1981 South African Grand Prix

The 1981 South African Grand Prix was a Formula Libre motor race held on 7 February 1981 at Kyalami.

1981 South African Grand Prix
Non-championship race in the 1981 Formula One season
Race details
Date	7 February 1981
Location	Kyalami Transvaal Province, South Africa
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.104 km (2.550 mi)
Distance	77 laps, 316.008 km (196.358 mi)
Weather	Wet/Dry
Pole position
Driver	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford
Time	1:12.78
Fastest lap
Driver	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford
Time	1:13.61
Podium
First	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford
Second	Nelson Piquet	Brabham-Ford
Third	Elio de Angelis	Lotus-Ford

The race was originally scheduled to be the opening round of the 1981 FIA Formula One World Championship. However, the ongoing war between Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) and the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) resulted in FISA insisting on a date change which was not acceptable to the race organisers.[1] Approval was ultimately given for the race to go ahead on its original date, but as a Formula Libre race rather than as a round of the Formula One World Championship.[1] The downgraded race was supported by the teams affiliated with FOCA, but not by the manufacturer teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Ligier and Renault) or by Italian team Osella, all of whom were aligned with FISA.[1] The eleven teams present all fielded cars fitted with sliding side skirts, aerodynamic devices which were illegal in Formula One for 1981 but acceptable under Formula Libre regulations.[1] The absence of the manufacturer teams meant that all 19 cars in the race were powered by Ford Cosworth engines.[1]

The race was eventually won by Carlos Reutemann, driving a Williams, with Nelson Piquet second in a Brabham and Elio de Angelis third in a Lotus.