Alain Prost won the opening Grand Prix of the 1993 Formula 1 season, with his old rival Ayrton Senna finishing second. Prost had prevented Senna from becoming his team-mate at Williams. While the Frenchman drove the best car in the field, Senna was stuck with a McLaren powered by a customer Ford V8 engine. Over the course of the season Senna would extract all the performance his car had to offer and produce some of his greatest drives.
Senna Wins Second Brazilian Grand Prix
The March team did not appear for the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. After struggling through the previous season the team’s engines did not arrive for the first race of 1993. With no more money available March withdrew from the World Championship.
The Williams drivers dominated qualifying at Interlagos, with Prost claiming pole ahead of his far less experienced team-mate Damon Hill. Senna recorded the third fastest time in front of his adoring home crowd, with Michael Schumacher fourth in his Benetton. Michael Andretti showed improved form, qualifying his McLaren in fifth position.
Andretti’s improved form didn’t even last until the first corner of the Grand Prix. The American tangled with Berger in the Ferrari, resulting in a huge accident. At the front Prost led the way from Senna. Hill finally managed to find a way past the Brazilian, and Senna was then hit with a stop-go penalty for overtaking under yellow flags.
Rain started to come down and caught out both Aguri Suzuki and Ukyo Katayama. Christian Fittipaldi also crashed, and race leader Prost then drove into the wrecked Minardi. The Frenchman was out of the race and the safety car was deployed. Everyone was forced to pit and change to wet weather tyres.
When the safety car released the pack it was Hill in the lead. The rain had stopped and track started to dry. Johnny Herbert changed to slicks early and his decision paid dividends, as the Lotus driver made rapid progress through the field.
Senna emerged from his stop in the lead of the race, followed by Hill and the incredible Herbert. Schumacher eventually passed the Lotus driver for third, despite having to serve a stop-go penalty. Ferrari’s Jean Alesi also incurred the wrath of the stewards after misbehaving behind the safety car.
At the flag it was Senna who crossed the line first, to win his home Grand Prix for the second time. Hill finished second, followed by Schumacher. Herbert held on for fourth, with Blundell fifth in the Ligier and Zanardi sixth in the other Lotus.
 |
