| «1981-01» | USA West Grand Prix - VII Grand Prix of Long Beach |
| 1981-03-15 | Long Beach - 80 laps × 3.251 km : 261.705 km (offset 1625 m) |
| Pos | Qualy | Car | Driver | Constructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows • Ford Cosworth |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | Alan Jones | Williams • Ford Cosworth |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams • Ford Cosworth |
| 4 | 4 | 5 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham • Ford Cosworth |
| 5 | 5 | 27 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari |
| 6 | 6 | 22 | Mario Andretti | Alfa Romeo |
| 7 | 7 | 12 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus • Ford Cosworth |
| 8 | 8 | 3 | Eddie Cheever | Tyrrell • Ford Cosworth |
| 9 | 9 | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo |
| 10 | 10 | 25 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Ligier • Matra |
| 11 | 11 | 28 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari |
| 12 | 12 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier • Matra |
| 13 | 13 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus • Ford Cosworth |
| 14 | 14 | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault |
| 15 | 15 | 6 | Hector Rebaque | Brabham • Ford Cosworth |
| 16 | 16 | 20 | Keke Rosberg | Fittipaldi • Ford Cosworth |
| 17 | 17 | 33 | Patrick Tambay | Theodore • Ford Cosworth |
| 18 | 18 | 21 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi • Ford Cosworth |
| 19 | 19 | 14 | Marc Surer | Ensign • Ford Cosworth |
| 20 | 20 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault |
| 21 | 21 | 9 | Jan Lammers | ATS • Ford Cosworth |
| 22 | 22 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | McLaren • Ford Cosworth |
| 23 | 23 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren • Ford Cosworth |
| 24 | 24 | 32 | Beppe Gabbiani | Osella • Ford Cosworth |