| 1981 Australian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula Pacific race | |||
 | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 8 November 1981 | ||
| Official name | XLVINational PanasonicAustralian Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Calder Park Raceway,Melbourne,Victoria | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 1.609 km (1.000 miles) | ||
| Distance | 100 laps, 160.9 km (100 miles) | ||
| Weather | Sunny | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ralt-Ford | ||
| Time | 0'39.2 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |  Roberto Moreno | Ralt-Ford | |
| Time | 0'39.8 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ralt-Ford | ||
| Second | Ralt-Ford | ||
| Third | Ralt-Ford | ||
The1981 Australian Grand Prix was aFormula Pacific motor race held atCalder Park Raceway inVictoria,Australia on 8 November 1981.
It was the forty sixthAustralian Grand Prix and the first to be restricted toFormula Pacific racing cars. It was the first AGP since1968 to feature two or more current or pastWorld Drivers' Champions with reigning1981 World ChampionNelson Piquet ofBrazil and Australia's1980 World ChampionAlan Jones both in the field.
The race was won by 22-year-oldRoberto Moreno by over a lap from Nelson Piquet withAustralianGeoff Brabham finishing third. The top three drivers all droveRalt RT4's (13 of the 20 starters were in fact driving the1.6L Ford powered RT4's). To actually be able to compete in the Grand Prix Moreno needed five endorsements before the race to be able to obtain hisFIA Super Licence, the first endorsement coming from Calder Park Clerk of Course Ken Smith.
Defending race winnerAlan Jones failed to finish after transmission failure in his RT4 six laps from the finish while in second place. The first resident Australian driver home was another ex-Formula One driver and futuretouring car starLarry Perkins who finished fourth, one lap behind Moreno.
Results as follows:[1]
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Qual | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Ralt RT4Ford | 0:39.2 | — |
| 2 | 27 |  Alan Jones | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.2 | +0.0 |
| 3 | 9 | Nelson Piquet | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.3 | +0.1 |
| 4 | 4 | John Bowe | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.6 | +0.4 |
| 5 | 62 | Bruce Allison | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.8 | +0.6 |
| 6 | 26 |  Jacques Laffite | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.8 | +0.6 |
| 7 | 12 | Geoff Brabham | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.9 | +0.7 |
| 8 | 71 | John Smith | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:39.9 | +0.7 |
| 9 | 3 | Larry Perkins | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:40.0 | +0.8 |
| 10 | 6 |  Ray Mallock | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:40.2 | +1.0 |
| 11 | 5 | Andrew Miedecke | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:40.2 | +1.0 |
| 12 | 84 | Alfredo Costanzo | Tiga FA81 Ford | 0:40.3 | +1.1 |
| 13 | 2 | Charlie O'Brien | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:40.4 | +1.2 |
| 14 | 18 |  David Oxton | Ralt RT4 Ford | 0:40.6 | +1.4 |
| 15 | 16 | Lucio Cesario | Ralt RT3Volkswagen Golf | 0:40.7 | +1.5 |
| 16 | 83 | Peter Larner | Kaditcha Ford | 0:40.7 | +1.5 |
| 17 | 7 | Peter Williamson | Toleman TA860Toyota | 0:40.9 | +1.7 |
| 18 | 77 | Mike Quinn | Galloway HG1 Ford | 0:41.4 | +2.2 |
| 19 | 11 | Ron Barnacle | Ralt RT1 Ford | 0:41.8 | +2.6 |
| 20 | 48 | Ray Hangar | March 77B Ford | 0:42.5 | +3.3 |
| 21 | 36 | Bob Creasy | Birrana 273 Ford | 0:43.1 | +3.9 |
| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Entrant[2] | Laps | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Ralt RT4Ford | Graham Watson Motor Racing Pty Ltd | 100 | 1h 07m 39.2s |
| 2 | 9 | Nelson Piquet | Ralt RT4 Ford | Graham Watson Motor Racing Pty Ltd | 99 | |
| 3 | 12 | Geoff Brabham | Ralt RT4 Ford | G Brabham | 99 | |
| 4 | 3 | Larry Perkins | Ralt RT4 Ford | L Perkins | 99 | |
| 5 | 5 | Andrew Miedecke | Ralt RT4 Ford | AW Miedecke | 99 | |
| 6 | 18 | David Oxton | Ralt RT4 Ford | Oxton Motors | 98 | |
| 7 | 6 | Ray Mallock | Ralt RT4 Ford | Cliff Smith Racing | 98 | |
| 8 | 62 | Bruce Allison | Ralt RT4 Ford | B Allison | 98 | |
| 9 | 2 | Charlie O'Brien | Ralt RT4 Ford | Citizen Watches Australia | 98 | |
| 10 | 84 | Alfredo Costanzo | Tiga FA81 Ford | Porsche Cars Australia | 97 | |
| 11 | 83 | Peter Larner | Kaditcha Ford | Paul England | 97 | |
| 12 | 71 | John Smith | Ralt RT4 Ford | OSCL | 96 | |
| 13 | 11 | Ron Barnacle | Ralt RT1 Ford | Nissalco Garage Equipment | 90 | |
| 14 | 48 | Ray Hangar | March 77B Ford | R Hanger | 87 | |
| Ret | 27 | Alan Jones | Ralt RT4 Ford | Theodore Racing | 93 | transmission |
| Ret | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ralt RT4 Ford | J Laffite | 43 | oil line |
| Ret | 7 | Peter Williamson | Toleman TA860Toyota | Toyota Dealer Team | 40 | accident |
| Ret | 4 | John Bowe | Ralt RT4 Ford | Chris Leach Racing | 15 | water pump belt |
| Ret | 16 | Lucio Cesario | Ralt RT3Volkswagen Golf | Formula One Automotive | 10 | broken valve spring |
| Ret | 36 | Bob Creasy | Birrana 273 Ford | R Creasy | 6 | spin |
| DNS | 77 | Mike Quinn | Galloway HG1 Ford | Peter Williamson Pty Ltd | gearbox input shaft |
| Preceded by | Australian Grand Prix 1981 | Succeeded by |