1981 Argentine Grand Prix

Championship standings

Reutemann leads the championship after winning in Brazil. His defiance of team orders — refusing to yield to Jones despite clear pit signals — has split the Williams camp. Jones, furious, did not attend the podium ceremony.

Previous race

At Jacarepaguá, Reutemann led from early on and won, ignoring the team’s pitboards showing “JONES-REUT” instructing him to move aside for the team leader. Jones finished second and was furious. Patrese was third and the remarkable Marc Surer — running an Ensign — was fourth.

Between-race developments

Reutemann’s defiance has energised the Argentine crowd, who mock the Williams pitboard incident with their own signs showing the names switched to “REUT-JONES.” However, the championship situation within the Williams team is now tense.

Entrants

The Brabham hydro-pneumatic suspension controversy continues; all competitors have now fitted similar systems. The Lotus 88 is banned once again — Colin Chapman left before practice even began. Jean-Pierre Jabouille returns to the Talbot Ligier but is expected to fail to qualify. The two Osellas and Eliseo Salazar’s March also fail to make the field. The entry is otherwise unchanged from Brazil.