Elio De Angelis scored his final win and Gerhard Berger survived an enormous accident.
Elio De Angelis was a popular winner of the race in 1985, taking the second and final victory of his career. Alain Prost had finished first but was disqualified after failing post race scrutineering. Thierry Boutsen was second and Patrick Tambay third, but they were both a lap down on De Angelis.
Prost scored a legal win in 1986, but only just. A short distance from the flag his McLaren slowed as a result of fuel starvation. The Frenchman crawled across the line, followed by Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger. For Berger it was his first appearance on a Formula 1 podium, and also the first for his Benetton team.
Piquet was not allowed to take part in the 1987 race after crashing heavily at Tamburello on the Friday. His Williams team-mate Mansell took victory followed home by Ayrton Senna’s Lotus and Michele Alboreto’s Ferrari. Satoru Nakajima finished sixth, becoming the first Japanese driver to finish in the points at a Grand Prix.
McLaren dominated at Imola in 1988, as they did almost everywhere that year. Senna won from pole, followed by team-mate Prost. Piquet was the best of the rest in third. Senna and Prost finished in the same positions in 1989 but it was a contentious result which contributed greatly to the bitter feud that developed between them.
A pre-race agreement between the McLaren drivers decreed that whoever reached the first corner in first position would be allowed to win the race. Prost was leading when the race was stopped because of a monumental accident involving Berger’s Ferrari at Tamburello. Despite the violent impact and ensuing fire the prompt actions of the marshal meant that the Austrian escaped with minor injuries. At the re-start Senna jumped into the lead, which Prost thought contravened their agreement. An interesting consequence of Berger’s crash was Mario Andretti being offered his seat for the next race in Monaco while Berger recuperated. The 49 year old American declined the offer.
Senna was on pole in 1990 but retired from the race, with victory going to the veteran Italian Riccardo Patrese, just the second of his career. Berger, having moved to McLaren, finished second, with Alessandro Nannini third for Benetton.
The 1991 race started in wet conditions and Prost didn’t even make it to the grid, spinning off on the warm-up lap. Berger also spun but managed to get going again. In the race itself Senna was peerless, winning from team-mate Berger and JJ Lehto, an impressive third for Dallara.
