1981 BRDC International Trophy

Last updated

1981 BRDC International Trophy Grand Prix
Silverstone Circuit 1975 to 1986.png
Race details
Date29 March 1981
Official name 33rd BRDC International Trophy
Location Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, Great Britain
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.719 km (2.932 mi)
Distance 47 laps, 221.793 km (137.804 mi)
Weather Rain [1]
Pole position
Driver Ralt-Honda
Time 1:18.59
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Geoff Lees Ralt-Honda
Time 1:22.82
Podium
First Ralt-Honda
Second March-BMW
Third March-BMW

The 33rd BRDC International Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held at Silverstone on 29 March 1981. It was the opening race of the 1981 European Formula Two Championship. [1]

Contents

The 47-lap race was won by New Zealander Mike Thackwell, driving a works Ralt-Honda. Italian Riccardo Paletti finished second in a March-BMW entered by Onyx Race Engineering, with another Italian, Corrado Fabi, third in a works March-BMW.

Report

Entry

A total of 46 F2 cars were entered for the event, however just 31 took part in qualifying. [1]

Qualifying

Mike Thackwell took pole position for Ralt Racing Ltd, in their Ralt-Honda RH6/81, averaging a speed of 133.59 mph. [1]

Race

The race was held over 47 laps on a wet Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Mike Thackwell took the winner spoils for works Ralt team, driving their Ralt-Honda RH6/81. Thackwell won in a time of 1hr 11:44.67mins., averaging a speed of 115.23 mph. Over 30 seconds behind was the second place car, driven by Riccardo Paletti, in the March Onyx Racing Team’s March-BMW 812. The podium was completed by another Italian, Corrado Fabi, in his Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd-entered March-BMW 812, albeit one lap adrift. [2]

Race classification

Pos.No.DriverEntrantCar - EngineLapsTime/Retired
1st15 Flag of New Zealand.svg Mike Thackwell Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/81471:11:44.67
2nd7 Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Paletti March Onyx Racing Team March-BMW 81247+ 36.19
3rd3 Flag of Italy.svg Corrado Fabi Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 81246+ 1 lap
4th77 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jim Crawford Plygrange Racing Ltd Toleman-Hart TG28046+ 1 lap
5th12 Flag of Italy.svg Carlo Rossi Sanremo Racing Srl Toleman-Hart TG28046+ 1 lap
6th48 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Robinson Grange Performance Cars Chevron-Hart B4246+ 1 lap
7th14 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Geoff Lees Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/8145+ 2 laps
8th36 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ray Mallock Cliff Smith Racing Ralt-Hart RT445+ 2 laps
9th1 Flag of Sweden.svg Stefan Johansson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T85045+ 2 laps
10th5 Flag of Germany.svg Christian Danner March Racing Ltd March-BMW 81245+ 2 laps
11th10 Flag of Italy.svg Michele Alboreto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 28145+ 2 laps
12th24 Flag of Switzerland.svg Jürg Lienhard Lista Racing Team March-BMW 80245+ 2 laps
13th27 Flag of Austria.svg Sewi Hopfer Sewi Hopfer Racing Toleman-Hart TG28044+ 3 laps
14th9 Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg Johnny Cecotto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 28144+ 3 laps
15th18 Flag of Switzerland.svg Fredy Schnarwiler Formel Rennsport Club Lola-BMW T85043+ 4 laps
16th29 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Warren Booth Colin Bennett Racing Chevron-Hart B4843+ 4 laps
17th28 Flag of Italy.svg Guido Daccò DAC Sport Racing Team Minardi-BMW GM7542+ 5 laps
18th16 Flag of Sweden.svg Eje Elgh Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM8142+ 5 laps
19th2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Kenny Acheson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T85041+ 6 laps
20th20 Flag of Italy.svg 'Gianfranco' Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 81239+ 8 laps
DNF4 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Thierry Boutsen Marlboro Racing for Zolder/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 81236Spin/gearbox
DNF11 Flag of Italy.svg Guido Pardini Sanremo Racing Srl Lola-BMW T85024Crown wheel & pinion
DNF31 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Kim Mather Kim Mather March-Hart 79224Wheel bearing
DNF17 Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM8121Electrical
DNF8 Flag of France.svg Richard Dallest Team AGS Motul GPA AGS-BMW JH178Accident
DNF40 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Smith BMTR March-Hart 7828Engine
DNS19 Flag of Italy.svg Piero Necchi Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 812
DNS35 Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Dauer GRS MotorsportGRS-BMW TC 001
DNQ21 Flag of Italy.svg Arturo Merzario Astra Team Merzario Srl Merzario-BMW M1
DNQ33 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Roy Baker Roy Baker Chevron-Hart B48
DNQ46 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Bob Howlings Bob Howlings Chevron-Hart B42

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "XXXIII B.R.D.C. International Trophy 1981". F2 Register. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  2. "F2 Register - Index".
  3. Tristan Wood, "Drive It! The Complete Book of Formula 2 Motor Racing" (Foulis/Haynes, ASIN B009UWU1BW, 1984)