1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
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This article recaps the 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.
Contents |
[edit] Season summary
Suzuki riders Marco Lucchinelli and Randy Mamola battled it out to the final race of the season with the Italian rider claiming the crown and Mamola finishing runner-up for the second consecutive year. Barry Sheene would win the final race of his career with a win in Sweden while a young American named Freddie Spencer made his first foray into the GP world, riding the four-stroke Honda NR500 up to fifth place at the British Grand Prix before it broke down.
Germany's Anton Mang scored double world championships, defeating defending champion Jon Ekerold for the 350cc title and winning ten of twelve 250 events to take that title. Frenchman Michel Rougerie, who finished second in 1975 250 championship, was killed when he was hit by another rider after crashing in the 350 race in Yugoslavia. Angel Nieto won his tenth championship by winning eight of twelve rounds on his Minarelli while Ricardo Tormo won the 50cc crown for Bultaco.
[edit] 1981 500cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring |  Randy Mamola |
Suzuki | Report |
| 2 |  West German Grand Prix |
Hockenheimring | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 3 |  Nations Grand Prix |
Monza | Kenny Roberts |
Yamaha | Report |
| 4 |  French Grand Prix |
Paul Ricard | Marco Lucchinelli |
Suzuki | Report |
| 5 |  Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Opatija | Randy Mamola |
Suzuki | Report |
| 6 |  Dutch TT |
Assen | Marco Lucchinelli |
Suzuki | Report |
| 7 |  Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Marco Lucchinelli |
Suzuki | Report |
| 8 |  San Marino Grand Prix |
Imola | Marco Lucchinelli |
Suzuki | Report |
| 9 |  British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Jack Middelburg |
Suzuki | Report |
| 10 |  Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Marco Lucchinelli |
Suzuki | Report |
| 11 |  Swedish Grand Prix |
Anderstorp | Barry Sheene |
Yamaha | Report |
[edit] 1981 500cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Lucchinelli |
3 | Italy | Suzuki | 105 | 5 |
| 2 | Randy Mamola |
2 | United States | Suzuki | 94 | 2 |
| 3 | Kenny Roberts |
1 | United States | Yamaha | 74 | 2 |
| 4 | Barry Sheene |
7 | United Kingdom | Yamaha | 72 | 1 |
| 5 |  Graeme Crosby |
8 | New Zealand | Suzuki | 68 | 0 |
| 6 | Boet Van Dulmen |
Netherlands | Yamaha | 64 | 0 | |
| 7 | Jack Middelburg |
9 | Netherlands | Suzuki | 60 | 1 |
| 8 |  Kork Ballington |
South Africa | Kawasaki | 43 | 0 | |
| 9 | Marc Fontan |
France | Yamaha | 25 | 0 | |
| 10 |  Hiroyuki Kawasaki |
Japan | Suzuki | 19 | 0 |
[edit] 1981 350cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Argentine Grand Prix |
Buenos Aires | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 2 | Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring | Patrick Fernandez |
Yamaha | Report |
| 3 | West German Grand Prix |
Hockenheimring | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 4 | Nations Grand Prix |
Monza | Jon Ekerold |
Yamaha | Report |
| 5 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Opatija | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 6 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 7 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 8 |  Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
[edit] 1981 350cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anton Mang |
2 | West Germany | Kawasaki | 103 | 5 |
| 2 | Jon Ekerold |
1 | South Africa | Kawasaki | 52 | 2 |
| 3 | Jean-François Baldé |
3 | France | Kawasaki | 49 | 0 |
| 4 | Patrick Fernandez |
10 | France | Yamaha | 46 | 0 |
| 5 |  Carlos Lavado |
Venezuela | Yamaha | 41 | 0 | |
| 6 | Keith Huewen |
United Kingdom | Yamaha | 29 | 0 | |
| 7 | Thierry Espié |
France | Yamaha | 24 | 0 | |
| 8 |  Jacques Cornu |
7 | Switzerland | Yamaha | 20 | 0 |
| 9 | Eric Saul |
6 | France | Yamaha | 18 | 0 |
| 10 |  Graeme McGregor |
Australia | Yamaha | 14 | 0 |
[edit] 1981 250cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Grand Prix |
Buenos Aires | Jean-François Baldé |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 2 | West German Grand Prix |
Hockenheimring | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 3 | Nations Grand Prix |
Monza | Eric Saul |
Yamaha | Report |
| 4 | French Grand Prix |
Paul Ricard | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 5 |  Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 6 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 7 | Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 8 | San Marino Grand Prix |
Imola | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 9 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 10 | Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 11 | Swedish Grand Prix |
Anderstorp | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
| 12 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Anton Mang |
Kawasaki | Report |
[edit] 1981 250cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anton Mang |
1 | West Germany | Kawasaki | 160 | 10 |
| 2 | Jean-François Baldé |
3 | France | Kawasaki | 95 | 1 |
| 3 | Roland Freymond |
5 | Switzerland | Ad Majora | 72 | 0 |
| 4 | Carlos Lavado |
6 | Venezuela | Yamaha | 56 | 0 |
| 5 | Patrick Fernandez |
10 | France | Yamaha | 43 | 0 |
| 6 | Jean-Louis Guignabodet |
France | Kawasaki | 36 | 0 | |
| 7 | Jean-Louis Tournadre |
France | Yamaha | 34 | 0 | |
| 8 | Martin Wimmer |
West Germany | Yamaha | 33 | 0 | |
| 9 | Didier de Radiguès |
Belgium | Yamaha | 26 | 0 | |
| 10 | Richard Schlachter |
United States | Yamaha | 25 | 0 |
[edit] 1981 125cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Grand Prix |
Buenos Aires | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 2 | Austrian Grand Prix |
Salzburgring | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 3 | West German Grand Prix |
Hockenheimring | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 4 | Nations Grand Prix |
Monza | Guy Bertin |
Sanvenero | Report |
| 5 | French Grand Prix |
Paul Ricard | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 6 | Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 7 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Opatija | Loris Reggiani |
Minarelli | Report |
| 8 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 9 | San Marino Grand Prix |
Imola | Loris Reggiani |
Minarelli | Report |
| 10 | British Grand Prix |
Silverstone | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 11 | Finnish Grand Prix |
Imatra | Angel Nieto |
Minarelli | Report |
| 12 | Swedish Grand Prix |
Anderstorp | Ricardo Tormo |
Sanvenero | Report |
[edit] 1981 125cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angel Nieto |
3 | Spain | Minarelli | 140 | 8 |
| 2 | Loris Reggiani |
6 | Italy | Minarelli | 95 | 2 |
| 3 | Pier Paolo Bianchi |
1 | Italy | MBA | 84 | 0 |
| 4 | Hans Müller |
Switzerland | MBA | 58 | 0 | |
| 5 | Jacques Bolle |
France | Motobécane | 55 | 0 | |
| 6 | Guy Bertin |
2 | France | Sanvenero | 40 | 1 |
| 7 | Ivan Palazzese |
Venezuela | MBA | 37 | 0 | |
| 8 | Ricardo Tormo |
2 | Spain | Sanvenero | 36 | 1 |
| 9 | Maurizio Vitali |
Italy | MBA | 36 | 0 | |
| 10 |  Hugo Vignetti |
Argentina | MBA | 30 | 0 |
[edit] 1981 50cc Season review
| Round | Race | Location | Winning rider | Winning team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West German Grand Prix |
Hockenheimring | Stefan Dörflinger |
Kreidler | Report |
| 2 | Nations Grand Prix |
Monza | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 3 | Spanish Grand Prix |
Jarama | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 4 | Yugoslavian Grand Prix |
Opatija | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 5 | Dutch TT |
Assen | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 6 | Belgian Grand Prix |
Spa | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 7 | San Marino Grand Prix |
Imola | Ricardo Tormo |
Bultaco | Report |
| 8 | Czechoslovakian Grand Prix |
Brno | Theo Timmer |
Bultaco | Report |
[edit] 1981 50cc Roadracing World Championship final standings
| Place | Rider | Number | Country | Machine | Points | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricardo Tormo |
4 | Spain | Bultaco | 90 | 6 |
| 2 | Theo Timmer |
7 | Netherlands | Bultaco | 65 | 1 |
| 3 | Stefan Dörflinger |
2 | Switzerland | Kreidler | 51 | 1 |
| 4 | Hans Hummel |
3 | Austria | Sachs | 43 | 0 |
| 5 | Hagen Klein |
West Germany | Kreidler | 40 | 0 | |
| 6 | Rolf Blatter |
Switzerland | Kreidler | 39 | 0 | |
| 7 | Henk Van Kessel |
5 | Netherlands | Kreidler | 36 | 0 |
| 8 | Guiseppe Ascarerri |
Italy | Minarelli | 28 | 0 | |
| 9 | Claudio Lusuardi |
8 | Italy | Villa | 23 | 0 |
| 10 | George Looijesteyn |
Netherlands | Kreidler | 21 | 0 |
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