6 F1 Races in the 80s and 90s Won on the Very Last Lap

After covering the races from the 1970s that were won on the final lap, we now continue into an era that many F1 fans love to revisit and read about. Next, we look back at six unforgettable races from the 1980s and 1990s, each decided in the closing moments: 6 F1 Races in the 80s and 90s Won on the Very Last Lap.

Normally, the races in the 1970s were more dramatic when it came to fighting for victory. For example, there was the story of Peterson and Depailler, who battled until the final moments, or the 1970 Monaco GP, where Brabham crashed at the last corner and Rindt took the victory.

What’s interesting about the 1980s and 1990s is that these races were even more dramatic and filled with controversy, especially the first two races of the 1980s.

1982 San Marino Grand Prix: Pironi Takes the Lead from Villeneuve

The 1982 San Marino GP at Imola became one of the most controversial races in Ferrari’s history one of the most dramatic F1 race finishes.

With the leading Renaults of Rene Arnoux and Alain Prost both retiring, Ferrari found itself in a commanding position.

Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi were running first and second, with no serious challenge behind them. Ferrari wanted its drivers to bring the cars home safely, the team displayed a ‘SLOW’ board, which was intended to tell the drivers to reduce their pace and protect the cars.

Villeneuve believed the message meant that the position should remain unchanged, he eased his pace, expecting Pironi to do the same, but Pironi had other ideas.

On the final lap, the two Ferraris approached the Tosa corner with Villeneuve still leading, Pironi attacked and passed his teammate, taking the lead when Villeneuve wasn’t expecting a serious challenge.

Pironi went on to win the race, with Villeneuve finishing second. The race showed that even when two cars appear to be comfortably controlling a Grand Prix, the final lap can completely change the story.

1982 Monaco Grand Prix: Patrese Returns from a Spin to Win

Only a few weeks after Imola, F1 produced another extraordinary final-lap change of the lead at Monaco.

The 1982 Monaco Grand Prix had already been affected by rain, but the final stages turned the race into complete chaos. Riccardo Patrese had been fighting near the front in his Brabham, with only few laps remaining, he appeared to have a realistic chance of victory, but Patrese spun at the Loews hairpin and dropped out of contention.

Didier Pironi inherited the lead in his Ferrari, while Andrea de Cesaris and Derek Daly were also involved in the fight for the remaining podium positions. Patrese, however, wasn’t finished!

After his spin, his Brabham managed to get moving again, and he continued, as the final lap approached, the race suddenly changed once more, Pironi’s Ferrari ran out of fuel, de Cesaris then suffered the same fate, whilie Daly’s Williams came to a halt with a gearbox. Patrese, who had recovered from his own spin, suddenly found himself in contention, he passed the stranded cars and retook the lead on the final lap.

What had looked like a lost race had suddenly become a victory. Reportedly, Patrese did not even know that he had won the race until he reached the pit lane. It became one of the most unusual victories of his career.

1991 Canadian Grand Prix: Piquet Inherits Victory from Mansell

Nine years later, another driver lost a seemingly certain victory during the final lap, at the 1991 Canadian GP, Mansell had dominated the race in his Williams Renault. He had built avantage over Nelson Piquet and appeared certain to take another victory.

Mansell was so comfortable that, as the final lap began, the Williams driver slowed considerably and waved to the crowd as he approached the end of the race, but during the final lap, something went badly wrong. At the hairpin, Mansell’s engine revs dropped too low and the Williams stopped.

Piquet had been running comfortably behind and had no reason to believe that victory was about to fall into his hands, the Brazilian passed the stranded Williams and took the lead in the final lap of the race.

Piquet crossed the line to win the Canadian GP, securing the 23rd and final victory of his F1 career, it was an unexpected victory and is one of F1 races decided on the last lap.

1991 Japanese Grand Prix: Senna Gives the Lead to Berger

Not every last-lap change of the lead happens because of a mistake or mechanical failure, sometimes it is deliberate.

The 1991 Japanese GP at Suzuka provided one of F1’s most memorable examples, McLaren drivers Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger were running first and second, with Senna having already secured the World Championship, Senna no longer needed to fight his teammate for the victory.

Berger had been an important teammate and friend throughout the season, and Senna decided to give him the opportunity to win, as the final lap reached its closing stages, Senna slowed and allowed Berger to pass.

Berger crossed the line first to win the Japanese GP, while Senna finished second, it was a very different type of last-lap lead change from the events at Imola in 1982. For Berger, it became one of the most memorable victories of his career, for Senna, it was an unusual example of a F1 champion putting the team’s relationship ahead of his own race result.

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1997 Hungarian Grand Prix: Villeneuve Catches Hill on the Final Lap

The 1997 Hungarian GP produced another dramatic change of fortune during the closing laps.

Damon Hill had joined the Arrows-Yamaha team after leaving Williams, a few expected the Arrows to challenge for victory, yet at the Hungaroring, Hill produced one of the performances that made the race so memorable, he led comfortably and appeared to be heading toward a remarkable victory for Arrows.

With only a few laps remaining, a hydraulic problem began to affect his car, a damaged component caused Hill’s car to become stuck in third gear, while his throttle response also became increasingly difficult to control, his huge advantage began disappearing.

Jacques Villeneuve, driving for Williams, was charging toward the struggling Arrows, by the beginning of the final lap, Villeneuve had caught Hill.

The Williams driver eventually passed Hill to take the lead, and the Canadian driver went on to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Hill managed to nurse the damaged Arrows to the finish in second place.

1997 European Grand Prix: Häkkinen Takes the Lead as Villeneuve Secures the Title

The 1997 European Grand Prix at Jerez provided perhaps the most unusual examples in this group because the driver surrendering the lead had a much bigger objective than winning the race.

Jacques Villeneuve arrived at Jerez fighting Michael Schumacher for the World Championship, their battle reached its dramatic conclusion during the race when Villeneuve attempted to pass Villeneuve and the two collided. Michael Schumacher retired from the race, while Villeneuve was able to continue.

Villeneuve therefore had little reason to take unnecessary risks, with the championship within reach, finishing the race became more important than fighting for victory.

The McLaren drivers Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard were behind him, and Villeneuve eventually allowed Hakkinen through during the closing stages, Hakkinen took the lead on the final lap and went on to claim his first F1 victory.

Villeneuve finished third, but that result was enough for him to become the 1997 World Champion. For Hakkinen, the race marked the beginning of his Grand Prix-winning career, for Villeneuve, the most important moment wasn’t winning the race but securing the championship.

When the Final Lap Changes Everything

These six races show that a F1 victory can change in completely different ways during the final lap.

What connects all of these races is the same simple fact, the race isn’t over until the checkered flag falls. A driver can dominate for 77 laps and lose victory in the final corners, a driver can spin and still win, a teammate can surrender the lead deliberately, or a championship contender can decide that second or third place is worth more than risking everything for a race victory.

That is one of the reasons F1 race history is filled with stories that remain memorable decades later. Sometimes the most important moment of a race doesn’t happen at the start, during a pit stop, or even halfway through the race, sometimes, it happens on the last lap!

Previous Article: 5 F1 Races in the 1970s Won on the Very Last Lap

FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: Ayrton Senna at the 1991 United States Grand Prix, by Stuart Seeger, licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr.

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