History remembers the 1981 Belgian Grand Prix
A Dark Day at Spa
Political rancour, tragedy, and pre-start protests
Forty years ago today, amid the political rancour of the 1981 Formula 1 season, the handling of a pre-start protest at Zolder triggered a chain of events that would cast a dark shadow over the sport.
The 1981 Belgian Grand Prix was the fifth race of the 1981 Formula One Season. The race was marred by tragedy by the death of Osella mechanic Giovanni Leone, who was struck by Nelson Piquet's car during a pit stop.
The race itself was also overshadowed by controversy. The pre-start protest centered around the legality of the Brabham BT49C cars, which were suspected of having illegal skirts. The protest was ultimately dismissed, but it led to a delay in the start of the race and created a tense atmosphere in the paddock.
The race itself was a chaotic affair. Reutemann took the lead at the start, but he was quickly passed by Didier Pironi. Alan Jones then nudged off Nelson Piquet at the early stages. Reutemann regained the lead and kept it until after 55 laps when rain began to fall and the race was brought to an end.
The 1981 Belgian Grand Prix is a dark page in the history of Formula One. The death of Giovanni Leone, the pre-start protest, and the chaotic race itself all combined to create a day that will never be forgotten.
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