1981 World Rally Championship

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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Sidebar/configuration' not found. The 1981 World Rally Championship was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies. While this number was the same as the previous year, one change was made to the schedule, replacing New Zealand with the Brazil.

The 1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers was won by Ari Vatanen driving a Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS1800, the only time a privateer team has won the Drivers' Championship until 2017. The Makes' Championship was won by Talbot with their Sunbeam Lotus. It also saw the beginning of a new era in the sport with the arrival of the Audi Quattro, the first four-wheel drive rally car. Initially regarded as too heavy and complex for rally stages, it proved its worth with three wins in its debut season, including a maiden victory for Michèle Mouton at the Rallye Sanremo, the only woman to win a WRC event.

Calendar

Rd. Start date Finish date Rally Rally headquarters Surface Stages Distance Points
1 24 January 30 January Template:Flagicon 49th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo Monte Carlo Mixed 32 750 km Drivers & Manufacturers
2 13 February 15 February Template:Flagicon 31st International Swedish Rally Karlstad, Värmland County Snow 25 369 km Drivers only
3 4 March 7 March Template:Flagicon 15th Rallye de Portugal - Vinho do Porto Estoril, Lisbon Mixed 46 678 km Drivers & Manufacturers
4 16 April 20 April Template:Flagicon 29th Marlboro Safari Rally Nairobi Gravel N/A 4750 km Drivers & Manufacturers
5 30 April 2 May Template:Flagicon 25th Tour de Corse - Rallye de France Ajaccio, Corsica Tarmac 24 1144.6 km Drivers & Manufacturers
6 1 June 4 June Template:Flagicon 28th Acropolis Rally Athens Gravel 57 995.59 km Drivers & Manufacturers
7 18 July 23 July Template:Flagicon 3rd Rally Codasur Tucumán Gravel 17 1346.6 km Drivers & Manufacturers
8 6 August 8 August Template:Flagicon 3rd Marlboro Rallye do Brasil São Paulo Gravel 21 714 km Drivers only
9 28 August 30 August Template:Flagicon 31st Jyväskylän Suurajot - Rally of the 1000 Lakes Jyväskylä, Central Finland Gravel 48 453.09 km Drivers & Manufacturers
10 5 October 10 October Template:Flagicon 23rd Rallye Sanremo Sanremo, Liguria Mixed 61 751.06 km Drivers & Manufacturers
11 26 October 30 October Template:Flagicon 13th Rallye Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Gravel N/A 5087 km Drivers & Manufacturers
12 22 November 24 November Template:Flagicon 37th Lombard RAC Rally Chester, Cheshire Gravel 65 746.74 km Drivers & Manufacturers
Sources:[1][2]

Teams and drivers

Team Constructor Car Drivers Rounds
Template:Flagicon David Sutton Motorsport Ford Escort RS 1800 Template:Flagicon Björn Waldegård 1
Template:Flagicon Raymond Rué 1, 3
Template:Flagicon Lasse Lampi 2, 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Bror Danielsson 2
Template:Flagicon Yves Loubet 5
Template:Flagicon Domingo De Vitta 7–8
Template:Flagicon Roger Clark 12
Template:Flagicon Fiat Auto Torino Fiat 131 Abarth Template:Flagicon Markku Alén 1, 3, 6, 9–10
Template:Flagicon Attilio Bettega 1, 3, 6, 10
Template:Flagicon Dario Cerrato 1, 3, 10
Template:Flagicon Rob Collinge 4
Template:Flagicon Kalevi Aho 9
Template:Flagicon Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS 1800 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen 1–3, 6–12
Template:Flagicon Pentti Airikkala 2, 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Malcolm Wilson 3, 6, 12
Template:Flagicon John Taylor 11
Template:Flagicon Team Chardonnet Lancia Stratos HF Template:Flagicon Bernard Darniche 1, 5
Template:Flagicon Markku Alén 12
Template:Flagicon Audi Sport Audi Quattro Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola 1–3, 5–6, 9–10, 12
Template:Flagicon Michèle Mouton 1, 3, 5–6, 9–10, 12
Template:Flagicon Franz Wittmann 6, 9
Template:Flagicon Michele Cinotto 10
Template:Flagicon Adolphe Choteau 11
Template:Flagicon Opel Euro Händler Team Opel Opel Ascona 400 Template:Flagicon Jochi Kleint 1, 4, 6
Template:Flagicon Anders Kulläng 1–4
Template:Flagicon Björn Johansson 2, 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Jimmy McRae 12
Template:Flagicon Malcolm Patrick 12
Template:Flagicon Talbot Sport Talbot Sunbeam Lotus Template:Flagicon Henri Toivonen 1, 3, 5–6, 9–10, 12
Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin 1, 3, 5–8, 10, 12
Template:Flagicon Gunnar Fagerlind 2, 12
Template:Flagicon Stig Blomqvist 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Russell Brookes 12
Template:Flagicon Renault Elf Renault Renault 5 Turbo Template:Flagicon Jean Ragnotti 1, 5, 12
Template:Flagicon Bruno Saby 1, 5, 12
Template:Flagicon Alain Coppier 1, 5
Template:Flagicon Pierre-Louis Moreau 5
Template:Flagicon Jean-Pierre Manzagol 5
Template:Flagicon Porsche Alméras Porsche Porsche 911 SC Template:Flagicon Jean-Luc Thérier 1, 3, 5, 10
Template:Flagicon Jacques Alméras 1, 5
Template:Flagicon Per Eklund 2, 9
Template:Flagicon Francis Vincent 5
Template:Flagicon Walter Röhrl 10
Template:Flagicon Team Datsun Europe Datsun 160J
Violet GT 		Template:Flagicon Rauno Aaltonen 1, 4
Template:Flagicon Sören Nilsson 2, 12
Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen 3–7, 9–12
Template:Flagicon Tony Pond 3, 5, 10
Template:Flagicon Santinho Mendes 3
Template:Flagicon Shekhar Mehta 4, 6–8, 11
Template:Flagicon John Hellier 4
Template:Flagicon Mike Kirkland 4
Template:Flagicon Terry Kaby 5
Template:Flagicon George Moschous 6
Template:Flagicon Ricardo Zunino 7
Template:Flagicon Jorge Recalde 7–8
Template:Flagicon Erkki Pitkänen 9
Template:Flagicon Peter Geitel 9
Template:Flagicon Michel Mitri 11
Template:Flagicon Pierre-Louis Moreau 11
Template:Flagicon Andy Dawson 12
Template:Flagicon Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica 2000GT Template:Flagicon Björn Waldegård 3, 5–6, 9, 11–12
Template:Flagicon Per Eklund 3, 5–6, 11–12
Template:Flagicon Achim Warmbold 3
Template:Flagicon Tapio Rainio 9
Template:Flagicon Samir Assef 11
Template:Flagicon Terry Kaby 12
Template:Flagicon Peugeot Esso Peugeot 504 Coupé V6 Template:Flagicon Alain Ambrosino 4, 11
Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin 4, 11
Template:Flagicon Timo Mäkinen 4
Template:Flagicon Jean-Claude Lefèbvre 4
Template:Flagicon Carlos Garro 7
Template:Flagicon Francisco Alcuaz 7
Template:Flagicon Jacques Durieu 11
Template:Flagicon Charles Pozzi Ferrari 308 GTB Template:Flagicon Jean-Claude Andruet 5
Template:Flagicon Team Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 Turbo Template:Flagicon Anders Kulläng 6, 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Andrew Cowan 6, 12
Template:Flagicon Georg Fischer 6
Template:Flagicon Kyösti Hämäläinen 9
Template:Flagicon Antero Laine 9, 12
Template:Flagicon Jolly Club Fiat 131 Abarth Template:Flagicon Adartico Vudafieri 11
Template:Flagicon Mercedes Kassel Mercedes 500 SL Template:Flagicon Holger Bohne 11
Template:Flagicon Dealer Team Vauxhall Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR Template:Flagicon Tony Pond 12
Template:Flagicon George Hill 12

Championships

1981 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers
Rank Manufacturers Event Total
points
Template:Flagicon
MON 		Template:Flagicon
SWE 		Template:Flagicon
POR 		Template:Flagicon
KEN 		Template:Flagicon
FRA 		Template:Flagicon
GRC 		Template:Flagicon
ARG 		Template:Flagicon
BRA 		Template:Flagicon
FIN 		Template:Flagicon
ITA 		Template:Flagicon
CIV 		Template:Flagicon
GBR
1 Template:Flagicon Talbot 17 - 17 - 17 15 18 - - 17 - 16 117
2 Template:Flagicon Datsun - - 13 18 15 13 17 - 12 - 18 - 106
3 Template:Flagicon Ford - - 9 - 12 18 - - 18 7 - 16 80
4 Template:Flagicon Opel 15 - 11 12 8 - - - 8 15 - - 69
5 Template:Flagicon Audi - - 13 - - - - - 14 18 - 18 63
6 Template:Flagicon Fiat 8 - 18 - - 16 - - 16 5 - - 63
7 Template:Flagicon Renault 18 - - - 7 10 15 - - - - 11 61
8 Template:Flagicon Toyota - - 15 - 11 - - - 3 - 16 9 54
9 Template:Flagicon Peugeot - - - 10 - 4 12 - - - 11 - 37
10 Template:Flagicon Lancia 10 - - - 18 - - - - - - - 28
11 Template:Flagicon Porsche 4 - - - 15 - - - - - - - 19
12 Template:Flagicon Škoda - - - - - 8 - - - - - - 8
13 Template:Flagicon Dodge - - - 6 - - - - - - - - 6
14 Template:Flagicon Mitsubishi - - - - - - - - 1 - - 3 4
1981 World Rally Championship point awards for manufacturers
Overall
finish 		Group finish
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 18 - - - - - - - - -
2 17 16 - - - - - - - -
3 16 15 14 - - - - - - -
4 15 14 13 12 - - - - - -
5 14 13 12 11 10 - - - - -
6 13 12 11 10 9 8 - - - -
7 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 - - -
8 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 - -
9 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 -
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1
1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers
Rank Driver Event Total
points
Template:Flagicon
MON 		Template:Flagicon
SWE 		Template:Flagicon
POR 		Template:Flagicon
KEN 		Template:Flagicon
FRA 		Template:Flagicon
GRC 		Template:Flagicon
ARG 		Template:Flagicon
BRA 		Template:Flagicon
FIN 		Template:Flagicon
ITA 		Template:Flagicon
CIV 		Template:Flagicon
GBR
1 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen 0 15 0 - - 20 0 20 20 4 2 15 96
2 Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin 15 - 6 0 15 10 20 15 - 0 8 0 89
3 Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola 0 20 0 - 0 0 - - 12 10 - 20 62
4 Template:Flagicon Markku Alén 4 - 20 - - 15 - - 15 2 - 0 56
5 Template:Flagicon Shekhar Mehta - - - 20 - 8 15 0 - - 12 - 55
6 Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen - - 0 10 0 0 0 - 10 0 20 0 40
7 Template:Flagicon Henri Toivonen 8 - 15 - 0 0 - - 0 15 - 0 38
8 Template:Flagicon Michèle Mouton 0 - 10 - 0 0 - - 0 20 - 0 30
9 Template:Flagicon Pentti Airikkala - 12 - - - - - - 8 - - 10 30
10 Template:Flagicon Per Eklund 0 2 0 - 6 0 - - 0 - 15 6 29
11 Template:Flagicon Jean Ragnotti 20 - - - 0 - - - - - - 8 28
12 Template:Flagicon Bernard Darniche 6 - - - 20 - - - - - - - 26
13 Template:Flagicon Stig Blomqvist - 8 - - - - - - 3 - - 12 23
14 Template:Flagicon Jorge Recalde - - - - - - 12 10 - - - - 22
15 Template:Flagicon Anders Kulläng 10 10 0 0 - 0 - - 0 - - 2 22
16 Template:Flagicon Jochi Kleint 12 - - 8 - 0 - - - - - - 20
Template:Flagicon Tony Pond - - 8 - 12 - - - - 0 - 0 20
18 Template:Flagicon Björn Waldegård 3 - 12 - 0 0 - - 2 - 0 0 17
19 Template:Flagicon Rauno Aaltonen 0 - - 15 - - - - - - - - 15
20 Template:Flagicon Mike Kirkland - - - 12 - - - - - - - - 12
Template:Flagicon Attilio Bettega 0 - 0 - - 12 - - - 0 - - 12
Template:Flagicon Domingo De Vitta - - - - - - 0 12 - - - - 12
Template:Flagicon Antonio Fassina - - - - - - - - - 12 - - 12
24 Template:Flagicon Björn Johansson - 6 - - - - - - 6 - - 0 12
25 Template:Flagicon Terry Kaby - - - - 8 - - - - - - 3 11
26 Template:Flagicon Jean-Pierre Ballet 0 - - - 10 - - - - - - - 10
Template:Flagicon Ernesto Soto - - - - - - 10 - - - - - 10
Template:Flagicon Michel Mitri - - - - - - - - - - 10 - 10
29 Template:Flagicon Ricardo Albertengo - - - - - - 8 - - - - - 10
Template:Flagicon Carlos Torres - - 0 - - - - 8 - - - - 8
Template:Flagicon Luigi Battistolli - - - - - - - - - 8 - - 8
32 Template:Flagicon Lasse Lampi - 4 - - - - - - 4 - - 0 8
33 Template:Flagicon Jean-Claude Lefèbvre - - - 6 - - - - - - - - 6
Template:Flagicon Iórgos Moschous - - - - - 6 - - - - - - 6
Template:Flagicon Luis Etchegoyen - - - - - - 6 - - - - - 6
Template:Flagicon Gustavo Trelles - - - - - - - 6 - - - - 6
Template:Flagicon Miki Biasion - - - - - - - - - 6 - - 6
Template:Flagicon Alain Ambrosino - - - 0 - - - - - - 6 - 6
39 Template:Flagicon Sören Nilsson - - - - - - 1 4 - - - - 5
Template:Flagicon Horacio Maglione - 1 - - - - - - - - - 4 5
41 Template:Flagicon Rafael 'Cid' - - 4 - - - - - - - - - 4
Template:Flagicon Yoshio Iwashita - - - 4 - - - - - - - - 4
Template:Flagicon Jean-Michel Tichadou - - - - 4 - - - - - - - 4
Template:Flagicon 'Carlo' - - - - - 4 - - - - - - 4
Template:Flagicon Federico West - - - - - - 4 - - - - - 4
Template:Flagicon Samir Assef - - - - - - - - - - 4 - 4
47 Template:Flagicon Ola Strömberg - 3 - - - - - - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Manuel Queirós Pereira - - 3 - - - - - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Jayant Shah - - - 3 - - - - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Gérard Swaton - - - - 3 - - - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Václav Blahna - - - - - 3 - - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Luís Romero - - - - - - 3 - - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Julio Berges - - - - - - - 3 - - - - 3
Template:Flagicon Dario Cerrato 0 - 0 - - - - - - 3 - - 3
Template:Flagicon Jacques Durieu - - - - - - - - - - 3 - 3
56 Template:Flagicon Jacques Alméras 2 - - - 0 - - - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Joaquim Moutinho - - 2 - - - - - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Malcolm Smith - - - 2 - - - - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Camille Bartoli - - - - 2 - - - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Pavlos Moschoutis - - - - - 2 - - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Miguel Tubal - - - - - - 2 - - - - - 2
Template:Flagicon Maria Carmo Zacarias - - - - - - - 2 - - - - 2
63 Template:Flagicon Alain Coppier 1 - - - 0 - - - - - - - 1
Template:Flagicon Kenjiro Shinozuka - - 1 - - - - - - - - - 1
Template:Flagicon Rod Hall - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1
Template:Flagicon Jean-Felix Farrucci - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1
Template:Flagicon Claude Laurent 0 - - - - 1 - - 0 - 0 0 1
Template:Flagicon Antero Laine - - - - - - - - 1 0 - 0 1
Template:Flagicon Federico Ormezzano - - - - - - - - - 1 - - 1
Template:Flagicon Roger Clark - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1
1981 World Rally Championship point awards for drivers
Points awarded by finish 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
20 15 12 10 8 6 4 3 2 1

Events

1981 World Rally Championship event map
File:WRC-1981.png
Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/Ice Red = Mixed Surface
1981 World Rally Championship schedule and results
Round Rally name Stages Podium finishers
Rank Driver Co-driver Car Time
1 Template:Flagicon Rallye Monte Carlo
(24–30 January) 		32 stages
757 km
Tarmac 		1 Template:Flagicon Jean Ragnotti Template:Flagicon Jean-Marc Andrié Renault 5 Turbo 9:55:55
2 Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin Template:Flagicon Jean Todt Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 9:58:49
3 Template:Flagicon Jochi Kleint Template:Flagicon Gunter Wanger Opel Ascona 400 10:02:54
2 Template:Flagicon Swedish Rally[3]
(13–15 February) 		25 stages
369 km
Snow/Ice 		1 Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola Template:Flagicon Arne Hertz Audi Quattro 3:48:07
2 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen Template:Flagicon David Richards Ford Escort RS1800 3:50:00
3 Template:Flagicon Pentti Airikkala Template:Flagicon Risto Virtanen Ford Escort RS1800 3:51:47
3 Template:Flagicon Rallye de Portugal
(4–7 March) 		46 stages
681 km
Gravel/Tarmac 		1 Template:Flagicon Markku Alén Template:Flagicon Ilkka Kivimäki Fiat 131 Abarth 8:27:26
2 Template:Flagicon Henri Toivonen Template:Flagicon Fred Gallagher Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 8:36:36
3 Template:Flagicon Björn Waldegård Template:Flagicon Hans Thorszelius Toyota Celica 2000GT 8:43:47
4 Template:Flagicon Safari Rally
(16–20 April) 		77 controls
5209 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Shekhar Mehta Template:Flagicon Mike Doughty Datsun Violet GT +3:39 pen
2 Template:Flagicon Rauno Aaltonen Template:Flagicon Lofty Drews Datsun Violet GT +3:44 pen
3 Template:Flagicon Mike Kirkland Template:Flagicon Dave Haworth Datsun 160J +4:51 pen
5 Template:Flagicon Tour de Corse
(30 April–2 May) 		24 stages
1144 km
Tarmac 		1 Template:Flagicon Bernard Darniche Template:Flagicon Alain Mahé Lancia Stratos HF 14:26.23
2 Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin Template:Flagicon Jean Todt Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 14:42:25
3 Template:Flagicon Tony Pond Template:Flagicon Ian Grindrod Datsun Violet GT 14:45.29
6 Template:Flagicon Acropolis Rally
(1–4 June) 		57 stages
960 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen Template:Flagicon David Richards Ford Escort RS1800 13:17:25
2 Template:Flagicon Markku Alén Template:Flagicon Ilkka Kivimäki Fiat 131 Abarth 13:22:00
3 Template:Flagicon Attilio Bettega Template:Flagicon Maurizio Perissinot Fiat 131 Abarth 13:25:19
7 Template:Flagicon Rally Codasur
(18–23 July) 		18 stages
1341 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin Template:Flagicon Jean Todt Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 14:22:52
2 Template:Flagicon Shekhar Mehta Template:Flagicon Mike Doughty Datsun Violet GT 15:01:04
3 Template:Flagicon Jorge Recalde Template:Flagicon Jorge del Bouno Datsun 160J 16:01:19
8 Template:Flagicon Rallye do Brasil
(6–8 August) 		20 stages
714 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen Template:Flagicon David Richards Ford Escort RS1800 9:39:40
2 Template:Flagicon Guy Fréquelin Template:Flagicon Jean Todt Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 9:48:11
3 Template:Flagicon Domingo De Vitta Template:Flagicon Daniel Muzio Ford Escort RS 10:19:46
9 Template:Flagicon 1000 Lakes Rally
(28–30 August) 		46 stages
440 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen Template:Flagicon David Richards Ford Escort RS1800 4:07:27
2 Template:Flagicon Markku Alén Template:Flagicon Ilkka Kivimäki Fiat 131 Abarth 4:08:26
3 Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola Template:Flagicon Arne Hertz Audi Quattro 4:10:19
10 Template:Flagicon Rallye Sanremo
(5–10 October) 		59 stages
751 km
Gravel/Tarmac 		1 Template:Flagicon Michèle Mouton Template:Flagicon Fabrizia Pons Audi Quattro 8:05:50
2 Template:Flagicon Henri Toivonen Template:Flagicon Fred Gallagher Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 8:09:15
3 Template:Flagicon Antonio Fassina Template:Flagicon Rudy Roberto Dalpozzo Opel Ascona 400 8:12:08
11 Template:Flagicon Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
(26–31 October) 		56 controls
5087 km
Gravel 		1 Template:Flagicon Timo Salonen Template:Flagicon Seppo Harjanne Datsun Violet GT +9:57 pen
2 Template:Flagicon Per Eklund Template:Flagicon Ragnar Spjuth Toyota Celica 2000GT +11:09 pen
3 Template:Flagicon Shekhar Mehta Template:Flagicon Mike Doughty Datsun Violet GT +11:22 pen
12 Template:Flagicon RAC Rally
(22–25 November) 		65 stages
722 km
Gravel/Tarmac 		1 Template:Flagicon Hannu Mikkola Template:Flagicon Arne Hertz Audi Quattro 8:30:00
2 Template:Flagicon Ari Vatanen Template:Flagicon David Richards Ford Escort RS1800 8:41:05
3 Template:Flagicon Stig Blomqvist Template:Flagicon Björn Cederberg Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 8:43:36

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WRC 1981". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."1981 WRC calendar". Jonkka's World Rally Archive. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  3. ^ Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship

See also

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