1981 World Rally Championship
# 1981 World Rally Championship

The 1981 World Rally Championship was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The season consisted of 12 rallies. While this number was the same as the previous year, one change was made to the schedule, replacing New Zealand with the Brazil.

The 1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers was won by Ari Vatanen driving a Rothmans Rally Team Ford Escort RS1800, the only time a privateer team has won the Drivers' Championship until 2017. The Makes' Championship was won by Talbot with their Sunbeam Lotus. It also saw the beginning of a new era in the sport with the arrival of the Audi Quattro, the first four-wheel drive rally car. Initially regarded as too heavy and complex for rally stages, it proved its worth with three wins in its debut season, including a maiden victory for Michèle Mouton at the Rallye Sanremo, the only woman to win a WRC event.

## Teams and drivers

| Team | Constructor | Car | Drivers | Rounds |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro | Hannu Mikkola | 1-3, 5–6, 9–10, 12 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro | Michèle Mouton | 1, 3, 5–6, 9–10, 12 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro | Franz Wittmann | 6, 9 |
| Audi Sport | Audi | Quattro | Michele Cinotto | 10 |
| Fiat Auto Torino | Fiat | 131 Abarth | Markku Alén | 1, 3, 6, 9–10 |
| Fiat Auto Torino | Fiat | 131 Abarth | Attilio Bettega | 1, 3, 6, 10 |
| Fiat Auto Torino | Fiat | 131 Abarth | Dario Cerrato | 1, 3, 6, 10 |
| Talbot | Talbot | Sunbeam Lotus | Guy Fréquelin | 1, 3, 5–8, 10, 12 |
| Talbot | Talbot | Sunbeam Lotus | Henri Toivonen | 1, 3, 5–6, 9–10, 12 |
| Talbot | Talbot | Sunbeam Lotus | Stig Blomqvist | 9, 12 |
| Rothmans Rally Team | Ford | Escort RS 1800 | Ari Vatanen | 1-3, 6–12 |
| Rothmans Rally Team | Ford | Escort RS 1800 | Pentti Airikkala | 2, 9, 12 |
| Rothmans Rally Team | Ford | Escort RS 1800 | Malcolm Wilson | 3, 6, 12 |
| Rothmans Rally Team | Ford | Escort RS 1800 | John Taylor | 11 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica 2000GT | Björn Waldegård | 3, 5-6, 9, 11-12 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica 2000GT | Per Eklund | 3, 5-6, 11-12 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica 2000GT | Tapio Rainio | 9 |
| Toyota Team Europe | Toyota | Celica 2000GT | Samir Assef | 11 |

## Events

* ↑ Event not included in the Manufacturers' Championship
