The following is an overview of the events of 1981 in motorsport including the major racing events, motorsport venues that were opened and closed during a year, championships and non-championship events that were established and disestablished in a year, and births and deaths of racing drivers and other motorsport people.

Annual events The calendar includes only annual major non-championship events or annual events that had significance separate from the championship. For the dates of the championship events see related season articles. DateEventRef 1–20 January3rd Dakar Rally 31 January-1 February19th 24 Hours of Daytona 15 February23rd Daytona 500 24 May65th Indianapolis 500 31 May39th Monaco Grand Prix 6–11 June64th Isle of Man TT 13–14 June49th 24 Hours of Le Mans 3–4 October10th 24 Hours of Nurburgring 25–26 July33rd 24 Hours of Spa 26 July4th Suzuka 8 Hours 5 October22nd James Hardie 1000 15 November28th Macau Grand Prix

Births DateMonthNameNationalityOccupationNoteRef1JanuaryZsolt BaumgartnerHungarianRacing driverThe first Hungarian Formula One driver.24FebruaryTimo BernhardGermanRacing driver24 Hours of Le Mans winner (, ). FIA World Endurance champion (2015, 2017).1MarchWill PowerAustralianRacing driverWinner of the Indianapolis 500 (2018).29JulyFernando AlonsoSpanishRacing driverFormula One World Champion (-). FIA World Endurance champion (2018-19).30Nicky HaydenAmericanMotorcycle racerMotoGP World champion ().19OctoberHeikki Kovalainen FinnishRacing driver2008 Hungarian Grand Prix winner.31Mike RockenfellerGermanRacing driver24 Hours of Le Mans winner (). Le Mans Series champion (2008).19NovemberAndré LottererGermanRacing driver24 Hours of Le Mans winner (-, ). FIA World Endurance champion (2012).

Deaths DateMonthNameAgeNationalityOccupationNoteRef1JanuaryMauri Rose84AmericanRacing driverIndianapolis 500 winner (1941, 1947-1948).9Sammy Davis93BritishRacing driver24 Hours of Le Mans winner ().21Cuth Harrison74BritishRacing driverOne of the first British Formula One drivers.23MarchMike Hailwood40BritishMotorcycle racer500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing World champion (-).13OctoberPhilippe Étancelin84FrenchRacing driverWinner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans ()

See also List of 1981 motorsport champions

References

External links