Alain Prost delivered a commanding home victory in the 1989 French Grand Prix, but Jean Alesi nearly stole the headlines on his Formula 1 debut. The Tyrrell newcomer briefly ran second and finished fourth, while Nigel Mansell recovered from a pit-lane start to take the runner-up spot. Ayrton Senna‘s race lasted only moments after the restart.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 9 July 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Circuit Paul Ricard
Laps: 80 laps
Circuit length: 3.813 km
1988 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:07.203 | |
| Fastest lap | Mauricio Gugelmin | March |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:12.090 on lap 29 | |
| First | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Second | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
| Third | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 7 July 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 7 July 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 7 July 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 8 July 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 8 July 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 9 July 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 9 July 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 7 leading the 1989 F1 World Championship on 29 points, with Ayrton Senna on 27. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 56 points.
Alain Prost announced before the race that he would leave McLaren at the end of the season. The immediate contest with Ayrton Senna remained intense, however, and the return to Circuit Paul Ricard offered Alain Prost a chance to strengthen his championship position in front of his home crowd.
Race entries
Four drivers made their Grand Prix debuts. Jean Alesi replaced Michele Alboreto at Tyrrell, Éric Eric Bernard took Yannick Dalmas‘s place at Larrousse, and Martin Donnelly deputised for the injured Derek Warwick at Arrows. Emanuele Pirro joined Benetton in place of Johnny Herbert. Alessandro Nannini received Benetton‘s new B189 and Ford HB engine, while Emanuele Pirro used the older car.
Pre-qualifying
Onyx enjoyed its best opening yet: Bertrand Gachot and Stefan Johansson took the first two places in pre-qualifying. Alex Caffi and Stefano Modena also advanced, but Martin Brundle missed out again. Bertrand Gachot‘s first successful passage through the session was particularly welcome after six disappointments, and the team’s pace suggested it could aim beyond merely reaching the grid.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:09.617 | — |
| 2 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:09.668 | +0.051 |
| 3 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:09.726 | +0.109 |
| 4 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:09.917 | +0.300 |
| 5 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:09.989 | +0.372 |
| 6 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1.10.181 | +0.564 |
| 7 | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | 1:11.059 | +1.442 |
| 8 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:11.098 | +1.481 |
| 9 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:11.528 | +1.911 |
| 10 | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:11.953 | +2.336 |
| 11 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 1:12.031 | +2.414 |
| 12 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:12.179 | +2.562 |
| 13 | 41 | Joachim Winkelhock | AGS | 1:13.173 | +3.556 |
Friday Free Practice
Jean Alesi wasted little time making an impression in Friday practice. He ran as high as fifth and finished seventh, immediately looking comfortable in the Tyrrell despite his limited preparation. Jonathan Palmer‘s car caught fire, adding urgency to the team’s workload. Ayrton Senna set the fastest time ahead of Alain Prost and Gerhard Berger, but Jean Alesi‘s speed gave the home supporters an unexpected second story to follow alongside the championship leaders.
Friday Practice Classification
1989 French Grand Prix Practice, 7 July 1989
Friday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna headed Friday qualifying, with Alain Prost second and Thierry Boutsen third. Jean Alesi took tenth despite having to share his Tyrrell with Jonathan Palmer after Jonathan Palmer‘s earlier fire. Bertrand Gachot also showed that Onyx‘s pre-qualifying performance had substance by running competitively in the main field.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1989 French Grand Prix first qualifying session, 7 July 1989
Saturday Free Practice
Nigel Mansell was fastest on Saturday morning, offering Ferrari encouragement on both speed and reliability. Changes to the car’s alternator installation had addressed a persistent source of trouble, while a revised rear anti-roll bar helped its handling. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost followed closely. After so many promising weekends had ended prematurely, Ferrari could finally concentrate more fully on performance; Nigel Mansell‘s session suggested the reward might be a genuine challenge to McLaren.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 French Grand Prix Practice, 8 July 1989
Saturday Qualifying
Alain Prost took pole with a 1:07.203 on Saturday, beating Ayrton Senna by just 0.025 seconds. Nigel Mansell was close behind in third, with Alessandro Nannini fourth in the new Benetton. Bertrand Gachot qualified eleventh, while the four debutants all reached the grid. Jean Alesi ended up sixteenth after traffic hindered his final session, and Alex Caffi narrowly secured the last starting place.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 French Grand Prix second qualifying session, 8 July 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 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:08.285 | 1:07.203 | 1:07.203 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:07.920 | 1:07.228 | 1:07.228 | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:09.030 | 1:07.455 | 1:07.455 | — |
| 4 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:09.615 | 1:08.137 | 1:08.137 | — |
| 5 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:08.299 | 1:08.211 | 1:08.211 | — |
| 6 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:09.011 | 1:08.233 | 1:08.233 | — |
| 7 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:09.478 | 1:08.561 | 1:08.561 | — |
| 8 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:09.326 | 1:08.993 | 1:08.993 | — |
| 9 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:10.238 | 1:09.026 | 1:09.026 | — |
| 10 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:10.122 | 1:09.036 | 1:09.036 | — |
| 11 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:10.564 | 1:09.122 | 1:09.617 | — |
| 12 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:09.569 | 1:09.283 | 1:09.283 | — |
| 13 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:10.600 | 1:09.299 | 1:09.668 | — |
| 14 | 9 | Martin Donnelly | Arrows | 1:11.223 | 1:09.524 | 1:09.524 | — |
| 15 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:25.401 | 1:09.596 | 1:09.596 | — |
| 16 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 1:09.668 | 1:09.909 | 1:09.668 | — |
| 17 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:10.410 | 1:09.717 | 1:09.717 | — |
| 18 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:10.725 | 1:10.077 | 1:10.077 | — |
| 19 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:12.125 | 1:10.119 | 1:10.119 | — |
| 20 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:10.473 | 1:10.135 | 1:10.135 | — |
| 21 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:11.136 | 1:10.216 | 1:10.216 | — |
| 22 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:10.910 | 1:10.254 | 1:09.917 | — |
| 23 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:10.640 | 1:10.267 | 1:10.267 | — |
| 24 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 1:11.566 | 1:10.292 | 1:10.292 | — |
| 25 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:10.372 | — | 1:10.372 | — |
| 26 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:11.409 | 1:10.468 | 1:09.726 | — |
| 27 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:12.078 | 1:10.591 | 1:10.591 | — |
| 28 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:11.539 | 1:11.079 | 1:11.079 | — |
| 29 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:12.569 | 1:11.178 | 1:11.178 | — |
| 30 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:14.746 | 1:11.372 | 1:11.372 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost led the warm-up ahead of Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. Riccardo Patrese lost valuable running to an electrical-sensor problem, leaving Williams with an unwelcome uncertainty before the start. Gerhard Berger also had a minor issue, although Ferrari‘s overall weekend was considerably more dependable than its recent outings. In the heat, tyre durability would matter as much as a single quick lap, and Alain Prost had given himself an encouraging final check before the race.
Warm-up Classification
1989 French Grand Prix Warm-up, 9 July 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:10.400 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +0.494s | — |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.551s | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +0.950s | — |
| 5 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +1.347s | — |
| 6 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +1.457s | — |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +1.483s | — |
| 8 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | +1.521s | — |
| 9 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +1.566s | — |
| 10 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +1.775s | — |
| 11 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +1.862s | — |
| 12 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | +1.897s | — |
| 13 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +2.005s | — |
| 14 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +2.156s | — |
| 15 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +2.270s | — |
| 16 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +2.430s | — |
| 17 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | +2.462s | — |
| 18 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +2.466s | — |
| 19 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.495s | — |
| 20 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +2.690s | — |
| 21 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | +2.717s | — |
| 22 | 9 | Martin Donnelly | Arrows | +2.930s | — |
| 23 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +3.301s | — |
| 24 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +3.586s | — |
| 25 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +3.731s | — |
| 26 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +321.892s | — |
What happened in the 1989 French Grand Prix?
The first start ended in a spectacular accident when Maurício Mauricio Gugelmin‘s March overturned in the opening-corner congestion. He escaped injury and the race was stopped. Nigel Mansell‘s Ferrari was damaged in the incident, leaving him to take the restart from the pit lane. Ayrton Senna then suffered differential failure at the second start, clearing the way for Alain Prost to control the race.
Alain Prost led throughout, while Nigel Mansell worked steadily through the field. Retirements removed Alessandro Nannini and Ivan Capelli from strong positions, and Jean Alesi briefly inherited second before his tyre stop. Nigel Mansell eventually took second after Riccardo Patrese spun under pressure, completing an impressive recovery from the back.
Alain Prost won by more than 44 seconds, ahead of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese. Jean Alesi‘s fourth place was an outstanding debut, Stefan Johansson scored Onyx‘s first points in fifth, and Olivier Grouillard earned his only championship point in sixth. Mauricio Gugelmin set the fastest lap after his dramatic early accident. France had delivered both a major championship result and a memorable arrival for Jean Alesi.
After the race, Alain Prost headed the drivers’ standings with 38 points, followed by Ayrton Senna on 27. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 65, with Williams – Renault on 35.
1989 French Grand Prix race results
The 1989 French Grand Prix was held on 9 July 1989.
1989 French Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 29 | 1:12.090 |
| 2 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 26 | 1:12.406 |
| 3 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 38 | 1:12.500 |
| 4 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 75 | 1:12.542 |
| 5 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 66 | 1:12.723 |
| 6 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 30 | 1:12.737 |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 3 | 1:12.755 |
| 8 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 4 | 1:12.937 |
| 9 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 52 | 1:12.964 |
| 10 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 37 | 1:12.977 |
| 11 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 55 | 1:13.144 |
| 12 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 41 | 1:13.171 |
| 13 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 55 | 1:13.175 |
| 14 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 49 | 1:13.262 |
| 15 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 34 | 1:13.358 |
| 16 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 36 | 1:13.399 |
| 17 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 42 | 1:13.657 |
| 18 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 75 | 1:13.712 |
| 19 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 3 | 1:13.719 |
| 20 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 64 | 1:14.137 |
| 21 | 9 | Martin Donnelly | Arrows | 39 | 1:14.538 |
| 22 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 29 | 1:14.631 |
| 23 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 21 | 1:14.789 |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 4 | 1:14.956 |
| 25 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 4 | 1:15.437 |
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 French Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 65 |
| 2 | Williams – Renault | 35 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 15 |
| 4 | Benetton – Ford | 13 |
| 5 | Tyrrell – Ford | 10 |
| 6 | Dallara – Ford | 8 |
| 7 | Arrows – Ford | 8 |
| 8 | Brabham – Judd | 5 |
| 9 | March – Judd | 4 |
| 10 | Lotus – Judd | 3 |
| 11 | Rial – Ford | 3 |
| 12 | Ligier – Ford | 3 |
| 13 | Onyx – Ford | 2 |
| 14 | AGS – Ford | 1 |
| — | Lola – Lamborghini | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed – Yamaha | 0 |
| — | Minardi – Ford | 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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