A new engine era began with a wonderfully unexpected winner at Jacarepaguá. Nigel Mansell took victory on his Ferrari debut in the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix, giving the team’s pioneering semi-automatic gearbox a triumphant first race after a deeply troublesome build-up. Alain Prost finished second, while Maurício Mauricio Gugelmin gave the home crowd a podium to celebrate after Ayrton Senna‘s hopes disappeared at the opening corner.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 26 March 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-03:00)
Circuit: Jacarepaguá
Laps: 61 laps
Circuit length: 5.031 km
1988 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:25.302 | |
| Fastest lap | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:32.507 on lap 47 | |
| First | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
| Second | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Third | Maurício Gugelmin | March |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 24 March 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 24 March 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 24 March 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 25 March 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 25 March 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 26 March 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 26 March 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
Turbocharged engines were gone: the 1989 F1 World Championship began with a field of naturally aspirated 3.5-litre cars. McLaren defended both titles, but Williams now had Renault power and Ferrari had a radically different car for its new signing, Nigel Mansell. Drivers would count their best eleven results, with nine points for a win; constructors counted every round.
Race entries
Nigel Mansell joined Gerhard Berger at Ferrari, while Thierry Boutsen moved to Williams alongside Riccardo Patrese. Brabham returned with Martin Brundle and Stefano Modena, and Onyx arrived with Stefan Johansson and Bertrand Gachot. Johnny Herbert made his Grand Prix debut for Benetton despite still recovering from serious leg injuries. AGS ran only Joachim Winkelhock after Philippe Streiff‘s career-ending testing accident; Olivier Grouillard began his F1 career with Ligier.
Pre-qualifying
Brabham made a convincing return as Martin Brundle and Stefano Modena headed pre-qualifying. Gregor Foitek, Nicola Larini and Bernd Schneider also progressed. Five cars advanced on this occasion because Philippe Streiff‘s absence left an extra place in the main sessions; the usual allowance would be four. The new Onyx cars were among those eliminated before the principal practice sessions began.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:27.764 | — |
| 2 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:28.147 | +0.383 |
| 3 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:29.604 | +1.840 |
| 4 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:29.679 | +1.915 |
| 5 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:30.417 | +2.653 |
| 6 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:30.747 | +2.983 |
| 7 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:31.150 | +3.386 |
| 8 | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | 1:31.964 | +4.200 |
| 9 | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:32.019 | +4.255 |
| 10 | 41 | Joachim Winkelhock | AGS | 1:32.982 | +5.218 |
| 11 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 1:33.079 | +5.315 |
| 12 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:35.232 | +7.468 |
| 13 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:37.932 | +10.168 |
Friday Free Practice
Alain Prost set the Friday practice pace, but the returning Brabham team supplied an intriguing subplot. Its Pirelli tyres worked well in the comparatively cooler morning conditions, with Stefano Modena third and Martin Brundle also showing encouraging speed. Gerhard Berger split Alain Prost and Stefano Modena, offering Ferrari some reassurance despite the transmission problems that had dogged its preparations. The new engine regulations had changed the sound of Formula 1; the first free session suggested there might be changes in the competitive order too.
Friday Practice Classification
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix Practice, 24 March 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:28.360 | — |
| 2 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +0.264s | — |
| 3 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +0.569s | — |
| 4 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +0.923s | — |
| 5 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +1.100s | — |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.181s | — |
| 7 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +1.396s | — |
| 8 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +1.544s | — |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +1.575s | — |
| 10 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +2.275s | — |
| 11 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +2.486s | — |
| 12 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +2.754s | — |
| 13 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +2.917s | — |
| 14 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +2.939s | — |
| 15 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.565s | — |
| 16 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +4.162s | — |
| 17 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +4.184s | — |
| 18 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +4.332s | — |
| 19 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +4.789s | — |
| 20 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +5.260s | — |
| 21 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +5.441s | — |
| 22 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | +5.530s | — |
| 23 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +5.568s | — |
| 24 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +5.759s | — |
| 25 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | +5.936s | — |
| 26 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +6.785s | — |
| 27 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | +6.995s | — |
| 28 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +7.017s | — |
| 29 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | +7.372s | — |
Friday Qualifying
Riccardo Patrese gave the new Williams–Renault partnership an immediate lift by heading Friday qualifying. His 1:26.172 edged Ayrton Senna by just 0.033 seconds, with Gerhard Berger close behind. It was an excellent start for Riccardo Patrese on the weekend of his record-breaking 177th Grand Prix start, and a reminder that McLaren‘s extraordinary 1988 advantage could not simply be assumed to carry over.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 24 March 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:26.172 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:26.205 | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:26.271 | — |
| 4 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:27.095 | — |
| 5 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:27.249 | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:27.367 | — |
| 7 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:27.525 | — |
| 8 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 1:27.626 | — |
| 9 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:27.937 | — |
| 10 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 1:27.956 | — |
| 11 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:28.394 | — |
| 12 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:28.423 | — |
| 13 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:28.621 | — |
| 14 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:29.005 | — |
| 15 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:29.138 | — |
| 16 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:30.410 | — |
| 17 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:30.443 | — |
| 18 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:30.460 | — |
| 19 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:30.657 | — |
| 20 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | 1:30.702 | — |
| 21 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:30.942 | — |
| 22 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:31.341 | — |
| 23 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:31.791 | — |
| 24 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:31.872 | — |
| 25 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:32.260 | — |
| 26 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:32.346 | — |
| 27 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:32.411 | — |
| 28 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:32.561 | — |
Saturday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna moved to the top on Saturday morning, with Nigel Mansell close enough to underline the Ferrari‘s potential whenever it was running properly. Reliability remained the concern: hydraulic-pump trouble interrupted Nigel Mansell repeatedly across the practice and qualifying sessions. Riccardo Patrese was third, keeping Williams firmly in the picture after its strong Friday. McLaren‘s opening weekend was hardly effortless either, with understeer complicating its work and Alain Prost struggling to find the balance he wanted.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix Practice, 25 March 1989
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna answered emphatically on Saturday, taking pole in 1:25.302. Riccardo Patrese could not improve after an engine change and subsequent misfire, but his Friday lap still secured the other front-row place. Gerhard Berger and Thierry Boutsen filled row two, ahead of Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. Johnny Herbert qualified tenth on his debut, while René Rene Arnoux was among the four drivers who missed the race after making it through to main qualifying.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 25 March 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 | 1:26.205 | 1:25.302 | 1:25.302 | — |
| 2 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:26.172 | 7:12.732 | 1:26.172 | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:26.271 | 1:26.394 | 1:26.271 | — |
| 4 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:27.367 | 1:26.459 | 1:26.459 | — |
| 5 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:27.095 | 1:26.620 | 1:26.620 | — |
| 6 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:27.249 | 1:26.772 | 1:26.772 | — |
| 7 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:27.525 | 1:27.035 | 1:27.035 | — |
| 8 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:27.937 | 1:27.408 | 1:27.408 | — |
| 9 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:28.423 | 1:27.437 | 1:27.437 | — |
| 10 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 1:27.626 | 1:27.754 | 1:27.626 | — |
| 11 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:28.394 | 1:27.865 | 1:27.865 | — |
| 12 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:27.956 | 1:28.581 | 1:27.956 | — |
| 13 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:29.138 | 1:28.274 | 1:27.764 | — |
| 14 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:28.621 | 1:28.942 | 1:28.147 | — |
| 15 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:29.005 | 1:29.206 | 1:29.005 | — |
| 16 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:30.077 | 1:29.435 | 1:29.435 | — |
| 17 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:30.460 | 1:29.455 | 1:29.455 | — |
| 18 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:30.443 | 1:29.573 | 1:29.573 | — |
| 19 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:31.341 | 1:30.146 | 1:29.679 | — |
| 20 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:32.260 | 1:30.255 | 1:30.255 | — |
| 21 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:30.942 | 1:30.375 | 1:30.375 | — |
| 22 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:30.410 | 1:30.666 | 1:30.410 | — |
| 23 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:30.702 | 1:30.643 | 1:30.643 | — |
| 24 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:30.657 | 1:31.068 | 1:30.657 | — |
| 25 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:32.346 | 1:30.861 | 1:30.417 | — |
| 26 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:31.872 | 1:31.009 | 1:31.009 | — |
| 27 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:32.411 | 1:31.260 | 1:31.260 | — |
| 28 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:34.232 | 1:31.376 | 1:31.376 | — |
| 29 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:31.791 | 1:53.570 | 1:29.604 | — |
| 30 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:32.561 | 1:34.894 | 1:32.561 | — |
Sunday warm-up
The Sunday warm-up brought a more settled McLaren, with Alain Prost fastest ahead of Ayrton Senna. Ferrari‘s outlook was much less comfortable as both cars again suffered transmission trouble, leaving little reason to expect a straightforward afternoon. Nelson Piquet also stopped early with a fuel-pump drive failure. With intense heat awaiting the field, teams faced a demanding combination of cooling, tyre wear and mechanical survival before the season had even completed its first racing lap.
Warm-up Classification
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix Warm-up, 26 March 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:32.274 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.523s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.022s | — |
| 4 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +1.023s | — |
| 5 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +1.072s | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +1.238s | — |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +1.302s | — |
| 8 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +1.383s | — |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +1.482s | — |
| 10 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +1.486s | — |
| 11 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +2.277s | — |
| 12 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +3.137s | — |
| 13 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +3.243s | — |
| 14 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | +3.278s | — |
| 15 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +3.412s | — |
| 16 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +3.560s | — |
| 17 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | +3.992s | — |
| 18 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +4.268s | — |
| 19 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +4.522s | — |
| 20 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | +4.614s | — |
| 21 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +5.283s | — |
| 22 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +5.519s | — |
| 23 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +8.009s | — |
| 24 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +37.843s | — |
| 25 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +248.232s | — |
What happened in the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix?
The opening corner transformed the race. Gerhard Berger and Ayrton Senna collided as they challenged Riccardo Patrese, leaving the Ferrari out and the home favourite facing repairs. Riccardo Patrese emerged ahead, but Nigel Mansell worked his way forward and passed the Williams for the lead. The Ferrari that had struggled to complete practice sessions was suddenly setting the terms of the Grand Prix.
Nigel Mansell still had obstacles to overcome, including a steering-wheel change during a pit stop, but the gearbox lasted when it mattered. Alain Prost remained a threat, although clutch trouble complicated his race, while Riccardo Patrese eventually retired. Nigel Mansell reached the finish first to deliver Ferrari‘s new car a debut victory and become the first winner of the post-turbo era.
Maurício Mauricio Gugelmin secured third for March, his only Grand Prix podium. Johnny Herbert produced a remarkable debut drive to fourth, ahead of Derek Warwick and Alessandro Nannini. Ayrton Senna eventually finished outside the points, leaving Brazil with pole position but none of the reward he had wanted from his home race. For Nigel Mansell and Ferrari, the contrast with their pre-race expectations could scarcely have been greater.
After the race, Nigel Mansell headed the drivers’ standings with 9 points, followed by Alain Prost on 6. Ferrari led the constructors’ table on 9, with McLaren – Honda on 6.
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix race results
The 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix was held on 26 March 1989.
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 47 | 1:32.507 |
| 2 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 42 | 1:33.361 |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 55 | 1:33.685 |
| 4 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 41 | 1:33.699 |
| 5 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 46 | 1:33.774 |
| 6 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 57 | 1:33.948 |
| 7 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 45 | 1:34.164 |
| 8 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 18 | 1:34.479 |
| 9 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 26 | 1:35.286 |
| 10 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 43 | 1:35.327 |
| 11 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 17 | 1:35.341 |
| 12 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 40 | 1:35.402 |
| 13 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 2 | 1:35.696 |
| 14 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 46 | 1:35.807 |
| 15 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 43 | 1:36.199 |
| 16 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 22 | 1:36.394 |
| 17 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 58 | 1:36.747 |
| 18 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 41 | 1:36.932 |
| 19 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 7 | 1:37.470 |
| 20 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 3 | 1:37.665 |
| 21 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 20 | 1:37.789 |
| 22 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 5 | 1:38.682 |
| 23 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 41 | 1:38.740 |
| 24 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 2 | 1:46.060 |
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 Brazilian Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
| POS | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigel Mansell | British | Ferrari | 9 |
| 2 | Alain Prost | French | McLaren | 6 |
| 3 | Maurício Gugelmin | Brazilian | March | 4 |
| 4 | Johnny Herbert | British | Benetton | 3 |
| 5 | Derek Warwick | British | Arrows | 2 |
| 6 | Alessandro Nannini | Italian | Benetton | 1 |
| – | Jonathan Palmer | British | Tyrrell | 0 |
| – | Satoru Nakajima | Japanese | Lotus | 0 |
| – | Olivier Grouillard | French | Ligier | 0 |
| – | Michele Alboreto | Italian | Tyrrell | 0 |
| – | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | McLaren | 0 |
| – | Philippe Alliot | French | Lola | 0 |
| – | Andrea de Cesaris | Italian | Dallara | 0 |
| – | Christian Danner | German | Rial | 0 |
| – | Riccardo Patrese | Italian | Williams | 0 |
| – | Eddie Cheever | American | Arrows | 0 |
| – | Bernd Schneider | German | Zakspeed | 0 |
| – | Martin Brundle | British | Brabham | 0 |
| – | Ivan Capelli | Italian | March | 0 |
| – | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Lotus | 0 |
| – | Nicola Larini | Italian | Osella | 0 |
| – | Stefano Modena | Italian | Brabham | 0 |
| – | Thierry Boutsen | Belgian | Williams | 0 |
| – | Pierluigi Martini | Italian | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Gerhard Berger | Austrian | Ferrari | 0 |
| – | Luis Pérez-Sala | Spanish | Minardi | 0 |
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari | 9 |
| 2 | McLaren – Honda | 6 |
| 3 | March – Judd | 4 |
| 4 | Benetton – Ford | 4 |
| 5 | Arrows – Ford | 2 |
| — | Tyrrell – Ford | 0 |
| — | Lotus – Judd | 0 |
| — | Ligier – Ford | 0 |
| — | Lola – Lamborghini | 0 |
| — | Dallara – Ford | 0 |
| — | Rial – Ford | 0 |
| — | Williams – Renault | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed – Yamaha | 0 |
| — | Brabham – Judd | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | Minardi – Ford | 0 |
| — | EuroBrun – Judd | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
| — | AGS – Ford | 0 |
| — | Onyx – 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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