Published evidence

Gran Premio de España 1981 · qualifying

A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.

THE HISTORICAL RECORD

Profile & context

Name: Gran Premio de España 1981 · qualifying

PROVENANCE

Sources behind this page

F1DB

v2026.17.0 · session/349-qualifying

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.

Grand Prix context

Gran Premio de España 1981 · Circuito de Madrid Jarama - RACE

Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.

1981 Formula 1 World Championship · round 7

Race classification

Source participant rows: shared cars and nonstarters retained
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:46:35.010 · 80 laps · ferrari	9
2	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	1:46:35.230 · 80 laps · matra	6
3	John Watson	McLaren	1:46:35.590 · 80 laps · ford	4
4	Carlos Reutemann	Williams	1:46:36.020 · 80 laps · ford	3
5	Elio de Angelis	Lotus	1:46:36.250 · 80 laps · ford	2
6	Nigel Mansell	Lotus	1:47:03.590 · 80 laps · ford	1
7	Alan Jones	Williams	1:47:31.590 · 80 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
8	Mario Andretti	Alfa Romeo	1:47:35.810 · 80 laps · alfa-romeo	Unknown / not applicable
9	René Arnoux	Renault	1:47:42.090 · 80 laps · renault	Unknown / not applicable
10	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	1:47:48.660 · 80 laps · alfa-romeo	Unknown / not applicable
11	Chico Serra	Fittipaldi	Time not recorded · 79 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
12	Keke Rosberg	Fittipaldi	Time not recorded · 78 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
13	Patrick Tambay	Theodore	Time not recorded · 78 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
14	Eliseo Salazar	Ensign	Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
15	Didier Pironi	Ferrari	Time not recorded · 76 laps · ferrari	Unknown / not applicable
16	Derek Daly	March	Time not recorded · 75 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
NC	Eddie Cheever	Tyrrell	Time not recorded · 61 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Ligier	Brakes · Time not recorded · 52 laps · matra	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Héctor Rebaque	Brabham	Gearbox · Time not recorded · 46 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Siegfried Stohr	Arrows	Ignition · Time not recorded · 43 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	Accident · Time not recorded · 43 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Alain Prost	Renault	Spun off · Time not recorded · 28 laps · renault	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	Brakes · Time not recorded · 21 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Andrea de Cesaris	McLaren	Accident · Time not recorded · 9 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Michele Alboreto	Tyrrell	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Beppe Gabbiani	Osella	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Slim Borgudd	ATS	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Brian Henton	Toleman	Time not recorded · hart	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Derek Warwick	Toleman	Time not recorded · hart	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Giorgio Francia	Osella	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable

Qualifying

Recorded qualifying order; Q1/Q2/Q3 and earlier formats remain distinct in original evidence
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	1:13.754 · matra
2	Alan Jones	Williams	1:14.024 · ford
3	Carlos Reutemann	Williams	1:14.342 · ford
4	John Watson	McLaren	1:14.657 · ford
5	Alain Prost	Renault	1:14.669 · renault
6	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	1:14.897 · alfa-romeo
7	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:14.987 · ferrari
8	Mario Andretti	Alfa Romeo	1:15.159 · alfa-romeo
9	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	1:15.355 · ford
10	Elio de Angelis	Lotus	1:15.399 · ford
11	Nigel Mansell	Lotus	1:15.562 · ford
12	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	1:15.627 · ford
13	Didier Pironi	Ferrari	1:15.715 · ferrari
14	Andrea de Cesaris	McLaren	1:15.850 · ford
15	Keke Rosberg	Fittipaldi	1:15.924 · ford
16	Patrick Tambay	Theodore	1:16.355 · ford
17	René Arnoux	Renault	1:16.406 · renault
18	Héctor Rebaque	Brabham	1:16.527 · ford
19	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Ligier	1:16.559 · matra
20	Eddie Cheever	Tyrrell	1:16.641 · ford
21	Chico Serra	Fittipaldi	1:16.782 · ford
22	Derek Daly	March	1:16.979 · ford
23	Siegfried Stohr	Arrows	1:17.294 · ford
24	Eliseo Salazar	Ensign	1:17.822 · ford
25	Michele Alboreto	Tyrrell	1:17.943 · ford
26	Beppe Gabbiani	Osella	1:18.169 · ford
27	Slim Borgudd	ATS	1:18.263 · ford
28	Brian Henton	Toleman	1:18.340 · hart
29	Derek Warwick	Toleman	1:18.872 · hart
30	Giorgio Francia	Osella	1:19.586 · ford

Starting grid

Recorded grid; pole awards are not inferred from starting position
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	1:13.754 · matra
2	Alan Jones	Williams	1:14.024 · ford
3	Carlos Reutemann	Williams	1:14.342 · ford
4	John Watson	McLaren	1:14.657 · ford
5	Alain Prost	Renault	1:14.669 · renault
6	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	1:14.897 · alfa-romeo
7	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:14.987 · ferrari
8	Mario Andretti	Alfa Romeo	1:15.159 · alfa-romeo
9	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	1:15.355 · ford
10	Elio de Angelis	Lotus	1:15.399 · ford
11	Nigel Mansell	Lotus	1:15.562 · ford
12	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	1:15.627 · ford
13	Didier Pironi	Ferrari	1:15.715 · ferrari
14	Andrea de Cesaris	McLaren	1:15.850 · ford
15	Keke Rosberg	Fittipaldi	1:15.924 · ford
16	Patrick Tambay	Theodore	1:16.355 · ford
17	René Arnoux	Renault	1:16.406 · renault
18	Héctor Rebaque	Brabham	1:16.527 · ford
19	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Ligier	1:16.559 · matra
20	Eddie Cheever	Tyrrell	1:16.641 · ford
21	Chico Serra	Fittipaldi	1:16.782 · ford
22	Derek Daly	March	1:16.979 · ford
23	Siegfried Stohr	Arrows	1:17.294 · ford
24	Eliseo Salazar	Ensign	1:17.822 · ford

Championship progression

Driver standings after this championship round
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Carlos Reutemann	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	37
2	Alan Jones	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	24
3	Nelson Piquet	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	22
4	Gilles Villeneuve	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	21
5	Jacques Laffite	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	17
6	Riccardo Patrese	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	10
7	Elio de Angelis	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	7
8	Nigel Mansell	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	5
9	Didier Pironi	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	5
10	Eddie Cheever	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	5
11	Alain Prost	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
11	John Watson	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
13	Marc Surer	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
14	Mario Andretti	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
14	Héctor Rebaque	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
16	René Arnoux	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
17	Patrick Tambay	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
17	Andrea de Cesaris	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1