The talk of the paddock was of Team Lotus, which had lost its Camel backing for 1991 and had appointed Peter Collins and Peter Wright to a nebulous marketing position. It was the beginning of a takeover of the team. Cigarette-maker Camel announced that it would be backing Williams and Benetton in 1991.

In qualifying for the race Williams scored a 1-2 result with Thierry Boutsen on pole from Riccardo Patrese. The two McLaren drivers were struggling, using new construction Goodyear tyres, and so Gerhard Berger and Ayrton Senna were third and fourth ahead of Ferrari's Nigel Mansell, who shared the third row with Jean Alési (Tyrrell). Sandro Nannini (Benetton) and Alain Prost (Ferrari) were on row four while Nelson Piquet (Benetton) shared the fifth row with Andrea de Cesaris's Dallara. In the course of Saturday Gregor Foitek suffered a suspension failure on his Monteverdi Onyx and, shaken by it, he returned to the paddock and told the team that he would not be with them again. He had had enough.

The start in Hungary is critical and Gerhard Berger made the best one on this occasion and tried to get ahead of the two Williams-Renaults but Boutsen shut the door firmly. Patrese slotted into third while Mansell went round Senna on the outside in the first corner and then Alési went skittering down the inside so Senna found himself sixth. Prost also made a bad start and slipped behind de Cesaris, Nannini and Piquet. The first four cars set off in a train, while Alési held up those behind him. Nannini soon overtook de Cesaris but it took Piquet and Prost a lot longer.

Senna did not manage to pass Alési until lap 21 but as soon as he was ahead he was forced into the pits with a puncture which dropped him to 10th place. Nannini overtook Alési and quickly caught up with the leading quartet. He was followed ahead of the Tyrrell by Prost. Soon afterwards Alain spun off when his transmission failed. Alési then put himself out of the action when he collided with Pierluigi Martini's Minardi. With the field ahead clearing out of the way Senna closed quickly on the five cars at the front. Berger in the meantime decided that in order to pass Boutsen he needed new tyres and so pitted and dropped to sixth place. On lap 52 a frustrated Mansell tried to pass Patrese but did not get through. He had to lift and instantly Nannini went ahead. Senna did the same. Mansell was back to fifth. Patrese stayed out for a few more laps and so Boutsen's lead increased but as soon as Riccardo disappeared into the pits the gap closed again.

On lap 64 Senna made a move to grab second from Nannini in the chicane. The two collided and Nannini was launched into the sandtrap. Senna emerged unscathed. Nannini was out.

On lap 72 Berger tried the same trick on Mansell and this time both cars went out. This left Boutsen with Senna closing fast and then a big gap back to Piquet. Patrese was fourth with Derek Warwick (Lotus) fifth and Éric Bernard (Lola-Lamborghini) sixth. Senna tried everything but Boutsen held him off all the way to the flag.