1989 Japanese Grand Prix: Senna, Prost & Controversial Finish | McLaren F1 History

Alessandro Nannini secured the only Formula One victory of his career at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, a race overshadowed by a controversial collision between championship rivals Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.

The October 22nd race at Suzuka Circuit was the 15th of 16 rounds in the 1989 Formula One season. McLaren had already dominated much of the year, winning 10 of the previous 15 races, but the outcome at Suzuka would ultimately decide the Drivers’ Championship. Prior to the race, the relationship between Prost and Senna, teammates at McLaren, had deteriorated significantly. Prost held a 21-point lead in the championship standings, meaning Senna needed to win both the Japanese and the final race in Australia to have a chance at retaining his title.

Senna qualified on pole position, but Prost took the lead at the start of the race. The two drivers remained at the front of the pack for the majority of the event. On lap 47, with just seven laps remaining, Senna attempted an overtake on Prost at the Casio chicane. Prost, defending his position, turned into the corner, resulting in a collision between the two cars. Both vehicles were forced off the track and came to a stop.

While Prost exited his car, believing his race was over, Senna received a push start from marshals and was able to rejoin the race, albeit five seconds behind Nannini, who had moved into the lead. Senna rapidly closed the gap and crossed the finish line first, but he was subsequently disqualified by the race stewards for rejoining the track in a dangerous manner, having bypassed the chicane. This decision awarded the victory to Nannini, driving for Benetton-Ford, with Riccardo Patrese of Williams-Renault finishing second and Thierry Boutsen, also of Williams-Renault, taking third.

The disqualification of Senna handed the 1989 World Drivers’ Championship to Alain Prost, marking his third title and his last with McLaren. The incident at Suzuka remains one of the most contentious moments in Formula One history, encapsulating the intense rivalry between Prost and Senna. Neil Oatley, then Chief Designer at McLaren, described the atmosphere leading up to the race as extremely tense, noting that communication between the two drivers had broken down and was being managed through intermediaries. “Since the conflict created at the Imola race early in the season, the drivers would not interact with each other but relied on information passing through Steve Nicholls and me,” Oatley recalled. “To retain his Championship title, Ayrton needed to win both this race and the following event in Adelaide. With Alain scoring poorly, the scene was set for a tense Sunday afternoon.”

The 1989 Japanese Grand Prix also sparked debate about the influence of Benetton on the race outcome, though the nature of that influence remains a subject of discussion. The race concluded a season marked by acrimony and controversy, leaving a lasting impact on the sport.