Berger vs. Senna
The defining rivalry of Formula One.
The Prost–Senna rivalry, or Senna–Prost rivalry, was a Formula One rivalry between French racing driver Alain Prost and Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna. Widely regarded as one of the fiercest rivalries in Formula One history, Prost and Senna together won seven of nine Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles between 1984 and 1993, including two whilst teammates at McLaren from 1988 to 1989.
Quick Facts
- Senna team
- McLaren
- Berger teams (overlap)
- Ferrari; Benetton
- Key mclaren car
- MP4/4
- Relationship
- Grid Rivals
- Senna titles at mclaren
- 3 (1988, 1990, 1991)
Lore & Background
The rivalry peaked during their two-year period as teammates, as well as Prost's first year at Ferrari in 1990, with the pair finishing 1–2 in each championship. Whilst teammates, Prost and Senna won 25 of 32 Grands Prix—including 11 consecutively from the start of 1988—with Senna winning the former title and Prost winning the latter. Senna led Prost 14–11 in race wins and 26–4 in pole positions; Prost held a 12–6 lead in fastest laps, 25–18 in podium finishes, and 163–150 in championship points. Their rivalry culminated in title-deciding collisions at Suzuka in 1989 and 1990, despite Prost's move to Ferrari in the latter, with Prost winning the former championship and Senna taking the following. They again finished 1–2 in the championship standings in 1993, with Prost winning the title for Williams.
Reader's Guide
Senna was arguably the fastest single-lap driver in Formula One history. He had a tendency to go flat out all the time, and was renowned for his high-revving, curb-clipping, crowd-pleasing school of automobile racing. By contrast, Prost employed a smooth, relaxed style behind the wheel, which allowed him to get the most out of his engines without driving them to failure. Senna charmed the crowd with risky overtakes and aggressive defense; Prost disliked taking risks on track, especially as he grew older. Off track, Senna displayed a greater natural charisma than Prost, especially when he was in his native Brazil. At McLaren, Senna remembered minor details of even junior employees' lives and sent Christmas cards to every staffer on the team.
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