Published evidence
1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix · qualifying
A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
Profile & context
- Name
- 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix · qualifying
PROVENANCE
Sources behind this page
F1DB
v2026.17.0 · session/357-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
1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix · Caesars Palace
Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.
1981 Formula 1 World Championship · round 15
Race classification
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:44:09.077 · 75 laps · ford | 9 |
| 2 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:44:29.127 · 75 laps · renault | 6 |
| 3 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:44:29.507 · 75 laps · alfa-romeo | 4 |
| 4 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:44:56.547 · 75 laps · ford | 3 |
| 5 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:45:25.517 · 75 laps · ford | 2 |
| 6 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:45:27.257 · 75 laps · matra | 1 |
| 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:45:27.577 · 75 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 8 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | Time not recorded · 74 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 9 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | Time not recorded · 73 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| 10 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | Time not recorded · 73 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 11 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | Time not recorded · 71 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 12 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | Time not recorded · 69 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 13 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | Engine · Time not recorded · 67 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| NC | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | Time not recorded · 61 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Derek Warwick | Toleman | Gearbox · Time not recorded · 43 laps · hart | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | Suspension · Time not recorded · 29 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | Throttle · Time not recorded · 20 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Marc Surer | Theodore | Suspension · Time not recorded · 19 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | Engine · Time not recorded · 10 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | René Arnoux | Renault | Electrical · Time not recorded · 10 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | Accident · Time not recorded · 2 laps · matra | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | Water leak · Time not recorded · 2 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | Transmission · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DSQ | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | Incorrect grid formation · Time not recorded · 22 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Slim Borgudd | ATS | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Derek Daly | March | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Jacques Villeneuve, Sr. | Arrows | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Brian Henton | 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 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:17.821 · ford | |
| 2 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:17.995 · ford | |
| 3 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:18.060 · ferrari | |
| 4 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:18.161 · ford | |
| 5 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:18.433 · renault | |
| 6 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:18.617 · ford | |
| 7 | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | 1:18.681 · matra | |
| 8 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:18.792 · alfa-romeo | |
| 9 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:19.044 · ford | |
| 10 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:19.068 · alfa-romeo | |
| 11 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:19.152 · ford | |
| 12 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:19.167 · matra | |
| 13 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:19.197 · renault | |
| 14 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:19.217 · ford | |
| 15 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:19.562 · ford | |
| 16 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:19.571 · ford | |
| 17 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:19.774 · ford | |
| 18 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:19.899 · ferrari | |
| 19 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:20.475 · ford | |
| 20 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:20.729 · ford | |
| 21 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:20.781 · ford | |
| 22 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:21.294 · hart | |
| 23 | Marc Surer | Theodore | 1:21.430 · ford | |
| 24 | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | 1:21.629 · ford | |
| 25 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 1:21.665 · ford | |
| 26 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:21.672 · ford | |
| 27 | Derek Daly | March | 1:21.824 · ford | |
| 28 | Jacques Villeneuve, Sr. | Arrows | 1:22.822 · ford | |
| 29 | Brian Henton | Toleman | 1:22.960 · hart | |
| 30 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 1:26.634 · ford |
Starting grid
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 1:17.821 · ford | |
| 2 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:17.995 · ford | |
| 3 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:18.060 · ferrari | |
| 4 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:18.161 · ford | |
| 5 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:18.433 · renault | |
| 6 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:18.617 · ford | |
| 7 | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | 1:18.681 · matra | |
| 8 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:18.792 · alfa-romeo | |
| 9 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:19.044 · ford | |
| 10 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 1:19.068 · alfa-romeo | |
| 11 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:19.152 · ford | |
| 12 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:19.167 · matra | |
| 13 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:19.197 · renault | |
| 14 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 1:19.217 · ford | |
| 15 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:19.562 · ford | |
| 16 | Héctor Rebaque | Brabham | 1:19.571 · ford | |
| 17 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:19.774 · ford | |
| 18 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 1:19.899 · ferrari | |
| 19 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 1:20.475 · ford | |
| 20 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 1:20.729 · ford | |
| 21 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:20.781 · ford | |
| 22 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:21.294 · hart | |
| 23 | Marc Surer | Theodore | 1:21.430 · ford | |
| 24 | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | 1:21.629 · ford |
Championship progression
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson Piquet | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 50 |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 49 |
| 3 | Alan Jones | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 46 |
| 4 | Jacques Laffite | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 44 |
| 5 | Alain Prost | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 43 |
| 6 | John Watson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 27 |
| 7 | Gilles Villeneuve | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 25 |
| 8 | Elio de Angelis | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 14 |
| 9 | René Arnoux | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 11 |
| 10 | Héctor Rebaque | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 11 |
| 11 | Riccardo Patrese | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 12 | Eddie Cheever | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 13 | Didier Pironi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 9 |
| 14 | Nigel Mansell | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 8 |
| 15 | Bruno Giacomelli | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 7 |
| 16 | Marc Surer | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 17 | Mario Andretti | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 18 | Patrick Tambay | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 18 | Andrea de Cesaris | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 18 | Slim Borgudd | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |
| 18 | Eliseo Salazar | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |