1991 Italian Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Grand Prix = Italian
Country = Italy
Official name = LXII Coca-Cola Gran Premio d'Italia
Date = September 8
Year = 1991

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Race_No = 12
Season_No = 16
Location = Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 3.603
Course_km = 5.80
Distance_laps = 51
Distance_mi = 187.404
Distance_km = 301.600
Weather = Sunny and warm
Pole_Driver = Ayrton Senna
Pole_Country = Brazil
Pole_Team = McLaren-Honda
Pole_Time = 1:21.114
Fast_Driver = Ayrton Senna
Fast_Country = Brazil
Fast_Team = McLaren-Honda
Fast_Time = 1:26.061
Fast_L

First_Driver = Nigel Mansell
First_Country = UK
First_Team = Williams-Renault
Second_Driver = Ayrton Senna
Second_Country= Brazil
Second_Team = McLaren-Honda
Third_Driver = Alain Prost
Third_Country = France
Third_Team = FerrariThe 1991 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 8, 1991. It was the twelfth round of the 1991 Formula One season.

Report

The big news between the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix revolved around young Michael Schumacher, who had made his debut for Jordan in Belgium. Schumacher had signed for Benetton while still being under contract to Jordan. After much legal wrangling the German was confirmed in a Benetton, while regular Benetton driver Roberto Moreno had been sacked and went the other way, becoming a Jordan driver. The whole episode was very messy and it made both the Benetton team and Schumacher's managers look bad. Elsewhere Michael Bartels was back at Lotus, as Johnny Herbert had more commitments in Japanese Formula 3000.

In qualifying, Ayrton Senna took pole again, with title rival Nigel Mansell second, the Englishman complaining of traffic on his final two hot laps. Gerhard Berger was third, followed by Riccardo Patrese, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi, the impressive Schumacher, Nelson Piquet, in his 200th Grand Prix, Moreno, and Pierluigi Martini, in the Ferrari powered Minardi.

At the start Senna got away well from Mansell, Berger, Patrese, and Alesi, with everyone making it through the often-eventful double chicane. Moreno was an early casualty as he spun off on lap 2, making for a disappointing Jordan debut.

Patrese at the front started to charge, first he disposed of Berger, and then Mansell. On lap 26 he passed Senna at the Ascari chicane, but on the following lap a gearbox failure took him out. Senna now led from Mansell and Berger, with Mansell pressuring Senna for the lead, and on lap 34 he took it with a perfectly timed out-braking manoeuvre going into the Ascari chicane. Senna proceeded to pit for tyres and emerged down in fifth place, but in no mood to stay there. Senna proceeded to pass Schumacher going into Ascari, and then slipstreamed passed Berger into the first corner, and got back to second by passing arch-rival Prost going into the second chicane. Mansell meanwhile cruised to victory from Senna, Prost, Berger, Schumacher, and Piquet, Alesi having retired with a blown engine. With four races to go Senna still led Mansell by 18 points, but this race confirmed that Mansell and Williams could beat Senna's McLaren in a straight fight.

Classification

Notes

*First points: Michael Schumacher (2nd race)
*200th Grand Prix: Nelson Piquet

References

*cite book|last=Henry |first=Alan |authorlink=Alan Henry |title=AUTOCOURSE 1991-92 |publisher=Hazleton Publishing |date=1991 |pages=pp206-207 |isbn=0-905138-87-2
*cite web |title=The Official Formula 1 website |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1991/210/ |accessdate=2007-08-08

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Italian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1991
Previous_race_in_season = 1991 Belgian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1990 Italian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1992 Italian Grand Prix