1990 Japanese Grand Prix
Senna and Prost collide at Suzuka, deciding the championship.
The 1990 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth race of the 1990 Formula One World Championship, held at Suzuka Circuit. It is notable for a first-corner collision between championship rivals Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost that decided the drivers' title for the second consecutive year. The crash secured Senna his second World Championship and marked a reversal from the previous year's collision.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Japan
- Grand prix
- Japanese
- Official name
- XVI Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix
- Date
- 21 October
- Location
- Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie, Japan
- Course
- Permanent racing facility
- Distance laps
- 53
- Distance (mi)
- 192.985
Facts from the source article.
Pre-race
Before the race, Brabham announced a Yamaha engine deal for 1991, while Footwork secured a Porsche engine supply and retained drivers Alex Caffi and Michele Alboreto. The Life Racing Engines and EuroBrun teams withdrew from the sport. Roberto Moreno left EuroBrun to join Benetton, replacing Alessandro Nannini, who was absent after a helicopter crash ended his Formula One career. Jean Alesi did not start due to a neck injury from Friday practice, leaving his grid position empty for the third consecutive race with only 25 starters. Nigel Mansell reversed his retirement decision, agreeing to join Williams-Renault for two years from 1991 after assurances of a championship-winning car and undisputed number-one status. Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda, met Ayrton Senna in the McLaren pit on Saturday.
Qualifying
With the withdrawal of EuroBrun and Life, no pre-qualifying session was needed as only 30 cars remained. Yannick Dalmas, Gabriele Tarquini, Olivier Grouillard, and Bertrand Gachot failed to qualify; Gachot crashed heavily on Friday. Roberto Moreno, now at Benetton, qualified ninth.
Race
Ayrton Senna took pole position but objected to its placement on the dirty side of the track, arguing pole should be on the racing line. He and Gerhard Berger requested a change to the cleaner left side; the stewards initially agreed, but FISA president Jean Marie Balestre rejected the decision, keeping the original pole. The FIA also warned that crossing the pit exit yellow line to gain position at the first corner would not be permitted. At the start, Alain Prost led, but Senna attempted the inside line into the first corner; the two made contact, sending both off the track and into retirement, clinching the drivers' championship for Senna. Gerhard Berger then led until he spun on lap 2 on sand from the earlier collision, leaving Nigel Mansell ahead of the Benettons of Nelson Piquet and Roberto Moreno. Mansell built a gap but pitted for tyres on lap 26; after a quick stop, a driveshaft failed and he retired. Piquet led to the finish, with Moreno second for Benetton's first one-two. Aguri Suzuki finished third, the first Japanese driver to podium at his home race, achieving his only career podium. The two Williams of Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen finished fourth and fifth, while Satoru Nakajima was sixth. McLaren secured the constructors' championship.
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