WATCH: Throwback to Ayrton Senna's god level driving to take 'impossible' pole position at 1991 Hungarian GP

The Hungarian Grand Prix 1991, will forever be etched in the history of Formula 1 as the day Ayrton Senna defied the odds to achieve what many deemed impossible. In the heat of the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session, Senna delivered a performance that left his rivals in awe but solidified his status as one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history.

The 1991 season had been a fierce battle, and by the time the F1 circus arrived in Hungary, Williams was the team to beat. They had secured pole position at the Hungaroring for the past two years, even under less favourable conditions.

The tight and twisty nature of the circuit seemed tailor-made for the Williams cars, making it nearly impossible for anyone to challenge them for pole position. The consensus in the paddock was clear: ‘No one would be able to break the 1:17.000 barrier that day.’

Here is the video:

1991 Hungarian GP pole onboard. One of Ayrton Senna's greatest quali sessions. Both of his flying laps would have put him in 1st by far.
1.2s faster than the Williams (2nd & 3rd).
1.5s faster than his teammate in 5th.
That was the 1st GP after Mr. Honda's death.

Via Amani Racing pic.twitter.com/3dWO3jwetF

— Petrolhead 🏁 (@NuvolariTazio1) July 9, 2024

Ayrton Senna was not just anyone. Armed with his McLaren-Honda, Senna approached the session with a determination that was as unyielding as well as inspiring. This was the first Grand Prix since the death of Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda, and Senna was determined to honour his memory by winning the race. 

Some extraordinary efforts by Senna! 

Senna's first attempt was nothing but extraordinary. Against all expectations, he managed to clock a lap time of 1:16.649, shattering the perceived limitations of the track and setting a new benchmark. However, Senna was far from finishing. 

He returned to the track for another run, pushing himself and his car to the absolute limit. In an almost surreal display of skill, he improved his time by 0.502 seconds. He ultimately posted a lap time that was 1.232 seconds faster than anyone else and 1.558 seconds ahead of his teammate, Gerhard Berger.

The paddock was stunned. Senna had done the impossible, and in doing so, he had not just beaten his rivals but utterly demoralized them. It was a display of driving brilliance that defied logic and left everyone questioning how he had managed to pull it off.

Gerhard Berger, reflecting on the session, encapsulated the essence of Senna’s greatness: “For Ayrton, the Williams didn’t exist. In his mind, the only thing that existed was himself, and he had to be first. By this thinking, he was able to create a power. That’s the only word I can use. It wasn’t that he was dreaming. He did it!”