Ayrton Senna arrived full of hope in South Africa, which has its circuit at an altitude suitable for turbo engines.
He was the driver that spun off more often in practice and qualifying sessions. But, if his car could maintain stability like in the other races, he’d be on the podium again.
Hope did not last. His Renault engine showed itself to be inferior to the others and allowed him only a second-row position on the grid, in fourth place. He came in behind the Williams duo and Nelson Piquet from Brabham.
The car lasted only 10 minutes in the race, failing on the eighth lap. While he watched the race from a guardrail in the middle of the Kyalami circuit, Ayrton Senna complained:
“It seems as though I came here to participate in a safari and not in a race”
The season was almost over, but there was one race left in Australia.
South African gp
1º
N. Mansell
2º
N. Piquet
3º
K. Rosberg
4º
Ayrton Senna
5º
M. Surer
6º
E. de Angelis
7º
T. Fabi
8º
N. Lauda
9º
A. Prost
10º
T. Boutsen
11º
G. Berger
12º
R. Patrese
13º
P. Ghinzani
14º
E. Cheever
15º
M. Alboreto
16º
S. Johansson
17º
M. Brundle
18º
P. Streiff
19º
P. Martini
20º
H. Rothengatter
75
laps
20
cars
13
Retirements
1’08”149
fastest lap
1º
Sunny weather
podium
1º
N. Mansell
2º
K. Rosberg
3º
A. Prost
–
final position (retired on lap 8)
3º
position in championship following the race
4º
starting place
0
championship points accumulated
1’10”077
best lap
It felt like I came here to take part in a safari, not a race.
