Sunday 15th March 1981

The US West Grand Prix was held at Long Beach. Defending World Champion Alan Jones driving a Williams-Cosworth FW07C. Defending finished nine seconds ahead of teammate Carlos Reutemann, and won his first Long Beach Grand Prix, as the 1981 season finally began after a winter of controversy and legal battles. It was the third consecutive Grand Prix win for Jones, and his second consecutive in the United States, after seizing the 1980 Driver’s title with season-ending wins in Montreal, Canada and Watkins Glen, New York. This was also the race in which the revolutionary twin-chassis Lotus 88, designed by Colin Chapman, was disqualified and later banned from Formula One.