1981 Canadian Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Canada 1981 was held on 27 September in Montreal and was the 14th race of the Formula 1 season 1981.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
After the Grand Prix of Italy, the reigning world champion Alan Jones announced to end his Formula 1 career at the end of the season. The same was expected from Mario Andretti. Meanwhile was Niki Lauda, who resigned in 1979, has been observed in secret testing for McLaren at Donington, so first rumors of a comeback by the Austrian emerged.
Siegfried Stohr ended his racing career with immediate effect and was then at Arrows by Jacques Villeneuve Sr., the brother of Gilles Villeneuve, and uncle of the later Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, replaced.
Training
The two main competitors in the fight for the world title, Nelson Piquet and Carlos Reutemann, qualified for the front row in front of Alan Jones and Alain Prost. The third series was created by Nigel Mansell and Héctor Rebaque.
Since, in contrast to the two days of training on race day was raining heavily, exceptionally, an additional free training before the race was done, allow the pilots to adjust themselves and their vehicles to the changed conditions.
Race
When heavy rain started from third place from Jones immediately took the lead. In order to avoid a collision with his team-mate, who started from second place from Reutemann had to lift, which he lost three more places to Piquet, Prost and Elio de Angelis. Further back in the field sparked Gilles Villeneuve from a spin by René Arnoux, who retired by it.
By the seventh round, Villeneuve fought up to third rank to the front. This was among other favors that Jones turned in the sixth round and Piquet lost several positions by an abrupt evasive maneuvers. Alain Prost led by Jacques Laffite, first of all, until it took the lead on lap 13. Cheers fell during the next two laps behind Gilles Villeneuve and John Watson to fourth place back.
In the 38th round Villeneuve was overtaken by Watson. Thereupon did not change anything on the order of the podium placed. Behind them reached Bruno Giacomelli, Nelson Piquet and Elio de Angelis the target when the race was canceled after 63 rounds because the maximum allowed time of two hours was reached.
Jacques Laffites victory turned out to be the last time being success for Ligier out to the Monaco Grand Prix 1996.
Reutemann was traveling with only one point ahead of Piquet the season finale in Las Vegas.
Message list
Classifications
Qualifying
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).