The 1991 Australian Grand Prix was stopped after 14 laps due to torrential rain, making it the shortest Formula One World Championship race in history by elapsed time.
Key Facts
- Laps completed (official)
- 14 of 81 scheduled
- Race duration
- Barely 30 minutes
- Points awarded
- Half points (race < 75% distance)
- Senna pole positions
- 60th career pole position
- Championship round
- 16th and final race of 1991 season
- Constructor champion clinched
- McLaren (via Berger P3 + Senna win)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Torrential rain struck Adelaide on race day, rendering the circuit extremely dangerous. Conditions deteriorated rapidly during the race, making continued competition untenable and forcing officials to invoke regulations to suspend and then abandon the grand prix after only 16 laps.
The race was stopped after 16 laps, with official results declared from the end of lap 14. Ayrton Senna won, followed by Nigel Mansell, who was injured in a late crash, and Gerhard Berger. Only half points were awarded because less than 75% of the scheduled distance was covered.
McLaren clinched the Constructors' Championship on the strength of Senna's win and Berger's podium. The race marked the final Formula One start for Nelson Piquet, Satoru Nakajima, Naoki Hattori, Alex Caffi, and Emanuele Pirro, and was the last race on Pirelli tyres until 2011.
Result
at Adelaide Street Circuit