The 1981 Austrian Grand Prix was Round 11 of the 1981 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The event was held at the Österreichring circuit in Austria on Sunday, 16 August 1981. René Arnoux started on pole position in the Renault and Jacques Laffite was the race winner in the Ligier Matra.
1981 Austrian Grand Prix Race Result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Nationality | Team | Tyre | Laps | Time/Retired | Race Time | Gap | Interval | Best Lap | Lap | Speed | Started | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | France | Ligier Matra | Michelin | 53 | 1:27:36.47 | 1:27:36.470 | - | - | 1:37.620 | 47 | 215.700 | 4 | 9 |
| 2 | 16 | René Arnoux | France | Renault | Michelin | 53 | +5.170 | 1:27:41.640 | +5.170 | +5.170 | 1:38.240 | 36 | 215.490 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | 5 | Nelson Piquet | Brazil | Brabham Ford | Goodyear | 53 | +7.340 | 1:27:43.810 | +7.340 | +2.170 | 1:38.000 | 52 | 215.400 | 7 | 4 |
| 4 | 1 | Alan Jones | Australia | Williams Ford | Goodyear | 53 | +12.040 | 1:27:48.510 | +12.040 | +4.700 | 1:37.660 | 51 | 215.210 | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Argentina | Williams Ford | Goodyear | 53 | +31.850 | 1:28:08.320 | +31.850 | +19.810 | 1:38.690 | 29 | 214.400 | 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 7 | John Watson | Great Britain | McLaren Ford | Michelin | 53 | +1:31.140 | 1:29:07.610 | +1:31.140 | +59.290 | 1:38.650 | 42 | 212.020 | 12 | 1 |
| 7 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Italy | Lotus Ford | Goodyear | 52 | +1 lap | 1:27:49.170 | 1 lap | 1 lap | 1:39.370 | 40 | 211.120 | 9 | |
| 8 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Italy | McLaren Ford | Michelin | 52 | +1 lap | 1:28:12.480 | 1 lap | +23.310 | 1:39.710 | 52 | 210.190 | 18 | |
| 9 | 28 | Didier Pironi | France | Ferrari | Michelin | 52 | +1 lap | 1:28:41.330 | 1 lap | +28.850 | 1:40.660 | 4 | 209.050 | 8 | |
| 10 | 32 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | France | Osella Hart | Michelin | 51 | +2 laps | 1:28:47.970 | 2 laps | 1 lap | 1:42.460 | 6 | 204.770 | 14 | |
| 11 | 17 | Derek Daly | Ireland | March Ford | Avon | 47 | +6 laps | 1:28:00.140 | 6 laps | 4 laps | 1:40.180 | 40 | 190.420 | 19 | |
| DNF | 22 | Mario Andretti | United States | Alfa Romeo | Michelin | 46 | Engine | 1:19:44.150 | 1:41.320 | 8 | 205.690 | 13 | |||
| DNF | 9 | Slim Borgudd | Sweden | ATS Ford | Avon | 44 | Brakes | 1:15:36.320 | 1:40.880 | 42 | 207.500 | 21 | |||
| DNF | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Italy | Arrows Ford | Pirelli | 43 | Engine | 1:12:51.700 | 1:38.850 | 38 | 210.420 | 10 | |||
| DNF | 14 | Eliseo Salazar | Chile | Ensign Ford | Avon | 43 | Oil Pressure | 1:12:56.650 | 1:40.420 | 41 | 210.180 | 20 | |||
| DNF | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Italy | Tyrrell Ford | Avon | 40 | Gearbox | 1:09:14.700 | 1:41.320 | 21 | 205.960 | 22 | |||
| DNF | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Italy | Alfa Romeo | Michelin | 35 | Fire | 1:00:19.290 | 1:41.360 | 33 | 206.880 | 16 | |||
| DNF | 6 | Hector Rebaque | Mexico | Brabham Ford | Goodyear | 32 | Clutch | 56:28.600 | 1:40.470 | 25 | 202.020 | 15 | |||
| DNF | 30 | Siegfried Stohr | Italy | Arrows Ford | Pirelli | 27 | Overheating | 47:26.270 | 1:42.800 | 18 | 202.930 | 24 | |||
| DNF | 15 | Alain Prost | France | Renault | Michelin | 26 | Suspension | 43:04.370 | 1:38.410 | 4 | 215.220 | 2 | |||
| DNF | 25 | Patrick Tambay | France | Ligier Matra | Michelin | 26 | Engine | 47:25.870 | 1:40.820 | 11 | 195.440 | 17 | |||
| DNF | 12 | Nigel Mansell | Great Britain | Lotus Ford | Goodyear | 23 | Engine | 38:51.140 | 1:39.360 | 21 | 211.070 | 11 | |||
| DNF | 27 | Gilles Villeneuve | Canada | Ferrari | Michelin | 11 | Accident | 18:45.570 | 1:41.050 | 3 | 209.070 | 3 | |||
| DNF | 33 | Marc Surer | Switzerland | Theodore Ford | Michelin | Distributor | 23 | ||||||||
| DNQ | 3 | Eddie Cheever | United States | Tyrrell Ford | Goodyear | ||||||||||
| DNQ | 36 | Derek Warwick | Great Britain | Toleman Hart | Pirelli | ||||||||||
| DNQ | 35 | Brian Henton | Great Britain | Toleman Hart | Pirelli | ||||||||||
| DNQ | 31 | Beppe Gabbiani | Italy | Osella Hart | Michelin |