1981 Brazilian Grand Prix
The Brazilian Grand Prix 1981 was held on 29 March in Rio de Janeiro and was the second race of the Formula 1 season 1981.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Two weeks after the season opener in Long Beach traveled almost unchanged participants to Rio de Janeiro, there to attend the second World Championship race, which was held for the second time after 1978 not at Interlagos, but on the track Jacarepaguá.
The financially troubled Tyrrell team demonstrated the second works car the Paydriver Ricardo Zunino available. The short Formula 1 career of Kevin Cogan was therefore terminated after two failed qualifications.
The pledged as Ligier - regular driver Jean -Pierre Jabouille completed the first day of practice including the first qualifying session. He made it clear, however, that his leg injuries he had suffered at the Grand Prix of Canada in 1980, had not yet been sufficiently cured to withstand the rigors of a race. Therefore, he handed his car on the second day of his compatriot Jean -Pierre Jarier, who had represented him in Long Beach.
To bypass the negotiated between FISA and FOCA compromise on a minimum ground clearance of the vehicles of six centimeters, several teams experimented with different methods. Lotus had the Type 88 designed with a double chassis and was thus in the test phase. Brabham tried rumored to be a hydraulic system that could lower the car while driving.
Training
Local hero Nelson Piquet qualified for the pole position ahead of the two Williams drivers Carlos Reutemann and Alan Jones. Riccardo Patrese confirmed with the fourth place, that its very good qualifying performance in Long Beach was not an accident. Renault 's Alain Prost formed together with Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo on the third row.
Both pilots March, Osella both pilots and Jan Lammers on ATS failed to qualify for one of the 24 starting places.
Race
After a rainy morning, the race started in wet track conditions. Except for Nelson Piquet, Didier Pironi and Siegfried Stohr all drivers used a rain tire.
Reutemann took the lead before Jones, Patrese and Giacomelli. Piquet's tire choice proved to be wrong meanwhile. He fell during the first round back to 15th place.
Alain Prost was poorly away from his launch site. This forced Gilles Villeneuve to get off the throttle. The following behind him Mario Andretti registered it too late and collided with the Ferrari drivers. In addition, René Arnoux, Chico Serra, Siegfried Stohr and Eddie Cheever were involved in the accident. Only Villeneueve, Stohr and Cheever were able to continue the race.
Elio de Angelis took in the fourth round, a fourth place by overtaking Bruno Giacomelli. When he turned in the seventh round, Keke Rosberg came in fifth place ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
John Watson, who fought from 15th place on the grid steadily before, came in round 14 on the fifth front and the back Jarier fallen to seventh Rosberg. This was also overhauled in the 18th round by Marc Surer. By a slight mistake Jariers and Watson again at the onset of light rain Marc Surer and Jacques Laffite arrived in the 35th round to the ranks of five and six. In the 49th round Surer de Angelis passed, thus attaining to fourth place. Shortly before Jarier had overtaken his team mate Laffite, this had to happen again under team orders but three laps from the end of the race.
At the top of the reigning world champion Alan Jones hoped also to a command of the team at Reutemann, let him pass. This command was the Argentines also displayed by pit board, but he opposed the statement. As Reutemann crossed the finish line first, both Jones and the Williams team reacted angrily. There was no real joy over the second double victory in the second race. Jones not stepped to the podium, thus leaving the award ceremony pointedly away.
Patrese finished in third place in front of the impressive Surer, who had completed the fastest lap of the race, and the two pilots Laffite Ligier and Jarier.
Message list
1 Jean -Pierre Jarier took over the Ligier JS17 with the start number 25 during exercise by Jean -Pierre Jabouille.
Classifications
Qualifying
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).