Date 14 July 1991 | Course length 5.226 km (3.247 mi) | |
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Official name XLIV Foster's British Grand Prix Location Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone, United Kingdom Course Permanent racing facility Distance 59 laps, 308.334 km (188.446 mi) | ||
The 1991 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 14 July 1991. It was the eighth round of the 1991 Formula One season. The 59-lap race was won by Williams driver Nigel Mansell after he started from pole position. Gerhard Berger finished second for the McLaren team and Ferrari driver Alain Prost came in third.
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Mansell-Mania greeted the drivers as they arrived at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. The track had been vastly remodelled for 1991, which garnered largely positive reviews from the drivers. The track was no longer the fastest on the F1 calendar, but it now included many challenging corners for the drivers. Elsewhere Tom Walkinshaw had bought a 35% stake in the Benetton team, but the driver line-ups were unchanged from the previous race. Stefan Johansson continued to stand-in for the injured Alex Caffi at Footwork, although it was the last race he would do so.
In qualifying Nigel Mansell took pole in front of his home fans, with title-rival Ayrton Senna second. Riccardo Patrese was third, followed by Gerhard Berger, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi, Roberto Moreno, Nelson Piquet, Maurício Gugelmin, and Stefano Modena. Senna made a rocket start to lead Mansell, while Patrese was the first casualty of the day, having been bumped off by Berger. Senna's lead didn't last for long as Mansell re-passed him going into Stowe corner.
Mansell and Senna proceeded to rocket off into the distance while Berger, Prost, and Alesi squabbled over third place, with Alesi emerging ahead; he would later retire after colliding with Aguri Suzuki while trying to lap the Japanese driver's Lola.
Andrea de Cesaris had a huge accident on Lap 41 when his suspension failed at Abbey corner, his car bounced back across the track and narrowly missed Satoru Nakajima's Tyrrell; de Cesaris was unhurt.
At the front it was all Mansell as the Englishman recorded his second win in succession, while rival Senna ran out of fuel on the last lap, he would be classified fourth. Berger ended up second, followed by Prost, Senna, Piquet, and Bertrand Gachot's Jordan. Mansell now trailed Senna by only 18 points and momentum was on his side.
In terms of having to prequalify, Brabham would have needed their top car at least in 7th position to demote the Leyton House team, but neither Brundle nor Blundell finished the race.