Ayrton Senna began his title defence with a commanding victory at the 1991 United States Grand Prix. The new McLaren proved immediately competitive on Phoenix’s revised street circuit, while Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet completed the podium after an eventful afternoon behind the leader.
Race Guide
Season: 1991 F1 World Championship
Race date: 10 March 1991
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-07:00)
Circuit: Phoenix Street Circuit
Laps: 81 laps (82 laps scheduled)
Circuit length: 3.721 km
1990 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:21.434 | |
| Fastest lap | Jean Alesi | Ferrari |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:26.758 on lap 49 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Alain Prost | Ferrari |
| Third | Nelson Piquet | Benetton |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 8 March 1991 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 8 March 1991 | Practice 1 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 8 March 1991 | Qualifying 1 | Afternoon; start time unconfirmed |
| 9 March 1991 | Practice 2 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 9 March 1991 | Qualifying 2 | Afternoon; start time unconfirmed |
| 10 March 1991 | Warm-up | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 10 March 1991 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Ayrton Senna entered the 1991 F1 World Championship as defending champion, with Alain Prost again leading Ferrari‘s challenge. A victory now earned ten points, and every result counted towards the drivers’ championship. McLaren introduced a Honda V12, while Williams‘ Renault-powered challenger promised to make the fight at the front more crowded.
Race entries
Jean Alesi joined Alain Prost at Ferrari, and Nigel Mansell returned to Williams alongside Riccardo Patrese. Jordan and the Stefano Modena team made their debuts, while Mika Häkkinen, Mark Blundell, Erik Comas and Pedro Chaves began their Formula 1 careers. Footwork‘s new Porsche engine and Tyrrell‘s Honda V10 added further intrigue to the opening weekend.
Pre-qualifying
Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto, Nicola Larini and Bertrand Gachot secured the four places available in the main sessions. Andrea de Cesaris lost out after a gear-selection mistake, while Chaves crashed and Eric van de Poele suffered engine trouble. Olivier Grouillard also failed to progress in the Fondmetal.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:28.288 | — |
| 2 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:28.792 | +0.504 |
| 3 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 1:30.244 | +1.956 |
| 4 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 1:30.304 | +2.016 |
| 5 | 33 | Andrea de Cesaris | Jordan | 1:30.937 | +2.649 |
| 6 | 31 | Pedro Chaves | Coloni | 1:31.113 | +2.825 |
| 7 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Fondmetal | 1:32.126 | +3.838 |
| 8 | 35 | Eric van de Poele | Lamborghini | 1:37.046 | +8.758 |
Friday Free Practice
McLaren‘s mechanics had worked through the night to prepare the new car, but Ayrton Senna quickly repaid their efforts by setting Friday’s fastest practice time. Elsewhere, the opening session exposed the usual mixture of new-season promise and problems. Tyrrell had engine trouble for Stefano Modena, while Lotus struggled with electrical difficulties on Julian Bailey‘s car. Phoenix’s walls left little room to sort out an unfamiliar machine.
Friday Practice Classification
1991 United States Grand Prix Practice, 8 March 1991
Friday Qualifying
Jean Alesi made an excellent first impression for Ferrari by heading Friday qualifying, only 0.011 seconds ahead of Ayrton Senna. Alain Prost was third. The provisional order offered the prospect of a close fight, but the circuit still had considerably more grip to give as the weekend progressed.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1991 United States Grand Prix first qualifying session, 8 March 1991
Saturday Free Practice
Riccardo Patrese set the Saturday morning pace, edging Gerhard Berger and Ayrton Senna as Williams demonstrated its potential on the revised layout. The contrast between the leading cars and some of the new packages was striking: Footwork was struggling with the weight and installation of its Porsche engine, while Minardi had transmission difficulties. Reliability and a workable balance were as important as a clear lap on the dusty street circuit.
Saturday Practice Classification
1991 United States Grand Prix Practice, 9 March 1991
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna found that extra speed on Saturday, taking pole with a 1:21.434. Alain Prost joined him on the front row, with Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell behind. Nelson Piquet qualified fifth and Jean Alesi sixth. Ayrton Senna‘s advantage of more than a second over Alain Prost was an emphatic answer to Ferrari‘s Friday challenge.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1991 United States Grand Prix second qualifying session, 9 March 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 | 1:23.530 | 1:21.434 | 1:21.434 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:24.507 | 1:22.555 | 1:22.555 | — |
| 3 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:24.726 | 1:22.833 | 1:22.833 | — |
| 4 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:25.277 | 1:23.218 | 1:23.218 | — |
| 5 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:25.026 | 1:23.384 | 1:23.384 | — |
| 6 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 1:23.519 | 1:23.805 | 1:23.519 | — |
| 7 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:25.914 | 1:23.742 | 1:23.742 | — |
| 8 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 1:25.170 | 1:23.881 | 1:23.881 | — |
| 9 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:24.876 | 1:24.792 | 1:28.288 | — |
| 10 | 22 | JJ Lehto | Dallara | 1:26.765 | 1:24.891 | 1:28.792 | — |
| 11 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 1:25.065 | 1:25.557 | 1:25.065 | — |
| 12 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:27.184 | 1:25.385 | 1:25.385 | — |
| 13 | 11 | Mika Häkkinen | Lotus | 1:27.976 | 1:25.448 | 1:25.448 | — |
| 14 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 1:27.568 | 1:25.701 | 1:30.304 | — |
| 15 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:25.815 | 1:25.715 | 1:25.715 | — |
| 16 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:26.058 | 1:25.752 | 1:25.752 | — |
| 17 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 1:27.761 | 1:25.791 | 1:30.244 | — |
| 18 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:54.845 | 1:26.121 | 1:26.121 | — |
| 19 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:27.446 | 1:26.425 | 1:26.425 | — |
| 20 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 1:27.984 | 1:26.500 | 1:26.500 | — |
| 21 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:26.987 | 1:26.548 | 1:26.548 | — |
| 22 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:27.164 | 1:26.851 | 1:26.851 | — |
| 23 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:26.865 | 1:26.875 | 1:26.865 | — |
| 24 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 1:30.061 | 1:26.915 | 1:26.915 | — |
| 25 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 1:29.067 | 1:27.015 | 1:27.015 | — |
| 26 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 1:27.625 | 1:27.042 | 1:27.042 | — |
| 27 | 26 | Érik Comas | Ligier | 1:28.904 | 1:27.159 | 1:27.159 | — |
| 28 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Footwork | 1:29.388 | 1:27.519 | 1:27.519 | — |
| 29 | 18 | Stefan Johansson | AGS | 1:29.857 | 1:27.753 | 1:27.753 | — |
| 30 | 12 | Julian Bailey | Lotus | 1:30.758 | 1:28.570 | 1:28.570 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Ayrton Senna led the warm-up ahead of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, giving McLaren another encouraging sign before its new car’s first race. Ferrari was less convincing, with its drivers eighth and ninth. The teams also faced contrasting tyre strategies: the Goodyear runners anticipated stops, while Pirelli offered the prospect of going through without a change. Completing the distance remained a major test after a disrupted opening weekend.
Warm-up Classification
1991 United States Grand Prix Warm-up, 10 March 1991
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:27.747 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | +0.357s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +0.604s | — |
| 4 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | +0.823s | — |
| 5 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +1.034s | — |
| 6 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | +1.315s | — |
| 7 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | +1.585s | — |
| 8 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | +1.614s | — |
| 9 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +2.126s | — |
| 10 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +2.636s | — |
| 11 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +2.665s | — |
| 12 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | +2.670s | — |
| 13 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | +2.757s | — |
| 14 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | +3.105s | — |
| 15 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +3.262s | — |
| 16 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | +3.644s | — |
| 17 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +3.977s | — |
| 18 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | +4.416s | — |
| 19 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | +4.490s | — |
| 20 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | +4.631s | — |
| 21 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | +4.794s | — |
| 22 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +4.848s | — |
| 23 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +5.826s | — |
| 24 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | +6.891s | — |
| 25 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | +7.728s | — |
What happened in the 1991 United States Grand Prix?
Ayrton Senna retained the lead at the start and steadily pulled away, leaving the battle behind him to provide much of the afternoon’s drama. Nigel Mansell‘s challenge ended with gearbox trouble, while Riccardo Patrese spun after losing drive and was subsequently hit by Roberto Moreno.
Alain Prost lost time during his tyre stop but recovered with an inspired move past both Nelson Piquet and Jean Alesi. Jean Alesi‘s promising Ferrari debut then ended with gearbox trouble, allowing Nelson Piquet to secure third. Tyrrell‘s hopes also changed hands when Stefano Modena lost time, bringing Satoru Nakajima into the points alongside him.
Ayrton Senna led every lap and won when the two-hour limit brought the race to an end after 81 laps. Alain Prost finished second and Nelson Piquet third, followed by Stefano Modena, Satoru Nakajima and Aguri Suzuki. McLaren‘s hurried preparations had produced precisely the start its champion wanted.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 10 points, followed by Alain Prost on 6. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 10, with Ferrari on 6.
1991 United States Grand Prix race results
The 1991 United States Grand Prix was held on 10 March 1991, with a scheduled start of Start time unconfirmed local time.
1991 United States Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Jean Alesi | Ferrari | 49 | 1:26.758 |
| 2 | 27 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 68 | 1:26.845 |
| 3 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 67 | 1:26.965 |
| 4 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 39 | 1:27.153 |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 24 | 1:27.450 |
| 6 | 4 | Stefano Modena | Tyrrell | 69 | 1:27.983 |
| 7 | 19 | Roberto Moreno | Benetton | 40 | 1:28.044 |
| 8 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 67 | 1:28.227 |
| 9 | 2 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 33 | 1:28.286 |
| 10 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 28 | 1:28.502 |
| 11 | 32 | Bertrand Gachot | Jordan | 73 | 1:28.975 |
| 12 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 12 | 1:28.993 |
| 13 | 11 | Mika Hakkinen | Lotus | 43 | 1:29.072 |
| 14 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 30 | 1:29.201 |
| 15 | 25 | Thierry Boutsen | Ligier | 40 | 1:29.310 |
| 16 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 47 | 1:29.356 |
| 17 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | 24 | 1:29.505 |
| 18 | 34 | Nicola Larini | Lamborghini | 46 | 1:29.877 |
| 19 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 14 | 1:29.910 |
| 20 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Footwork | 27 | 1:30.077 |
| 21 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 73 | 1:30.242 |
| 22 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 29 | 1:30.472 |
| 23 | 8 | Mark Blundell | Brabham | 32 | 1:31.092 |
| 24 | 22 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Dallara | 6 | 1:31.435 |
| 25 | 24 | Gianni Morbidelli | Minardi | 13 | 1:31.631 |
| 26 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 4 | 1:31.732 |
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 United States Grand Prix.
1991 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
| POS | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | McLaren | 10 |
| 2 | Alain Prost | French | Ferrari | 6 |
| 3 | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Benetton | 4 |
| 4 | Stefano Modena | Italian | Tyrrell | 3 |
| 5 | Satoru Nakajima | Japanese | Tyrrell | 2 |
| 6 | Aguri Suzuki | Japanese | Lola | 1 |
| – | Nicola Larini | Italian | Lamborghini | 0 |
| – | Gabriele Tarquini | Italian | AGS | 0 |
| – | Pierluigi Martini | Italian | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Bertrand Gachot | Belgian | Jordan | 0 |
| – | Martin Brundle | British | Brabham | 0 |
| – | Jean Alesi | French | Ferrari | 0 |
| – | Mika Häkkinen | Finnish | Lotus | 0 |
| – | Riccardo Patrese | Italian | Williams | 0 |
| – | Roberto Moreno | Brazilian | Benetton | 0 |
| – | Michele Alboreto | Italian | Footwork | 0 |
| – | Ivan Capelli | Italian | Leyton House | 0 |
| – | Thierry Boutsen | Belgian | Ligier | 0 |
| – | Gerhard Berger | Austrian | McLaren | 0 |
| – | Nigel Mansell | British | Williams | 0 |
| – | Maurício Gugelmin | Brazilian | Leyton House | 0 |
| – | Mark Blundell | British | Brabham | 0 |
| – | Emanuele Pirro | Italian | Dallara | 0 |
| – | Gianni Morbidelli | Italian | Minardi | 0 |
| – | JJ Lehto | Finnish | Dallara | 0 |
| – | Éric Bernard | French | Lola | 0 |
1991 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 10 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 6 |
| 3 | Tyrrell | 5 |
| 4 | Benetton | 4 |
| 5 | Lola | 1 |
| 6 | Lamborghini | 0 |
| 7 | AGS | 0 |
| 8 | Minardi | 0 |
| 9 | Jordan | 0 |
| 10 | Brabham | 0 |
| 11 | Lotus | 0 |
| 12 | Williams | 0 |
| 13 | Footwork | 0 |
| 14 | Leyton House | 0 |
| 15 | Ligier | 0 |
| 16 | Dallara | 0 |
1991 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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