Ayrton Senna halted Williams‘ winning run at the 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix. A brilliant pole lap gave him the track position he needed, and he resisted Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese to restore some breathing space in the championship.
Race Guide
Season: 1991 F1 World Championship
Race date: 11 August 1991
Race start time: 14:00 local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Hungaroring
Laps: 77 laps
Circuit length: 3.968 km
1990 winner: Thierry Boutsen
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:16.147 | |
| Fastest lap | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:21.547 on lap 71 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| Third | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 9 August 1991 | Pre-qualifying | 08:00–09:00 |
| 9 August 1991 | Practice 1 | 10:00 |
| 9 August 1991 | Qualifying 1 | 13:00 |
| 10 August 1991 | Practice 2 | 10:00 |
| 10 August 1991 | Qualifying 2 | 13:00 |
| 11 August 1991 | Warm-up | 09:30 |
| 11 August 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 10 leading the 1991 F1 World Championship on 51 points, with Nigel Mansell on 43. Williams headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 71 points.
Race entries
The field retained its Hockenheim line-ups, with Bartels again deputising for Johnny Herbert at Lotus. McLaren continued its development push, while the paddock also marked the death of Honda founder Soichiro Honda shortly before the weekend.
Pre-qualifying
Mark Blundell was comfortably fastest, ahead of Martin Brundle, Olivier Grouillard and Michele Alboreto. Gabriele Tarquini narrowly missed the final place, followed by Alex Caffi, Barbazza and Chaves. It was another successful morning for Brabham, whose two cars again reached the main sessions.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:22.290 | — |
| 2 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:23.716 | +1.426 |
| 3 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Fondmetal | 1:24.816 | +2.526 |
| 4 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:25.045 | +2.755 |
| 5 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:25.230 | +2.940 |
| 6 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Footwork | 1:26.637 | +4.347 |
| 7 | 18 | Fabrizio Barbazza | AGS | 1:26.740 | +4.450 |
| 8 | 31 | Pedro Chaves | Coloni | 1:26.945 | +4.655 |
Friday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna set the Friday practice pace, but Riccardo Patrese‘s morning was disrupted by an accident caused by a faulty brake seal. Williams was struggling to find the grip and balance that had made it so effective at the preceding races. Ivan Capelli offered a contrasting story at Leyton House: recent testing had improved the car’s behaviour over bumps, allowing him to attack this demanding circuit with greater confidence.
Friday Practice Classification
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix Practice, 9 August 1991
Friday Qualifying
Gerhard Berger headed Friday qualifying, with Ayrton Senna second and Alain Prost third. McLaren had made a clear response to Williams‘ recent dominance, although the biggest statement was still to come.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 9 August 1991
Saturday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna remained fastest on Saturday morning, but Alain Prost was only a tenth behind him. That Ferrari pace did not carry through to qualifying after an engine change left Alain Prost less satisfied with the car’s performance. Williams continued to seek more downforce and a better balance, while McLaren looked much more comfortable through the Hungaroring‘s succession of slow and medium-speed corners.
Saturday Practice Classification
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix Practice, 10 August 1991
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna produced a 1:16.147 on Saturday to take pole by more than a second. Riccardo Patrese edged Nigel Mansell by just 0.010 seconds for the other front-row place, with Alain Prost fourth. Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi followed, while Emanuele Pirro impressed in seventh for Dallara.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 10 August 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 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:18.549 | 1:16.147 | 1:16.147 | — |
| 2 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:20.103 | 1:17.379 | 1:17.379 | — |
| 3 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:19.818 | 1:17.389 | 1:17.389 | — |
| 4 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:19.326 | 1:17.690 | 1:17.690 | — |
| 5 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:18.238 | 1:17.705 | 1:17.705 | — |
| 6 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 1:19.552 | 1:18.410 | 1:18.410 | — |
| 7 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:21.751 | 1:19.334 | 1:19.334 | — |
| 8 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 1:20.488 | 1:19.748 | 1:19.748 | — |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:21.068 | 1:19.794 | 1:19.794 | — |
| 10 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:21.345 | 1:19.976 | 1:23.716 | — |
| 11 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:21.542 | 1:19.984 | 1:19.984 | — |
| 12 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:21.991 | 1:20.014 | 1:20.014 | — |
| 13 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:21.549 | 1:20.024 | 1:20.024 | — |
| 14 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:22.992 | 1:20.565 | 1:20.565 | — |
| 15 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 1:22.077 | 1:20.584 | 1:20.584 | — |
| 16 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 1:21.884 | 1:20.655 | 1:20.655 | — |
| 17 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 1:22.143 | 1:20.805 | 1:20.805 | — |
| 18 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:22.429 | 1:20.823 | 1:20.823 | — |
| 19 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 1:22.408 | 1:20.870 | 1:20.870 | — |
| 20 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:21.125 | 1:20.954 | 1:22.290 | — |
| 21 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:22.680 | 1:21.267 | 1:21.267 | — |
| 22 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:22.762 | 1:21.601 | 1:21.601 | — |
| 23 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 1:23.201 | 1:21.654 | 1:21.654 | — |
| 24 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 1:24.316 | 1:21.896 | 1:21.896 | — |
| 25 | 26 | Érik Comas | Ligier | 1:24.464 | 1:22.258 | 1:22.258 | — |
| 26 | 11 | Mika Häkkinen | Lotus | 1:25.224 | 1:22.335 | 1:22.335 | — |
| 27 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Fondmetal | 1:23.593 | 1:22.438 | 1:24.816 | — |
| 28 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:24.593 | 1:22.521 | 1:25.045 | — |
| 29 | 35 | Eric van de Poele | Lamborghini | 1:27.339 | 1:23.162 | 1:23.162 | — |
| 30 | 12 | Michael Bartels | Lotus | 1:24.746 | 1:23.248 | 1:23.248 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost headed the warm-up, with Bertrand Gachot second and Riccardo Patrese third. Ferrari‘s speed offered hope of joining the leading contest, and Jordan again demonstrated that it could do more than simply reach the finish. Passing opportunities were limited here, however, so the strong morning performances still had to be weighed against the importance of starting position and preserving track position.
Warm-up Classification
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix Warm-up, 11 August 1991
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:21.364 | — |
| 2 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | +0.851s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.130s | — |
| 4 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +1.419s | — |
| 5 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | +1.452s | — |
| 6 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +1.865s | — |
| 7 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | +2.153s | — |
| 8 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | +2.367s | — |
| 9 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.839s | — |
| 10 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | +3.081s | — |
| 11 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | +3.125s | — |
| 12 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | +3.201s | — |
| 13 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | +3.345s | — |
| 14 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +3.441s | — |
| 15 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +3.590s | — |
| 16 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +3.636s | — |
| 17 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | +3.789s | — |
| 18 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +4.215s | — |
| 19 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | +4.296s | — |
| 20 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | +4.457s | — |
| 21 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | +4.484s | — |
| 22 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | +4.804s | — |
| 23 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | +4.808s | — |
| 24 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | +4.843s | — |
| 25 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +5.167s | — |
| 26 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +5.626s | — |
What happened in the 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix?
Ayrton Senna held the lead at the start, followed by Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell. Williams could stay close but struggled to create a passing opportunity. Alain Prost‘s challenge ended with engine failure, another frustrating retirement in a difficult Ferrari season.
Nigel Mansell eventually moved ahead of Riccardo Patrese and pursued Ayrton Senna, but the McLaren driver kept control. The narrow circuit rewarded precision and track position, and Ayrton Senna avoided giving his closest rival the opening he needed.
Ayrton Senna won ahead of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, with Gerhard Berger fourth and Jean Alesi fifth. Ivan Capelli‘s sixth place brought Leyton House its first point of the season and Ilmor its first as an engine supplier. Ayrton Senna dedicated the victory to Soichiro Honda and increased his championship advantage to 12 points.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 61 points, followed by Nigel Mansell on 49. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 83, with Williams on 81.
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix race results
The 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix was held on 11 August 1991, with a scheduled start of 14:00 local time.
1991 Hungarian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 71 | 1:21.547 |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 58 | 1:22.392 |
| 3 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 56 | 1:22.574 |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 35 | 1:22.878 |
| 5 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 39 | 1:23.065 |
| 6 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 49 | 1:23.066 |
| 7 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 25 | 1:23.305 |
| 8 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 43 | 1:23.467 |
| 9 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 41 | 1:23.824 |
| 10 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 54 | 1:23.943 |
| 11 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 58 | 1:23.954 |
| 12 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 48 | 1:23.962 |
| 13 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 52 | 1:24.128 |
| 14 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 43 | 1:24.146 |
| 15 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | 49 | 1:24.230 |
| 16 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 19 | 1:24.573 |
| 17 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 66 | 1:24.576 |
| 18 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | 66 | 1:24.594 |
| 19 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | 27 | 1:25.029 |
| 20 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 42 | 1:25.322 |
| 21 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 32 | 1:25.548 |
| 22 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | 43 | 1:25.697 |
| 23 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 34 | 1:25.713 |
| 24 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 32 | 1:25.889 |
| 25 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 55 | 1:26.078 |
| 26 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 17 | 1:26.554 |
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 Hungarian Grand Prix.
1991 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1991 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 83 |
| 2 | Williams | 81 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 35 |
| 4 | Benetton | 23 |
| 5 | Jordan | 13 |
| 6 | Tyrrell | 11 |
| 7 | Dallara | 5 |
| 8 | Minardi | 3 |
| 9 | Lotus | 3 |
| 10 | Lola | 2 |
| 11 | Leyton House | 1 |
| 12 | Ligier | 0 |
| 13 | Lamborghini | 0 |
| 14 | Brabham | 0 |
| 15 | AGS | 0 |
| 16 | Footwork | 0 |
| 17 | Fondmetal | 0 |
1991 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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