1981 24 Hours of Le Mans

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1981 24 Hours of Le Mans
Previous: 1980	Next: 1982
Index: Races \| Winners

The 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 49th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 13 and 14, 1981. It was also the eighth round of the World Championship for Makes.

1 Pre-race
2 Race
3 Official Results
- 3.1 Not Classified
- 3.2 Did Not Finish
4 Statistics
5 Trophy Winners

[edit] Pre-race

Shortly after going into semi-retirement, NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough made his only start. This made Yarborough one of the few drivers in history to participate in the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Porsche had a new program for the future Group C regulations in 1982, and had persuaded Jacky Ickx out of retirement. The main reason for entering Le Mans was to test a new engine for the upcoming new car. This 2.6L engine which was derived from an Indianapolis 500 engine which never raced. The new engines were fitted in a pair of 936 chassis. Ickx shared one of the updated 936 with Derek Bell; Jochen Mass, Vern Schuppan and Hurley Haywood drove the other.

[edit] Race

The race was run in very hot weather, but the engine test was successful: after the first hour, Ickx and Bell had built a large advance and remained at lead for the rest of the race. They won by an even greater margin than in 1976.

The race was marred by the death of Jean-Louis Lafosse, who crashed his Rondeau in the early stages on the Hunaudieres. No cause has ever been determined. Thierry Boutsen, who would go on to drive in Formula One, had earlier escaped a large accident in the first two hours without injury.

[edit] Official Results

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1	S +2.0	11	Porsche System	Jacky Ickx Derek Bell	Porsche 936	Porsche 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	354
2	GTP 3.0	8	Jean Rondeau	Jacky Haran Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Streiff	Rondeau M379	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	340
3	GTP 3.0	7	Otis Jean Rondeau	Gordon Spice Francois Migault	Rondeau M379	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	335
4	Gr.5	55	Claude Bourgiognie	Claude Bourgiognie John Cooper Dudley Wood	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.1L Turbo Flat-6	330
5	IMSA GTX	47	Charles Pozzi S.A.	Jean-Claude Andruet Claude Ballot-Léna Hervé Regout	Ferrari 512BB/LM	Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12	328
6	IMSA GTX	42	Cooke-Woods Racing	Anny-Charlotte Verney Bob Garretson Ralph Kent-Cooke	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.2L Turbo Flat-6	327
7	GTP +3.0	1	Porsche System	Jürgen Barth Walter Röhrl	Porsche 944 LM	Porsche 2.5L Turbo I4	323
8	Gr.5	65	Martini Racing	Michele Alboreto Eddie Cheever Carlo Facetti	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	Lancia 1.4L Turbo I4	322
9	IMSA GTX	46	Rennod Racing	Pierre Dieudonné Jean Xhenceval Jean-Paul Libert	Ferrari 512BB/LM	Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12	320
10	Gr.5	60	Vegla Racing Team	Dieter Schornstein Harald Grohs Götz von Tschirnhaus	Porsche 935J	Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6	320
11	IMSA GTO	36	Porsche System	Manfred Schurti Andy Rouse	Porsche 924 Carrera GTR	Porsche 2.0L Turbo I4	315
12	S +2.0	12	Porsche System	Jochen Mass Vern Schuppan Hurley Haywood	Porsche 936	Porsche 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	312
13	GTP +3.0	4	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Denis Moran Charles Mendez Xavier Mathiot	WM P79/80	Peugeot 2.7L Turbo V6	307
14	Gr.5	68	Jolly Club	Martino Finotto Giorgio Pianta Giorgio Schön	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	Lancia 1.4L Turbo I4	292
15	S +2.0	18	Team Lola	Emilio de Villota Guy Edwards Juan Fernández	Lola T600	Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	287
16	Gr.5	51	BMW Italie BMW France	Philippe Alliot Bernard Darniche Johnny Cecotto	BMW M1 Gr.5	BMW 3.5L I6	277
17	GT	70	Thierry Perrier	Thierry Perrier Valentin Bertapelle Bernard Salam	Porsche 934	Porsche 2.9L Turbo Flat-6	274
18	S 2.0	31	Jean-Philippe Grand	Jean-Philippe Grand Yves Courage	Lola T298	BMW 2.0L I4	272

[edit] Not Classified

Failed to cover 70% of winner's distance (247 laps)

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
19	S 2.0	33	Compagnie Primagaz	Pierre Yver Michel Dubois Jacques Heuclin	Lola T298	BMW 2.0L I4	203
20	S 2.0	32	Ecurie Renard-Delmas	Louis Descartes Hervé Bayard	Renard-Delmas D1	ROC-Simca 2.0L I4	187

[edit] Did Not Finish

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
21	IMSA GTX	43	Bob Akin Motor Racing	Bob Akin Paul Miller Craig Siebert	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6	320
22	Gr.5	57	Claude Haldi	Claude Haldi Mark Thatcher Hervé Poulain	Porsche 935	Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6	260
23	IMSA GTX	49	North American Racing Team (NART)	Alain Cudini Philippe Gurdjian John Morton	Ferrari 512BB/LM	Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12	247
24	Gr.5	53	EMKA Productions Limited	David Hobbs Eddie Jordan Steve O'Rourke	BMW M1 Gr.5	BMW 3.5L I6	236
25	GT	72	BMW Zol'Auto	Jean-Francois Rousselot Francois Servanin Laurent Ferrier	BMW M1	BMW 3.5L I6	212
26	S +2.0	20	Alain de Cadenet Belga	Alain de Cadenet Jean-Michel Martin Philippe Martin	De Cadenet-Lola LM	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	210
27	Gr.5	52	Würth Team Sauber	Dieter Quester Marc Surer David Deacon	BMW M1 Gr.5	BMW 3.5L I6	207
28	Gr.5	66	Martini Racing	Riccardo Patrese Hans Heyer Piercarlo Ghinzani	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	Lancia 1.4L Turbo I4	186
29	S +2.0	21	Alain de Cadenet Dorset Racing Associates	Martin Birrane Nick Faure Vivian Candy	De Cadenet-Lola LM	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	171
30	S +2.0	23	Dome Co. Ltd.	Chris Craft Bob Evans	Dome RL81	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	154
31	IMSA GTX	40	Joest Racing	Maurizio de Narvaez Kenper Miller Günther Steckkönig	Porsche 935J	Porsche 2.8L Turbo Flat-6	152
32	IMSA GTX	48	Simon Phillips	Simon Phillips Mike Salmon Steve Earle	Ferrari 512BB/LM	Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12	140
33	IMSA GTX	45	Scuderia Supercar Bellancauto SRL	Fabrizio Violati Maurizio Flammini Duilio Truffo	Ferrari 512BB/LM	Ferrari 5.0L Flat-12	118
34	S +2.0	22	André Chevalley Racing	Patrick Gaillard André Chevalley Bruno Sotty	ACR 80B	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	114
35	IMSA GTO	37	Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.	Tetsu Ikuzawa Tom Walkinshaw Peter Lovett	Mazda RX-7	Mazda 13B 1.3L 2-Rotor	107
36	S 2.0	30	Jean-Marie Lemerle	Jean-Marie Lemerle Max Cohen-Olivar Alain Levié	Lola T298	BMW 2.0L I4	104
37	S +2.0	27	Ian Bracey	Tiff Needell Tony Trimmer	IBEC P6 (Hesketh 308LM)	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	95
38	S +2.0	10	Porsche Kremer Racing	Bob Wollek Xavier Lapeyre Guy Chasseuil	Porsche 917K/81	Porsche 4.9L Flat-12	82
39	S +2.0	14	Joest Racing	Reinhold Joest Dale Whittington Klaus Niedzwiedz	Porsche 908/80	Porsche 2.1L Turbo Flat-6	80
40	S +2.0	24	Otis Jean Rondeau	Jean Rondeau Jean-Pierre Jaussaud	Rondeau M379	Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	58
41	Gr.5	59	Porsche Kremer Racing	Ted Field Bill Whittington Don Whittington	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.2L Turbo Flat-6	57
42	IMSA GTX	50	BASF Cassetten Team GS Sport	Hans Joachim Stuck Jean-Pierre Jarier Helmut Henzler	BMW M1 Gr.5	BMW 3.5L I6	57
43	C	83	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Jean-Daniel Raulet Marcel Mamers	WM P81	Peugeot 2.7L Turbo V6	50
44	Gr.5	69	Tuff-Kote Dinol Racing	Jan Lundgårdh Axel Plankenhorn Mike Wilds	Porsche 935 L1 "Baby"	Porsche 1.4L Turbo Flat-6	49
45	GT	71	Helmut Marko RSM	Christian Danner Peter Oberndofer Prince Leopold von Bayern	BMW M1	BMW 3.5L I6	49
46	Gr.5	61	Weralit Racing Team	Edgar Dören Jürgen Lässig Gerhard Holup	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6	48
47	Gr.5	67	Martini Racing	Beppe Gabbiani Emanuele Pirro	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo	Lancia 1.4L Turbo I4	47
48	GTP +3.0	5	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Guy Fréquelin Roger Dorchy Xavier Mathiot	WM P79/80	Peugeot 2.7L Turbo V6	46
49	IMSA GTX	41	Preston Henn Racing	Preston Henn Michael Chandler Marcel Mignot	Porsche 935 K3	Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6	45
50	S +2.0	26	Oceanic Jean Rondeau	Henri Pescarolo Patrick Tambay	Rondeau M379	Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	41
51	GT	73	Eminence Racing Team	Jean-Marie Alméras Jacques Alméras	Porsche 924 Carrera GTR	Porsche 2.0L Turbo I4	30
52	S +2.0	25	Calberson Jean Rondeau	Jean Ragnotti Jean-Louis Lafosse	Rondeau M379	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	28
53	IMSA GTO	38	Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.	Yojiro Terada Hiroshi Fushida Win Percy	Mazda RX-7	Mazda 13B 1.3L 2-Rotor	25
54	C	82	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Thierry Boutsen Serge Saulnier Michel Pignard	WM P81	Peugeot 2.7L Turbo V6	15
55	IMSA GTO	35	Stratagraph Inc.	Cale Yarborough Billy Hagan Bill Cooper	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 6.4L V8	13