Published evidence
1981 Belgian Grand Prix
A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
Profile & context
Event date: 17 May 1981
- Name
- 1981 Belgian Grand Prix
PROVENANCE
Sources behind this page
F1DB
v2026.17.0 · races/347
Original reference ↗Historical source & scope
F1DB v2026.17.0 · CC BY 4.0. Normalisation, links and calculations by MotorPedia. Original source observations retained.
Source-reported facts are not independent historical confirmation. Missing times and points remain unknown; source-rounded points retain their published precision. Constructor, entrant and team identities are kept distinct.
Recorded qualifying format: TWO_SESSION
Grand Prix context
1981 Belgian Grand Prix · Circuit Zolder
Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.
1981 Formula 1 World Championship · round 5
Race classification
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:16:31.610 · 54 laps · ford | 9 |
| 2 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:17:07.670 · 54 laps · matra | 6 |
| 3 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:17:15.300 · 54 laps · ford | 4 |
| 4 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:17:19.250 · 54 laps · ferrari | 3 |
| 5 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:17:20.810 · 54 laps · ford | 2 |
| 6 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:17:24.120 · 54 laps · ford | 1 |
| 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:17:33.270 · 54 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 8 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:18:03.650 · 54 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| 9 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:18:07.190 · 54 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| 10 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | Time not recorded · 53 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| 11 | Marc Surer | Ensign | Time not recorded · 52 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 12 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | Time not recorded · 52 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 13 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | Time not recorded · 50 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | Accident · Time not recorded · 39 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier | Transmission · Time not recorded · 35 laps · matra | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | Engine · Time not recorded · 29 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | Engine · Time not recorded · 22 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Alan Jones | Williams | Accident · Time not recorded · 19 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | Gearbox · Time not recorded · 11 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | Accident · Time not recorded · 10 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | Gearbox · Time not recorded · 10 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Alain Prost | Renault | Clutch · Time not recorded · 2 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | Collision · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | Collision · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Derek Daly | March | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | René Arnoux | Renault | Time not recorded · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Eliseo Salazar | March | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Slim Borgudd | ATS | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Patrick Tambay | Theodore | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Derek Warwick | Toleman | Time not recorded · hart | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Brian Henton | Toleman | Time not recorded · hart | Unknown / not applicable |
Qualifying
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:22.280 · ford | |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:23.130 · ford | |
| 3 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:23.470 · ferrari | |
| 4 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:23.670 · ford | |
| 5 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:23.730 · ford | |
| 6 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:23.820 · ford | |
| 7 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:23.940 · ferrari | |
| 8 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:24.380 · ford | |
| 9 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:24.410 · matra | |
| 10 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:24.440 · ford | |
| 11 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:24.460 · ford | |
| 12 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:24.630 · renault | |
| 13 | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | 1:24.660 · ford | |
| 14 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:24.960 · ford | |
| 15 | Marc Surer | Ensign | 1:25.190 · ford | |
| 16 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier | 1:25.280 · matra | |
| 17 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.310 · alfa-romeo | |
| 18 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.560 · alfa-romeo | |
| 19 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:25.910 · ford | |
| 20 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:25.930 · ford | |
| 21 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:26.520 · ford | |
| 22 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 1:26.690 · ford | |
| 23 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:26.950 · ford | |
| 24 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:27.480 · ford | |
| 25 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:27.930 · renault | |
| 26 | Eliseo Salazar | March | 1:28.380 · ford | |
| 27 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 1:28.980 · ford | |
| 28 | Patrick Tambay | Theodore | 1:32.470 · ford | |
| 29 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:35.970 · hart | |
| 30 | Brian Henton | Toleman | 1:36.370 · hart | |
| 31 | Derek Daly | March | Time not recorded · ford |
Starting grid
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:22.280 · ford | |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:23.130 · ford | |
| 3 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:23.470 · ferrari | |
| 4 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:23.670 · ford | |
| 5 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:23.730 · ford | |
| 6 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:23.820 · ford | |
| 7 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:23.940 · ferrari | |
| 8 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:24.380 · ford | |
| 9 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:24.410 · matra | |
| 10 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:24.440 · ford | |
| 11 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:24.460 · ford | |
| 12 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:24.630 · renault | |
| 13 | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | 1:24.660 · ford | |
| 14 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:24.960 · ford | |
| 15 | Marc Surer | Ensign | 1:25.190 · ford | |
| 16 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier | 1:25.280 · matra | |
| 17 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.310 · alfa-romeo | |
| 18 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:25.560 · alfa-romeo | |
| 19 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:25.910 · ford | |
| 20 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:25.930 · ford | |
| 21 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:26.520 · ford | |
| 22 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 1:26.690 · ford | |
| 23 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:26.950 · ford | |
| 24 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:27.480 · ford |
Championship progression
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 34 |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 22 |
| 3 | Alan Jones | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 18 |
| 4 | Riccardo Patrese | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 5 | Jacques Laffite | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 7 |
| 6 | Elio de Angelis | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 5 |
| 7 | Alain Prost | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 7 | Nigel Mansell | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 9 | Mario Andretti | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 9 | Marc Surer | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 9 | Héctor Rebaque | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 9 | Gilles Villeneuve | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 13 | Eddie Cheever | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 14 | René Arnoux | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 14 | Didier Pironi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 16 | Patrick Tambay | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 16 | Andrea de Cesaris | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |