1991 San Marino Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 3 of 16 in the 1991 Formula One season | |||
The Imola circuit in its 1991 configuration
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| Date | 28 April 1991 | ||
| Official name | XI Gran Premio di San Marino | ||
| Location |
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy |
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| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.040 km (3.132 mi) | ||
| Distance | 61 laps, 307.440 km (191.034 mi) | ||
| Weather | Wet at start, dry by finish | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Time | 1:21.877 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Gerhard Berger
|
McLaren-Honda | |
| Time | 1:26.531 on lap 55 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Second | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Third | Dallara-Judd | ||
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The 1991 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Imola on 28 April 1991. The 61-lap race was the third round of the 1991 Formula One season and was won by Ayrton Senna driving a McLaren-Honda.
Stefan Johansson was replaced at AGS by F1 debutant Fabrizio Barbazza. The team were under new management and their car colour was now red and blue having been usually white.
Ayrton Senna claimed his 55th pole position from Riccardo Patrese, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger. However, the formation lap saw two dramatic incidents - Prost spun off the track at Rivazza Turn, followed by Berger, who was able to continue. However Prost stalled the engine and did not take the start.
At the lights, Patrese took the lead ahead of Senna, whilst Mansell, already slow off the line with gearbox problems, retired at the end of lap 1 after a collision with Martin Brundle. He was followed out by Nelson Piquet who spun on lap 2 and Jean Alesi who spun off on lap 3 attempting a rather foolhardy pass on Stefano Modena.
In a strong lead, Patrese pitted for originally what appeared to be an early stop to slicks turned out to be more serious - a misfire with a faulty camshaft sensor. He restarted last before retiring for good 9 laps later.
Berger was catching Senna, lapping 1.5 seconds quicker than his teammate. The lead was soon down to 5 seconds, with Modena a superb third from Satoru Nakajima and the two Minardis of Pierluigi Martini and Gianni Morbidelli.
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