Round 1 · 1981
United States Grand Prix West
WinnerJOEWilliams · from P2
PolePAC
Fastest lap1:20.901Jones · L31
Biggest gain+12Alexandre Arnoux P20→P8
Retirements16of 24 starters
Classification
| Pos | Driver | Team | Grid | +/− | Laps | Time / Status | Pits | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Jones JOE | Williams | 2 | +1 | 80 | 1:50:41.330 FL | — | 9 |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann REU | Williams | 3 | +1 | 80 | +9.190 | — | 6 |
| 3 | Brabham | 4 | +1 | 80 | +34.920 | — | 4 | |
| 4 | Mario Andretti ANI | Alfa Romeo (1979–85) | 6 | +2 | 80 | +49.310 | — | 3 |
| 5 | Eddie Cheever Jr CHE | Tyrrell | 8 | +3 | 80 | +1:06.700 | — | 2 |
| 6 | Patrick Tambay TAM | Theodore | 17 | +11 | 79 | +1 lap | — | 1 |
| 7 | Chico Serra SER | Fittipaldi | 18 | +11 | 78 | +2 laps | — | |
| 8 | Toleman | 20 | +12 | 77 | +3 laps | — | ||
| — | Eliseo Salazar SAA | March | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Ligier | 10 | 64 | DNF · L64 | — | |||
| — | John Watson WAT | McLaren | 23 | 16 | DNF · L16 | — | ||
| — | Jacques Laffite LAF | Ligier | 12 | 41 | DNF · L41 | — | ||
| — | Hector Rebaque REB | Brabham | 15 | 49 | DNF · L49 | — | ||
| — | Riccardo Patrese PAC | Arrows | 1 | 33 | DNF · L33 | — | ||
| — | Bruno Giacomelli GIA | Alfa Romeo (1979–85) | 9 | 41 | DNF · L41 | — | ||
| — | Ferrari | 5 | 17 | DNF · L17 | — | |||
| — | Didier Pironi PIR | Ferrari | 11 | 67 | DNF · L67 | — | ||
| — | Keke Rosberg ROG | Fittipaldi | 16 | 41 | DNF · L41 | — | ||
| — | Derek Daly DAD | March | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Beppe Gabbiani GAB | Osella | 24 | 26 | DNF · L26 | — | ||
| — | Elio de Angelis DEA | Team Lotus | 13 | 13 | DNF · L13 | — | ||
| — | Jan Lammers LAM | ATS | 21 | 41 | DNF · L41 | — | ||
| — | Marc Surer SUR | Ensign | 19 | 70 | DNF · L70 | — | ||
| — | Alain Prost PRO | Toleman | 14 | 0 | DNF · L0 | — | ||
| — | McLaren | 22 | 0 | DNF · L0 | — | |||
| — | Nigel Mansell MNS | Team Lotus | 7 | 25 | DNF · L25 | — | ||
| — | Kevin Cogan COG | Tyrrell | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Siegfried Stohr STH | Arrows | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Osella | — | 0 | DNQ | — |
Session schedule
Grand PrixFinal
Championship after round 1
| Pos | Driver | Pts | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Jones JOE | 9 | |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann REU | 6 | |
| 3 | 4 | ||
| 4 | Mario Andretti ANI | 3 | |
| 5 | Eddie Cheever Jr CHE | 2 | |
| 6 | Patrick Tambay TAM | 1 | |
| 7 | Eliseo Salazar SAA | 0 | |
| 8 | 0 |
Running totals from published race points.
Recent winners at Long Beach Street Circuit
Circuit DNA| Season | Event | Winner | Team | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | United States Grand Prix West | Brabham | 1 | |
| 1979 | United States Grand Prix West | Ferrari | 1 | |
| 1978 | United States Grand Prix West | Carlos Reutemann REU | Ferrari | 1 |
| 1977 | United States Grand Prix West | Mario Andretti ANI | Team Lotus | 2 |
| 1976 | United States Grand Prix West | Clay Regazzoni REA | Ferrari | 1 |