1989 San Marino Grand Prix

Lore & Background

The Grand Prix had a total of 39 entrants, the largest amount in Formula One history. This record was equalled in the following 14 races of the season but, as of 2024, it has not been broken.

In Their Own Story

The air at Imola was thick with humidity and unspoken tension. Ayrton gripped the wheel of his MP4/5, his knuckles white, the ghost of the 1986 crash still haunting the Variante Bassa chicane ahead. He slowed, a reflex born of fear or perhaps a mechanical hesitation, just as Alain's silver-red machine surged forward from behind. The Brazilian saw the gap vanish; the Frenchman saw a stalled car and reacted on instinct. Metal shrieked against carbon fiber. In a split second, the two fastest men on earth were stationary in the dust, their engines silent, staring at each other through visors that hid eyes burning with betrayal. The crowd's roar turned to a confused murmur as the team principal watched from the pit wall, realizing the dynasty they built was now broken by a single touch.

Reader's Guide

The race was restarted after half an hour and run a further 55 laps on aggregate timing. Senna cruised home to victory from Prost who, in his pursuit of Senna, had suffered a spin on lap 42 at Variante Bassa. Nannini led home Thierry Boutsen, Derek Warwick in the Arrows and Jonathan Palmer in the Tyrrell.

Did You Know?

• Gerhard Berger's Ferrari speared off at Tamburello corner due to a mechanical failure on lap 4, hitting the wall at an estimated 180 mph. The car burst into flames, but Berger escaped with broken ribs and second-degree b
• The race was red-flagged after Berger's accident and restarted after half an hour.
• A record 39 cars were entered for the Grand Prix, although only 26 were allowed to start the race.
• Gabriele Tarquini replaced the paralysed Philippe Streiff at AGS starting from this event.