1989 F1 Season Review
Prost and Senna Crash Decided the Formula 1 World Championship
Heading into the final three Grands Prix of the 1989 Formula 1 season McLaren’s Alain Prost was a clear favourite for the World Championship. The only person who could beat him was his own team-mate, Ayrton Senna.
Senna Wins Spanish Grand Prix
At Jerez Senna kept his World Championship hopes alive with victory in a processional race. He had qualified on pole, with Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari second and Prost in third. The top three finished the race in exactly the same order. Jean Alesi had another strong showing in the Tyrrell, finishing fourth.
Controversial Title Decider at Suzuka
Senna knew he had to beat Prost in the Japanese Grand Prix to have any chance of taking the title. In qualifying he put his McLaren on pole, but Prost was right next to him in second place on the grid.
At the start of the race Prost made the better getaway and took the lead. He held it until lap 46. Approaching the chicane near the end of the lap Senna made his move on Prost. The two cars collided and slid off the track. While Prost stepped out of his McLaren and walked away Senna received help from the Japanese marshals and rejoined. He was forced to pit for a new nosecone, after which he embarked on a thrilling comeback drive.
Senna eventually passed Alessandro Nannini’s Benetton for the lead. Despite crossing the line first his efforts were in vain. He was disqualified for receiving outside assistance from the marshals. Prost was the 1989 Formula 1 World Champion. Nannini was credited with the race win, followed by Riccardo Patrese in second and Thierry Boutsen in third.
Boutsen Takes Victory in Australian Grand Prix
Pierluigi Martini was the surprise of qualifying in Adelaide. The Minardi driver finished the session in third position, with only Prost and Senna ahead of him on the grid. Race day in Australian was extremely wet. The conditions were bad enough to make newly confirmed World Champion Prost pull out of the Grand Prix.
Senna, who revelled in such conditions, built up a considerable lead. His race ended when, in very limited visibility, he rammed the back of Martin Brundle’s Brabham. Boutsen kept his Williams on the road to score his second victory of the season. Nannini finished second for Benetton while Patrese was third in the other Williams.
1989 had been a fascinating season, mainly because of the increasingly intense atmosphere which developed between Senna and Prost at McLaren. Prost would be a Ferrari driver in 1990 but a change of team did little to dampen the rivalry with Senna
1989 F1 World Champion Alain Prost
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