Australian GP 1989

NOVEMBER 5, 1989

Australian GP, 1989

There was no shortage of controversy in Adelaide, despite the fact that the World Championship had been settled when Alain Prost drove into Ayrton Senna in Suzuka. Despite rejoining and winning the race, Senna was deprived of victory by the FIA. In Australia Senna accused FIA President Jean-Marie Balestre of manipulating the World Championship to favor Prost.

Senna qualified on pole ahead of Prost with the remarkable Pierluigi Martini again fast in his Pirelli-shod Minardi which was third on the grid. Then came Sandro Nannini (Benetton), Thierry Boutsen and Riccardo Patrese in their Williams-Renaults, the Ferrari of Nigel Mansell, Stefano Modena's Brabham and they two Scuderia Italia Dallaras of Andrea de Cesaris and Alex Caffi.

It had been cool and dry in qualifying but on race day there was rain and for a long time there were discussions as to whether the race should be started. The conditions were so bad that Alain Prost, the new World Champion, refused to race. It would be a incident-packed race with several drivers running into the rear of other cars because the visibility was so bad. Senna was well in the lead when he did not see Brundle and smashed into the back of the Brabham. There was also a nasty accident when Nelson Piquet (Lotus) ran into the back of Piercarlo Ghinzani's Osella. This left Boutsen in the lead and he did not make a mistake. He was followed home by Nannini, Patrese, Satoru Nakajima (Lotus), Emanuele Pirro (Benetton) and Martini sixth.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
Thierry Boutsen Williams-Renault  70 2h00m17.421s  
19 Alessandro Nannini Benetton-Cosworth  70 2h00m46.079s  
Riccardo Patrese Williams-Renault  70 2h00m55.104s  
12 Satoru Nakajima Lotus-Judd  70 2h00m59.752s  23 
20 Emanuele Pirro Benetton-Cosworth  68  13 
23 Pierluigi Martini Minardi-Cosworth  67  
15 Mauricio Gugelmin March-Judd  66  25 
Stefano Modena Brabham-Judd  64  
10 Eddie Cheever Arrows-Cosworth  42 Misfire/ Spin 22 
37 JJ Lehto Onyx-Cosworth  27 Electrics/spin 17 
26 Olivier Grouillard Ligier-Cosworth  22 Accident 24 
11 Nelson Piquet Lotus-Judd  19 Accident 18 
18 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella-Cosworth  18 Accident Damage 21 
27 Nigel Mansell Ferrari  17 Accident 
Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda  13 Accident 
21 Alex Caffi Dallara-Cosworth  13 Spin 10 
16 Ivan Capelli March-Judd  13 Radiator 16 
22 Andrea de Cesaris Dallara-Cosworth  12 Accident 
Martin Brundle Brabham-Judd  12 Accident 12 
Derek Warwick Arrows-Cosworth  Engine/accident 20 
28 Gerhard Berger Ferrari  Accident 14 
30 Philippe Alliot Lola-Lamborghini  Accident 19 
Jean Alesi Tyrrell-Cosworth  Electrics 15 
25 Rene Arnoux Ligier-Cosworth  Spin 26 
17 Nicola Larini Osella-Cosworth  Engine Cut Out 11 
Alain Prost McLaren-Honda  Withdrew 
nq Jonathan Palmer Tyrrell-Cosworth    27 
nq 24 Luis Sala Minardi-Cosworth    28 
nq 39 Bertrand Gachot Rial-Cosworth    29 
nq 38 Paul-Herni Raphanel Rial-Cosworth    30 
npq 36 Stefan Johansson Onyx-Cosworth    31 
npq 29 Michele Alboreto Lola-Lamborghini    32 
npq 34 Bernd Schneider Zakspeed-Yamaha    33 
npq 31 Roberto Moreno Coloni-Cosworth    34 
npq 33 Oscar Larrauri EuroBrun-Judd    35 
npq 35 Aguri Suzuki Zakspeed-Yamaha    36 
npq 41 Yannick Dalmas AGS-Cosworth    37 
npq 40 Gabriele Tarquini AGS-Cosworth    38 
npq 32 Enrico Bertaggia Coloni-Cosworth    39