Nelson Piquet snatched a remarkable victory at the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix when Nigel Mansell stopped on the final lap. Stefano Modena took second for Tyrrell and Riccardo Patrese finished third, turning an apparently certain Williams triumph into a painful missed opportunity.
Race Guide
Season: 1991 F1 World Championship
Race date: 2 June 1991
Race start time: 14:00 local time (UTC-04:00)
Circuit: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Laps: 69 laps
Circuit length: 4.430 km
1990 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
| Pole time | 1:19.837 | |
| Fastest lap | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:22.385 on lap 65 | |
| First | Nelson Piquet | Benetton |
| Second | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell |
| Third | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1991 | Pre-qualifying | 08:00–09:00 |
| 31 May 1991 | Practice 1 | 10:00 |
| 31 May 1991 | Qualifying 1 | 13:00 |
| 1 June 1991 | Practice 2 | 10:00 |
| 1 June 1991 | Qualifying 2 | 13:00 |
| 2 June 1991 | Warm-up | 09:30 |
| 2 June 1991 | Race | 14:00 |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Ayrton Senna arrived at round 5 leading the 1991 F1 World Championship on 40 points, with Alain Prost on 11. McLaren headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 50 points.
Race entries
Johnny Herbert replaced Julian Bailey at Lotus after Julian Bailey‘s funding ran out. Stefan Johansson stood in for Alex Caffi at Footwork following Alex Caffi‘s road accident. Ferrari and Benetton also arrived amid management changes, with Cesare Fiorio and John Barnard respectively leaving their senior roles.
Pre-qualifying
Emanuele Pirro and Lehto led a comfortable Dallara–Jordan lockout, with de Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot also advancing. Olivier Grouillard was fifth, ahead of Nicola Larini, van de Eric van de Poele and Chaves. The four successful drivers were more than a second clear of the remainder.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:23.244 | — |
| 2 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:23.480 | +0.236 |
| 3 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 1:23.672 | +0.428 |
| 4 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 1:23.719 | +0.475 |
| 5 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Fondmetal | 1:24.795 | +1.551 |
| 6 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 1:25.736 | +2.492 |
| 7 | 35 | Eric van de Poele | Lamborghini | 1:26.900 | +3.656 |
| 8 | 31 | Pedro Chaves | Coloni | 1:34.475 | +11.231 |
Friday Free Practice
Friday practice was interrupted after Ayrton Senna‘s engine failure left oil on the circuit and Riccardo Patrese crashed heavily. Riccardo Patrese escaped serious injury but suffered neck pain, while McLaren lost valuable running as Ayrton Senna switched cars. Roberto Moreno went quickest before rain affected the session. The resurfaced circuit and revised final chicane had already given the teams plenty to learn before those disruptions.
Friday Practice Classification
1991 Canadian Grand Prix Practice, 31 May 1991
Friday Qualifying
Nigel Mansell was fastest in Friday’s wet qualifying, ahead of Jean Alesi and Ayrton Senna. The conditions made the times far slower than normal, but the session still mattered while Saturday’s weather remained uncertain.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1991 Canadian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 31 May 1991
Saturday Free Practice
Dry weather returned on Saturday, and Riccardo Patrese recovered impressively to lead practice. Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna joined him below 1:20, with Bertrand Gachot an encouraging fourth for Jordan. Riccardo Patrese‘s pace was especially notable after Friday’s impact: Williams had restored both car and driver to the front, setting up a much stronger challenge to McLaren than the opening races had suggested.
Saturday Practice Classification
1991 Canadian Grand Prix Practice, 1 June 1991
Saturday Qualifying
Riccardo Patrese claimed pole on the dry Saturday with a 1:19.837. Nigel Mansell overcame gearbox and clutch-control problems to join him on the front row in the spare car. Ayrton Senna qualified third, ahead of Alain Prost, Roberto Moreno and Gerhard Berger. For the first time that season, McLaren had been beaten to pole.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1991 Canadian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 1 June 1991
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Friday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:37.593 | 1:19.837 | 1:19.837 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:35.065 | 1:20.225 | 1:20.225 | — |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:35.843 | 1:20.318 | 1:20.318 | — |
| 4 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:36.003 | 1:20.656 | 1:20.656 | — |
| 5 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 1:35.897 | 1:20.686 | 1:20.686 | — |
| 6 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:38.223 | 1:20.916 | 1:20.916 | — |
| 7 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 1:35.257 | 1:21.227 | 1:21.227 | — |
| 8 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:37.354 | 1:21.241 | 1:21.241 | — |
| 9 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 1:38.218 | 1:21.298 | 1:21.298 | — |
| 10 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:39.017 | 1:21.864 | 1:23.244 | — |
| 11 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 1:37.097 | 1:22.154 | 1:23.672 | — |
| 12 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:41.100 | 1:22.262 | 1:22.262 | — |
| 13 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:40.906 | 1:22.443 | 1:22.443 | — |
| 14 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 1:38.383 | 1:22.596 | 1:23.719 | — |
| 15 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 1:39.780 | 1:22.993 | 1:22.993 | — |
| 16 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 1:38.517 | 1:23.040 | 1:23.040 | — |
| 17 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:38.435 | 1:23.040 | 1:23.480 | — |
| 18 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:37.864 | 1:23.125 | 1:23.125 | — |
| 19 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:38.013 | 1:23.260 | 1:23.260 | — |
| 20 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:38.405 | 1:23.516 | 1:23.516 | — |
| 21 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:41.196 | 1:23.529 | 1:23.529 | — |
| 22 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:39.696 | 1:23.585 | 1:23.585 | — |
| 23 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:38.689 | 1:23.650 | 1:23.650 | — |
| 24 | 11 | Mika Häkkinen | Lotus | 1:42.900 | 1:23.923 | 1:23.923 | — |
| 25 | 10 | Stefan Johansson | Footwork | 1:49.019 | 1:24.433 | 1:24.433 | — |
| 26 | 26 | Érik Comas | Ligier | 1:39.670 | 1:24.460 | 1:24.460 | — |
| 27 | 18 | Fabrizio Barbazza | AGS | 1:40.555 | 1:24.491 | 1:24.491 | — |
| 28 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:41.946 | 1:24.653 | 1:24.653 | — |
| 29 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:39.897 | 1:24.661 | 1:24.661 | — |
| 30 | 12 | Johnny Herbert | Lotus | 1:39.113 | 1:24.732 | 1:24.732 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Electrical trouble in the fuel system prevented Riccardo Patrese from running in the warm-up. Nigel Mansell nevertheless led the session ahead of the McLarens, underlining Williams‘ race pace. Riccardo Patrese consequently had to check his repaired car during the laps available before taking his place on the grid. The pole-sitter faced a demanding afternoon with both his preparation and physical comfort compromised.
Warm-up Classification
1991 Canadian Grand Prix Warm-up, 2 June 1991
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:22.787 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +0.410s | — |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.484s | — |
| 4 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | +0.518s | — |
| 5 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | +1.246s | — |
| 6 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | +1.458s | — |
| 7 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | +1.495s | — |
| 8 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +1.707s | — |
| 9 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | +1.732s | — |
| 10 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +1.775s | — |
| 11 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | +1.808s | — |
| 12 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +1.818s | — |
| 13 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +1.955s | — |
| 14 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | +2.218s | — |
| 15 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | +2.248s | — |
| 16 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | +2.367s | — |
| 17 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | +2.385s | — |
| 18 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +2.550s | — |
| 19 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +2.743s | — |
| 20 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | +3.075s | — |
| 21 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +3.177s | — |
| 22 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | +3.910s | — |
| 23 | 10 | Stefan Johansson | Footwork | +4.377s | — |
| 24 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | +4.873s | — |
| 25 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | +7.998s | — |
What happened in the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix?
Nigel Mansell took the lead at the start and built a commanding advantage. Ayrton Senna‘s retirement ended his winning streak, while both Ferraris also dropped out. Riccardo Patrese remained in contention but developed gearbox trouble, allowing Nelson Piquet and then Stefano Modena to move ahead.
With almost a minute in hand, Nigel Mansell appeared certain to win. His Williams then slowed to a halt near the hairpin on the final lap. The precise cause became a subject of dispute, but the outcome was clear: Nelson Piquet swept through to inherit a victory that had seemed beyond reach.
Nelson Piquet took his 23rd and final Grand Prix win, with Stefano Modena second and Riccardo Patrese third. De Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot earned Jordan its first championship points in fourth and fifth. Nigel Mansell was classified sixth, a single point providing scant consolation for the victory that had slipped away.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 40 points, followed by Nelson Piquet on 16. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 50, with Benetton on 19.
1991 Canadian Grand Prix race results
The 1991 Canadian Grand Prix was held on 2 June 1991, with a scheduled start of 14:00 local time.
1991 Canadian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 65 | 1:22.385 |
| 2 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 48 | 1:22.672 |
| 3 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 52 | 1:23.528 |
| 4 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 34 | 1:23.758 |
| 5 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 54 | 1:24.105 |
| 6 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 32 | 1:24.125 |
| 7 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 25 | 1:24.186 |
| 8 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 50 | 1:24.479 |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 40 | 1:24.547 |
| 10 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 19 | 1:24.647 |
| 11 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | 48 | 1:24.680 |
| 12 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 45 | 1:25.183 |
| 13 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 46 | 1:25.237 |
| 14 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 65 | 1:25.620 |
| 15 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 9 | 1:25.690 |
| 16 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | 36 | 1:25.877 |
| 17 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 27 | 1:26.469 |
| 18 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 28 | 1:26.510 |
| 19 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 16 | 1:26.576 |
| 20 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | 18 | 1:26.626 |
| 21 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 13 | 1:27.549 |
| 22 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | 48 | 1:28.212 |
| 23 | 10 | Stefan Johansson | Footwork | 38 | 1:28.420 |
| 24 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 3 | 1:29.644 |
| 25 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 3 | 1:29.815 |
| 26 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 2 | 1:36.279 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1991 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix.
1991 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1991 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 50 |
| 2 | Benetton | 19 |
| 3 | Williams | 17 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 16 |
| 5 | Tyrrell | 11 |
| 6 | Dallara | 5 |
| 7 | Jordan | 5 |
| 8 | Minardi | 3 |
| 9 | Lotus | 3 |
| 10 | Lola | 1 |
| 11 | Ligier | 0 |
| 12 | Lamborghini | 0 |
| 13 | Brabham | 0 |
| 14 | AGS | 0 |
| 15 | Leyton House | 0 |
| 16 | Footwork | 0 |
1991 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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