The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim was the ninth round of the1989 Formula 1 World Championship. The title battle lay between McLaren team-mates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Senna had started the season well but, of the last four races, Prost had won three of them. If Senna didn’t start outperforming his team-mate soon he risked losing touch in the title battle.
Senna Responds with Victory at Hockenheim
The McLaren pair locked out the front row for the German Grand Prix, with Senna on pole. Despite this, Gerhard Berger briefly held the lead, before his Ferrari was overtaken by both Senna and Prost.
Senna continued to lead the Grand prix until his progress was hampered by a slow pit stop. This allowed Prost into first position, but the Frenchman began to experience problems with his gearbox. It was a piece of luck for Senna, and he swept past into a lead he held until the finish. Prost managed to hold on for second, while Nigel Mansell brought his Ferrari home in third. At last Senna had halted Prost’s progress towards the title.
Senna Loses at Hungaroring to Mansell
The tight, twisty Hungaroring circuit made overtaking difficult. Qualifying well was therefore vitally important, as it was in Monaco. Riccardo Patrese was a surprise pole-sitter in his Renault powered Williams. Senna was second quickest, ahead of Alex Caffi, who produced a remarkable lap in the Scuderia Italia Dallara.
Patrese kept his composure at the start and maintained his lead ahead of Senna. Caffi could not replicate his qualifying pace in the Grand Prix and soon dropped back down the field. Patrese’s drive was eventually halted by a holed radiator, which allowed Senna into the lead.
Mansell, meanwhile, had made extraordinary progress. The Ferrari driver had qualified way down in 12th position but diligently made his way up to second, right behind the leading McLaren of Senna. Overtaking was an extremely treacherous proposition on the dusty track, but Mansell finally got his chance. As Senna came up to lap Stefan Johansson’s Onyx the Swede’s car slowed with a gearbox problem. Senna’s momentum was interrupted and, while he dived to one side of the Onyx, Mansell sailed past on the other. The move proved conclusive, as Mansell went on to win the Grand Prix. Senna finished second with Thierry Boutsen’s Williams third. The victory was Mansell’s second of the 1989 season but, despite losing the lead of the race, Senna still gained points on Prost in the World Championship.
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