1992 South African Grand Prix
Mansell dominates from pole to flag in the first post-apartheid South African Grand Prix.
The 1992 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Kyalami circuit in Midrand, South Africa on 1 March 1992. It was the opening round of the 1992 Formula One World Championship and was contested over 72 laps. It was the 32nd South African Grand Prix, and the 22nd as part of the World Championship.
Lore & Background
Nigel Mansell dominated the weekend in his Williams-Renault, taking pole position, fastest lap and leading every lap of the race en route to victory. Mansell's teammate, Riccardo Patrese, completed a 1–2 finish. Ayrton Senna completed the podium for the McLaren team. This was the first post-apartheid South African Grand Prix, the last running of the race having been in 1985 (also won by Mansell driving a Williams, but with a Honda turbo-engine) during Premier P. W. Botha's state of emergency. It was held on a revised Kyalami circuit, which used only a small part of the old layout.
Reader's Guide
Pre-race: The revised Kyalami circuit was new to the Formula One calendar, so two acclimatization sessions were held on the Thursday before the Grand Prix weekend. A pre-qualifying session was scheduled for Friday morning but was cancelled after the Andrea Moda team was excluded. Qualifying: Mansell took pole position with a time almost three-quarters of a second faster than Senna in second, and over a second and a half faster than Patrese in fourth. Berger was third in the other McLaren. Race: Mansell led from lights to flag, finishing nearly 25 seconds ahead of Patrese. Senna drove well to ensure he remained on the podium with a 1991 car. Berger finished fifth, the last driver on the lead lap. Johnny Herbert finished sixth and took the final point for Lotus.
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