title: 1981 French motorcycle Grand Prix
text: # 1981 French motorcycle Grand Prix
  
  The 1981 French motorcycle Grand Prix was the fifth round of the 1981 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 16–17 May 1981 at the Paul Ricard Circuit.
  
  ## Classification
  
  ### 500 cc
  
  | Pos. | Rider | Team | Manufacturer | Time/Retired | Points |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Marco Lucchinelli | Team Nava Suzuki | Suzuki | 44'09.580 | 15 |
  | 2 | Randy Mamola | Ingersoll Herin Team Suzuki | Suzuki | +4.910 | 12 |
  | 3 | Graeme Crosby | Ingersoll Herin Team Suzuki | Suzuki | +5.350 | 10 |
  | 4 | Barry Sheene | | Yamaha | +5.630 | 8 |
  | 5 | Kenny Roberts | Yamaha Motor Company | Yamaha | +13.950 | 6 |
  | 6 | Hiroyuki Kawasaki | Ingersoll Herin Team Suzuki | Suzuki | +30.090 | 5 |
  | 7 | Kork Ballington | Team Kawasaki | Kawasaki | +30.340 | 4 |
  | 8 | Boet van Dulmen | | Yamaha | +30.980 | 3 |
  | 9 | Jack Middelburg | Racing Westland | Suzuki | +40.510 | 2 |
  | 10 | Marc Fontan | Team Sonauto Gauloises | Yamaha | +1'05.000 | 1 |
  | 11 | Seppo Rossi | | Suzuki | +1'09.540 | |
  | 12 | Bernard Fau | | Yamaha | +1'10.000 | |
  | 13 | Sergio Pellandini | | Suzuki | +1'19.030 | |
  | 14 | Kimmo Kopra | | Suzuki | +1'38.520 | |
  | 15 | Walter Migliorati | | Suzuki | +1'40.270 | |
  | 16 | Stuart Avant | Ellis Racing | Suzuki | +1'45.800 | |
  | 17 | Jean Lafond | | Yamaha | +1'50.830 | |
  | 18 | Jacques Agopian | | Suzuki | +1 lap | |
  | 19 | Dominique Pernet | | Yamaha | +1 lap | |
  | 20 | Andreas Hofmann | | Suzuki | +1 lap | |
  | 21 | Roberto Pietri | | Suzuki | +1 lap | |
  | 22 | Alain Rothlisberger | | Suzuki | +1 lap | |
  | 23 | Josef Hage | Dieter Braun Team | Yamaha | +1 lap | |
  | 24 | Antonio Grecco | | Suzuki | +1 lap | |
  | Ret | Takazumi Katayama | Honda International Racing | Honda | Accident | |
  | Ret | Christian Sarron | Team Sonauto Gauloises | Yamaha | Accident | |
  | Ret | Hervé Guilleux | | Yamaha | Accident | |
  | Ret | Peter Sjöström | | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | Ret | Mike Baldwin | | Yamaha | Retired | |
  | Ret | Sadao Asami | | Yamaha | Retired | |
  | Ret | Gustav Reiner | Team Solitude Deutschland | Solo | Retired | |
  | Ret | Keith Huewen | Heron Suzuki GB | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | Ret | Franco Uncini | | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | Ret | Christian Estrosi | | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | Ret | Gianni Rolando | | Lombardini | Retired | |
  | Ret | Philippe Coulon | | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | Ret | Raymond Roche | | Suzuki | Retired | |
  | DNS | Hubert Rigal | | Yamaha | Did not start | |
  | DNQ | Carlo Perugini | Moto Sanvenero | Sanvenero | Did not qualify | |
  | DNQ | Lennart Bäckström | | Suzuki | Did not qualify | |
  | DNQ | Franck Gross | | Suzuki | Did not qualify | |
  | DNQ | Virginio Ferrari | Cagiva Corse | Cagiva | Did not qualify | |
  | DNQ | Raffaele Pasqual | | Yamaha | Did not qualify | |
  | DNQ | Gina Bovaird | | Yamaha | Did not qualify | |
  | Sources: ||||||
  