1981 BRDC International Trophy

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]

1981 BRDC International Trophy Grand Prix
Race details
Date 29 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 miles)
Distance 47 laps, 221.793 km (137.804 miles)
Weather Rain[1]
Pole position
Driver Ralt-Honda
Time 1:18.59
Fastest lap
Driver United Kingdom Geoff Lees Ralt-Honda
Time 1:22.82
Podium
First Ralt-Honda
Second March-BMW
Third March-BMW

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

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Entry

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

Qualifying

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

Race

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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

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Pos. No. Driver Entrant Car - Engine Laps Time/Retired
1st 15   Mike Thackwell Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/81 47 1:11:44.67
2nd 7   Riccardo Paletti March Onyx Racing Team March-BMW 812 47 + 36.19
3rd 3   Corrado Fabi Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 46 + 1 lap
4th 77   Jim Crawford Plygrange Racing Ltd Toleman-Hart TG280 46 + 1 lap
5th 12   Carlo Rossi Sanremo Racing Srl Toleman-Hart TG280 46 + 1 lap
6th 48   Brian Robinson Grange Performance Cars Chevron-Hart B42 46 + 1 lap
7th 14   Geoff Lees Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/81 45 + 2 laps
8th 36   Ray Mallock Cliff Smith Racing Ralt-Hart RT4 45 + 2 laps
9th 1   Stefan Johansson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T850 45 + 2 laps
10th 5   Christian Danner March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 45 + 2 laps
11th 10   Michele Alboreto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 281 45 + 2 laps
12th 24   Jürg Lienhard Lista Racing Team March-BMW 802 45 + 2 laps
13th 27   Sewi Hopfer Sewi Hopfer Racing Toleman-Hart TG280 44 + 3 laps
14th 9   Johnny Cecotto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 281 44 + 3 laps
15th 18   Fredy Schnarwiler Formel Rennsport Club Lola-BMW T850 43 + 4 laps
16th 29   Warren Booth Colin Bennett Racing Chevron-Hart B48 43 + 4 laps
17th 28   Guido Daccò DAC Sport Racing Team Minardi-BMW GM75 42 + 5 laps
18th 16   Eje Elgh Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM81 42 + 5 laps
19th 2   Kenny Acheson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T850 41 + 6 laps
20th 20   'Gianfranco' Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 812 39 + 8 laps
DNF 4   Thierry Boutsen Marlboro Racing for Zolder/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 36 Spin/gearbox
DNF 11   Guido Pardini Sanremo Racing Srl Lola-BMW T850 24 Crown wheel & pinion
DNF 31   Kim Mather Kim Mather March-Hart 792 24 Wheel bearing
DNF 17   Roberto Guerrero Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM81 21 Electrical
DNF 8   Richard Dallest Team AGS Motul GPA AGS-BMW JH17 8 Accident
DNF 40   Paul Smith BMTR March-Hart 782 8 Engine
DNS 19   Piero Necchi Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 812
DNS 35   Jochen Dauer GRS Motorsport GRS-BMW TC 001
DNQ 21   Arturo Merzario Astra Team Merzario Srl Merzario-BMW M1
DNQ 33   Roy Baker Roy Baker Chevron-Hart B48
DNQ 46   Bob Howlings Bob Howlings Chevron-Hart B42

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "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)