Ayrton Senna delivered another accomplished wet-weather victory in the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix. Alain Prost finished second after resisting Nigel Mansell, while Thierry Boutsen took fourth at home. The race followed a weekend of changing conditions that ended particularly badly for Lotus, with neither car qualifying.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 27 August 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44 laps
Circuit length: 6.940 km
1988 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:50.867 | |
| Fastest lap | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 2:11.571 on lap 44 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Third | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 25 August 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 25 August 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 25 August 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 26 August 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 26 August 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 27 August 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 27 August 1989 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Alain Prost arrived at round 11 leading the 1989 F1 World Championship on 56 points, with Ayrton Senna on 42. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 98 points.
Race entries
Johnny Herbert deputised for Jean Alesi at Tyrrell while Jean Alesi fulfilled his Formula 3000 commitments. Pierre-Henri Pierre Henri Raphanel moved from Coloni to Rial in place of Volker Weidler, leaving Enrico Bertaggia to make his first attempt with Coloni. EuroBrun reverted to its older chassis after problems with the new car. Thierry Boutsen arrived at his home event for his hundredth Grand Prix start.
Pre-qualifying
Stefan Johansson again set the pace, with Michele Alboreto, Bertrand Gachot and Philippe Alliot also progressing. The Onyx and Larrousse cars therefore filled all four places. Gabriele Tarquini and Piercarlo Ghinzani were involved in a heavy collision but escaped injury. Enrico Bertaggia‘s first attempt was curtailed by engine trouble, leaving him without a competitive time.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:56.279 | — |
| 2 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 1:57.509 | +1.230 |
| 3 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:57.720 | +1.441 |
| 4 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:57.748 | +1.469 |
| 5 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:58.065 | +1.786 |
| 6 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:58.209 | +1.930 |
| 7 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:58.650 | +2.371 |
| 8 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:59.432 | +3.153 |
| 9 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 2:00.713 | +4.434 |
| 10 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 2:00.757 | +4.478 |
| 11 | 41 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 2:02.205 | +5.926 |
| 12 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 2:02.767 | +6.488 |
| 13 | 32 | Enrico Bertaggia | Coloni | 2:21.709 | +25.430 |
Friday Free Practice
Wet conditions shaped Friday practice, with Ayrton Senna fastest ahead of Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger. René Rene Arnoux was an impressive fourth in the Ligier, demonstrating how the rain could change the usual competitive order. The session also gave Johnny Herbert his first Grand Prix running for Tyrrell. Visibility and traction mattered more than extracting the last fraction from a dry setup, and the weather offered the teams an early taste of the conditions they would face again on Sunday.
Friday Practice Classification
1989 Belgian Grand Prix Practice, 25 August 1989
Friday Qualifying
Gerhard Berger edged Ayrton Senna in wet Friday qualifying, with Nigel Mansell third. The rain offered little prospect of a representative dry grid, but the session still mattered for confidence and wet-weather preparation. Satoru Nakajima‘s eighth place suggested Lotus might have a more competitive weekend than its recent results implied.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1989 Belgian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 25 August 1989
Saturday Free Practice
A drier Saturday morning brought much quicker times, with Alain Prost leading Ayrton Senna and Thierry Boutsen. The teams had to adapt from Friday’s wet running to a substantially different grip level before the decisive qualifying session. Lotus‘s earlier wet-weather promise did not carry across: its drivers struggled to find a satisfactory dry balance. With Friday’s times certain to be eclipsed if the track stayed dry, the morning’s setup work carried particular importance for those near the qualifying cut.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 Belgian Grand Prix Practice, 26 August 1989
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna took pole on a dry Saturday with a 1:50.867, ahead of Alain Prost and Gerhard Berger. The Williams pair filled fourth and fifth, with Nigel Mansell sixth. Both Lotus cars failed to qualify after their dry-weather difficulties, a first for the team, while the Rials also missed the cut. The entire starting order came from the faster second session.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 Belgian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 26 August 1989
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Friday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 2:11.171 | 1:50.867 | 1:50.867 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 2:12.721 | 1:51.463 | 1:51.463 | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 2:11.102 | 1:52.391 | 1:52.391 | — |
| 4 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 2:13.030 | 1:52.786 | 1:52.786 | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 2:12.581 | 1:52.875 | 1:52.875 | — |
| 6 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 2:12.042 | 1:52.898 | 1:52.898 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 2:14.117 | 1:55.075 | 1:55.075 | — |
| 8 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 2:19.161 | 1:55.642 | 1:55.642 | — |
| 9 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 2:16.401 | 1:55.729 | 1:55.729 | — |
| 10 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 2:13.005 | 1:55.864 | 1:55.864 | — |
| 11 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 2:14.357 | 1:55.890 | 1:57.748 | — |
| 12 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 2:17.604 | 1:55.892 | 1:55.892 | — |
| 13 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 2:15.068 | 1:55.902 | 1:55.902 | — |
| 14 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 2:15.515 | 1:56.115 | 1:56.115 | — |
| 15 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 2:17.329 | 1:56.129 | 1:56.279 | — |
| 16 | 4 | Johnny Herbert | Tyrrell | 2:17.714 | 1:56.248 | 1:56.248 | — |
| 17 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 2:14.344 | 1:56.251 | 1:56.251 | — |
| 18 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 2:17.512 | 1:56.257 | 1:56.257 | — |
| 19 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 2:15.863 | 1:56.291 | 1:56.291 | — |
| 20 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 2:18.663 | 1:56.327 | 1:56.327 | — |
| 21 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 2:18.405 | 1:56.600 | 1:56.600 | — |
| 22 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 2:17.240 | 1:56.616 | 1:57.509 | — |
| 23 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 2:18.151 | 1:56.716 | 1:57.720 | — |
| 24 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 2:14.641 | 1:56.748 | 1:56.748 | — |
| 25 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 2:18.907 | 1:56.957 | 1:56.957 | — |
| 26 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 2:18.175 | 1:57.027 | 1:57.027 | — |
| 27 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 2:13.677 | 1:57.251 | 1:57.251 | — |
| 28 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 2:14.358 | 1:57.771 | 1:57.771 | — |
| 29 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 2:20.503 | 2:00.247 | 2:00.247 | — |
| 30 | 39 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Rial | 2:21.180 | 2:02.937 | 2:02.937 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Pierluigi Martini surprised the field by topping the wet warm-up for Minardi on hand-grooved Pirelli tyres. Nigel Mansell was second and Riccardo Patrese third. The tyre solution worked well in the morning’s conditions, but heavier rain later exposed its limitations. The warm-up was therefore an encouraging moment for the Pirelli runners without being a reliable guide to the much wetter race that followed; both grip and visibility would deteriorate sharply before the start.
Warm-up Classification
1989 Belgian Grand Prix Warm-up, 27 August 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 2:13.822 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +0.328s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.301s | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +1.451s | — |
| 5 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +2.430s | — |
| 6 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.346s | — |
| 7 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +3.366s | — |
| 8 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +3.670s | — |
| 9 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +3.797s | — |
| 10 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +4.395s | — |
| 11 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +4.560s | — |
| 12 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | +5.501s | — |
| 13 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +5.723s | — |
| 14 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +6.041s | — |
| 15 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | +6.207s | — |
| 16 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +6.382s | — |
| 17 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | +6.504s | — |
| 18 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +6.533s | — |
| 19 | 4 | Johnny Herbert | Tyrrell | +7.176s | — |
| 20 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +7.257s | — |
| 21 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | +7.273s | — |
| 22 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +7.557s | — |
| 23 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +7.741s | — |
| 24 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +7.852s | — |
| 25 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +10.195s | — |
| 26 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +10.772s | — |
What happened in the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix?
Heavy rain delayed the start by half an hour. Ayrton Senna led away once racing began, while Nigel Mansell passed both Williams cars to reach fourth. Gerhard Berger initially challenged Alain Prost before spinning out, leaving Nigel Mansell to pursue the second McLaren. Ayrton Senna used the clear view ahead to establish the cushion he needed.
Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell fought closely as conditions gradually improved, but the Ferrari could not find a way through. Ayrton Senna eased his pace towards the finish and crossed the line with the pair close behind. The small final margin disguised how effectively he had controlled the race through its most difficult phase.
Thierry Boutsen finished fourth in front of his home crowd, with Alessandro Nannini fifth and Derek Warwick sixth. Ayrton Senna‘s victory cut further into Alain Prost‘s championship lead. After a weekend in which the weather repeatedly changed the challenge, his ability to manage the opening laps had made the crucial difference.
After the race, Alain Prost headed the drivers’ standings with 62 points, followed by Ayrton Senna on 51. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 113, with Williams – Renault on 45.
1989 Belgian Grand Prix race results
The 1989 Belgian Grand Prix was held on 27 August 1989.
1989 Belgian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 44 | 2:11.571 |
| 2 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 44 | 2:11.736 |
| 3 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 40 | 2:12.101 |
| 4 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 42 | 2:12.890 |
| 5 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 32 | 2:13.176 |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 39 | 2:13.842 |
| 7 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 42 | 2:14.106 |
| 8 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 43 | 2:14.399 |
| 9 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 37 | 2:14.675 |
| 10 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 37 | 2:15.701 |
| 11 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 41 | 2:15.868 |
| 12 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 36 | 2:16.727 |
| 13 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 42 | 2:17.253 |
| 14 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 42 | 2:17.294 |
| 15 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 31 | 2:17.411 |
| 16 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 16 | 2:18.273 |
| 17 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 6 | 2:18.865 |
| 18 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 19 | 2:19.405 |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 40 | 2:19.772 |
| 20 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 18 | 2:21.323 |
| 21 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | 39 | 2:22.222 |
| 22 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 12 | 2:22.790 |
| 23 | 4 | Johnny Herbert | Tyrrell | 3 | 2:26.020 |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 3 | 2:26.022 |
| 25 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 5 | 2:27.325 |
| 26 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 3 | 2:31.976 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1989 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 113 |
| 2 | Williams – Renault | 45 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 38 |
| 4 | Benetton – Ford | 19 |
| 5 | Arrows – Ford | 12 |
| 6 | Tyrrell – Ford | 10 |
| 7 | Lotus – Judd | 9 |
| 8 | Dallara – Ford | 8 |
| 9 | Brabham – Judd | 5 |
| 10 | March – Judd | 4 |
| 11 | Rial – Ford | 3 |
| 12 | Ligier – Ford | 3 |
| 13 | Minardi – Ford | 3 |
| 14 | Onyx – Ford | 2 |
| 15 | AGS – Ford | 1 |
| — | Lola – Lamborghini | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed – Yamaha | 0 |
| — | EuroBrun – Judd | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race.
1989 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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