1981 Belgian Grand Prix

Results from the 1981 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Zolder on May 17, 1981.

Mechanic safety

The Belgian Grand Prix of 1981 was marred by two serious incidents involving mechanics, one fatal. In Friday practice a mechanic from the Osella team, Giovanni Amadeo, stumbled off the pitwall into the path of the Williams of Carlos Reutemann. Reutemann was unable to avoid the mechanic, who suffered a fractured skull. He died from his injuries on the Monday after the race. Before the start of the race the mechanics of all the teams staged a protest over the safety measures protecting them, which was soon joined by several drivers who left their cars. The race organisers nevertheless flagged the warm-up lap at the normal time, leaving several cars delayed on the grid, either stalled or with their cockpits vacant. The resulting chaos when the grid formed up again at the end of this lap was exacerbated when Nelson Piquet missed his starting position and was sent round on another lap, with the other cars being held in position. As the cars began to overheat, several drivers turned off their engines, among them Arrows driver Riccardo Patrese, expecting another formation lap due to Piquet's error. However, the organisers began the start sequence as usual once Piquet had regained his position. Patrese was unable to restart his car and waved his arms to signal that he could not take the start. His mechanic, Dave Luckett, instantly came onto the track to restart the car from behind. But after he got onto the track, the lighting sequence to start the race had already begun, and the start went ahead despite the presence of Luckett and Patrese's gesticulations. In the confusion and likely unable to see Patrese's stalled car, the other Arrows driver, Siegfried Stohr, ploughed into the back of his team-mate's car, hitting Luckett. Luckett suffered a broken leg and lacerations but survived the incident. As a result of these events, a new rule was introduced forbidding mechanics from being on the grid within fifteen seconds of the formation lap, and the race starter would use greater caution. [cite news| title =Blighted by restart chaos| publisher =forix.com| url =http://www.forix.com/8w/stohr.html| accessdate =2008-03-31]

Classification

Notes

*Pole position: Carlos Reutemann - 1:22.28cite book | last = Lang | first = Mike | title = Grand Prix! Vol 4 | publisher = Haynes Publishing Group | date = 1992 | pages = p33 | isbn = 0-85429-733-2]
*Fastest lap: Carlos Reutemann - 1:23.30 on lap 37cite book | last = Lang | first = Mike | title = Grand Prix! Vol 4 | publisher = Haynes Publishing Group | date = 1992 | pages = p36 | isbn = 0-85429-733-2]
* First podium for: Nigel Mansell
* Race scheduled for 70 laps, but stopped after 54 because of rain. As more than 3/4 of the scheduled laps were run, the points were assigned entirely.

References

"Unless otherwise indicated, all race results are taken from cite web | title = The Official Formula 1 website | url = http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1981/362/ | accessdate = 2007-06-16

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Belgian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1981
Previous_race_in_season = 1981 San Marino Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1981 Monaco Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1980 Belgian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1982 Belgian Grand Prix