View source for 1981 Italian Grand Prix

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report
|Type           = F1
|Country        = Italy
|Grand Prix     = Italian
|Date           = 13 September
|Year           = 1981
|Race_No        = 13
|Season_No      = 15
|Official name  = LII Gran Premio d'Italia
|Location       = [[Autodromo Nazionale di Monza]]<br>[[Monza]], [[Lombardy]], Italy
|Image          = Monza 1976-1993.png
|Course         = Permanent racing facility
|Course_mi      = 3.604
|Course_km      = 5.8
|Distance_laps  = 52
|Distance_mi    = 187.406
|Distance_km    = 301.6
|Weather        = Dry and sunny
|Pole_Driver    = [[René Arnoux]]
|Pole_Team      = [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
|Pole_Time      = 1:33.467
|Pole_Country   = France
|Fast_Driver    = [[Carlos Reutemann]]
|Fast_Team      = [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|Fast_Time      = 1:37.528
|Fast_Lap       = 48
|Fast_Country   = Argentina
|First_Driver   = [[Alain Prost]]
|First_Team     = [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
|First_Country  = France
|Second_Driver  = [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]
|Second_Team    = [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|Second_Country = Australia
|Third_Driver   = [[Carlos Reutemann]]
|Third_Team     = [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|Third_Country  = Argentina
|Lapchart       = {{F1Laps1981|ITA}}
}}

The '''1981 Italian Grand Prix''' was a [[Formula One]] [[motor race]] held at [[Monza Circuit|Monza]] on 13 September 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/covers/_Monza-1981-09-13e.jpg|title=1981 Italian Grand Prix Entry list}}</ref> It was the thirteenth race of the [[1981 Formula One World Championship]].

Formula One returned to Monza after the [[1980 Italian Grand Prix|previous year's Italian Grand Prix]] had been held at [[Imola Circuit|Imola]]. The 52-lap race was won by Frenchman [[Alain Prost]], who led every lap in his [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] after starting from third position. Australian [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]] finished second in a [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], some 22 seconds behind, with Argentine teammate [[Carlos Reutemann]] third.

Reutemann came into the race tied on points at the top of the Drivers' Championship with Brazilian [[Nelson Piquet]], driving a [[Brabham]]-Ford. Piquet suffered a last-lap engine failure which dropped him from third to sixth, giving Reutemann a three-point lead in the championship with two races remaining.

== Qualifying report ==
Qualifying saw [[René Arnoux]] take [[pole position]] in his [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] by 0.67 seconds from [[Carlos Reutemann]]'s [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]. It was Arnoux's fourth pole position of the season and the sixth in succession for the Renault team. [[Alain Prost]] was third in the other Renault, with [[Jacques Laffite]] in the [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]] alongside him on the second row of the grid. [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]] in the other Williams and [[Nelson Piquet]] in the [[Brabham]] made up the third row, and the top ten was completed by [[John Watson (racing driver)|John Watson]] in the [[McLaren]], [[Didier Pironi]] and [[Gilles Villeneuve]] in the two [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]s, and [[Bruno Giacomelli]] in the [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]].

For the first time, the [[Toleman]] team qualified for a race, with [[Brian Henton]] taking 23rd. Teammate [[Derek Warwick]] failed to qualify along with [[Marc Surer]] in the [[Theodore Racing|Theodore]], [[Beppe Gabbiani]] in the [[Osella]], [[Siegfried Stohr]] in the [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]], and [[Keke Rosberg]] and [[Chico Serra]] in the two [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]s. Stohr crashed heavily during the qualifying session; already haunted by the trauma of nearly killing mechanic Dave Luckett in Belgium earlier in the season, he ultimately decided to stop racing and start a successful motor racing academy.

=== Qualifying classification ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! Pos !! No !! Driver !! Constructor !! Q1 !! Q2 !! Gap
|-
! 1
| 16
| {{flagicon|France}} [[René Arnoux]]
| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
| 1:34.042
| '''1:33.467'''
| 
|-
! 2
| 2
| {{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Carlos Reutemann]]
| [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:35.153
| '''1:34.140'''
| +0.673
|-
! 3
| 15
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Alain Prost]]
| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
| 1:34.492
| '''1:34.374'''
| +0.907
|-
! 4
| 26
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
| [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]]-[[Equipe Matra Sports|Matra]]
| 1:36.529
| '''1:35.062'''
| +1.575
|-
! 5
| 1
| {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]
| [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:35.983
| '''1:35.359'''
| +1.892
|-
! 6
| 5
| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} [[Nelson Piquet]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| '''1:35.449'''
| 1:35.484
| +1.982
|-
! 7
| 7
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[John Watson (racing driver)|John Watson]]
| [[McLaren]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:35.795
| '''1:35.557'''
| +2.090
|-
! 8
| 28
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Didier Pironi]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| 1:35.977
| '''1:35.596'''
| +2.129
|-
! 9
| 27
| {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Gilles Villeneuve]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| '''1:35.627'''
| 1:55.012
| +2.160
|-
! 10
| 23
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Bruno Giacomelli]]
| [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]]
| 1:38.617
| '''1:35.946'''
| +2.479
|-
! 11
| 11
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Elio de Angelis]]
| [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| '''1:36.158'''
| 1:36.309
| +2.691
|-
! 12
| 12
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Nigel Mansell]]
| [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.100
| '''1:36.210'''
| +2.743
|-
! 13
| 22
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mario Andretti]]
| [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]]
| 1:37.166
| '''1:36.296'''
| +2.829
|-
! 14
| 6
| {{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Héctor Rebaque]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:37.131
| '''1:36.472'''
| +3.005
|-
! 15
| 25
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Patrick Tambay]]
| [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]]-[[Equipe Matra Sports|Matra]]
| '''1:36.515'''
| 1:36.545
| +3.048
|-
! 16
| 8
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Andrea de Cesaris]]
| [[McLaren]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| no time
| '''1:37.019'''
| +3.552
|-
! 17
| 3
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Eddie Cheever]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.736
| '''1:37.160'''
| +3.693
|-
! 18
| 32
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]
| [[Osella]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.167
| '''1:37.264'''
| +3.797
|-
! 19
| 17
| {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Derek Daly]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.852
| '''1:37.303'''
| +3.836
|-
! 20
| 29
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Riccardo Patrese]]
| [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| '''1:37.355'''
| 1:37.552
| +3.888
|-
! 21
| 9
| {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Slim Borgudd]]
| [[ATS Wheels|ATS]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:39.106
| '''1:37.807'''
| +4.340
|-
! 22
| 4
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Michele Alboreto]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.411
| '''1:37.912'''
| +4.445
|-
! 23
| 35
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Brian Henton]]
| [[Toleman]]-[[Hart Racing Engines|Hart]]
| 1:41.369
| '''1:38.012'''
| +4.545
|-
! 24
| 14
| {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eliseo Salazar]]
| [[Ensign Racing|Ensign]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:39.033
| '''1:38.053'''
| +4.586
|-
! data-sort-value="25"|DNQ
| 33
| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Marc Surer]]
| [[Theodore Racing|Theodore]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:38.778
| '''1:38.114'''
| +4.647
|-
! data-sort-value="26"|DNQ
| 31
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Beppe Gabbiani]]
| [[Osella]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:40.930
| '''1:38.474'''
| +5.007
|-
! data-sort-value="27"|DNQ
| 36
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Derek Warwick]]
| [[Toleman]]-[[Hart Racing Engines|Hart]]
| 1:39.936
| '''1:39.279'''
| +5.812
|-
! data-sort-value="28"|DNQ
| 30
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Siegfried Stohr]]
| [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| '''1:39.713'''
| 1:39.776 
| +6.246
|-
! data-sort-value="29"|DNQ
| 20
| {{flagicon|Finland}} [[Keke Rosberg]]
| [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:42.229
| '''1:40.345'''
| +6.878
|-
! data-sort-value="30"|DNQ
| 21
| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} [[Chico Serra]]
| [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| 1:41.185
| '''1:40.437'''
| +6.970
|-
!colspan="7" style="text-align: center"|Source: <ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Hamilton |editor-first=Maurice |year=1981 |title=[[AUTOCOURSE]] 1981–82 |publisher=Hazleton Publishing Ltd |pages=206 |isbn=0-905138-17-1}}</ref>
|}

== Race report ==
On the run-up to the first chicane, Prost passed both Reutemann and teammate Arnoux to take the lead, while Pironi jumped from eighth to fourth. Reutemann then overtook Arnoux at the Curva Grande, before Pironi overtook both to run second by the end of the lap. As Prost opened up a lead, Arnoux re-passed Reutemann on lap 2 and Pironi on lap 5. Laffite, having already passed Reutemann, then overtook Pironi for third on lap 6, as Villeneuve retired with an engine failure.

On lap 12, Laffite dropped out with a puncture, by which point Pironi had dropped back behind Reutemann and Jones. As rain started to fall, Jones passed teammate Reutemann for third. At the end of the lap, [[Eddie Cheever]] spun his [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]] out at the Parabolica; on the next lap, Arnoux himself spun out after swerving to avoid Cheever's abandoned car, leaving Prost comfortably clear of Jones. Reutemann, struggling as the track started to dry again, soon fell to eighth behind Giacomelli, [[Patrick Tambay]] in the second Ligier (who had only started 15th), Piquet, Pironi and Watson.

On lap 20, Watson lost control exiting the second Lesmo bend and smashed into the barriers at high speed. The McLaren was torn in two, with the gearbox and rear wheels going across the track and clipping the second Tyrrell of [[Michele Alboreto]], who also retired. Watson escaped unharmed.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Watson Accidente en Monza, GP Italia 1981|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMZK9i13Xs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/GPMZK9i13Xs |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=2012-06-16|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Grand Prix Results: Italian GP, 1981|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr355.html|access-date=16 June 2012|publisher=Grandprix.com}}</ref>

On lap 23 Tambay, like teammate Laffite, retired with a puncture, before Giacomelli pulled into the pits with a jammed gearbox on lap 26. Piquet was thus promoted to third with Pironi fourth and Reutemann fifth, followed by [[Mario Andretti]] in the second Alfa Romeo, [[Elio de Angelis]] in the [[Team Lotus|Lotus]] and [[Andrea de Cesaris]] in the second McLaren. Reutemann soon passed Pironi again, before Andretti suffered an engine failure on lap 41.

As Prost cruised to victory, ultimately finishing some 22 seconds ahead of Jones, Piquet looked set to hold off championship rival Reutemann for third, until his engine blew on the last lap. Reutemann duly went past, as did de Angelis and Pironi. Piquet was classified sixth ahead of de Cesaris, who himself suffered a puncture on the last lap. The only other finishers were Giacomelli, [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]] in the second Osella, and Henton.

Reutemann thus led the Drivers' Championship by three points from Piquet with two races remaining, with Prost, Jones and Laffite all retaining outside chances of the title. The Williams team, meanwhile, needed just two more points to secure their second consecutive Constructors' Championship.

=== Race classification ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|- 
! Pos !! No !! Driver !! Constructor !! Tyre !! Laps !! Time/Retired !! Grid !! Points
|-
! 1
| 15
| {{flagicon|France}} '''[[Alain Prost]]'''
| '''[[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]'''
| {{Michelin}}
| 52
| 1:26:36.897
| 3
| '''9'''
|-
! 2
| 1
| {{flagicon|Australia}} '''[[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]'''
| '''[[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]'''
| {{Goodyear}}
| 52
| + 22.175
| 5
| '''6'''
|-
! 3
| 2
| {{flagicon|Argentina}} '''[[Carlos Reutemann]]'''
| '''[[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]'''
| {{Goodyear}}
| 52
| + 50.587
| 2
| '''4'''
|-
! 4
| 11
| {{flagicon|Italy}} '''[[Elio de Angelis]]'''
| '''[[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]'''
| {{Goodyear}}
| 52
| + 1:32.902
| 11
| '''3'''
|-
! 5
| 28
| {{flagicon|France}} '''[[Didier Pironi]]'''
| '''[[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]'''
| {{Michelin}}
| 52
| + 1:34.522
| 8
| '''2'''
|-
! 6
| 5
| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} '''[[Nelson Piquet]]'''
| '''[[Brabham]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]'''
| {{Goodyear}}
| 51
| Engine
| 6
| '''1'''
|-
! 7
| 8
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Andrea de Cesaris]]
| [[McLaren]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 51
| Puncture
| 16
| &nbsp;
|-
! 8
| 23
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Bruno Giacomelli]]
| [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 50
| + 2 laps
| 10
| &nbsp;
|-
! 9
| 32
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]
| [[Osella]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 50
| + 2 laps
| 18
| &nbsp;
|-
! 10
| 35
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Brian Henton]]
| [[Toleman]]-[[Hart Racing Engines|Hart]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| 49
| + 3 laps
| 23
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 22
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mario Andretti]]
| [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 40
| Engine
| 13
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 17
| {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Derek Daly]]
| [[March Engineering|March]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Avon}}
| 36
| Gearbox
| 19
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 25
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Patrick Tambay]]
| [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]]-[[Equipe Matra Sports|Matra]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 22
| Puncture
| 15
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 12
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Nigel Mansell]]
| [[Team Lotus|Lotus]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Goodyear}}
| 21
| Suspension
| 12
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 7
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[John Watson (racing driver)|John Watson]]
| [[McLaren]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 19
| Accident
| 7
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 29
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Riccardo Patrese]]
| [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| 18
| Gearbox
| 20
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 4
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Michele Alboreto]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Goodyear}}
| 17
| Accident
| 22
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 14
| {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eliseo Salazar]]
| [[Ensign Racing|Ensign]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Avon}}
| 13
| Spun off
| 24
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 16
| {{flagicon|France}} [[René Arnoux]]
| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 12
| Spun off
| 1
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 26
| {{flagicon|France}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
| [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]]-[[Equipe Matra Sports|Matra]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 11
| Puncture
| 4
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 3
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Eddie Cheever]]
| [[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Goodyear}}
| 11
| Spun off
| 17
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 9
| {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Slim Borgudd]]
| [[ATS Wheels|ATS]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Avon}}
| 10
| Spun off
| 21
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 27
| {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Gilles Villeneuve]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| {{Michelin}}
| 5
| Engine
| 9
| &nbsp;
|-
! Ret
| 6
| {{flagicon|Mexico}} [[Héctor Rebaque]]
| [[Brabham]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Goodyear}}
| 1
| Electrical
| 14
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 33
| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} [[Marc Surer]]
| [[Theodore Racing|Theodore]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Avon}}
| &nbsp;
| 
| 
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 31
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Beppe Gabbiani]]
| [[Osella]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Michelin}}
| &nbsp;
| 
| 
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 36
| {{flagicon|UK}} [[Derek Warwick]]
| [[Toleman]]-[[Hart Racing Engines|Hart]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| &nbsp;
| 
| 
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 30
| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Siegfried Stohr]]
| [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| &nbsp;
| 
| 
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 20
| {{flagicon|Finland}} [[Keke Rosberg]]
| [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| &nbsp;
| 
| 
| &nbsp;
|-
! DNQ
| 21
| {{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} [[Chico Serra]]
| [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| {{Pirelli}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
!colspan="9"|{{center|Source:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1981/370/ |title=1981 Italian Grand Prix |publisher=formula1.com |access-date=23 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516114722/http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1981/370/ |archive-date=16 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gparchive.com/formula-1/1981-italian-grand-prix/|title=1981 Italian Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive|website=GPArchive.com|date=13 September 1981|access-date=7 November 2021}}</ref>}}
|}

==Notes==

* This was the 1st Grand Prix start for [[Toleman]] and for a [[Hart Racing Engines|Hart]]-powered car.
* This was the 44th podium finish for [[Carlos Reutemann]]. It broke the previous record set by [[Jackie Stewart]] at the [[1973 Austrian Grand Prix]].

==Championship standings after the race==
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
;Drivers' Championship standings
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos
! Driver
! Points
|-
| 1
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Carlos Reutemann]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 49
|-
| 2
| {{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Nelson Piquet]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 46
|-
| 3
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Alain Prost]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 37
|-
| 4
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 37
|-
| 5
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 34
|-
!colspan=4|Source: <ref name="Championship">{{Cite web |title=Italy 1981 - Championship • STATS F1 |url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1981/italie/championnat.aspx |website=www.statsf1.com |access-date=18 March 2019}}</ref>
|}
{{col-2}}
;Constructors' Championship standings
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Pos
! Constructor
! Points
|-
| 1
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 86
|-
| 2
| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Brabham]]-[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 57
|-
| 3
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 48
|-
| 4
| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]]-[[Equipe Matra Sports|Matra]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 34
|-
| 5
| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| style="text-align:right;"| 30
|-
!colspan=4|Source: <ref name="Championship"/>
|}
{{col-end}}

*{{small|'''Note''': Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.}}

==References==
{{Reflist | 30em}}

{{F1 race report
| Name_of_race            = [[Italian Grand Prix]]
| Year_of_race            = 1981
| Previous_race_in_season = [[1981 Dutch Grand Prix]]
| Next_race_in_season     = [[1981 Canadian Grand Prix]]
| Previous_year's_race    = [[1980 Italian Grand Prix]]
| Next_year's_race        = [[1982 Italian Grand Prix]]
}}
{{F1GP 80-89}}

[[Category:1981 Formula One races|Italian Grand Prix]]
[[Category:Italian Grand Prix]]
[[Category:1981 in Italian motorsport|Grand Prix]]
[[Category:September 1981 sports events in Europe|Italian Grand Prix]]