1981 World Rally Championship

Acropolis Rally
? 1981

 1   1 Ari Vatanen/David Richards               Ford Escort RS					DKP 191T
 2     Markku Alén/Ilkka Kivimäki		Fiat 131 Abarth
 3     Attilio Bettega/Maurizio Perrisnot	Fiat 131 Abarth
 4     Guy Fréquelin				Talbot
DQ     Michèle Mouton				Audi Quattro			illegal cooling duct
DQ     Hannu Mikkola				Audi Quattro			illegal cooling duct
       Franz Wittmann				Audi Quattro
 R						Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo
 R						Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo

RAC Rally
? 1981

 1   5 Hannu Mikkola/Arne Hertz                 Audi Quattro
 2
 3
 4
 5   9 Jean Ragnotti/Martin Holmes		Renault R5 Maxi					?? OVB 91
11  26 Rod Millen/Bryan Harris			Mazda RX7					UKL 970X
     1 Henri Toivonen/Fred Gallagher		Talbot Sunbeam Lotus		engine		KKV 444V
    17 Russell Brookes/Mike Broad		Talbot Sunbeam Lotus		prop-shaft	KKV 394V
 R  24 John Buffum/Neil Wilson			Triumph TR7 V8			engine split in two	??? 251V
    31 Vukovich/Zvingevits			Lada
 R 173 Tom Bradley/Peter Allworthy		British Leyland Mini Clubman			GTL 430N
 R   3 Markku Alen/Ilkka Kivimaki		Lancia Stratos			wheel/brakes
       Ari Vatanen/Dave Richards		Ford Escort
       Guy Frequelin				Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
 R     Michele Mouton/Fabrizio Pons		Audi Quattro			stuck in snow
 R   6 Tony Pond/Mike Nicholson			Vauxhall Chevette HSR		SS80/half-shaft	K?L 305W

Monte Carlo Rally
? 1981

 1     Jean Ragnotti/Jean-Marc Andrie           Renault 5 Turbo

Swedish Rally
? 1981

 1   2 Hannu Mikkola/Arne Hertz                 Audi Quattro A1			IN-NV 90

TAP Rally of Portugal
? 1981

 1     Markku Alen/Ilkka Kivimaki               Fiat 131 Abarth
 2
 3
 4
 5     Tony Pond/Ian Grindrod                   Datsun 160J

Safari Rally
17th-20th April 1981

 1     Shekhar Mehta/Mike Doughty               Datsun Violet GT	219 pens
 2     Rauno Aaltonen				Datsun Violet GT	224
 3     Mike Kirkland				Datsun Violet 160J	291
 4     Timo Salonen				Datsun S110		448
 5     Jochi Kleint				Opel Ascona 400		486
 6     J-C.Lefebvre				Peugeot 504 Coupe	512
 7     Y.Iwashita				Datsun S110		611
 8     J.Shah					Datsun PA10		630
 R     Alain Ambrosino/Jean-François Fauchille	Peugeot 504 Coupe	770 (finished, but deleted from results post event)
 9     M.Smith					Dodge Ramcharger	798
10     R.Hall					Dodge Ramcharger	851
 R     Anders Kullang				Opel Ascona 400		hit a hole/electrical failure

70 starters

Tour de Corse
? 1981

 1     Bernard Darniche/Alain Mahe              Lancia Stratos
 2
 3  18 Tony Pond/Ian Grindrod                   Datsun Violet GT

Codasur Rally (Argentina)
? 1981

 1     Guy Frequelin/Jean Todt                  Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
 2
 3
 4  12 Ernesto Soto                             Renault 12

Brazil Rally
? 1981

 1     Ari Vatanen/David Richards               Ford Escort RS

1000 Lakes Rally
28-30 August 1981

 1     Ari Vatanen/David Richards               Ford Escort RS          4h07m27
 2     Markku Alén/Ilkka Kivimäki               Fiat Abarth             4h08m26
 3     Hannu Mikkola/Arne Hertz                 Audi Quattro            4h10m19
 4     Timo Salonen/Seppo Harjanne              Datsun Violet           4h13m26
 5     Pentti Airikkala/Risto Virtanen          Ford Escort RS          4h15m40
 6     Björn Johansson/Sven-Erik Andersson      Opel Ascona             4h16m18
 7     Lasse Lampi/Pentti Kuukkala              Ford Escort RS          4h16m41
 8     Stig Blomqvist/Björn Cederberg           Talbot Sunbeam          4h19m09
 9     Björn Waldgård/Hans Thorszelius          Toyota Celica           4h20m27
10     Antero Laine/Juha Piironen               Mitsubishi Lancer       4h24m00
11     Kyösti Hämäläinen                        Mitsubishi Lancer 2000
 R   6 Henri Toivonen/Fred Gallagher            Talbot Sunbeam          SS40/distributor
 R     Per Eklund/Ragnar Spjuth                 Porsche 911 SC          SS36
 R     Leo Kinnunen/Risto Anttila               Porsche 911 SC          SS4
 R  23 Tapio Raino                              Opel Ascona

San Remo Rally
? October 1981

 1     Michele Mouton/Fabrizia Pons             Audi Quattro
 ?  18 Cerrato					Fiat 131
 R   1 Walter Röhrl/Christian Geistdörfer       Porsche 911 SC          transmission

Ivory Coast Rally
? 1981

 1     Timo Salonen/Seppo Harjanne              Datsun Violet GT

1981 International World Championship for Makes

 1     Talbot

1981 World Rally Championship

 1     Ari Vatenen                              Ford Escort RS