1991 24 Hours of Le Mans

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1991 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Index: Races | Winners
Le Mans in 1991

The 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 59th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 22 and 23 June 1991. It was also the fourth round of the 1991 FIA Sportscar World Championship season.

Pre-race[]

An entirely new complex along the front stretch was built, housing modern pit stalls, garages, and the new observation suites built above the garages.

As for the race, the grid line-up was an unusual affair. 1991 was supposed to be the first year the World Sportscar Championship ran to the new '3.5L' rules, which meant a new breed of sports-prototypes. Although TWR-Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot all built cars to the new regulations for the 1991 championship series, the number of privateer teams was low and there was simply not enough of these new cars to fill the grid. The FIA allowed the first 10 spaces on the grid to be reserved for the fastest qualifying 3.5L cars from the World Sportscar Championship, while the rest of the field was made up of older formula Group C cars. In another twist, some teams which had 3.5L cars, but entered previous year's championships with Group C cars, were allowed to enter their "obsolete" but more reliable (and for Le Mans in 1991, quicker) Group C racers. In the case of TWR Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, their 3.5L cars (the XJR-14 and C291 respectively) failed to qualify and instead they raced using their XJR-12 and C11 models. Peugeot Sport on the other hand only had their 905 model to race, with 1991 being their first full season in sportscar racing. Being the only factory team running the 3.5L formula, the French marque had the honour of starting 1st and 2nd, even though they had only set the 3rd and 8th fastest qualifying times.

Qualifying[]

Class leaders are in bold

Pos No. Team Car Class Time Gap Grid
1 31 Team Sauber Mercedes Mercedes C11 C2 3:31.270 11
2 4 Silk Cut Jaguar Jaguar XJR-14 C1 3:31.912 +0.642 WD
3 5 Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 905 C1 3:35.058 +3.788 1
4 31 Team Sauber Mercedes Mercedes C11 C2 3:35.265 +3.995 12
5 32 Team Sauber Mercedes Mercedes C11 C2 3:35.957 +4.687 13
6 17 Repsol Brun Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 3:36.114 +4.844 14
7 11 Porsche Kremer Racing Porsche 962CK6 C2 3:36.848 +5.578 15
8 6 Peugeot Talbot Sport Peugeot 905 C1 3:38.886 +7.616 2
9 58 Konrad Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 3:40.526 +9.256 16
10 57 Konrad Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 3:40.548 +9.278 17
11 35 Silk Cut Jaguar Jaguar XJR-12 C2 3:43.496 +12.226 18
12 55 Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. Mazda 787B C2 3:43.503 +12.233 19
13 12 Courage Compétition Cougar C26S C2 3:44.315 +13.045 20
14 21 Konrad Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 3:45.214 +13.944 21
15 8 Euro Racing Spice SE90C C1 3:45.740 +14.470 3
16 49 Courage Compétition Porsche 962C C2 3:46.181 +14.911 22
17 18 Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. Mazda 787B C2 3:46.641 +15.371 23
18 33 Silk Cut Jaguar Jaguar XJR-12 C2 3:47.875 +16.605 24
19 46 Porsche Kremer Racing Porsche 962CK6 C2 3:48.519 +17.249 25
20 13 Courage Compétition Cougar C26S C2 3:48.664 +17.394 26
21 34 Silk Cut Jaguar Jaguar XJR-12 C2 3:49.748 +18.478 27
22 36 TWR Suntec Jaguar Jaguar XJR-12 C2 3:49.867 +18.597 28
23 16 Repsol Brun Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 3:50.098 +18.828 29
24 56 Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd. Mazda 787B C2 3:50.161 +18.891 30
25 51 Team Salamin Primagaz Porsche 962C C2 3:52.822 +21.552 31
26 41 Euro Racing Spice SE90C C1 3:53.833 +22.563 4
27 47 Courage Compétition Cougar C26S C2 3:54.480 +23.210 32
28 37 Automobiles Louis Descartes ROC 002 C1 3:55.446 +24.176 5
29 53 Team Salamin Primagaz Porsche 962C C2 3:55.706 +24.436 33
30 50 Courage Compétition Porsche 962C C2 3:56.790 +25.520 34
31 15 Veneto Equipe Lancia LC2 C2 3:57.132 +25.862 35
32 39 Graff Racing Spice SE89C C1 3:57.298 +26.028 6
33 7 Automobiles Louis Descartes ALD C91 C1 3:59.343 +28.073 7
34 14 Team Salamin Primagaz Porsche 962C C2 3:59.674 +28.404 36
35 52 Team Salamin Primagaz Porsche 962C C2 4:01.761 +30.491 37
36 43 Euro Racing Spice SE89C C1 4:02.519 +31.249 8
37 45 Euro Racing Spice SE89C C1 4:06.578 +35.308 9
38 44 Euro Racing Spice SE89C C1 4:10.607 +39.337 10
39 40 Euro Racing Spice SE90C C2 4:11.781 +40.511 38
DNQ 48 Courage Compétition Cougar C26S C2 4:14.499 +43.229
DNQ 54 Team Salamin Primagaz Porsche 962C C2 4:18.611 +47.341
DNQ 42 Euro Racing Spice SE88P C2 5:09.145 +1:37.875
DNQ 2 Team Sauber Mercedes Mercedes C291 C1 6:55.969 +3:24.699
WD 59 Konrad Motorsport Porsche 962C C2 4:05.839

Race[]

The two Peugeots immediately led away at the start, whilst the top Group C cars, led by Mercedes, made light work of the other 3.5L cars. Peugeot’s joy was short-lived though, the #5 briefly catching fire whilst refuelling at its first pitstop, although it quickly rejoined the race. More serious problems loomed however, their cars started suffering from engine problems and would both drop out before nightfall. With the French team out, the three Mercedes took control at the front, with Jean-Louis Schlesser in car #1 and Michael Schumacher in #31 debating the lead throughout the early hours. Their only drama came when Wendlinger spun under the Dunlop Bridge on cold tires having just taken over the #31, forcing him to pit for a new rear wing.

Jaguar had a difficult race. They qualified poorly due to carrying a 200kg weight penalty for running their older Group C cars (which badly affected the handling), and they never looked like repeating the previous years success. The Porsches had to carry the same penalty and they too never featured in the victory battle. Thus as the race settled down, the job of chasing Mercedes fell to the #55 Mazda of youngsters Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler. Mazda hadn’t been viewed as victory contenders before the race, their 787B having achieved virtually nothing in the way of results previously. However, the team had exploited a loophole in the rules, which stated that naturally aspirated, rotary-powered old Group C1 cars weren't required to run at 1000kg, but at 850kg, and eventually the Mazda managed to run at 830 kilogrammes. Combined with their rotary Wankel engine providing better fuel mileage than the other ballasted cars, it left them running a strong fourth as night fell.

Mercedes were looking comfortable out front, but as Sunday rolled around their race began to unravel. The #31 had to pit several times to fix a gearbox problem, which cost 9 laps and dropped it down the field. The #32 then dropped out when it ran over debris; the impact damaged an engine mounting and the subsequent vibrations caused it to expire just before dawn. With the #1 spooked by the downfall of their teammates, the Mazda, now up to second, upped the pace in an attempt to try and break the final Mercedes. #31 was forced to pit again with high water temperature, and then at noon Alain Ferté brought a steaming #1 down pit lane having befallen the same fate. The alternator bracket had sheared, and in the process had snapped the water pump drive belt. Unlike their teammates however, their engine had overheated beyond repair and the dominant car of the race was pushed into the garage to retire.

From there the Mazda was never headed, and crossed the line with a two lap advantage over second place to secure a surprising and popular victory. It was the first Japanese car to ever win Le Mans, as well as the only non-piston engined car ever to do so. Jaguar’s reliability made up for their pace disadvantage, and the British marque secured second, third and fourth place, with the remaining #31 Mercedes recovering to complete the top five.

Official results[]

This Mazda 787B became the first Japanese car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of the winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Tyre Laps
Engine
1 C2 55 Japan Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.
Germany Volker Weidler
United Kingdom Johnny Herbert
Belgium Bertrand Gachot
Mazda 787B D 362
Mazda R26B 2.6L 4-Rotor
2 C2 35 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
United States Davy Jones
Brazil Raul Boesel
France Michel Ferté
Jaguar XJR-12 G 360
Jaguar 7.4L V12
3 C2 34 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
France Bob Wollek
Italy Teo Fabi
United Kingdom Kenny Acheson
Jaguar XJR-12 G 358
Jaguar 7.4L V12
4 C2 33 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
United Kingdom Derek Warwick
Denmark John Nielsen
United Kingdom Andy Wallace
Jaguar XJR-12 G 356
Jaguar 7.4L V12
5 C2 31 Germany Team Sauber Mercedes Austria Karl Wendlinger
Germany Michael Schumacher
Germany Fritz Kreutzpointner
Mercedes-Benz C11 G 355
Mercedes-Benz M119 5.0L Turbo V8
6 C2 18 Japan Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.
France Oreca
Republic of Ireland David Kennedy
Sweden Stefan Johansson
Brazil Maurizio Sandro Sala
Mazda 787B D 355
Mazda R26B 2.6L 4-Rotor
7 C2 58 Austria Konrad Motorsport
Germany Joest Porsche Racing
Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
United Kingdom Derek Bell
Germany Frank Jelinski
Porsche 962C G 347
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
8 C2 56 Japan Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.
France Oreca
Belgium Pierre Dieudonné
Japan Takashi Yorino
Japan Yojiro Terada
Mazda 787 D 346
Mazda R26B 2.6L 4-Rotor
9 C2 11 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing Germany Manuel Reuter
Finland Harri Toivonen
Finland JJ Lehto
Porsche 962CK6 Y 343
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
10 C2 17 Switzerland Repsol Brun Motorsport Argentina Oscar Larrauri
Spain Jesús Pareja
Switzerland Walter Brun
Porsche 962C Y 338
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
11 C2 12 France Courage Compétition France François Migault
France Lionel Robert
France Jean-Daniel Raulet
Cougar C26S G 331
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
12 C1 41 Netherlands Euro Racing
Japan Team Fedco
Japan Kiyoshi Misaki
Japan Hisashi Yokoshima
Japan Naoki Nagasaka
Spice SE90C G 326
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
13
NC
C2 53 Switzerland Team Salamin Primagaz
Australia Team Schuppan
United States Hurley Haywood
United Kingdom James Weaver
South Africa Wayne Taylor
Porsche 962C D 316
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
14
NC
C1 43 Netherlands Euro Racing
United Kingdom PC Automotive
United Kingdom Richard Piper
France Olindo Iacobelli
France Jean-Louis Ricci
Spice SE89C G 280
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
15
NC
C2 15 Italy Veneto Equipe Italy
Italy
Lancia LC2 D 111
Ferrari 308C 3.0L Turbo V8
16
DNF
C2 1 Germany Team Sauber Mercedes France Jean-Louis Schlesser
Germany Jochen Mass
France Alain Ferté
Mercedes-Benz C11 G 319
Mercedes-Benz M119 5.0L Turbo V8
17
DNF
C2 49 France Courage Compétition
Japan Trust Racing
Sweden Steven Andskär
South Africa George Fouché
Porsche 962C D 316
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
18
NC
C2 47 France Courage Compétition France Michel Trollé
Canada Claude Bourbonnais
Italy Marco Brand
Cougar C26S G 293
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
19
DNF
C2 51 Switzerland Team Salamin Primagaz
Germany Obermaier Racing
Germany Jürgen Lässig
France Pierre Yver
Germany Otto Altenbach
Porsche 962C G 232
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
20
DNF
C2 32 Germany Team Sauber Mercedes United Kingdom Jonathan Palmer
Sweden Stanley Dickens
Denmark Kurt Thiim
Mercedes-Benz C11 G 223
Mercedes-Benz M119 5.0L Turbo V8
21
DNF
C2 52 Switzerland Team Salamin Primagaz
Australia Team Schuppan
Sweden Eje Elgh
Austria Roland Ratzenberger
United Kingdom Will Hoy
Porsche 962C D 202
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
22
DNF
C2 57 Austria Konrad Motorsport
Germany Joest Porsche Racing
Germany Louis Krages
Germany Bernd Schneider
France Henri Pescarolo
Porsche 962C G 197
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
23
DNF
C2 36 United Kingdom TWR Suntec Jaguar United Kingdom David Leslie
Italy Mauro Martini
United States Jeff Krosnoff
Jaguar XJR-12 G 183
Jaguar 7.4L V12
24
DNF
C1 39 France Graff Racing
France Automobiles Louis Descartes
France Jean-Philippe Grand
France
France
Spice SE89C G 163
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
25
DNF
C2 16 Switzerland Repsol Brun Motorsport Norway Harald Huysman
Canada Robbie Stirling
Switzerland Bernard Santal
Porsche 962C Y 138
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
26
DNF
C2 45 Netherlands Euro Racing
United Kingdom Chamberlain Engineering
United Kingdom Nick Adams
United Kingdom Robin Donovan
United Kingdom Richard Jones
Spice SE89C G 128
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
27
DNF
C2 14 Switzerland Team Salamin Primagaz Switzerland Antoine Salamin
Morocco Max Cohen-Olivar
France
Porsche 962C G 101
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
28
DNF
C2 21 Austria Konrad Motorsport Austria Franz Konrad
United Kingdom Anthony Reid
Switzerland
Porsche 962C Y 98
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
29
DNF
C2 50 France Courage Compétition
France Alméras Frères
France Jacques Alméras
France Jean-Marie Alméras
France
Porsche 962C G 86
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
30
DNF
C1 44 Netherlands Euro Racing
United Kingdom Chamberlain Engineering
United Kingdom John Sheldon
France Ferdinand de Lesseps
United Kingdom Charles Rickett
Spice SE89C G 85
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
31
DNF
C1 8 Netherlands Euro Racing Netherlands Cor Euser
Netherlands Charles Zwolsman
United Kingdom Tim Harvey
Spice SE90C G 72
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
32
DNF
C1 6 France Peugeot Talbot Sport Finland Keke Rosberg
France Yannick Dalmas
France Pierre-Henri Raphanel
Peugeot 905 M 68
Peugeot SA35 3.5L V10
33
DNF
C1 40 Netherlands Euro Racing
Japan A.O. Racing
United States Lyn St. James
South Africa Desiré Wilson
France Cathy Muller
Spice SE90C D 47
Ford Cosworth DFZ 3.5L V8
34
DNF
C2 13 France Courage Compétition United Kingdom Johnny Dumfries
Sweden Anders Olofsson
Sweden Thomas Danielsson
Cougar C26S G 45
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
35
DNF
C1 37 France Automobiles Louis Descartes
France Racing Organization Course (ROC)
Switzerland
France Pascal Fabre
ROC 002 G 38
Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5L V8
36
DNF
C1 5 France Peugeot Talbot Sport Italy Mauro Baldi
France Philippe Alliot
France Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Peugeot 905 M 22
Peugeot SA35 3.5L V10
37
DNF
C2 46 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing Mexico
Switzerland Gregor Foitek
United Kingdom Tiff Needell
Porsche 962CK6 Y 18
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
38
DNF
C1 7 France Automobiles Louis Descartes France
Italy
France Patrick Gonin
ALD C91 G 16
Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5L V8
DNS C2 59 Austria Konrad Motorsport
Germany Joest Porsche Racing
Austria Franz Konrad
Germany Jürgen Barth
Porsche 962C G -
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNS C1 4 United Kingdom Silk Cut Jaguar
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw Racing
Italy Teo Fabi
United Kingdom Kenny Acheson
United Kingdom Andy Wallace
Jaguar XJR-14 G -
Jaguar Cosworth HB 3.5L V8
DNQ C2 48 France Courage Compétition United Kingdom Chris Hodgetts
United Kingdom
France
Cougar C24S G -
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNQ C1 2 Germany Team Sauber Mercedes Austria Karl Wendlinger
Germany Michael Schumacher
Germany Fritz Kreutzpointner
Mercedes-Benz C291 G -
Mercedes-Benz M291 3.5L Flat-12
DNQ C2 42 Netherlands Euro Racing United Kingdom Justin Bell
Japan Shunji Kasuya
Spice SE88P G -
Ferrari 308C 3.5L Turbo V8
DNQ C2 54 Switzerland Team Salamin Primagaz
United Kingdom Team Davey
Japan Katsunori Iketani
Austria Mercedes Stermitz
United Kingdom Val Musetti
Porsche 962C G -
Porsche Type-935 3.2L Turbo Flat-6

Statistics[]

  • Pole Position - Jean-Louis Schlesser, #1 Team Sauber Mercedes - 3:31.270
    • #3 Silk Cut Jaguar was originally on pole but was withdrawn prior to the race.
  • Fastest Lap - Michael Schumacher, #31 Team Sauber Mercedes - 3:35.564
  • Distance - 4922.810 km
  • Average Speed - 205.333 km/h
  • Highest Trap Speed — Sauber Mercedes C11 - 342 km/h (race), Sauber Mercedes C11 - 363 km/h (qualifying)


World Sportscar Championship
Previous race:
1991 430km of Silverstone
1991 season Next race:
1991 430km of Nürburgring
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