Remastered footage shows incredible qualifying speed of Ayrton Senna in 1991
Published on Jul 11, 2025 at 7:18 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Jul 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
The speed of Ayrton Senna made history during the course of the 1991 British Grand Prix and the 1991 Formula 1 season.
It was the last of Ayrton Senna’s three Drivers’ Championships that he would win.
It was also the last Drivers’ Championship to be won by a Brazilian driver.
Some remastered footage has been going viral of the incredible qualifying speed of Ayrton Senna in 1991 – and it is truly unmissable.
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Speed of Ayrton Senna around Silverstone
Ayrton Senna entered the Formula 1 British Grand Prix in 1991 on top of the world.
Senna would win the first four races in the United States, Brazil, San Marino, and Monaco.
The next three races would be won by Williams driver Riccardo Patrese.
Round eight saw the Formula 1 championship take place at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.
And Ayrton Senna (nearly literally) lit up the track during qualifying.
Some absolutely stunning remastered footage shows Senna slaloming around the track.
Ayrton Senna decided to take his McLaren MP4/6 for a flying lap.
After overtaking Nelson Piquet, Senna begins his time attack through the first sector.
Sparks literally fly all over the track as Senna cuts through corner after corner.
1976 World Champion James Hunt was blown away by the speed Senna carried.
Senna snaked through the infield section of the track before flowing through the final corner.
The Brazilian’s time of 1:22.3s was enough to secure him P2 ahead of Pattrese.
It wasn’t quite enough, however, to secure pole position, which went to Nigel Mansell.
Senna fights against a new age of technology
What made Ayrton Senna’s lap at the 1991 British Grand Prix all the more fascinating is the difference in weaponry.
By 1991, the Williams cars had begun utilising semi-automatic gearboxes.
Senna, in the Honda-powered McLaren, was still relying on an old-school “H” manual gearbox.
The sparks that fly and the tyres that squeal are a testament to driving beyond the limit.
Senna had to push harder and farther than ever before just to be competitive.
Englishman Mansell would ultimately finish runner-up to Senna in the 1991 season.
The Brazilian secured his third – and final – title with driving just like he did during this footage from the 1991 British Grand Prix.
To many, Ayrton Senna remains the greatest driver to ever sit behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.
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Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
