Nigel Mansell kept the title fight alive with victory at the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix, the first held at the new Circuit de Catalunya. A thrilling duel with Ayrton Senna highlighted a changeable afternoon, before Nigel Mansell pulled clear to beat Alain Prost and Riccardo Patrese.
Race Guide
Season: 1991 F1 World Championship
Race date: 29 September 1991
Race start time: 14:00 local time (UTC+01:00)
Circuit: Circuit de Catalunya
Laps: 65 laps
Circuit length: 4.747 km
1990 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Gerhard Berger | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:18.751 | |
| Fastest lap | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:22.837 on lap 63 | |
| First | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| Second | Alain Prost | Ferrari |
| Third | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 1991 | Pre-qualifying | 08:00–09:00 |
| 27 September 1991 | Practice 1 | 10:00 |
| 27 September 1991 | Qualifying 1 | 13:00 |
| 28 September 1991 | Practice 2 | 10:00 |
| 28 September 1991 | Qualifying 2 | 13:00 |
| 29 September 1991 | Warm-up | 09:30 |
| 29 September 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 14 leading the 1991 F1 World Championship on 83 points, with Nigel Mansell on 59. McLaren headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 114 points.
Race entries
Alessandro Zanardi made his Formula 1 debut at Jordan in place of Roberto Moreno. Gabriele Tarquini moved from AGS to Fondmetal, with Olivier Grouillard taking the vacant AGS seat. Bartels again replaced Johnny Herbert at Lotus. Chaves refused to drive the Coloni, leaving the team without a participant for the weekend.
Pre-qualifying
Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell headed the reduced seven-car session, with Michele Alboreto third. Gabriele Tarquini immediately reached the main sessions in his new Fondmetal, narrowly beating Alex Caffi to the fourth place. Barbazza and Olivier Grouillard were also eliminated in what would prove to be AGS‘s final Grand Prix appearance.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:21.504 | — |
| 2 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:21.727 | +0.223 |
| 3 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:23.744 | +2.240 |
| 4 | 14 | Gabriele Tarquini | Fondmetal | 1:23.994 | +2.490 |
| 5 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Footwork | 1:24.056 | +2.552 |
| 6 | 18 | Fabrizio Barbazza | AGS | 1:24.744 | +3.240 |
| 7 | 17 | Olivier Grouillard | AGS | 1:25.305 | +3.801 |
Friday Free Practice
Nigel Mansell led Friday practice despite an ankle injury sustained away from the circuit. The new venue’s smooth surface offered a fresh opportunity to cars that had struggled over bumps elsewhere, notably Leyton House. Williams nevertheless encountered technical difficulties during the day, while several drivers were learning new machinery or a new team as well as the circuit.
Friday Practice Classification
1991 Spanish Grand Prix Practice, 27 September 1991
Friday Qualifying
Gerhard Berger took provisional pole on Friday with a 1:18.751, ahead of Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. Michael Schumacher impressed again in fifth, splitting the leading Williams–McLaren group from the Ferraris.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1991 Spanish Grand Prix first qualifying session, 27 September 1991
Saturday Free Practice
Nigel Mansell was quickest again on Saturday morning, ahead of Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger, but the new asphalt offered uncertain grip. Ferrari struggled to find the adhesion expected from its car, and Jordan had difficulty getting its qualifying tyres working. Wind and a slippery surface would become still more influential in the afternoon, making Friday’s qualifying times especially valuable.
Saturday Practice Classification
1991 Spanish Grand Prix Practice, 28 September 1991
Saturday Qualifying
Saturday’s wind and poor grip prevented a wholesale improvement. Ayrton Senna was fastest in the session but also suffered an engine failure that left oil on the circuit. Gerhard Berger retained pole from Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Riccardo Patrese, with Michael Schumacher fifth and Alain Prost sixth.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1991 Spanish Grand Prix second qualifying session, 28 September 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 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:18.751 | 1:21.208 | 1:18.751 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:18.970 | 1:19.971 | 1:18.970 | — |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:19.474 | 1:19.064 | 1:19.064 | — |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:19.643 | 1:20.392 | 1:19.643 | — |
| 5 | 19 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton | 1:19.733 | 1:20.779 | 1:19.733 | — |
| 6 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:20.245 | 1:19.936 | 1:19.936 | — |
| 7 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 1:20.197 | 1:20.690 | 1:20.197 | — |
| 8 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:21.682 | 1:20.584 | 1:20.584 | — |
| 9 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:21.250 | 1:20.651 | 1:20.651 | — |
| 10 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:20.853 | 1:20.676 | 1:20.676 | — |
| 11 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:21.415 | 1:20.677 | 1:21.504 | — |
| 12 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:21.021 | 1:20.724 | 1:21.727 | — |
| 13 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:21.319 | 1:20.743 | 1:20.743 | — |
| 14 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 1:20.788 | 1:21.576 | 1:20.788 | — |
| 15 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:22.249 | 1:20.967 | 1:20.967 | — |
| 16 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 1:21.801 | 1:22.523 | 1:21.801 | — |
| 17 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 1:21.865 | 1:22.992 | 1:21.865 | — |
| 18 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:22.480 | 1:22.114 | 1:22.114 | — |
| 19 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:22.575 | 1:22.510 | 1:22.510 | — |
| 20 | 32 | Alessandro Zanardi | Jordan | 1:22.580 | 1:23.448 | 1:22.580 | — |
| 21 | 11 | Mika Häkkinen | Lotus | 1:22.646 | 1:23.407 | 1:22.646 | — |
| 22 | 14 | Gabriele Tarquini | Fondmetal | 1:22.837 | 1:26.214 | 1:23.994 | — |
| 23 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:22.944 | 1:23.883 | 1:22.944 | — |
| 24 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:23.145 | 1:23.868 | 1:23.744 | — |
| 25 | 26 | Érik Comas | Ligier | 1:23.359 | 1:23.755 | 1:23.359 | — |
| 26 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 1:23.553 | 1:23.623 | 1:23.553 | — |
| 27 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:24.211 | 1:26.346 | 1:24.211 | — |
| 28 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 1:25.330 | 1:26.109 | 1:25.330 | — |
| 29 | 12 | Michael Bartels | Lotus | 1:25.640 | 1:25.392 | 1:25.392 | — |
| 30 | 35 | Eric van de Poele | Lamborghini | 1:27.501 | 1:27.566 | 1:27.501 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Rain transformed the Sunday warm-up, with Nigel Mansell again fastest as numerous drivers explored the slippery limits of the new circuit. Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger followed him on the timesheets. Conditions continued to change before the start, leaving teams facing a difficult tyre decision: the rain stopped as the field set off, but the track remained wet.
Warm-up Classification
1991 Spanish Grand Prix Warm-up, 29 September 1991
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:44.867 | — |
| 2 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +0.700s | — |
| 3 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +1.222s | — |
| 4 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | +1.272s | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.692s | — |
| 6 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +1.694s | — |
| 7 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | +1.744s | — |
| 8 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +1.749s | — |
| 9 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | +1.762s | — |
| 10 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | +2.079s | — |
| 11 | 19 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton | +2.221s | — |
| 12 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.383s | — |
| 13 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +2.710s | — |
| 14 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | +2.862s | — |
| 15 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | +3.004s | — |
| 16 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | +3.086s | — |
| 17 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +3.110s | — |
| 18 | 14 | Gabriele Tarquini | Fondmetal | +3.311s | — |
| 19 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | +3.337s | — |
| 20 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | +3.796s | — |
| 21 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | +4.767s | — |
| 22 | 32 | Alessandro Zanardi | Jordan | +5.056s | — |
| 23 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +5.314s | — |
| 24 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | +5.552s | — |
| 25 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +6.150s | — |
| 26 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | +7.255s | — |
What happened in the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix?
Gerhard Berger led the early running, while Michael Schumacher briefly passed Nigel Mansell. Nigel Mansell recovered and then fought Ayrton Senna side by side down the main straight, the two cars almost touching before the Williams gained the position. The switch to dry tyres shuffled the order again.
Ayrton Senna emerged ahead of Nigel Mansell through the stops but later spun as rain returned. Nigel Mansell caught and passed Gerhard Berger for the lead, while Michael Schumacher‘s attack on the McLaren ended in a spin of his own. Gerhard Berger subsequently retired with an electrical problem.
Nigel Mansell won from Alain Prost and Riccardo Patrese, with Jean Alesi fourth, Ayrton Senna fifth and Michael Schumacher sixth. The result reduced Ayrton Senna‘s advantage to 16 points with two races remaining. Barcelona had delivered an absorbing debut and ensured that the championship would continue to Suzuka.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 85 points, followed by Nigel Mansell on 69. Williams led the constructors’ table on 117, with McLaren on 116.
1991 Spanish Grand Prix race results
The 1991 Spanish Grand Prix was held on 29 September 1991, with a scheduled start of 14:00 local time.
1991 Spanish Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 63 | 1:22.837 |
| 2 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 61 | 1:22.978 |
| 3 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 62 | 1:23.293 |
| 4 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 60 | 1:23.729 |
| 5 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | 61 | 1:23.915 |
| 6 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | 60 | 1:24.310 |
| 7 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 58 | 1:24.771 |
| 8 | 32 | Alessandro Zanardi | Jordan | 60 | 1:24.997 |
| 9 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 62 | 1:25.020 |
| 10 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 62 | 1:25.120 |
| 11 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 54 | 1:25.224 |
| 12 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 46 | 1:25.308 |
| 13 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 39 | 1:25.373 |
| 14 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 62 | 1:25.396 |
| 15 | 19 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton | 61 | 1:25.546 |
| 16 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 32 | 1:26.078 |
| 17 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 57 | 1:26.606 |
| 18 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 60 | 1:26.905 |
| 19 | 14 | Gabriele Tarquini | Fondmetal | 55 | 1:27.108 |
| 20 | 26 | Erik Comas | Ligier | 30 | 1:29.807 |
| 21 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 22 | 1:31.399 |
| 22 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 21 | 1:33.079 |
| 23 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | 4 | 1:43.739 |
| 24 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1 | 1:56.083 |
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 Spanish Grand Prix.
1991 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1991 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams | 117 |
| 2 | McLaren | 116 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 52 |
| 4 | Benetton | 37 |
| 5 | Jordan | 13 |
| 6 | Tyrrell | 11 |
| 7 | Minardi | 6 |
| 8 | Dallara | 5 |
| 9 | Lotus | 3 |
| 10 | Lola | 2 |
| 11 | Leyton House | 1 |
| 12 | Brabham | 1 |
| 13 | Ligier | 0 |
| 14 | Lamborghini | 0 |
| 15 | AGS | 0 |
| 16 | Fondmetal | 0 |
| 17 | Footwork | 0 |
1991 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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