WRF Case 2: Prost vs. Senna

**Ryan** · 16th Oct 2007 08:13 PM

At the Japanese GP 1989 Aryton Senna trails McLaren teammate Alain Prost by 12 points (72-60), with only this race and the Australian GP remaining. At this time a driver received 9 points for victory and 6 for 2nd.

Senna took pole but Prost starting on the clean side of the track jumped into the lead and began pulling away to as much as 6 seconds. Following pit-stops at halfway Senna began closing in and by lap 40 they were nose to tail. On lap 47 of 53 Senna made his move, and leaves us with our case.

Incident

Senna's view

Full Race Review

Prost retired immediately, while Senna received a push start. Senna rejoined, pitted for a new nose, then caught and passed Alessandro Nanni for the win.

Senna was then disqualified for cutting the chicane making Prost the new World Champion.

Was this:

A desperate move by Senna? or was it an unfair blocking maneuver by Prost? or was it just a racing incident? or somewhere in between?

You decide.

**newelijah** · 16th Oct 2007 08:19 PM

I think it was a desperate move by Ayrton, I also feel that he deliberately took him out to try and get the championship(I could see a fair bit of Michael Schumacher in the same move he pulled on Jacques Villeneuve)

I was actually watching the race that day.

**NetOz** · 17th Oct 2007 12:41 AM

i think Prost made an undesportive move on Senna, as Schumacher did with Villeneuve.

but the problem is after the race when Prost retired and Senna went back, won the race and was desqualified by the stewards because Prost was putting pressure on them.

The reason for his desqualification:
Cutted the chicane

. WELL DONE BALESTRE

So thats why in the next year he did that in the first turn with Prost.

JoStream · 17th Oct 2007 01:30 AM

Before I post my opinion on the incident, do we have another angle of the incident (apart from the side and cockpit view)?

**Ryan** · 17th Oct 2007 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by JoStream

Before I post my opinion on the incident, do we have another angle of the incident (apart from the side and cockpit view)?

I've been looking for one. I know there's a video with an overhead shot, from a helicopter, that does a good job of showing the position of the 2 cars. I just haven't found it yet.

Still searching.

**EIR Loe.307** · 17th Oct 2007 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by Ryan

I've been looking for one. I know there's a video with an overhead shot, from a helicopter, that does a good job of showing the position of the 2 cars. I just haven't found it yet.

Still searching.

It's in pt4 of the "Star Named Senna" thread if you don't find it.

**Ryan** · 17th Oct 2007 02:06 AM

Ok, the best I could find was a full race review.

The section we want is with about 2minutes left in the video.
It has two angles not previously seen in this case. One from a helicopter above the Casio Triangle, and one from the camera on the side of Alain Prost's car.

**Harakimi** · 17th Oct 2007 04:38 AM

I've seen that video from another angle and have to say that the way Prost turns into that corner it looks like Schumi turning in Rascasse, no way you do that corner like that.

**EIR Loe.307** · 17th Oct 2007 04:42 AM

From what I saw of the over head, it looks like Prost turns in. From Senna's onboard he looks like he has the inside line. It's a gutsy move either way, but I'm going for Prost being at fault. Of course you could say Prost expected Senna to fall in line and moved over to make sure of that and didn't see Senna coming up the inside.

(Should we have a poll on this one Who's at fault a)Senna, b)Prost, c) race incident ??)

JoStream · 17th Oct 2007 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by EIR Loe.307

It's a gutsy move either way, but I'm going for Prost being at fault. Of course you could say Prost expected Senna to fall in line and moved over to make sure of that and didn't see Senna coming up the inside.

I agree with you on that. After seeing the replays, it's clear to me that Prost turned in far too early, and that Senna was alongside him to the extent that he could have seen him by just looking to the right

.

Of course how Senna was able to move alongside him is also a good question. Prost might have braked too early, but I doubt it

View Poll Results: Who's fault is it??

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