Monaco Grand Prix 1981 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Gilles Villeneuve delivered one of Formula 1's greatest defensive driving performances to win the Monaco Grand Prix, holding off faster cars for 78 laps through sheer willpower and racecraft. The Canadian drove with breathtaking precision around Monte Carlo's unforgiving barriers, using every inch of the circuit to prevent Alan Jones's faster Williams from finding a way past. Villeneuve's Ferrari 126CK was down on power compared to the ground-effect cars, but his supernatural car control and intimate knowledge of Monaco's nuances proved decisive.

Jones finished a frustrated second despite having superior pace, unable to find a way past Villeneuve's brilliantly positioned Ferrari. The Australian's championship challenge remained alive, though his growing disillusionment with Formula 1 was becoming increasingly apparent. Jacques Laffite claimed third for Ligier, continuing the French team's solid 1981 campaign. Villeneuve's Monaco masterclass became the stuff of legend, a triumph of driver skill over machinery that showcased why the charismatic Canadian was one of racing's most beloved figures. The victory provided Ferrari with a rare bright spot in a difficult transitional season as they developed their turbocharged car.