalyEliode AngelisTeam Lotus15000006800514
9MexicoHectorRebaqueBrabham150000059701011
10FranceRenéArnouxRenault15010145851811
11ItalyRiccardoPatreseUnited KingdomArrows150112157901010
12United StatesEddieCheeverUnited KingdomTyrrell15000006600910
13FranceDidierPironiFerrari1500000652179
14Nigel MansellNigelMansellTeam Lotus15001104940108
15ItalyBrunoGiacomelliAlfa Romeo1500110710087
16Mario AndrettiMarioAndrettiAlfa Romeo1500000712083
17FrancePatrickTambayFranceLigier15000005130101
18ItalyAndreade CesarisMcLaren15000004480101
19ChileEliseoSalazarUnited KingdomEnsign15000003550131
20IrelandDerekDalyUnited KingdomMarch15000003600110
21ItalyBeppeGabbianiItalyOsella1500000790150
22SwitzerlandMarcSurerHong KongTheodore1400000662174
23BrazilChicoSerraBrazilFittipaldi14000002140120
24Keke RosbergKekeRosbergBrazilFittipaldi14000003480110
25ItalySiegfriedStohrUnited KingdomArrows13000002770100
26SwedenSlimBorguddGermanyATS1200000321091
27United KingdomBrianHentonUnited KingdomToleman1200000490110
28ItalyMicheleAlboretoUnited KingdomTyrrell1200000462090
29United KingdomDerekWarwickUnited KingdomToleman1200000430120
30FranceJean-PierreJarierItalyOsella900000391040
31FranceJean-PierreJabouilleFranceLigier500000131050
32ArgentinaMiguel-AngelGuerraItalyOsella4000000040
33NetherlandsJanLammersGermanyATS40000092030
34ItalyPiercarloGhinzaniItalyOsella20000050010
35CanadaJacquesVilleneuve Sr.United KingdomArrows2000000020
36ArgentinaRicardoZuninoUnited KingdomTyrrell200000108000
37United StatesKevinCoganUnited KingdomTyrrell1000000010
38ItalyGiorgioFranciaItalyOsella1000000010
39ColombiaRicardoLondoñoUnited KingdomEnsign1000000010
Constructors Standings

1981 F1 Constructors' Championship Standings

POSTeamCarPTS1981 USA West F1 GP1981 Brazilian F1 GP1981 Argentine F1 GP1981 San Marino F1 GP1981 Belgian F1 GP1981 Monaco F1 GP1981 Spanish F1 GP1981 French F1 GP1981 British F1 GP1981 German F1 GP1981 Austrian F1 GP1981 Dutch F1 GP1981 Italian F1 GP1981 Canadian F1 GP1981 Caesars Palace F1 GP
1WilliamsWilliams FW07C19512412DNF2717DNF11432DNF1
221231DNF4102DNF5DNF3108
2BrabhamBrabham BT49C56131211DNFDNFDNF3DNF132655
6DNFDNFDNF4DNFDNQDNF954DNF4DNFDNFDNF
3RenaultRenault RE301554DNFDNF3DNFDNFDNFDNF1DNF2DNF11DNF2
168DNF58DNQDNF949132DNFDNFDNFDNF
4FranceLigierLigier JS172544DNF7DNQNCDNFDNQDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNF
26DNF6DNFDNF232DNF331DNFDNF16
5FerrariFerrari 126CK2734DNFDNFDNF7411DNFDNF10DNFDNFDNF3DSQ
28DNFDNFDNF584155DNFDNF9DNF5DNF9
6McLarenMcLaren M29F728DNF8DNF107DNF32166DNFDNF27
8DNFDNF116DNFDNFDNF11DNFDNF8DNS7DNF12
7Team LotusLotus 81BLotus 871122DNF56WD5DNF56DSQ77546DNF
12DNF11DNFWD3DNF67DNQDNFDNFDNFDNFDNF4
8United KingdomArrowsArrows A32910DNF372DNFDNFDNF1410DNFDNFDNFDNFDNF11
30DNQDNF9DNQDNFDNFDNFDNQDNF12DNF7DNQDNQDNQ
9Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 179C22104DNF8DNF10DNF88DNF9DNFDNFDNF7DNF
23DNFNC10DNF9DNF1015DNF15DNFDNF843
10United KingdomTyrrellTyrrell 010Tyrrell 0113105NCDNFDNF65NC1345DNQDNFDNF12DNF
4DNQ1313DNF12DNFDNQ16DNFDNQDNF9DNF1113
11United KingdomEnsignEnsign N180B145DNFDNPDNF911614DNFDNQNCDNF6DNFDNFNC
12Hong KongTheodoreTheodore TY01331610DNF11DNQ713121114DNF8DNQ9DNF
13GermanyATSATS HGS191DNFDNQ12DNFDNQ-DNQDNQ6DNFDNF10DNFDNFDNQ
10---13-DNQ---------
14United KingdomMarchMarch 811170DNQDNQDNQDNFDNQDNQ16DNF7DNF11DNFDNF8DNQ
18DNQ-DNQDNQDNQDNQ---------
15BrazilFittipaldiFittipaldi F8C200DNF9DNFDNFDNFDNQ12DNFDNFDNQ-DNQDNQDNQ10
217DNFDNFDNQDNFDNQ11DNSDNQDNQ-DNQDNQDNQDNQ
16ItalyOsellaOsella FA1C180-DNQ-------------
31DNQDNQDNQDNF13DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ
32DNFDNQDNQDNFDNFDNQDNQ-8810DNF9DNFDNF
17United KingdomTolemanToleman TG181350---DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ10DNQDNQ
36---DNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNF

1981 Constructors' Championship Progression

P1P2P3P4P5P6P7P8P9P10P11P12P13P14P15P16P17WilliamsBrabhamRenaultLigierFerrariMcLarenTeam LotusArrowsAlfa RomeoTyrrellEnsignTheodoreATSMarchFittipaldiOsellaToleman👑
Race Results

1981 F1 Race-by-Race Results

1981 F1 World Championship
NOGrand PrixDateWinnerTeamLapsTime
11981 USA West F1 GP 1981 USA West F1 GPMarch 15Alan JonesAlan JonesWilliams8001:50:41.330
21981 Brazilian F1 GP 1981 Brazilian F1 GPMarch 29ArgentinaCarlos ReutemannWilliams6202:00:23.660
31981 Argentine F1 GP 1981 Argentine F1 GPApril 12Nelson PiquetNelson PiquetBrabham5301:34:32.740
41981 San Marino F1 GP 1981 San Marino F1 GPMay 3Nelson PiquetNelson PiquetBrabham6001:51:23.970
51981 Belgian F1 GP 1981 Belgian F1 GPMay 17ArgentinaCarlos ReutemannWilliams5401:16:31.610
61981 Monaco F1 GP 1981 Monaco F1 GPMay 31CanadaGilles VilleneuveFerrari7601:54:23.380
71981 Spanish F1 GP 1981 Spanish F1 GPJune 21CanadaGilles VilleneuveFerrari8001:46:35.010
81981 French F1 GP 1981 French F1 GPJuly 5Alain ProstAlain ProstRenault8001:35:48.130
91981 British F1 GP 1981 British F1 GPJuly 18United KingdomJohn WatsonMcLaren6801:26:54.800
101981 German F1 GP 1981 German F1 GPAugust 2Nelson PiquetNelson PiquetBrabham4501:25:55.600
111981 Austrian F1 GP 1981 Austrian F1 GPAugust 16FranceJacques LaffiteFranceLigier5301:27:36.470
121981 Dutch F1 GP 1981 Dutch F1 GPAugust 30Alain ProstAlain ProstRenault7201:40:22.430
131981 Italian F1 GP 1981 Italian F1 GPSeptember 13Alain ProstAlain ProstRenault5201:26:36.897
141981 Canadian F1 GP 1981 Canadian F1 GPSeptember 27FranceJacques LaffiteFranceLigier6302:01:25.200
151981 Caesars Palace F1 GP 1981 Caesars Palace F1 GPOctober 17Alan JonesAlan JonesWilliams7501:44:09.077

1981 points distribution: P1 = 9, P2 = 6, P3 = 4, P4 = 3, P5 = 2, P6 = 1 point.

  • Positions in bold show the driver who started from pole position.
  • Positions marked with an asterisk (*) show the driver who set the fastest lap.
  • DNQ = Did not qualify · DNS = Did not start · WD = Withdrawn · DNF = Did not finish · DNP = Did not participate · NC = Not classified · DSQ = Disqualified

1981 F1 Championship — Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 1981 F1 Drivers' Championship?

Nelson Piquet won the 1981 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship with 50 points, finishing 1 point ahead of Carlos Reutemann.

After which race was the 1981 F1 Drivers' Championship decided?

Nelson Piquet clinched the 1981 Drivers' Championship at the season finale, the Caesars Palace Grand Prix (round 15 of 15).

How many F1 World Drivers' Championships had Nelson Piquet won by 1981?

The 1981 title was Nelson Piquet's first Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship.

How many races did Nelson Piquet win in 1981?

Nelson Piquet won 3 of the 15 races in 1981, with 7 podiums and 4 pole positions.

Who finished runner-up in the 1981 F1 Drivers' Championship?

Carlos Reutemann finished runner-up, 1 point behind Nelson Piquet.

Which team won the 1981 F1 Constructors' Championship?

Williams won the 1981 Constructors' Championship with 95 points.

When did Williams win the 1981 F1 Constructors' Championship?

Williams secured the 1981 Constructors' Championship at the Canadian Grand Prix, round 14 of 15.

Did the 1981 F1 Drivers' champion also win the Constructors' Championship?

No. The 1981 Constructors' title went to Williams, while Nelson Piquet raced for Brabham.

How many races are in the 1981 F1 season?

The 1981 Formula 1 season featured 15 Grand Prix rounds.