The 1981 Argentine Grand Prix was the last such race held until 1995, won by Nelson Piquet using Brabham's innovative skirt solution.
Key Facts
- Race date
- 12 April 1981
- Championship round
- 3rd race of 1981 F1 World Championship
- Pole position speed
- 130.029 mph (209.261 km/h)
- Pole sitter
- Nelson Piquet
- Gap before next Argentine GP
- 14 years (next in 1995)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Designer Gordon Murray devised an alternative flexible side-skirt solution for the Brabham cars, giving them a significant aerodynamic advantage over rivals. This technical innovation allowed both Brabham drivers to exploit superior downforce during the race at the Buenos Aires circuit.
Nelson Piquet started from pole position and immediately seized the lead from Alan Jones on the back straight. Teammate Héctor Rebaque advanced from fifth to second place over 23 laps, making it a dominant Brabham one-two performance at the 1981 Argentine Grand Prix on 12 April.
Piquet's victory bolstered Brabham's early-season competitiveness in the 1981 championship. The race also proved to be the last Argentine Grand Prix for 14 years, with Argentina not returning to the Formula One calendar until 1995.