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Your classic Italian Grand Prix

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Andrew Benson | 10:00 UK time, Wednesday, 8 September 2010

The 1991 Italian Grand Prix is the selected race in the latest edition of our classic grand prix series.

The full 'Grand Prix' highlights programme from the time is embedded below, with the links to the shorter edits of it and all the other races we gave as options in my blog last week underneath it.

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The highlights will be available on satellite and cable television in the UK from 1500 BST on Wednesday 8 September until 1000 on Friday 10 of September. Unfortunately, because of a lack of bandwidth, they will not be available on Freeview.

As regular readers will know, we make the decision about which race to highlight after reading your responses to my previous blog.

It is not a 'vote' per se - in that it is ultimately our decision which race to show the extended highlights for - but we do take your views very seriously. And this was one of the closest calls we have had to make.

In terms of your responses, there was almost nothing to choose between the 1987, '91 and 1996 races. By my reckoning, '87 and '96 were tied in terms of backers, with '91 only three ahead.

In the end, though, 's victory for in 1991 is a deserving choice.

The Englishman won after a three-way battle between himself, team-mate and 's , who was Mansell's rival for the title that year.

Senna led from the start, tracked closely by both Williams drivers, who were also engaged in their own private fight.

In 1992, Mansell utterly dominated Patrese and the rest of the field in the , which was fitted with . In 1991, though, the two men were closely matched in its predecessor, the original FW14, which had standard suspension, and Patrese flat beat Mansell on some occasions.

When Patrese passed the Englishman at around half-distance, when the two men were still hounding Senna, looked like being one of those times. But the Italian then spun on the very next lap, leaving Mansell to challenge Senna alone, and he passed the Brazilian a few laps later.

It was an important victory for Mansell, who had spent the summer trying to eat into the big lead Senna had built up by winning the first four races on the trot, at a time when Williams were struggling with reliability problems.

Following his Monza victory, with the faster car under him and momentum apparently riding with him, it was beginning to look as if Mansell might do it.

There were more wins to come - including in Spain, where - but ultimately the title slipped through Mansell's fingers. The end of his challenge was a mistake early in the Japanese Grand Prix, when he ran off the road and out of the race.

He would have to wait another year before finally getting his hands on the title.

You, though, can watch these videos right now. I hope you enjoy them.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Thanks Andrew. The right choice was made, as this will be the first race we've had full highlights from for the 1991 season, whereas we've already had races from 1987 and 1996.

  • Comment number 2.

    Thanks, as always, for providing this excellent service but p l e a s e push for the Classics to be shown on Freeview every time. As others have said before, we are happy to watch in the early hours if time cannot be borrowed from some of the (frankly rubbish) programmes that are often repeated instead..

    It's no wonder i need new specs having to watch these things on a relatively small screen instead of decent size tv.

  • Comment number 3.

    Bet you're looking forward to all the 'why isn't it on Freeview' comments. Glad I don't have it. I'd be willing to bet that between now and FP1 for example, there is space for them to be shown, even in the middle of the night.

  • Comment number 4.

    Not available on Freeview?

    Look at channel 301. From 6AM to 2PM, CBeebies Quiz is shown. Then from 3PM to 7PM it is being shown again. Then from 7:10PM to 5:50AM, it is showing Doctor Who at the Proms 2010.

    You don't think anyone could spare 1 hour of those endless repeats for this service?

    Unbelievable.

  • Comment number 5.

    i happy with that choice but i cant believe how close the vote for 1987,1991 and 1996 races were thats amazing

  • Comment number 6.

    THIS IS GREAT!!!!!
    THANK YOU 91Èȱ¬ F1 TEAM!!!!!!!

  • Comment number 7.

    Mr Benson has better things to do with his time than trawl through page after page of people moaning about how rubbish their freeview service is.

    As with everything in this world, you get what you pay for. So give it a rest now. Get cable or something.

    Really looking forward to the race. C'Mon Lewis!

  • Comment number 8.

    Again, I see that the Channel 301 controller / scheduler is doing a great job!! Last week, the classic Belgian races were also not shown due to a lack of Freeview bandwidth - a repeated loop of so-called Radio 4 Comedians in Edinburgh. This was on for about 3 days!

    I know that Andrew does a great job but I see no point in voting for 'my' classic grand prix if I cannot see it.

  • Comment number 9.

    you can see team orders all over the place... and they do make sense. What a shame the Ferrari hearing in Paris today

  • Comment number 10.

    Good stuff, looking forward to watching these on TV when I get home (i'm not going to argue with the choice made this time, even though i didn't vote for it!)

    By the way Andrew, I was wondering if any decision had been made yet on the future of this splendid feature? I remember you had asked for our views earlier this year - despite all the whining that goes on about it (not being on freeview, no extended highlights for ITV etc etc etc), it would be a massive shame if this feature wasn't kept on in some shape or form for next year

    Swrcsky

  • Comment number 11.

    No Freeview again! I think 91Èȱ¬ should ditch the 301 channel as it is becoming a bit of a joke! Mind you if Ferrari get away with race fixing then F1 will be nothing more than WWE on wheels!

  • Comment number 12.

    Brilliant videos Andrew. I love this circuit - one of the very very best.

  • Comment number 13.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 14.

    Freeview: There's enough bandwidth to show more than 10 hours of Doctor Who at the Proms 2010 through the night tonight, 13 hours of Cbeebies Quiz! tomorrow and over 7 hours of Doctor Who at the Proms 2010 again tomorrow night. Could someone explain how it works that there's not enough bandwidth to show the classic F1?

  • Comment number 15.

    Ok, so I want to attempt to answer a couple of questions on here.

    To those of you who are tired of the 'make it on freeview' comments, surely the stance 'you get what you pay for' is pedantic, pathetic and down right condescending to those of us on freeview. I have digital cable at home, but as living with my parents we don't have a digibox in my room so I make do with the freeview. Therefore I understand peoples issues with it not being on freeview, and quite frankly I am not going to pay the extra £20 a month so I can get an extra 300 channels of call girls and discovery home and elephants +24

    To those who are commenting on team orders, you seem to forget that this was in an age when team orders were acceptable and not against the rules. After the Schumacher/Barrichello incident on the podium team order's were banned because of the outcry of fans who thought this was unecessary. You cannot compare the two situations, it's like comparing Allied forces operations in WW2 to the Iraq invasion, it's just pointless trying to compare.

    I suggest you go to autosport and read the Mark Hughes collumn which underlined why the team orders rule was brought into effect and what it really means, as far as the FIA go they are happy to let them slide 'so long as they don't take the *insert 4 letter word*' which is what Ferrari did in Hockenheim, they simply took the rule & the viewing public and made a mockery of 'racing' had they been more subtle and held Massa in a pit stop like they did in Brazil '07 there would be less outcry, then again there probably would have been given that it was still mid season.

    And don't forget fickle posters what happened to DC & Mika after Aus 98 when he let Mika after their gentlemans agreement. DC was not popular at all in the British press that Sunday!

  • Comment number 16.

    I think it's a shame that you guys decided to edit out the small chunk of audio before Schumacher's overtake on Hakkinen.

    I understand it was a classic piece of muddily talking from our dear Murray, and so to whose who haven't seen this race before, it would have made little sense; but, to someone who has like myself, his complete surprise as to what's going on adds to the dramatic flow of events taking place, and it feels a tad strange to cut straight from Coulthard's engine blow-up to the overtake all-but being finished. But ignore me, that's probably just what seeing it constantly here and there for 12 years does to you haha.

    Other than that, a fantastic selection again Andrew.

  • Comment number 17.

    OK I'm going to finish the arguing/commenting on team orders:
    All of us saw (this year) when McLaren told Button to put the car into 'safe fuel' to let Hamilton comfortably pass him. What was going to be such a nice fight to see! Nobody (or no english) wants to reckon that... not even Button!! but that's the true.
    Please stop cheating on yourselves.
    And please 91Èȱ¬ team start thinking on being a little bit more professional when commenting on this subject
    what a shame all this...

    What is more: "Team orders are banned in Formula 1, but debate has raged since Ferrari appeared to tell their drivers to swap positions in Germany last Sunday.
    "What teams do with their drivers should be for the teams to decide," said Whitmarsh at the Hungaroring.
    Mercedes boss Ross Brawn admitted it was a "massive dilemma" for Formula 1."

  • Comment number 18.

    All of us saw (this year) when McLaren told Button to put the car into 'safe fuel' to let Hamilton comfortably pass him

    ===============================

    When was that?

    The only team orders I recall at McLaren this year were at Istanbul in Turkey, and Button didn't at any point 'let' Hamilton through. Hamilton was told to save fuel, Button overtook him, Hamilton won it back, and then the pair of them were told to conserve fuel (as they had been prior to the incident).

    Was there another incident I am missing?

  • Comment number 19.

    I know that Andrew does a great job but I see no point in voting for 'my' classic grand prix if I cannot see it.

    ===============================

    To be fair, you CAN see it - just scroll up and there they are!

    You just can't see it on Freeview.

  • Comment number 20.

    @19 - some of us have broadband usage limits and live in areas where the internet connection is painfully slow

  • Comment number 21.

    moan moan moan moan :0(

    I bet somedays andrew thinks "whats the point, why do i bother?"




    nice job mr Benson please keep it up :0)

  • Comment number 22.

    *ANDREW* sry about caps just want to hopefully get your attention
    for some reason the other races wont play on a play station 3 browser (click link and just continues to load until the browser crashes), however the 1991 race embedded in your post will. would it be possible to place an embedded video of each race into your next blog? cheers Jon

  • Comment number 23.

    Sorry, I agree does seem like I moan about the freeview I just think this is an erea the 91Èȱ¬ let themselves down on. However, I do not blame the F1 team for this I think they do a great job and would rather have this feature without freeview than not have it at all!

    Regarding the team orders: If team orders are allowed then: 1 - how can they call it a race? and 2 - what is the point in the drivers championship they should just have the constructors!

  • Comment number 24.

    So in the last decade there is only 1 Italian GP (2009) to watch??


    How about 2008 & 2007?


  • Comment number 25.

    Thanks a lot for these, Andrew.

    I found an information that may interest you (and perhaps you will use it for next years classic Italian GP).

    On September 7th 1969 there was 91Èȱ¬ coverage of Italian GP which was part of programme called "Sunday Sport" (that day it was from 15:55 until 17:05, it contained Monza race and some hurling).

    Hope that helps, Andrew, thanks again for highlights.

  • Comment number 26.

    A great choice as a winner.

    I still think Schuey v's Hakkeinen at Monza 98 was a belter though and one that persoanlly stands out for me.

    Shame about the freeview, infact its a complete joke now. Doctor Who & C-Beebies Looped all week 24/7. And 2 hours can't be found for classic F1? Love this feature and applaud Andrew for it every 2 weeks but its becoming like going to a Restaurant and ordering your favorite meal, but then having to balance the plate on your knee whilst you eat because there's no spare tables. The people who are at the tables finished their meal days ago but The Restaurant owner refuses to let them leave and allows them to stay all week even though they ate their meal days ago and..and..and... I think i've finally cracked over this issue...

  • Comment number 27.

    Unfortunately, because of a lack of bandwidth, they will not be available on Freeview.

    Give the public the programmes they want to see.
    Endless loops of Doctor Who, Cboobies, and music festivals.
    What is the point of paying a licence fee - the 91Èȱ¬'s unique way of funding...

    ...a little planning wouldn't go a miss to "free-up" an hour and a half to show the F1 highlights.

    This is beyond a joke now.

    Fuming F1 fan.

  • Comment number 28.

    Lack of bandwidth? Sorry, not buying it. More like lack of planning, organisation and forward-thinking.

    As the previous poster mentions, the bandwidth is there, it's just clogged up by the same programmes being repeated over and over again.

  • Comment number 29.

    While it's true to say there's a lack of bandwidth on Freeview (as a technical statement), what is really hurting is the decision to discontinue the stream that was 302 (along with the News Multiscreen service) in favour of a high-definition service that most people can't receive. (And incidentally HD and limited bandwidth are a really bad combination...)

    Of course, some more sensible scheduling would help...

    Back on topic - '91 was before I became a fan of F1, so I'm looking forward to watching it!

  • Comment number 30.

    Apparently, this is'nt a blog to talk about past classic races, this is the Freeview Complaints Service!!!!!

    :D

    I'd suggest not whining at Andrew, he cant do anything about it.

    I'd suggest taking your moans to the person who actually can do something about it, and stop clogging these blogs up for everyone else.

  • Comment number 31.

    NO!

  • Comment number 32.

    I second DickFreskie...
    Remember highlights of Spanish GP earlier this year... shown between FP1 and FP2. It can be done, It has been done before...
    Consistency is needed.

    Andrew Benson reads the comments with interest and I think enough F1 fans have aired their opinions on this post to (hopefully) make something happen for the future.

    I love Formula One but I feel I am being denied...

  • Comment number 33.

    Andrew it's a pitty I can't watch any of the videos... The Blog says it's restricted only to UK viewers. On the Murray Walker Blog a similar message appears, however it redirects the viewer to another page, which is available to other viewers. Can't this be done on your blog as well?

    Cheers!

  • Comment number 34.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 35.

    I want to complement everyone at the 91Èȱ¬ for this brilliant feature, seeing the old F1 races brings back so many memories, both fond and not so. I think everyone involved in keeping this going deserves a pat on the back, well done. One question, what will be happening next year? I'd like a season review, looking at every race and seeing the highs and lows of a classic season. Thanks again guys.

  • Comment number 36.

    I like seeing the old Grand Prix Titles, proper titles then the awful pathetic ones we have now.
    The blatent bias towards One Driver, action and suspense yet we have Titles that are ready for HD but F1 isnt even in HD!
    Yet the 91Èȱ¬ spend thousands on the Match of the Day titles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Comment number 37.

    F1 Team orders:
    ARodenas: 'All of us saw (this year) when McLaren told Button to put the car into 'safe fuel' to let Hamilton comfortably pass him

    ===============================
    @18, FortressFratton wrote:

    When was that?

    The only team orders I recall at McLaren this year were at Istanbul in Turkey, and Button didn't at any point 'let' Hamilton through. Hamilton was told to save fuel, Button overtook him, Hamilton won it back, and then the pair of them were told to conserve fuel (as they had been prior to the incident).

    Was there another incident I am missing?
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    You are missing what really happened. Button keeps tyres much better than Hamilton -on the other hand Hamilton is the true champion, no doubt on that-. That's how Button was driving faster than Hamilton and sustained the battle through almost half the circuit (fantastic driving there from both)... UNTIL THE RADIO SAID: 'Button save fuel, save fuel', to fast finish the battle as they wanted.
    Now, that's team orders too. Believe it or not.

    Only some seconds of it here:

  • Comment number 38.

    For too long have I sat by a read these amongst other sports blogs and not thrown my two cents into the mix, so here goes . . .

    I have recently got Sky, but suffered for ages with freeview and a TV signa that changed everytime the neighbours wanted to get up and make a drink, so I can understand and sympathise with the frustration and utter disbelief that classic F1 will no longer be shown on Freeview (if not technically true, it sure seems that way to me)! As you, Andrew, work for the 91Èȱ¬ can you tell us where to direct complaints to and en-mass I'm sure that we the under aprechiated F1 fans can persuade them to allow classic F1 back onto freeview (which isn't free because we pay liecense fees and for what)!?

    For those who bacng on about team orders, they happen, can't change that, never going to be able to so we have to swallow the bitter pill of disappointment every so often, but life (and F1) goes on.

    And now for something completely different . . . can we get rid of Jonathan Legard, the man has no knowledge of F1 and I find him enfuriating listening to his drivel every race weekend. We must put a stop to this and get someone in who better deserves the job!

    For now that is all, but to say thanks for the classic F1 in the first place.

  • Comment number 39.

    This is one of my favourite races ever. Mainly because of the result, but also, because it enabled Mansell to stay in the title fight. Nigel should've won in the previous race at Spa, and was on his way, but engine failure intevened.
    Anyway, the way in which Nigel used(for want of a better word) team mate Patrese to harass Senna and get him to use his tyres up, so when he made his move, Senna had no response.

  • Comment number 40.

    Freeview schmeeview.... all this whining, my goodness..... in what way is it necessary or constructive? I've just watched some great classic F1 but no mention of it in this discussion. Tis a shame.

    If you wish to petition the beeb to change its policy on what gets aired on your red button this is probably not the best forum - maybe you could express your views in public instead? Or perhaps one of you community minded fellows could start a petition and send it in, or email your considered opinions to the powers that be? Is Points of View still on?

    Anyway, thanks Andrew. Loved the '91 highlights. Great to see Mansell in his ballsy prime and get some insight into the machinations of that season. Also, was that Ron Dennis's cap that Nigel threw into the crowd after the podium? Cheeky. Great.

    As a lengthy aside, it is interesting to note how effective the 91Èȱ¬ presentation was back then. How expertly Murray acted as both lead commentator and presenter, without the need for a posse to back him up. F1 2010 gets hours of air-time and yet somehow manages to be less informative than in the old days. Yes, I realise this was the edited highlights package, but still the live show managed without hours of preamble, and video was edited to fit the script. Quite unlike today's video segments which seem to be edited to fit a timeslot and a rarely illuminating.

    I guess TV has "moved on". Certainly, there are advantages to having a "non-expert" host, as opposed to such an authority as Murray, but the format has its weaknesses: Speculation and debate is great - in the forum - but opinion seems to have been mistaken for fact and the racing a backdrop to the egos.

    As for Leg', I'll say this - stick to the role of commentary and let Brundle analyse. JL is too often sidetracked by his own thought-process, trips on the analysis, and seems to overlook critical on-track action.

    I've been impressed by Karun Chandhok on the radio (would rather he were driving, of course) not simply because of his encyclopaedic knowledge of F1, or his incisive analysis - but because he has proved himself to be a very effective commentator. By which I mean that he describes what's going on on the track, and clearly loves the sport. Thus his words enhance the images. The Leg's words do not.


    I thank you.

  • Comment number 41.

    *Quote: rapid_roy:*
    "As a lengthy aside, it is interesting to note how effective the 91Èȱ¬ presentation was back then. How expertly Murray acted as both lead commentator and presenter, without the need for a posse to back him up. F1 2010 gets hours of air-time and yet somehow manages to be less informative than in the old days. Yes, I realise this was the edited highlights package, but still the live show managed without hours of preamble, and video was edited to fit the script. Quite unlike today's video segments which seem to be edited to fit a timeslot and a rarely illuminating."

    Agreed, 100%.

  • Comment number 42.

    Forgot how good the old engines sound and how rubbish the current engines sound. Lets face it the noise is half the fun.

  • Comment number 43.

    michael schmacher would of had to be very brave to stay on the inside of prost 2006 china he did it 2 raikonnen

  • Comment number 44.

    Italy '91: Very interesting stunt by the Williams there but the implication was that he orchestrated it without having to rely on the pitwall. I can only presume Patrese was out of the tite picture at that point.

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