Italian GP 1992

Italian GP, 1992

FISA had decided in the fortnight between the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix that the Andrea Moda Formula team had brought the sport into disrepute and so when the team's transporter arrived it was turned away. Brabham was missing as well, having run out of money, and so the entry was down to 28 cars. Erik Comas was back in action in his Ligier after his huge accident in Belgium while Ferrari had given Ivan Capelli one of the new F92AT chassis. The Ferraris were a lot better than they had been but Nigel Mansell's Williams-Renault was still dominant, although in fact it was Mansell's offtrack activities that were dominating the action, the Englishman trying to negotiate a deal to stay with Williams in 1993. The problem was that the team had already signed Alain Prost and Mansell was not keen on having his old French rival as team mate.

Behind Mansell on the grid was Ayrton Senna's McLaren-Honda with Jean Alesi's Ferrari third. Riccardo Patrese was fourth in the second Williams ahead of Gerhard Berger's McLaren, Michael Schumacher's Benetton, Capelli and Thierry Boutsen's Ligier-Renault. Martin Brundle (Benetton) and Bertrand Gachot (Venturi Larrousse) completed the top 10 using the latest evolution of the Lamborghini V12 engine.

On Sunday morning Mansell went to the press office to announce his retirement from F1 racing at the end of the year, complaining that Williams had treated him badly. Having done that he took the lead and drove away from the field, in search of a record-breaking ninth Grand Prix victory. Mansell built up a lead of 12 seconds and then slowed dramatically and allowed Patrese to pass him. Mansell then made a spectacle behind his team mate to show that he could overtake Patrese whenever he felt the need. On lap 36 this charade ended with a hydraulic failure. That left Patrese ahead with Senna closing in but with four laps to go Riccardo went out with a hydraulic problem similar to that which had stopped Mansell. Senna thus won the race with Brundle second and Schumacher third. Berger finished fourth ahead of the hobbled Patrese. The final point went to the Tyrrell of Andrea de Cesaris. Senna's victory moved him to third place in the World Championship, one point behind Schumacher.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda  53 1h18m15.349s  
20 Martin Brundle Benetton-Cosworth  53 1h18m32.399  
19 Michael Schumacher Benetton-Cosworth  53 1h18m39.722s  
Gerhard Berger McLaren-Honda  53 1h19m40.839s  
Riccardo Patrese Williams-Renault  53 1h19m48.507s  
Andrea de Cesaris Tyrrell-Ilmor  52  21 
Michele Alboreto Footwork-Mugen Honda  52  16 
22 Pierluigi Martini Dallara-Ferrari  52  22 
9r 30 Ukyo Katayama Venturi Larrousse-Lamborghini  50 Transmission/spin 23 
10 16 Karl Wendlinger March-Ilmor  50  17 
11r 21 JJ Lehto Dallara-Ferrari  47 Electric 14 
33 Mauricio Gugelmin Jordan-Yamaha  46 Transmission 26 
Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault  41 Gearbox Hydraulic Pump 
25 Thierry Boutsen Ligier-Renault  41 Electronics 
26 Erik Comas Ligier-Renault  35 Accident 15 
15 Gabriele Tarquini Fondmetal-Cosworth  30 Gearbox 20 
Olivier Grouillard Tyrrell-Ilmor  26 Engine 18 
12 Johnny Herbert Lotus-Cosworth  18 Engine 13 
17 Emanuele Naspetti March-Ilmor  17 Accident 24 
27 Jean Alesi Ferrari  12 Fuelpressure 
28 Ivan Capelli Ferrari  12 Spin 
24 Gianni Morbidelli Minardi-Lamborghini  12 Engine 12 
29 Bertrand Gachot Venturi Larrousse-Lamborghini  11 Engine 10 
11 Mika Hakkinen Lotus-Cosworth  Electrics 11 
10 Aguri Suzuki Footwork-Mugen Honda  Puncture/accident 19 
14 Eric van de Poele Fondmetal-Cosworth  Clutch 25 
nq 23 Christian Fittipaldi Minardi-Lamborghini    27 
nq 32 Stefano Modena Jordan-Yamaha    28