1981 BRDC International Trophy

May 2026 UK BRDC International Trophy 29 March 1981 Silverstone Circuit 1975 to 1986.png 33rd BRDC International Trophy Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, Great Britain Permanent racing facility 2.932 4.719 47 137.804 221.793 Rain Mike Thackwell NZL Ralt-Honda 1:18.59 Geoff Lees UK Ralt-Honda 1:22.82 Mike Thackwell NZL Ralt-Honda Riccardo Paletti ITA March-BMW Corrado Fabi ITA March-BMW The 33rd BRDC International Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held at Silverstone on 29 March 1981. It was the opening race of the 1981 European Formula Two Championship.XXXIII B.R.D.C. International Trophy 1981 http://www.formula2.net/F281_2.htm F2 Register dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090945/http://formula2.net/F281_2.htm 4 March 2016 2 October 2013 The 47-lap race was won by New Zealander Mike Thackwell, driving a works Ralt-Honda. Italian Riccardo Paletti finished second in a March-BMW entered by Onyx Race Engineering, with another Italian, Corrado Fabi, third in a works March-BMW. Report Entry A total of 46 F2 cars were entered for the event, however just 31 took part in qualifying. Qualifying Mike Thackwell took pole position for Ralt Racing Ltd, in their Ralt-Honda RH6/81, averaging a speed of 133.59 mph. Race The race was held over 47 laps on a wet Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Mike Thackwell took the winner spoils for works Ralt team, driving their Ralt-Honda RH6/81. Thackwell won in a time of 1hr 11:44.67mins., averaging a speed of 115.23 mph. Over 30 seconds behind was the second place car, driven by Riccardo Paletti, in the March Onyx Racing Team’s March-BMW 812. The podium was completed by another Italian, Corrado Fabi, in his Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd-entered March-BMW 812, albeit one lap adrift.http://formula2.net/F281_2.htm F2 Register - Index Race classification Pos. No. Driver Entrant Car - Engine Laps Time/Retired 1st 15 NZL Mike Thackwell Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/81 47 1:11:44.67 2nd 7 ITA Riccardo Paletti March Onyx Racing Team March-BMW 812 47 + 36.19 3rd 3 ITA Corrado Fabi Roloil Marlboro Racing/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 46 + 1 lap 4th 77 GBR Jim Crawford Plygrange Racing Ltd Toleman-Hart TG280 46 + 1 lap 5th 12 ITA Carlo Rossi Sanremo Racing Srl Toleman-Hart TG280 46 + 1 lap 6th 48 GBR Brian Robinson Grange Performance Cars Chevron-Hart B42 46 + 1 lap 7th 14 GBR Geoff Lees Ralt Racing Ltd Ralt-Honda RH6/81 45 + 2 laps 8th 36 GBR Ray Mallock Cliff Smith Racing Ralt-Hart RT4 45 + 2 laps 9th 1 SWE Stefan Johansson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T850 45 + 2 laps 10th 5 FRG Christian Danner March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 45 + 2 laps 11th 10 ITA Michele Alboreto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 281 45 + 2 laps 12th 24 CHE Jürg Lienhard Lista Racing Team March-BMW 802 45 + 2 laps 13th 27 AUT Sewi Hopfer Sewi Hopfer Racing Toleman-Hart TG280 44 + 3 laps 14th 9 VEN 1954 Johnny Cecotto Minardi Team Minardi Fly-BMW 281 44 + 3 laps 15th 18 CHE Fredy Schnarwiler Formel Rennsport Club Lola-BMW T850 43 + 4 laps 16th 29 GBR Warren Booth Colin Bennett Racing Chevron-Hart B48 43 + 4 laps 17th 28 ITA Guido Daccò DAC Sport Racing Team Minardi-BMW GM75 42 + 5 laps 18th 16 SWE Eje Elgh Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM81 42 + 5 laps 19th 2 GBR Kenny Acheson Docking Spitzley Team Toleman Lola-Hart T850 41 + 6 laps 20th 20 ITA 'Gianfranco' Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 812 39 + 8 laps DNF 4 BEL Thierry Boutsen Marlboro Racing for Zolder/March Racing Ltd March-BMW 812 36 Spin/gearbox DNF 11 ITA Guido Pardini Sanremo Racing Srl Lola-BMW T850 24 Crown wheel & pinion DNF 31 GBR Kim Mather Kim Mather March-Hart 792 24 Wheel bearing DNF 17 COL Roberto Guerrero Maurer Motorsport Maurer-BMW MM81 21 Electrical DNF 8 FRA Richard Dallest Team AGS Motul GPA AGS-BMW JH17 8 Accident DNF 40 GBR Paul Smith BMTR March-Hart 782 8 Engine DNS 19 ITA Piero Necchi Astra Team Merzario Srl March-BMW 812 DNS 35 FRG Jochen Dauer GRS Motorsport GRS-BMW TC 001 DNQ 21 ITA Arturo Merzario Astra Team Merzario Srl Merzario-BMW M1 DNQ 33 GBR Roy Baker Roy Baker Chevron-Hart B48 DNQ 46 GBR Bob Howlings Bob Howlings Chevron-Hart B42 Fastest lap: Geoff Lees, 1:22.82 secs (125.94 mph)Tristan Wood, "Drive It! The Complete Book of Formula 2 Motor Racing" (Foulis/Haynes, ASIN B009UWU1BW, 1984) References 30em Brdc International Trophy Category:European Formula Two Championship Category:BRDC International Trophy