To secure his first “home” win, Ayrton Senna knew exactly what car he would need in order to race well on the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro:
“Aside from speed, it has to be balanced and durable, because the course is demanding and the heat is wearing.”
Searching for the best set up for his McLaren, and bringing with him a drivers’ world title won the season before, Senna accelerated in qualifying sessions and won the 30th pole position of his career.
During the race, he started off poorly and got caught on the first corner with Riccardo Patrese (Williams), second on the grid, and Gerhard Berger (Ferrari), third.
The track narrowed. Patrese blocked Senna, who then crashed into Berger. The Austrian driver, even with two wheels in the grass, maintained his course.
Result: Patrese escaped injury, Berger’s Ferrari was destroyed and Senna, aside from having lost his spoiler, managed to get to the boxes to repair his McLaren and return to the track.
Not involved in the accident, Nigel Mansell was the king of the castle. He won the season’s first race. It was also his first race with Ferrari. Maurício Gugelmin (March) came in third, receiving the award for his first and last Formula 1 podium.
Though affected by the confusion on the first corner, Senna still managed to make up a lap and finish in 11th, two laps behind the winner. It was a shame, because the set up for his McLaren had been truly impeccable:
“It was a shame to have crashed, because the car was good. It’s competitive and tough. I think we can prove this in San Marino.”
BRAZILIAN GP
1º
Ayrton Senna
2º
R. Patrese
3º
G. Berger
4º
T. Boutsen
5º
A. Prost
6º
N. Mansell
7º
I. Capelli
8º
D. Warwick
9º
N. Piquet
10º
J. Herbert
11º
A. Nannini
12º
M. Gugelmin
13º
M. Brundle
14º
S. Modena
15º
A. de Cesaris
16º
P. Martini
17º
C. Danner
18º
J. Palmer
19º
N. Larini
20º
M. Alboreto
21º
S. Nakajima
22º
O. Grouillard
23º
L. Perez-Sala
24º
E. Cheever
25º
B. Schneider
26º
P. Alliot
61
laps
26
cars
11
Retirements
1’32”507
fastest lap
1º
sunny weather
podium
1º
N. Mansell
2º
A. Prost
3º
M. Gugelmin
11º
final position
7º
position in championship following the race
1º
starting place
0
championship points accumulated
1’33”685
best lap
It was a shame to have crashed; the car was good. It’s competitive and tough. I think we can prove this in San Marino.
