Ayrton Senna ended his run of retirements with victory in the 1989 German Grand Prix, snatching the lead when Alain Prost lost top gear near the finish. The McLaren pair fought closely throughout at Hockenheim, leaving Nigel Mansell to take third for Ferrari. It was an important response from Ayrton Senna after four races without a finish.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 30 July 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Hockenheimring
Laps: 45 laps
Circuit length: 6.802 km
1988 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:42.300 | |
| Fastest lap | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:45.884 on lap 43 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Third | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 28 July 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 28 July 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 28 July 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 29 July 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 29 July 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 30 July 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 30 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 9 leading the 1989 F1 World Championship on 47 points, with Ayrton Senna on 27. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 74 points.
Race entries
Michele Alboreto returned with Larrousse, replacing Éric Eric Bernard alongside Philippe Alliot. Emanuele Pirro received the new Benetton B189, while EuroBrun introduced its ER189. The mid-season pre-qualifying review also took effect: Brabham, Dallara and Rial escaped the early session, while both Larrousse cars, Roberto Moreno‘s Coloni and Gabriele Tarquini‘s AGS joined it.
Pre-qualifying
Bertrand Gachot led an Onyx one-two, with Philippe Alliot and Michele Alboreto taking the other two places. Michele Alboreto beat Yannick Dalmas by just one thousandth of a second, an extraordinarily narrow escape on his return. The new EuroBrun failed to progress. For Larrousse, the revised entry rules had immediately made Friday morning a high-pressure part of the weekend.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:47.283 | — |
| 2 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:47.700 | +0.417 |
| 3 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:47.746 | +0.463 |
| 4 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 1:47.919 | +0.636 |
| 5* | 41 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 1:47.920 | +0.637 |
| 6* | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1.48.301 | +1.018 |
| 7* | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:48.558 | +1.275 |
| 8* | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:48.564 | +1.281 |
| 9* | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:48.567 | +1.284 |
| 10* | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:48.780 | +1.457 |
| 11* | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:49.458 | +2.175 |
| 12* | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 1:49.527 | +2.244 |
| 13* | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:50.455 | +3.172 |
Friday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna spun backwards into the barriers at the stadium entrance during Friday practice. The McLaren was strong enough for him to return to the pits, but the incident left the team with repair work before qualifying. Alain Prost headed the session, with Ayrton Senna still second and Gerhard Berger third. Hockenheim’s long straights and slow chicane exits suited the Honda engine particularly well, making a McLaren defeat look difficult even after Ayrton Senna‘s interruption.
Friday Practice Classification
1989 German Grand Prix Practice, 28 July 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:44.490 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.597s | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +0.697s | — |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +0.816s | — |
| 5 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +0.947s | — |
| 6 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +1.051s | — |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +1.937s | — |
| 8 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +2.773s | — |
| 9 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +3.080s | — |
| 10 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +3.170s | — |
| 11 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.348s | — |
| 12 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.352s | — |
| 13 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +3.453s | — |
| 14 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | +3.491s | — |
| 15 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +3.536s | — |
| 16 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +3.536s | — |
| 17 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +3.688s | — |
| 18 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +4.496s | — |
| 19 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | +4.587s | — |
| 20 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | +4.694s | — |
| 21 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +4.732s | — |
| 22 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +5.104s | — |
| 23 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +5.220s | — |
| 24 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +5.456s | — |
| 25 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +5.508s | — |
| 26 | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | +5.963s | — |
| 27 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +6.317s | — |
| 28 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | +6.731s | — |
| 29 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +7.358s | — |
Friday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna recovered from his morning accident to set a 1:42.300 on Friday, more than a second clear of Alain Prost at that stage. Nigel Mansell was the nearest challenger in third. Ayrton Senna‘s car sustained further underside damage during the day, but his time had already established a formidable target.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1989 German Grand Prix first qualifying session, 28 July 1989
Saturday Free Practice
McLaren had a replacement chassis available by Saturday morning after damage to Ayrton Senna‘s car prompted a diversion of its test crew to Hockenheim. Alain Prost again set the fastest practice time. Thierry Boutsen was second, ahead of Nigel Mansell, showing that Williams could get closer in the free session even though its drivers were not entirely satisfied with traction. The logistical scramble at McLaren had protected its preparation for the race as well as its qualifying prospects.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 German Grand Prix Practice, 29 July 1989
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna remained fastest in Saturday qualifying without improving his Friday time. Alain Prost trimmed his own best to 1:43.295, leaving McLaren with the front row. Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger occupied row two, followed by the Williams pair. Michele Alboreto narrowly took the final grid place, while both Rials failed to reach their home race.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 German Grand Prix second qualifying session, 29 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 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:42.300 | 1:42.790 | 1:42.300 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:43.306 | 1:43.295 | 1:43.295 | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:44.020 | 1:44.076 | 1:44.020 | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:44.467 | 1:44.509 | 1:44.467 | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:45.062 | 1:44.511 | 1:44.511 | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:45.520 | 1:44.702 | 1:44.702 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:45.033 | 1:45.040 | 1:45.033 | — |
| 8 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:47.316 | 1:45.475 | 1:45.475 | — |
| 9 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 1:46.521 | 1:45.845 | 1:45.845 | — |
| 10 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 1:47.551 | 1:46.888 | 1:46.888 | — |
| 11 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:47.408 | 1:46.893 | 1:46.893 | — |
| 12 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:47.216 | 1:47.796 | 1:47.216 | — |
| 13 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:48.222 | 1:47.380 | 1:47.380 | — |
| 14 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:47.387 | 1:47.578 | 1:47.387 | — |
| 15 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:47.486 | 1:47.566 | 1:47.746 | — |
| 16 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:47.511 | 1:47.552 | 1:47.511 | — |
| 17 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:47.756 | 1:47.533 | 1:47.533 | — |
| 18 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:48.782 | 1:47.663 | 1:47.663 | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:47.836 | 1:47.676 | 1:47.676 | — |
| 20 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:48.671 | 1:47.679 | 1:47.679 | — |
| 21 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:47.879 | 1:48.005 | 1:47.879 | — |
| 22 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:48.239 | 1:48.078 | 1:48.078 | — |
| 23 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:48.266 | 1:48.598 | 1:48.266 | — |
| 24 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:49.935 | 1:48.348 | 1:47.700 | — |
| 25 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:48.396 | 1:48.553 | 1:48.396 | — |
| 26 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 1:48.670 | 1:48.726 | 1:47.919 | — |
| 27* | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:49.587 | 1:48.686 | 1:48.686 | — |
| 28* | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:49.252 | 1:49.004 | 1:47.283 | — |
| 29* | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:50.679 | 1:49.767 | 1:49.767 | — |
| EX * | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | 1:50.673 | 1:49.770 | 1:49.770 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Ayrton Senna led Sunday’s warm-up but was then halted by an oil leak, another reliability warning after his recent run of retirements. Alain Prost was second and Nigel Mansell third. With tyre stops expected and the McLarens closely matched on race pace, even a small mechanical problem or delay in the pits could become decisive. Ayrton Senna had demonstrated the speed to win; completing the distance remained the essential next step.
Warm-up Classification
1989 German Grand Prix Warm-up, 30 July 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:46.433 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +0.393s | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +1.351s | — |
| 4 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | +1.354s | — |
| 5 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +1.835s | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +2.393s | — |
| 7 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +2.475s | — |
| 8 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +2.610s | — |
| 9 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | +3.214s | — |
| 10 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.265s | — |
| 11 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +3.488s | — |
| 12 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +3.596s | — |
| 13 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +3.724s | — |
| 14 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.876s | — |
| 15 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +3.934s | — |
| 16 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +4.320s | — |
| 17 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +4.363s | — |
| 18 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +4.705s | — |
| 19 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | +4.970s | — |
| 20 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +5.136s | — |
| 21 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +5.311s | — |
| 22 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +5.501s | — |
| 23 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | +5.618s | — |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +6.448s | — |
| 25 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +7.090s | — |
| 26 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +30.463s | — |
What happened in the 1989 German Grand Prix?
Gerhard Berger briefly led after an excellent start, but Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost both passed him on the opening lap. The McLarens then pulled away together. Gerhard Berger later crashed after a tyre failure, leaving Nigel Mansell third. Emanuele Pirro also retired in an accident after running strongly in the new Benetton.
Tyre stops changed the order at the front. Both McLaren stops were slow, but Ayrton Senna lost more time and emerged behind Alain Prost. He closed again as the race approached its finish, turning the final laps into a tense pursuit. Alain Prost then lost sixth gear, allowing Ayrton Senna to pass and take the victory.
Alain Prost still finished second, well clear of Nigel Mansell. Riccardo Patrese, Nelson Piquet and Derek Warwick completed the points. Ayrton Senna‘s win reduced his championship deficit, although Alain Prost had limited the damage with another substantial score. After four consecutive retirements, simply turning his pace into a finish had been crucial for the defending champion.
After the race, Alain Prost headed the drivers’ standings with 53 points, followed by Ayrton Senna on 36. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 89, with Williams – Renault on 38.
1989 German Grand Prix race results
The 1989 German Grand Prix was held on 30 July 1989.
1989 German Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 43 | 1:45.884 |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 42 | 1:45.977 |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 21 | 1:48.722 |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 10 | 1:48.931 |
| 5 | 20 | Emanuele Pirro | Benetton | 25 | 1:49.005 |
| 6 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 33 | 1:49.311 |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 4 | 1:49.665 |
| 8 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 20 | 1:49.910 |
| 9 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 36 | 1:49.917 |
| 10 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 34 | 1:50.216 |
| 11 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 19 | 1:50.493 |
| 12 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 33 | 1:50.676 |
| 13 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 30 | 1:50.817 |
| 14 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 34 | 1:50.899 |
| 15 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 43 | 1:51.012 |
| 16 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 4 | 1:51.168 |
| 17 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 30 | 1:51.362 |
| 18 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 31 | 1:51.495 |
| 19 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 15 | 1:52.562 |
| 20 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 19 | 1:52.638 |
| 21 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 9 | 1:52.888 |
| 22 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 2 | 1:53.417 |
| 23 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 7 | 1:53.686 |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 7 | 1:53.907 |
| 25 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola | 1 | 2:10.370 |
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 German Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 89 |
| 2 | Williams – Renault | 38 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 25 |
| 4 | Benetton – Ford | 17 |
| 5 | Tyrrell – Ford | 10 |
| 6 | Arrows – Ford | 9 |
| 7 | Dallara – Ford | 8 |
| 8 | Lotus – Judd | 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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