1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

1981 F.I.M. Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
Previous:	1980	Next:	1982

The 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 33rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.

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.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^[1] 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.^[2] Angel Nieto won his tenth championship by winning eight of twelve rounds on his Minarelli while Ricardo Tormo won the 50cc crown for Bultaco.^[1]

Beginning in 1981, motorcycle frame technology evolved quickly as motorcycle manufacturers moved from the steel, featherbed frame chassis first developed in the 1950s, to aluminium frames featuring large, twin beams as first pioneered by Spanish constructor, Antonio Cobas.^[3]

Grands Prix

Round	Date	Race	Location	50cc winner	125cc winner	250cc winner	350cc winner	500cc winner	Report
1		Argentine Grand Prix	Buenos Aires		Angel Nieto	Jean-François Baldé	Jon Ekerold		Report
2	April 26	Austrian Grand Prix	Salzburgring		Angel Nieto		Patrick Fernandez	Randy Mamola	Report
3	May 3	German Grand Prix	Hockenheim	Stefan Dörflinger	Angel Nieto	Anton Mang	Anton Mang	Kenny Roberts	Report
4	May 10	Nations Grand Prix	Monza	Ricardo Tormo	Guy Bertin	Eric Saul	Jon Ekerold	Kenny Roberts	Report
5	May 17	French Grand Prix	Paul Ricard		Angel Nieto	Anton Mang		Marco Lucchinelli	Report
6	May 24	Spanish Grand Prix	Jarama	Ricardo Tormo	Angel Nieto	Anton Mang			Report
7	May 31	Yugoslavian Grand Prix	Rijeka	Ricardo Tormo	Loris Reggiani		Anton Mang	Randy Mamola	Report
8	June 27	Dutch TT	Assen	Ricardo Tormo	Angel Nieto	Anton Mang	Anton Mang	Marco Lucchinelli	Report
9	July 5	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa	Ricardo Tormo		Anton Mang		Marco Lucchinelli	Report
10	July 12	San Marino Grand Prix	Imola	Ricardo Tormo	Loris Reggiani	Anton Mang		Marco Lucchinelli	Report
11	August 2	British Grand Prix	Silverstone		Angel Nieto	Anton Mang	Anton Mang	Jack Middelburg	Report
12	August 9	Finnish Grand Prix	Imatra		Angel Nieto	Anton Mang		Marco Lucchinelli	Report
13	August 16	Swedish Grand Prix	Anderstorp		Ricardo Tormo	Anton Mang		Barry Sheene	Report
14		Czechoslovakian Grand Prix	Brno	Theo Timmer		Anton Mang	Anton Mang		Report

Final standings

500cc standings

Place	Rider	Machine	AUT	GER	NAT	FRA	YUG	NED	BEL	SMR	GBR	FIN	SWE	Points
1	Marco Lucchinelli	Suzuki	Ret	3	5	1	2	1	1	1	19	1	9	105
2	Randy Mamola	Suzuki	1	2	Ret	2	1	Ret	3	4	3	2	13	94
3	Kenny Roberts	Yamaha	Ret	1	1	5	3	Ret	2	DNS	2	7	Ret	74
4	Barry Sheene	Yamaha	4	6	3	4	5	Ret	4	2	Ret	Ret	1	72
5	Graeme Crosby	Suzuki	2	13	2	3	4	Ret	7	3	Ret	5	5	68
6	Boet van Dulmen	Yamaha	5	4	4	8	7	2	5	Ret	6	Ret	2	64
7	Jack Middelburg	Suzuki	8	8	7	9	DNS	5	6	7	1	4	3	60
8	Kork Ballington	Kawasaki	6	Ret	Ret	7	DNS	3	19	5	Ret	3	4	43
9	Marc Fontan	Yamaha	12	9	Ret	10	Ret	13	8	8	5	6	6	25
10	Hiroyuki Kawasaki	Suzuki	3	7	Ret	6								19
11	Bernard Fau	Suzuki	Ret	25		12	12	7	10	Ret	4	Ret	10	14
12	Guido Paci	Yamaha			6		9	9	12	6	13	Ret	Ret	14
13	Franco Uncini	Suzuki	7	10	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	Ret	7	12
14	Willem Zoet						14	4	9	Ret				10
15	Seppo Rossi	Suzuki	15	Ret	16	11	8	11	17	14		8	8	9
16	Gianni Pelletier	Suzuki	10	Ret	Ret		6	Ret	16	9		Ret	Ret	8
17	Michel Frutschi		Ret	5				16	23	16	Ret	11	Ret	6
18	Dave Potter	Yamaha		Ret	Ret			6	26		NC			5
19	Stuart Avant	Suzuki	Ret	Ret	19	16		19	22		7			4
20	Sergio Pellandini	Suzuki	17	21	10	13	Ret	8	15	11	Ret	Ret	16	4
21	Ikujiro Takai										8	Ret		3
22	Steve Parrish	Yamaha			DNQ			18	20	Ret	9	10	15	3
23	Frank Gross	Suzuki			DNQ	DNQ	15	DNQ	Ret			9		2
24	Wil Hartog	Suzuki	9	14										2
25	Christian Sarron	Yamaha		Ret	9	Ret		17	Ret	12	18	Ret	Ret	2
26	Sadao Asami	Yamaha	23	11	14	Ret	Ret	10	11	Ret	NC	Ret	Ret	1
27	Chris Guy										10			1
28	Keith Huewen	Suzuki		Ret	17	Ret		DNQ	13	10	Ret			1
29	Kimmo Kopra	Suzuki		16		14	10	20	Ret	15		Ret	18	1
	Graziano Rossi	Morbidelli	Ret	Ret	Ret		Ret	Ret	Ret		11	Ret	11	0
	Philippe Coulon	Suzuki	11	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	15	27	Ret	Ret	15	17	0
	Dominique Pernet	Yamaha		26		19	11		18					0
	Leandro Beccheroni	Suzuki			11									0
	Gianni Rolando	Suzuki			12	Ret	Ret			Ret		12	Ret	0
	Peter Sjöström	Suzuki		17	21	Ret			Ret		12	Ret	22	0
	Dick Alblas	Suzuki						12						0
	Lars Johansson	Suzuki											12	0
	Walter Migliorati	Suzuki	14	18	13	15	Ret			13				0
	Alain Roethlisberger	Suzuki	22	22	18	22	13						20	0
	Takazumi Katayama	Honda	13	Ret	Ret	Ret		Ret						0
	Timo Pohjola	Suzuki										13		0
	Borge Nielsen	Suzuki					16		21	Ret		14	14	0
	Roberto Pietri	Suzuki			DNQ	21					14			0
	Dale Singleton	Yamaha		Ret				Ret	14		Ret			0
	Gregg Hansford	Kawasaki						14	Ret					0
	Raymond Roche	Suzuki	Ret	15	15	Ret								0
	Andreas Hofmann	Suzuki		Ret		20					15			0
	Christian Estrosi	Yamaha	16	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	29	Ret	Ret			0
	Josef Hage	Yamaha	19	23	DNQ	23	17	DNQ			20			0
	Jean Lafond	Suzuki		Ret		17								0
	Fabio Biliotti	Suzuki			Ret					17				0
	Graham Wood	Yamaha									17			0
	Henk de Vries	Yamaha	18	20										0
	Marco Grecco	Suzuki		29	DNQ	24	18							0
	Rafaelle Pasqual		Ret			DNQ				18				0
	Jacques Agopian	Suzuki				18								0
	Carlo Perugini	Sanvenero			DNQ	DNQ	19	DNQ		Ret	23	Ret		0
	Virginio Ferrari	Cagiva		30	Ret	DNQ	Ret	DNQ		19				0
	Åke Grahn	Yamaha											19	0
	Michael Schmid	Suzuki	20	24	DNQ									0
	Marco Papa	Suzuki			20									0
	Jochen Schmid	Suzuki					20							0
	Lennart Bäckström	Suzuki	21			DNQ								0
	Alex George	Yamaha									21			0
	Peter Sköld	Suzuki											21	0
	Barry Woodland	Suzuki									22			0
	Philippe Chaltin	Suzuki							24					0
	Dennis Ireland	Suzuki							25		Ret			0
	Gerhard Vogt	Suzuki		27										0
	Günter Dreier	Suzuki		28										0
	Gary Lingham	Suzuki							28		Ret			0
	Gustav Reiner	Solo	Ret		Ret	Ret								0
	Jon Ekerold	Solo	Ret	Ret	DNQ		Ret							0
	Mike Baldwin	Suzuki		Ret		Ret	Ret							0
	Stefan Klabacher	Yamaha	Ret	Ret										0
	Adelio Faccioli	Suzuki		Ret	Ret									0
	Patrick Fernandez		Ret											0
	Graeme Geddes		Ret											0
	Fritz Kerschbaumer		Ret											0
	Wolfgang von Muralt	Yamaha		Ret										0
	Klaus Klein	FKN		Ret										0
	Peter Ammann	Suzuki		Ret										0
	Herve Guilleux	Yamaha				Ret								0
	Hubert Rigal	Yamaha				Ret								0
	Sergio Bertocchi	Suzuki					Ret							0
	Freddie Spencer	Honda									Ret			0
	Steve Henshaw	Suzuki									Ret			0
	John Newbold	Suzuki									Ret			0
	Corrado Tuzii	Suzuki									Ret			0
	Seppo Korhonen	Suzuki										Ret		0
	Bengt Slydal	Suzuki											Ret	0
	Gina Bovaird	Yamaha				DNQ								0
	Rob Punt	Suzuki						DNQ						0

350cc standings

Place	Rider	Machine	ARG	AUT	GER	NAT	Points
1	Anton Mang	Kawasaki	7	2	1	2	103
2	Jon Ekerold	Kawasaki	1	3	Ret	1	52
3	Jean-François Baldé	Kawasaki	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	49
4	Patrick Fernandez	Yamaha	4	1	Ret	4	46
5	Carlos Lavado	Yamaha	3	5	Ret	8	41
6	Keith Huewen	Yamaha		6	4	Ret	29
7	Thierry Espié	Yamaha	6	8	3	Ret	24
8	Jacques Cornu	Yamaha	9	7	25	20	20
9	Eric Saul	Chevallier-Yamaha	Ret	Ret	2	5	18
10	Graeme McGregor	Yamaha			7	7	14
11	Greame Geddes	Yamaha	8	4	Ret	Ret	11
12	Martin Wimmer	Yamaha	Ret		19	11	11
13	Gustav Reiner	Yamaha	Ret		12	Ret	10
14	Massimo Matteoni	Yamaha				3	10
15	Jeffrey Sayle	Yamaha	5		Ret	Ret	10
16	Mar Schouten	Yamaha					10
17	Wolfgang Von Muralt	Yamaha				Ret	8
18	Didier de Radiguès	Yamaha	Ret			Ret	8
19	Peter Looijensteijn	Yamaha	12	Ret	8	9	8
20	Charlie Williams	Yamaha					6
21	Pekka Nurmi	Yamaha			5		6
22	Sauro Pazzaglia	Yamaha			Ret	Ret	6
23	Roger Sibille	Yamaha	Ret		6	Ret	5
24	Alan North	Yamaha		Ret	13	6	5
25	Reino Eskelinen	Yamaha			26	16	4
26	Tony Rogers	Yamaha			11	Ret	3
27	Rene Delaby	Yamaha			17	14	3
28	Edi Stoellinger	Kawasaki		10	9	12	3
29	Donnie Robinson	Yamaha					2
30	Tony Head	Yamaha		9	Ret	13	2
31	Paolo Ferretti	Yamaha	11	12	10	Ret	2
32	Michel Rougerie	Yamaha	Ret	Ret		10	1
33	Bengt Elgh	Yamaha			21	15	1
34	Vincenzo Cascino	Yamaha	10		Ret		1
	Bruno Kneubuhler	Yamaha		11	18	Ret	0
	Yervant Samirdjian	Yamaha	13				0
	Lucilo Baumer	Yamaha	14				0
	Jean-Louis Albera	Yamaha			14		0
	Limberg Moreira	Yamaha	15				0
	Werner Hilbk	Yamaha			15		0
	Sagreira	Yamaha	16				0
	Clive Horton	Yamaha			16		0
	Rinus van Kasteren	Yamaha			Ret	17	0
	Klaas Hernamdt	Yamaha	Ret			18	0
	Eduardo Aleman	Yamaha	Ret			19	0
	Manfred Herweh	Yamaha			20		0
	Alois Tost	Yamaha			22		0
	Heinz Chittka	Yamaha			23		0
	Bodo Schmidt	Yamaha			24		0
	Siegfried Minich	Yamaha		Ret		Ret	0
	Marcelo Diez	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Claudio Girotto	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Fernando Cerdera	Kawasaki	Ret				0
	Rafael Olavarria	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Pierre Bolle	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Alfredo Rios	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Pancracio Catania	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Alejandro Aleman	Yamaha	Ret				0
	Walter Villa	Yamaha		Ret			0
	Arturo Venanzi	Yamaha				Ret	0

250cc standings

Place	Rider	Machine	ARG	GER	NAT	Points
1	Anton Mang	Kawasaki	14	1	3	160
2	Jean-François Baldé	Kawasaki	1	9	6	95
3	Roland Freymond	Ad Majora	5	3	Ret	72
4	Carlos Lavado	Yamaha	Ret	2	Ret	56
5	Patrick Fernandez	Yamaha	3	Ret	5	43
6	Jean-Louis Guignabodet	Kawasaki	12	13	10	36
7	Jean-Louis Tournadre	Yamaha		Ret		34
8	Martin Wimmer	Yamaha	6	17	4	33
9	Didier de Radiguès	Yamaha	9	23	13	26
10	Richard Schlachter	Yamaha		6	Ret	25
11	Thierry Espie	Chevallier-Yamaha	10	Ret	7	24
12	Maurizio Massimiani	Ad Majora	13	14	2	22
13	Eric Saul	Chevallier-Yamaha	7		1	19
14	Paolo Ferretti	Yamaha	Ret	4	Ret	16
15	Graeme Geddes	Yamaha	2	11	Ret	14
16	Jean Marc Toffolo	Armstrong	16		Ret	12
17	Christian Estrosi	Yamaha	Ret	12	9	12
18	Graeme McGregor	Yamaha		10	Ret	11
19	Roger Sibille	Yamaha	11	18		11
20	Herve Guilleux	Siroko-Rotax	4		Ret	10
21	Pier Luigi Conforti	Kawasaki			Ret	8
22	Edi Stoellinger	Kawasaki		7	8	7
23	Eero Hyvärinen	Yamaha				6
24	Jeffrey Sayle	Armstrong	Ret		14	6
25	Angel Nieto	Siroko-Rotax	Ret	5	Ret	6
26	Pierre Bolle	Yamaha				6
27	Bruno Kneubühler	Rotax		8	17	5
28	Sito Pons	Siroko-Rotax				4
29	Jacques Bolle	Yamaha				4
30	Loris Reggiani	Yamaha	8	Ret	Ret	3
31	Andre Gouin	Yamaha		15		3
32	Steve Tonkin	Armstrong				1
33	Bengt Elgh	Yamaha				1
34	Siegfried Minich	Bartol-Yamaha				1
	Franco Marchegiani	Yamaha		20	11	0
	Germano Conti	MBA			12	0
	Karl-Thomas Grassel	Yamaha	Ret	16	15	0
	Eduardo Aleman	Yamaha	15			0
	Alan North	Yamaha			16	0
	Jacques Cornu	Egli	17			0
	Lauro Assakawa	Yamaha	18			0
	Gianpaolo Marchetti	MBA	Ret	19	Ret	0
	Massimo Matteoni	Tre Stelle		21	Ret	0
	Walter Hoffmann	Yamaha		22		0
	Jurgen Schmit	Yamaha		24		0
	Clive Horton	Armstrong		25	Ret	0
	Etienne Geeraerd	Yamaha		26		0
	Bernd Schappacher	Rotax		27		0
	Johnny Scott	Yamaha		28		0
	Franz Schwarz	Yamaha		29		0
	Gerhard Vogt	Rotax		30		0
	Peter Looijestein	Yamaha	Ret	Ret	Ret	0
	Klaas Hernamdt	Yamaha	Ret	Ret		0
	Eddie Lawson	Kawasaki		Ret	Ret	0
	Ivan Palazzese	Yamaha	Ret			0
	Michel Rougerie	Yamaha	Ret			0
	Herbert Hauf	FKN		Ret		0
	Tony Head	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Pekka Nurmi	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Pierre Tocco	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Michael Lederer	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Sadao Asami	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Stefan Jannsen	Yamaha		Ret		0
	Hans Müller	MBA			Ret	0
	Sauro Pazzaglia	MBA			Ret	0

125cc standings

Place	Rider	Machine	ARG	AUT	GER	NAT	Points
1	Angel Nieto	Minarelli	1	1	1	4	140
2	Loris Reggiani	Minarelli	2	2	Ret	2	95
3	Pier Paolo Bianchi	MBA	5	3	Ret	Ret	84
4	Hans Müller	MBA		6	3	5	58
5	Jacques Bolle	Motobécane	3	Ret	Ret	3	55
6	Guy Bertin	Sanvenero	Ret	Ret	Ret	1	40
7	Iván Palazzese	MBA	Ret				37
8	Ricardo Tormo	Sanvenero	12		Ret		36
9	Maurizio Vitali	MBA		8	14	7	36
10	Hugo Vignetti	MBA	Ret	Ret			30
11	Stefan Dörflinger	MBA			2	6	27
12	Jean Claude Selini	MBA			Ret	16	18
13	Willy Perez	MBA	4	11	17	8	15
14	August Auinger	Bartol		Ret	Ret	Ret	14
15	Gerhard Waibel	MBA		5			12
16	Johnny Wickstroem	MBA		15	8		10
17	Per Edward Carlsson	MBA	7	7	Ret	18	9
18	Eugenio Lazzarini	Iprem		4	Ret	Ret	8
19	Gert Bender	Bender			4		8
20	Anton Straver	MBA		13	16	Ret	8
21	Thierry Noblesse	MBA		14	5	Ret	7
22	Henk Van Kessel	EGA		10	6		7
23	Ivan Troisi	MBA	6				5
24	Michel Galbit	MBA			15	13	5
25	Roberto Ruosi	MBA				Ret	4
26	Janos Drapal	MBA			7	Ret	4
27	Fernando González de Nicolas	MBA	8				3
28	Hans Hummel	MBA		9	Ret		2
29	Joe Genoud	MBA			9	Ret	2
30	Maurizio Musco	MBA				9	2
31	Yves Dupont	MBA		12		Ret	2
32	Jan Bäckström	MBA					2
33	Barry Smith	MBA	9				2
34	Olivier Liegeois	MBA					1
35	Alfred Waibel	MBA			10	Ret	1
36	Michele Ettore	MBA				10	1
37	Erich Klein	MBA		Ret	12		1
38	Norberto Gatti	Minarelli	10				1
	Stefan Jannsen	MBA			11	14	0
	Fabian Gonzales	MBA	11				0
	Peter Hubbard	MBA				11	0
	Ton Spek	MBA		17		12	0
	Jacky Hutteau	Afam			13		0
	Libero Piccirillo	MBA				15	0
	Theo Timmer	MBA		16	22	Ret	0
	Joel Benniza	MBA				17	0
	Jan Huberts	Sanvenero			18		0
	Norbert Peschke	MBA			19		0
	Zbynek Havrda	MBA			20		0
	Robert Bauer	MBA			21		0
	Walter Kaletsch	MBA			23		0
	Chris Baert	MBA			24		0
	François Wirtz	MBA			25		0
	Frédéric Michel	MBA			26		0
	Francisco Incorvaia	MBA	Ret				0
	Pierluigi Aldrovandi	MBA				Ret	0
	Ivan Villini	MBA				Ret	0
	John Kernan	MBA				Ret	0
	Nardone	MBA				Ret	0
	Rino Zuliani	MBA				Ret	0

50cc standings

Place	Rider	Machine	GER	NAT	Points
1	Ricardo Tormo	Bultaco	Ret	1	90
2	Theo Timmer	Bultaco	Ret	5	65
3	Stefan Dörflinger	Kreidler	1	2	51
4	Hans Hummel	Sachs	2	6	43
5	Hagen Klein	Kreidler	Ret	3	40
6	Rolf Blatter	Kreidler	Ret	Ret	39
7	Henk van Kessel	Kreidler	Ret	Ret	36
8	Giuseppe Ascareggi	Minarelli		4	28
9	Claudio Lusuardi	Villa	8	8	23
10	George Looijesteyn	Kreidler	5	7	21
11	Rainer Kunz	Kreidler	3		20
12	Yves Dupont	ABF	Ret	Ret	14
13	Joaquim Gali	Bultaco	12	12	11
14	Ingo Emmerich	Kreidler	Ret	9	10
15	Otto Machinek	Kreidler	4	Ret	8
16	Kasimer Rapczynski	Kreidler	6		6
17	Pascal Kambourian	Kreidler		10	6
18	Gerhard Bauer	Kreidler	7		4
19	Günter Schirnhofer	Kreidler	Ret	14	4
20	Jos van Dongen	Kreidler	15		3
21	Klaus Kull	Kreidler	9		2
22	Chris Baert	Kreidler	19	18	2
23	Herbert Engelhardt	Kreidler	10		1
24	Rainer Scheidhauer	Kreidler		Ret	1
	Yves le Toumelin	TYL	11	Ret	0
	Zdravko Matulja	Tomos		11	0
	Ramon Gali	Kreidler	13		0
	Salvatore Milano	UFO		13	0
	Dieter Göppner	Kreidler	14		0
	Joe Genoud	RYB		15	0
	Bruno di Carlo	MDC	16	Ret	0
	Giuliano Gerani	BBFT		16	0
	Peter Verbic	Kreidler	18	17	0
	Reiner Koster	Malanca	17	20	0
	Giuliano Tabanelli	Ringhini		19	0
	Henry Nagel	Kreidler	20		0
	Enrico Cereda	Kreidler		Ret	0
	Claudio Granata	Kreidler		Ret	0
	Gerhard Singer	Kreidler		Ret	0
	Spencer Crabbe	MBA		Ret	0
	Hulric	Kreidler		Ret	0

References

• Büla, Maurice & Schertenleib, Jean-Claude (2001). Continental Circus 1949-2000. Chronosports S.A. ISBN 2-940125-32-5
• "The Official MotoGP website". Retrieved 2010-07-06.

1. Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
2. "Michel Rougerie career profile". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
3. "Framing the Future: The Legacy of Antonio Cobas". superbikeplanet.com. Retrieved 5 December 2012.