Round 4 · 3 May 1981
1981 San Marino Grand Prix: results
Nelson Piquet (Brabham) won the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix, round 4 of the championship, held on 3 May 1981 at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Italy), starting from position 5. Riccardo Patrese (Arrows) and Carlos Reutemann (Williams) completed the podium. Pole position went to Gilles Villeneuve.
Final classification
| Pos | Driver | Team | Grid | Time / gap | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 5 | 1:51:23.970 | 9 | Finished |
| 2 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 9 | +4.580 s | 6 | Finished |
| 3 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 2 | +6.340 s | 4 | Finished |
| 4 | Hector Rebaque | Brabham | 13 | +22.890 s | 3 | Finished |
| 5 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 6 | +25.870 s | 2 | Finished |
| 6 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 14 | +66.610 s | 1 | Finished |
| 7 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1 | +101.970 s | — | Finished |
| 8 | René Arnoux | Renault | 3 | +1 Lap | — | +1 Lap |
| 9 | Marc Surer | Ensign | 21 | +1 Lap | — | +1 Lap |
| 10 | John Watson | McLaren | 7 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 11 | Patrick Tambay | Theodore | 16 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 12 | Alan Jones | Williams | 8 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 13 | Slim Borgudd | ATS | 24 | +3 Laps | — | +3 Laps |
| 14 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ligier | 18 | — | — | Not classified |
| 15 | Eliseo Salazar | March | 23 | — | — | Spun off |
| 16 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 17 | — | — | Collision |
| 17 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella | 20 | — | — | Collision |
| 18 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 11 | — | — | Collision |
| 19 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 19 | — | — | Collision |
| 20 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 12 | — | — | Gearbox |
| 21 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 15 | — | — | Engine |
| 22 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 10 | — | — | Suspension |
| 23 | Alain Prost | Renault | 4 | — | — | Gearbox |
| 24 | Miguel Ángel Guerra | Osella | 22 | — | — | Accident |
| 27 | Jan Lammers | ATS | — | — | — | Retired |
| 31 | Elio de Angelis | Team Lotus | — | — | — | Withdrew |
| 32 | Nigel Mansell | Team Lotus | — | — | — | Withdrew |