1981 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 49th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 13 and 14 June 1981. It was also the eighth round of the 1981 World Endurance Championship of Drivers and the fifth round of the 1981 World Endurance Championship of Makes.
Pre-race
The circuit had been widened at the approach to the Esses, adding grass runoff after the Dunlop Curve.Porsche had a new program for the future Group C regulations in 1982, and had persuaded Jacky Ickx out of retirement. The main reason for entering Le Mans was to test a new engine for the upcoming new car. This 2.6L engine was derived from an Indianapolis 500 engine which never raced. The new engines were fitted in a pair of 936 chassis. Ickx shared one of the updated 936s with Derek Bell; Jochen Mass, Vern Schuppan and Hurley Haywood drove the other.
Shortly after going into semi-retirement, NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough made his only start. This made Yarborough one of the few drivers in history to participate in the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Race
The race was run in very hot weather, but the engine test was successful: after the first hour, Ickx and Bell had built a large advance and remained at lead for the rest of the race. They won by an even greater margin than in 1976- 14 laps. Ickx had won Le Mans for the 5th time- surpassing a record set by fellow Belgian Olivier Gendebien in 1962.The race was marred by the deaths of a driver and a marshal during the race in separate incidents, and also several marshals were injured in these incidents. 40-year old Jean-Louis Lafosse violently crashed his Rondeau in the early stages on the Mulsanne Straight while following the Lola T600 of de Villota/Edwards/Fernández and was killed instantly. No cause has ever been determined although a piece of debris is seen flying away from the car just before the Rondeau suddenly steers to the right, along with pre-crash photographs showing evidence of damage from an off-track excursion, suggesting suspension failure as a possible cause. Two marshals were seriously injured in Lafosse's fatal accident. Thierry Boutsen, who would go on to drive and win in Formula One, had earlier escaped a large accident in the second hour, destroying his WM-Peugeot but without causing injury to himself; race marshal Thierry Mabillat was killed in the accident after he was struck by a piece of the broken guard rail; and 2 of his colleagues, Claude Hertault and Serge David, were seriously injured but survived; the latter lost an arm.
Official results
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Chassis | Tyres | Laps |
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Engine | Tyres | Laps |
| 1 | S +2.0 | 11 |  Porsche System |  Jacky Ickx Derek Bell | Porsche 936/81 | 354 | |
| 1 | S +2.0 | 11 | Porsche System | Jacky Ickx Derek Bell | Porsche Type-935 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 | 354 | |
| 2 | GTP 3.0 | 8 |  Jean Rondeau | Jacky Haran Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Streiff | Rondeau M379 | 340 | |
| 2 | GTP 3.0 | 8 | Jean Rondeau | Jacky Haran Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Streiff | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 340 | |
| 3 | GTP 3.0 | 7 | Otis Jean Rondeau | Gordon Spice François Migault | Rondeau M379 | 335 | |
| 3 | GTP 3.0 | 7 | Otis Jean Rondeau | Gordon Spice François Migault | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 335 | |
| 4 | Gr.5 | 55 | Claude Bourgoignie Charles Ivey Racing | Claude Bourgoignie John Cooper Dudley Wood | Porsche 935 K3 | 330 | |
| 4 | Gr.5 | 55 | Claude Bourgoignie Charles Ivey Racing | Claude Bourgoignie John Cooper Dudley Wood | Porsche Type-935 3.1 L Turbo Flat-6 | 330 | |
| 5 | IMSA GTX | 47 | Charles Pozzi S.A. | Jean-Claude Andruet Claude Ballot-Léna Hervé Regout | Ferrari 512BB/LM | 328 | |
| 5 | IMSA GTX | 47 | Charles Pozzi S.A. | Jean-Claude Andruet Claude Ballot-Léna Hervé Regout | Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12 | 328 | |
| 6 | IMSA GTX | 42 |  Cooke-Woods Racing | Anne-Charlotte Verney Bob Garretson Ralph Kent-Cooke | Porsche 935 K3 | 327 | |
| 6 | IMSA GTX | 42 | Cooke-Woods Racing | Anne-Charlotte Verney Bob Garretson Ralph Kent-Cooke | Porsche Type-935 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 | 327 | |
| 7 | GTP +3.0 | 1 | Porsche System | Jürgen Barth Walter Röhrl | Porsche 944 LM | 323 | |
| 7 | GTP +3.0 | 1 | Porsche System | Jürgen Barth Walter Röhrl | Porsche 2.5 L Turbo I4 | 323 | |
| 8 | Gr.5 | 65 |  Martini Racing | Michele Alboreto Eddie Cheever Carlo Facetti | Lancia Beta Monte Carlo | 322 | |
| 8 | Gr.5 | 65 | Martini Racing | Michele Alboreto Eddie Cheever Carlo Facetti | Lancia 1.4 L Turbo I4 | 322 | |
| 9 | IMSA GTX | 46 | Rennod Racing | Pierre Dieudonné Jean Xhenceval Jean-Paul Libert | Ferrari 512BB/LM | 320 | |
| 9 | IMSA GTX | 46 | Rennod Racing | Pierre Dieudonné Jean Xhenceval Jean-Paul Libert | Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12 | 320 | |
| 10 | Gr.5 | 60 | Vegla Racing Team | Dieter Schornstein Harald Grohs Götz von Tschirnhaus | Porsche 935J | 320 | |
| 10 | Gr.5 | 60 | Vegla Racing Team | Dieter Schornstein Harald Grohs Götz von Tschirnhaus | Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 | 320 | |
| 11 | IMSA GTO | 36 | Porsche System |  Manfred Schurti Andy Rouse | Porsche 924 Carrera GTR | 315 | |
| 11 | IMSA GTO | 36 | Porsche System | Manfred Schurti Andy Rouse | Porsche 2.0 L Turbo I4 | 315 | |
| 12 | S +2.0 | 12 | Porsche System | Jochen Mass Vern Schuppan Hurley Haywood | Porsche 936/81 | 312 | |
| 12 | S +2.0 | 12 | Porsche System | Jochen Mass Vern Schuppan Hurley Haywood | Porsche Type-935 2.6 L Turbo Flat-6 | 312 | |
| 13 | GTP +3.0 | 4 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Denis Morin Charles Mendez Xavier Mathiot | WM P79/80 | 307 | |
| 13 | GTP +3.0 | 4 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Denis Morin Charles Mendez Xavier Mathiot | Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6 | 307 | |
| 14 | Gr.5 | 68 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto Giorgio Pianta Giorgio Schön | Lancia Beta Monte Carlo | 292 | |
| 14 | Gr.5 | 68 | Jolly Club | Martino Finotto Giorgio Pianta Giorgio Schön | Lancia 1.4 L Turbo I4 | 292 | |
| 15 | S +2.0 | 18 | Team Lola |  Emilio de Villota Guy Edwards Juan Fernández | Lola T600 | 287 | |
| 15 | S +2.0 | 18 | Team Lola | Emilio de Villota Guy Edwards Juan Fernández | Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 | 287 | |
| 16 | Gr.5 | 51 | BMW Italie-France | Philippe Alliot Bernard Darniche Johnny Cecotto | BMW M1 Gr.5 | 277 | |
| 16 | Gr.5 | 51 | BMW Italie-France | Philippe Alliot Bernard Darniche Johnny Cecotto | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 277 | |
| 17 | GT | 70 | Thierry Perrier | Thierry Perrier Valentin Bertapelle Bernard Salam | Porsche 934 | 274 | |
| 17 | GT | 70 | Thierry Perrier | Thierry Perrier Valentin Bertapelle Bernard Salam | Porsche 2.9 L Turbo Flat-6 | 274 | |
| 18 | S 2.0 | 31 | Jean-Philippe Grand | Jean-Philippe Grand Yves Courage | Lola T298 | 272 | |
| 18 | S 2.0 | 31 | Jean-Philippe Grand | Jean-Philippe Grand Yves Courage | BMW 2.0 L I4 | 272 | |
| 19 NC | S 2.0 | 33 | Compagnie Primagaz | Pierre Yver Michel Dubois Jacques Heuclin | Lola T298 | 203 | |
| 19 NC | S 2.0 | 33 | Compagnie Primagaz | Pierre Yver Michel Dubois Jacques Heuclin | BMW 2.0 L I4 | 203 | |
| 20 NC | S 2.0 | 32 | Écurie Renard-Delmas | Louis Descartes Hervé Bayard | Renard-Delmas D1 | 187 | |
| 20 NC | S 2.0 | 32 | Écurie Renard-Delmas | Louis Descartes Hervé Bayard | ROC-Simca 2.0 L I4 | 187 | |
| 21 DNF | IMSA GTX | 43 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Bob Akin Paul Miller Craig Siebert | Porsche 935 K3 | 320 | |
| 21 DNF | IMSA GTX | 43 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Bob Akin Paul Miller Craig Siebert | Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 | 320 | |
| 22 DNF | Gr.5 | 57 |  Claude Haldi Charles Ivey Racing | Claude Haldi Mark Thatcher Hervé Poulain | Porsche 935 | 260 | |
| 22 DNF | Gr.5 | 57 | Claude Haldi Charles Ivey Racing | Claude Haldi Mark Thatcher Hervé Poulain | Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 | 260 | |
| 23 DNF | IMSA GTX | 49 | NART | Alain Cudini Philippe Gurdjian John Morton | Ferrari 512BB/LM | 247 | |
| 23 DNF | IMSA GTX | 49 | NART | Alain Cudini Philippe Gurdjian John Morton | Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12 | 247 | |
| 24 DNF | Gr.5 | 53 | EMKA Productions Limited | David Hobbs Eddie Jordan Steve O'Rourke | BMW M1 Gr.5 | 236 | |
| 24 DNF | Gr.5 | 53 | EMKA Productions Limited | David Hobbs Eddie Jordan Steve O'Rourke | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 236 | |
| 25 DNF | GT | 72 | BMW Zol'Auto | Jean-François Rousselot François Sérvanin Laurent Ferrier | BMW M1 | 212 | |
| 25 DNF | GT | 72 | BMW Zol'Auto | Jean-François Rousselot François Sérvanin Laurent Ferrier | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 212 | |
| 26 DNF | S +2.0 | 20 | Alain de Cadenet Belga | Alain de Cadenet Jean-Michel Martin Philippe Martin | De Cadenet-Lola LM | 210 | |
| 26 DNF | S +2.0 | 20 | Alain de Cadenet Belga | Alain de Cadenet Jean-Michel Martin Philippe Martin | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 210 | |
| 27 DNF | Gr.5 | 52 | Würth-Lubrifilm Team Sauber |  Dieter Quester Marc Surer David Deacon | BMW M1 Gr.5 | 207 | |
| 27 DNF | Gr.5 | 52 | Würth-Lubrifilm Team Sauber | Dieter Quester Marc Surer David Deacon | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 207 | |
| 28 DNF | Gr.5 | 66 | Martini Racing | Riccardo Patrese Hans Heyer Piercarlo Ghinzani | Lancia Beta Monte Carlo | 186 | |
| 28 DNF | Gr.5 | 66 | Martini Racing | Riccardo Patrese Hans Heyer Piercarlo Ghinzani | Lancia 1.4 L Turbo I4 | 186 | |
| 29 DNF | S +2.0 | 21 | Alain de Cadenet Dorset Racing Associates | Martin Birrane Nick Faure Vivian Candy | De Cadenet-Lola LM | 171 | |
| 29 DNF | S +2.0 | 21 | Alain de Cadenet Dorset Racing Associates | Martin Birrane Nick Faure Vivian Candy | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 171 | |
| 30 DNF | S +2.0 | 23 |  Dome Co. Ltd. | Chris Craft Bob Evans | Dome RL81 | 154 | |
| 30 DNF | S +2.0 | 23 | Dome Co. Ltd. | Chris Craft Bob Evans | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 154 | |
| 31 DNF | IMSA GTX | 40 | Joest Racing |  Mauricio de Narváez Kenper Miller Günther Steckkönig | Porsche 935J | 152 | |
| 31 DNF | IMSA GTX | 40 | Joest Racing | Mauricio de Narváez Kenper Miller Günther Steckkönig | Porsche Type-935 2.8 L Turbo Flat-6 | 152 | |
| 32 DNF | IMSA GTX | 48 | Simon Phillips | Simon Phillips Mike Salmon Steve Earle | Ferrari 512BB/LM | 140 | |
| 32 DNF | IMSA GTX | 48 | Simon Phillips | Simon Phillips Mike Salmon Steve Earle | Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12 | 140 | |
| 33 DNF | IMSA GTX | 45 | Scuderia Supercar Bellancauto SRL | Fabrizio Violati Maurizio Flammini Duilio Truffo | Ferrari 512BB/LM | 118 | |
| 33 DNF | IMSA GTX | 45 | Scuderia Supercar Bellancauto SRL | Fabrizio Violati Maurizio Flammini Duilio Truffo | Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12 | 118 | |
| 34 DNF | S +2.0 | 22 | André Chevalley Racing | Patrick Gaillard André Chevalley Bruno Sotty | ACR 80B | 114 | |
| 34 DNF | S +2.0 | 22 | André Chevalley Racing | Patrick Gaillard André Chevalley Bruno Sotty | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 114 | |
| 35 DNF | IMSA GTO | 37 | Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. | Tetsu Ikuzawa Tom Walkinshaw Peter Lovett | Mazda RX-7 | 107 | |
| 35 DNF | IMSA GTO | 37 | Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. | Tetsu Ikuzawa Tom Walkinshaw Peter Lovett | Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-Rotor | 107 | |
| 36 DNF | S 2.0 | 30 | Jean-Marie Lemerle | Jean-Marie Lemerle Max Cohen-Olivar Alain Levié | Lola T298 | 104 | |
| 36 DNF | S 2.0 | 30 | Jean-Marie Lemerle | Jean-Marie Lemerle Max Cohen-Olivar Alain Levié | BMW 2.0 L I4 | 104 | |
| 37 DNF | S +2.0 | 27 | Ian Bracey | Tiff Needell Tony Trimmer | Ibec-Hesketh 308LM | 95 | |
| 37 DNF | S +2.0 | 27 | Ian Bracey | Tiff Needell Tony Trimmer | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 95 | |
| 38 DNF | S +2.0 | 10 | Porsche Kremer Racing | Bob Wollek Xavier Lapeyre Guy Chasseuil | Porsche 917K/81 | 82 | |
| 38 DNF | S +2.0 | 10 | Porsche Kremer Racing | Bob Wollek Xavier Lapeyre Guy Chasseuil | Porsche 4.9 L Flat-12 | 82 | |
| 39 DNF | S +2.0 | 14 | Joest Racing | Reinhold Joest Dale Whittington Klaus Niedzwiedz | Porsche 908/80 | 80 | |
| 39 DNF | S +2.0 | 14 | Joest Racing | Reinhold Joest Dale Whittington Klaus Niedzwiedz | Porsche 2.1 L Turbo Flat-6 | 80 | |
| 40 DNF | S +2.0 | 24 | Otis Jean Rondeau | Jean Rondeau Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Rondeau M379 | 58 | |
| 40 DNF | S +2.0 | 24 | Otis Jean Rondeau | Jean Rondeau Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 | 58 | |
| 41 DNF | Gr.5 | 59 | Porsche Kremer Racing | Ted Field Bill Whittington Don Whittington | Porsche 935 K3 | 57 | |
| 41 DNF | Gr.5 | 59 | Porsche Kremer Racing | Ted Field Bill Whittington Don Whittington | Porsche Type-935 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6 | 57 | |
| 42 DNF | IMSA GTX | 50 | BASF Cassetten Team GS Sport | Hans-Joachim Stuck Jean-Pierre Jarier Helmut Henzler | BMW M1 Gr.5 | 57 | |
| 42 DNF | IMSA GTX | 50 | BASF Cassetten Team GS Sport | Hans-Joachim Stuck Jean-Pierre Jarier Helmut Henzler | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 57 | |
| 43 DNF | C | 83 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Jean-Daniel Raulet Marcel Mamers | WM P81 | 50 | |
| 43 DNF | C | 83 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Jean-Daniel Raulet Marcel Mamers | Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6 | 50 | |
| 44 DNF | Gr.5 | 69 |  Tuff-Kote Dinol Racing | Jan Lundgårdh Axel Plankenhorn Mike Wilds | Porsche 935 L1 "Baby" | 49 | |
| 44 DNF | Gr.5 | 69 | Tuff-Kote Dinol Racing | Jan Lundgårdh Axel Plankenhorn Mike Wilds | Porsche 1.4 L Turbo Flat-6 | 49 | |
| 45 DNF | GT | 71 | Helmut Marko RSM | Christian Danner Peter Oberndofer Prince Leopold von Bayern | BMW M1 | 49 | |
| 45 DNF | GT | 71 | Helmut Marko RSM | Christian Danner Peter Oberndofer Prince Leopold von Bayern | BMW M88 3.5 L I6 | 49 | |
| 46 DNF | Gr.5 | 61 | Weralit Racing Team | Edgar Dören Jürgen Lässig Gerhard Holup | Porsche 935 K3 | 48 | |
| 46 DNF | Gr.5 | 61 | Weralit Racing Team | Edgar Dören Jürgen Lässig Gerhard Holup | Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6 | 48 | |
| 47 DNF | Gr.5 | 67 | Martini Racing | Beppe Gabbiani Emanuele Pirro | Lancia Beta Monte Carlo | 47 | |
| 47 DNF | Gr.5 | 67 | Martini Racing | Beppe Gabbiani Emanuele Pirro | Lancia 1.4 L Turbo I4 | 47 | |
| 48 DNF | GTP +3.0 | 5 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Guy Fréquelin Roger Dorchy Xavier Mathiot | WM P79/80 | 46 | |
| 48 DNF | GTP +3.0 | 5 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Guy Fréquelin Roger Dorchy Xavier Mathiot | Peugeot PRV 2.7vL Turbo V6 | 46 | |
| 49 DNF | IMSA GTX | 41 | Preston Henn Racing | Preston Henn Mike Chandler Marcel Mignot | Porsche 935 K3 | 45 | |
| 49 DNF | IMSA GTX | 41 | Preston Henn Racing | Preston Henn Mike Chandler Marcel Mignot | Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6 | 45 | |
| 50 DNF | S +2.0 | 26 | Oceanic Jean Rondeau | Henri Pescarolo Patrick Tambay | Rondeau M379 | 41 | |
| 50 DNF | S +2.0 | 26 | Oceanic Jean Rondeau | Henri Pescarolo Patrick Tambay | Ford Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8 | 41 | |
| 51 DNF | GT | 73 | Eminence Racing Team | Jean-Marie Alméras Jacques Alméras | Porsche 924 Carrera GTR | 30 | |
| 51 DNF | GT | 73 | Eminence Racing Team | Jean-Marie Alméras Jacques Alméras | Porsche 2.0 L Turbo I4 | 30 | |
| 52 DNF | S +2.0 | 25 | Calberson Jean Rondeau | Jean Ragnotti Jean-Louis Lafosse | Rondeau M379 | 28 | |
| 52 DNF | S +2.0 | 25 | Calberson Jean Rondeau | Jean Ragnotti Jean-Louis Lafosse | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8 | 28 | |
| 53 DNF | IMSA GTO | 38 | Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. | Yojiro Terada Hiroshi Fushida Win Percy | Mazda RX-7 | 25 | |
| 53 DNF | IMSA GTO | 38 | Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. | Yojiro Terada Hiroshi Fushida Win Percy | Mazda 13B 1.3 L 2-Rotor | 25 | |
| 54 DNF | C | 82 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Thierry Boutsen Serge Saulnier Michel Pignard | WM P81 | 15 | |
| 54 DNF | C | 82 | WM A.E.R.E.M. | Thierry Boutsen Serge Saulnier Michel Pignard | Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6 | 15 | |
| 55 DNF | IMSA GTO | 35 | Stratagraph Inc. | Cale Yarborough Billy Hagan Bill Cooper | Chevrolet Camaro | 13 | |
| 55 DNF | IMSA GTO | 35 | Stratagraph Inc. | Cale Yarborough Billy Hagan Bill Cooper | Chevrolet 6.4 L V8 | 13 |
Statistics
- Pole Position - #11 Porsche System - 3:29.44
- Fastest Lap - #12 Porsche System - 3:34.00
- Distance - 4825.348 km
- Average Speed - 201.056 km/h
Trophy Winners
- Index of Thermal Efficiency - #31 Jean-Philippe Grand