Race and classic pictures

Reutemann wins one-off Formula Libre race in South Africa

©Sutton

On this day in 1981, the 1981 South African Grand Prix should have been the opening round of the season, but an ongoing FISA-FOCA war resulted in the governing body insisting on a date change which the organisers could not meet.

The race took place any way, but was downgraded by FISA to Formula Libre status and stripped of any points.

Ferrari, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Ligier and Osella - the manufacture/turbo teams all pulled out of the event, leaving Bernie Ecclestone's FOCA outfits to battle it out.

From a field of 19 cars, Williams' Carlos Reutemann led home Nelson Piquet's Brabham and the Lotus of Elio d Angelis.

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Norris gets a pole-position welcome at old primary school

Fresh from pre-season testing and with a world title now stitched onto his racing overalls,…

43 mins ago

Two on the trot for Laffite and Ligier in Brazil

On this day in 1979, Jacques Laffite won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos as…

1 hour ago

Russell hungry for ‘head-to-head’ title clash with Verstappen

George Russell is not hiding his appetite for a showdown this season in F1. In…

3 hours ago

Vowles confident Williams won’t start F1 season ‘on the back foot’

Williams may have missed the first public glimpse of Formula 1’s bold new era, but…

4 hours ago

Mercedes Allison’s big takeaway from F1’s Barcelona test

Mercedes technical director James Allison arrived in Barcelona last week bracing for chaos – and…

5 hours ago

Verstappen rules out F1 management role after retirement

Max Verstappen has made one thing crystal clear about life after Formula 1: don’t expect…

22 hours ago