Published evidence
1981 Marlboro British Grand Prix
A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
Profile & context
Event date: 18 Jul 1981
- Name
- 1981 Marlboro British Grand Prix
PROVENANCE
Sources behind this page
F1DB
v2026.17.0 · races/351
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 Marlboro British Grand Prix · Silverstone Circuit
Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.
1981 Formula 1 World Championship · round 9
Race classification
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:26:54.800 · 68 laps · ford | 9 |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:27:35.450 · 68 laps · ford | 6 |
| 3 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | Time not recorded · 67 laps · matra | 4 |
| 4 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | Time not recorded · 67 laps · ford | 3 |
| 5 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | Time not recorded · 67 laps · ford | 2 |
| 6 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | Time not recorded · 67 laps · ford | 1 |
| 7 | Derek Daly | March | Time not recorded · 66 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 8 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | Time not recorded · 65 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 9 | René Arnoux | Renault | Distributor · Time not recorded · 64 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| 10 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | Engine · Time not recorded · 64 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 11 | Marc Surer | Theodore | Out of fuel · Time not recorded · 61 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | Throttle · Time not recorded · 59 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | Suspension · Time not recorded · 56 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Alain Prost | Renault | Distributor · Time not recorded · 17 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | Clutch · Time not recorded · 15 laps · matra | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | Turbo · Time not recorded · 13 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | Tyre · Time not recorded · 11 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | Transmission · Time not recorded · 5 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | Spun off · Time not recorded · 4 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Alan Jones | Williams | Collision · Time not recorded · 3 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | Spun off · Time not recorded · 3 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | Clutch · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | Spun off · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DSQ | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | Ignored yellow flags · Time not recorded · 25 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Brian Henton | Toleman | Time not recorded · hart | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Derek Warwick | Toleman | Time not recorded · hart | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
Qualifying
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:11.000 · renault | |
| 2 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:11.046 · renault | |
| 3 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:11.952 · ford | |
| 4 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:12.644 · ferrari | |
| 5 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:12.712 · ford | |
| 6 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:12.728 · ford | |
| 7 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:12.998 · ford | |
| 8 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:13.311 · ferrari | |
| 9 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:13.371 · ford | |
| 10 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:13.762 · ford | |
| 11 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:13.928 · alfa-romeo | |
| 12 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:14.119 · alfa-romeo | |
| 13 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:14.542 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:14.798 · matra | |
| 15 | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | 1:14.976 · matra | |
| 16 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:15.165 · ford | |
| 17 | Derek Daly | March | 1:15.189 · ford | |
| 18 | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | 1:15.304 · ford | |
| 19 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:15.850 · ford | |
| 20 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:15.898 · ford | |
| 21 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 1:15.959 · ford | |
| 22 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:15.971 · ford | |
| 23 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:16.099 · ford | |
| 24 | Marc Surer | Theodore | 1:16.155 · ford | |
| 25 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:16.360 · ford | |
| 26 | Brian Henton | Toleman | 1:16.388 · hart | |
| 27 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:16.432 · ford | |
| 28 | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | 1:16.694 · ford | |
| 29 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:16.891 · hart | |
| 30 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 1:17.784 · ford |
Starting grid
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:11.000 · renault | |
| 2 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:11.046 · renault | |
| 3 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:11.952 · ford | |
| 4 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:12.644 · ferrari | |
| 5 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:12.712 · ford | |
| 6 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:12.728 · ford | |
| 7 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:12.998 · ford | |
| 8 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:13.311 · ferrari | |
| 9 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:13.371 · ford | |
| 10 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:13.762 · ford | |
| 11 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:13.928 · alfa-romeo | |
| 12 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:14.119 · alfa-romeo | |
| 13 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:14.542 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:14.798 · matra | |
| 15 | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | 1:14.976 · matra | |
| 16 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:15.165 · ford | |
| 17 | Derek Daly | March | 1:15.189 · ford | |
| 18 | Siegfried Stohr | Arrows | 1:15.304 · ford | |
| 19 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:15.850 · ford | |
| 20 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:15.898 · ford | |
| 21 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 1:15.959 · ford | |
| 22 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:15.971 · ford | |
| 23 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:16.099 · ford | |
| 24 | Marc Surer | Theodore | 1:16.155 · ford |
Championship progression
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 43 |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 26 |
| 3 | Alan Jones | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 24 |
| 4 | Gilles Villeneuve | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 21 |
| 5 | Jacques Laffite | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 21 |
| 6 | John Watson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 19 |
| 7 | Alain Prost | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 13 |
| 8 | Riccardo Patrese | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 9 | Eddie Cheever | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 8 |
| 10 | Elio de Angelis | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 8 |
| 11 | Didier Pironi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 7 |
| 12 | Nigel Mansell | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 5 |
| 13 | René Arnoux | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 5 |
| 13 | Héctor Rebaque | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 5 |
| 15 | Marc Surer | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 16 | Mario Andretti | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 17 | Patrick Tambay | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 17 | Andrea de Cesaris | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 17 | Slim Borgudd | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |