Round 8 · 5 July 1981
1981 French Grand Prix: results
Alain Prost (Renault) won the 1981 French Grand Prix, round 8 of the championship, held on 5 July 1981 at Dijon-Prenois (France), starting from position 3. John Watson (McLaren) and Nelson Piquet (Brabham) completed the podium. Pole position went to René Arnoux.
Final classification
| Pos | Driver | Team | Grid | Time / gap | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alain Prost | Renault | 3 | 1:35:48.130 | 9 | Finished |
| 2 | John Watson | McLaren | 2 | +2.290 s | 6 | Finished |
| 3 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 4 | +24.220 s | 4 | Finished |
| 4 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1 | +42.300 s | 3 | Finished |
| 5 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari | 14 | +1 Lap | 2 | +1 Lap |
| 6 | Elio de Angelis | Team Lotus | 8 | +1 Lap | 1 | +1 Lap |
| 7 | Nigel Mansell | Team Lotus | 13 | +1 Lap | — | +1 Lap |
| 8 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo | 10 | +1 Lap | — | +1 Lap |
| 9 | Hector Rebaque | Brabham | 15 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 10 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams | 7 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 11 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren | 5 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 12 | Marc Surer | Theodore | 21 | +2 Laps | — | +2 Laps |
| 13 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell | 19 | +3 Laps | — | +3 Laps |
| 14 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 18 | +3 Laps | — | +3 Laps |
| 15 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 12 | +3 Laps | — | +3 Laps |
| 16 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 23 | +3 Laps | — | +3 Laps |
| 17 | Alan Jones | Williams | 9 | — | — | Collision |
| 18 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 6 | — | — | Suspension |
| 19 | Derek Daly | March | 20 | — | — | Engine |
| 20 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 11 | — | — | Electrical |
| 21 | Patrick Tambay | Ligier | 16 | — | — | Wheel bearing |
| 22 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi | 17 | — | — | Suspension |
| 23 | Eliseo Salazar | Ensign | 22 | — | — | Suspension |
| 24 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 24 | — | — | Withdrew |