Ayrton Senna made it three wins in succession at the 1989 Mexican Grand Prix, controlling the restarted race as his rivals ran into trouble. Riccardo Patrese finished second for Williams and Michele Alboreto took a fine third for Tyrrell. For Alain Prost, a race that had begun with hopes of challenging his team-mate ended in fifth after his tyre gamble failed.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 28 May 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-06:00)
Circuit: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Laps: 69 laps
Circuit length: 4.421 km
1988 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:17.876 | |
| Fastest lap | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:20.420 on lap 41 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
| Third | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 26 May 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 26 May 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 27 May 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 27 May 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 28 May 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 28 May 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
Ayrton Senna arrived at round 4 leading the 1989 F1 World Championship on 18 points, with Alain Prost on 18. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 36 points.
Race entries
Gerhard Berger returned to Ferrari after missing Monaco, restoring the full race line-up. Minardi introduced its M189 for Pierluigi Martini and Luis Pérez-Sala, while Benetton continued with the older B188 as development of its new car and engine continued. Onyx was still searching for its first race start, and Stefan Johansson would finally provide it.
Pre-qualifying
Martin Brundle and Stefano Modena led pre-qualifying for Brabham. Alex Caffi also advanced, while Stefan Johansson gave Onyx its first passage into the main sessions, narrowly shutting out team-mate Bertrand Gachot. Piercarlo Ghinzani was excluded after missing a weight check. Stefan Johansson‘s breakthrough meant the newcomer could at last spend a full weekend developing its car against the regular field.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:21.770 | — |
| 2 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:22.211 | +0.441 |
| 3 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:22.876 | +1.106 |
| 4 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:23.288 | +1.518 |
| 5 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:23.752 | +1.982 |
| 6 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1.24.351 | +2.581 |
| 7 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:24.392 | +2.622 |
| 8 | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | 1:24.966 | +3.196 |
| 9 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:25.418 | +3.648 |
| 10 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 1:25.658 | +3.888 |
| 11 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:26.065 | +4.295 |
| 12 | 41 | Joachim Winkelhock | AGS | 1:26.754 | +4.984 |
| 13 | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:34.357 | +12.587 |
Friday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna was fastest on Friday morning as Alain Prost worked around an unsuccessful choice of front springs and dampers. Mexico City’s bumps made the suspension settings especially important, while the altitude imposed its own cooling demands. Jonathan Palmer gave Tyrrell encouragement with fifth place. The new Minardi, meanwhile, needed bodywork alterations to improve cooling: getting the fresh design through a useful programme of running mattered as much as finding an immediate lap time.
Friday Practice Classification
1989 Mexican Grand Prix Practice, 26 May 1989
Friday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna headed Friday qualifying in 1:19.112, comfortably ahead of Alain Prost. Nigel Mansell was third and Jonathan Palmer again impressed in fifth. Ayrton Senna‘s advantage gave Alain Prost further work to do on a surface where the car needed both stability over the bumps and confidence through the fast corners.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1989 Mexican Grand Prix first qualifying session, 26 May 1989
Saturday Free Practice
Alain Prost narrowly beat Ayrton Senna on Saturday morning, but Jonathan Palmer‘s session was much less straightforward. After briefly setting the fastest time, he was caught by a bump at the Peraltada and hit the tyre barrier; the repaired Tyrrell‘s handling subsequently suffered. Stefan Johansson offered a happier surprise, taking sixth in the Onyx after finally clearing pre-qualifying. That performance suggested the team’s first complete Grand Prix weekend could bring more than simply a place at the back.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 Mexican Grand Prix Practice, 27 May 1989
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna improved to 1:17.876 on Saturday and claimed pole by 0.897 seconds from Alain Prost. Nigel Mansell stayed third, while Ivan Capelli put the new March fourth. Stefan Johansson qualified the Onyx for its first Grand Prix; Maurício Mauricio Gugelmin, by contrast, failed to make the field in the other March. Riccardo Patrese and Gerhard Berger completed the top six.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 Mexican Grand Prix second qualifying session, 27 May 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 | 1:19.112 | 1:17.876 | 1:17.876 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:20.401 | 1:18.773 | 1:18.773 | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:21.170 | 1:19.137 | 1:19.137 | — |
| 4 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:24.720 | 1:19.337 | 1:19.337 | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:21.763 | 1:19.656 | 1:19.656 | — |
| 6 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:21.564 | 1:19.835 | 1:19.835 | — |
| 7 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:22.150 | 1:20.066 | 1:20.066 | — |
| 8 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:21.456 | 1:20.234 | 1:20.234 | — |
| 9 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:22.640 | 1:20.505 | 1:22.211 | — |
| 10 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:23.245 | 1:20.601 | 1:20.601 | — |
| 11 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:23.053 | 1:20.859 | 1:20.859 | — |
| 12 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:23.066 | 1:20.873 | 1:20.873 | — |
| 13 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:21.791 | 1:20.888 | 1:20.888 | — |
| 14 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:21.561 | 1:20.888 | 1:20.888 | — |
| 15 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:22.438 | 1:20.943 | 1:20.943 | — |
| 16 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:22.014 | 1:21.031 | 1:21.031 | — |
| 17 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:23.004 | 1:21.031 | 1:21.031 | — |
| 18 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 1:22.553 | 1:21.105 | 1:21.105 | — |
| 19 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:22.705 | 1:21.139 | 1:22.876 | — |
| 20 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:23.375 | 1:21.217 | 1:21.770 | — |
| 21 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1:23.746 | 1:21.358 | 1:23.288 | — |
| 22 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:24.181 | 1:21.471 | 1:21.471 | — |
| 23 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:22.931 | 1:21.696 | 1:21.696 | — |
| 24 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:23.427 | 1:21.716 | 1:21.716 | — |
| 25 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:24.890 | 1:21.830 | 1:21.830 | — |
| 26 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:23.090 | 1:21.831 | 1:21.831 | — |
| 27 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:26.567 | 1:21.935 | 1:21.935 | — |
| 28 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:22.712 | 1:22.081 | 1:22.081 | — |
| 29 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:25.651 | 9:27.789 | 1:25.651 | — |
| 30 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | no time | 3:34.095 | 3:34.095 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost topped the warm-up, with Nigel Mansell second and Ayrton Senna third. The performance encouraged Alain Prost, but the heat made tyre choice a crucial unresolved question. He opted for softer rubber than his team-mate in the hope of turning early grip into a winning opportunity. The fastest morning lap therefore came with a strategic dilemma: immediate pace would be valuable only if the tyres could support it for long enough.
Warm-up Classification
1989 Mexican Grand Prix Warm-up, 28 May 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:21.017 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +0.406s | — |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.444s | — |
| 4 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | +0.732s | — |
| 5 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +1.539s | — |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.765s | — |
| 7 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +1.802s | — |
| 8 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +1.959s | — |
| 9 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | +1.977s | — |
| 10 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +2.125s | — |
| 11 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +2.143s | — |
| 12 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +2.153s | — |
| 13 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +2.171s | — |
| 14 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +2.310s | — |
| 15 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +2.600s | — |
| 16 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +2.664s | — |
| 17 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +2.696s | — |
| 18 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +2.761s | — |
| 19 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +2.970s | — |
| 20 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +3.344s | — |
| 21 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +3.540s | — |
| 22 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +3.886s | — |
| 23 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +4.180s | — |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +4.214s | — |
| 25 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +4.467s | — |
| 26 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +6.034s | — |
What happened in the 1989 Mexican Grand Prix?
An early crash involving Stefano Modena brought out the red flags, and the race restarted over its full 69-lap distance. Ayrton Senna led, with Alain Prost initially close behind. Alain Prost‘s softer tyres soon lost effectiveness, however, and his stops removed him from the fight for victory.
Ferrari‘s challenge also faded when both Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger retired with gearbox problems. Ayrton Senna completed the distance in command, while Riccardo Patrese took second. Michele Alboreto‘s third rewarded Tyrrell‘s improving chassis and gave the team a second consecutive strong points finish after Monaco.
Alessandro Nannini brought Benetton home fourth, ahead of Alain Prost. Gabriele Tarquini took sixth for AGS, earning the only championship point of his Formula 1 career. Stefan Johansson did not finish on Onyx‘s race debut, but simply reaching the grid had been an important step for the new team. Ayrton Senna left Mexico with another victory and an increasingly impressive run of form.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 27 points, followed by Alain Prost on 20. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 47, with Benetton – Ford on 11.
1989 Mexican Grand Prix race results
The 1989 Mexican Grand Prix was held on 28 May 1989.
1989 Mexican Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 41 | 1:20.420 |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 43 | 1:20.506 |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 43 | 1:20.585 |
| 4 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 43 | 1:21.230 |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 42 | 1:21.383 |
| 6 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 63 | 1:22.093 |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 50 | 1:22.110 |
| 8 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 54 | 1:22.111 |
| 9 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 41 | 1:22.233 |
| 10 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 44 | 1:22.318 |
| 11 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 52 | 1:22.344 |
| 12 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 54 | 1:22.560 |
| 13 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 27 | 1:22.593 |
| 14 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 32 | 1:22.777 |
| 15 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 34 | 1:22.907 |
| 16 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 15 | 1:22.981 |
| 17 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 15 | 1:22.991 |
| 18 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 42 | 1:23.095 |
| 19 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 14 | 1:23.416 |
| 20 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 52 | 1:23.524 |
| 21 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 48 | 1:23.539 |
| 22 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 43 | 1:23.867 |
| 23 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 30 | 1:24.527 |
| 24 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 8 | 1:24.660 |
| 25 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 11 | 1:25.424 |
| 26 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1 | 1:46.744 |
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 Mexican Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 47 |
| 2 | Benetton – Ford | 11 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 9 |
| 4 | Williams – Renault | 9 |
| 5 | Tyrrell – Ford | 7 |
| 6 | Brabham – Judd | 5 |
| 7 | March – Judd | 4 |
| 8 | Arrows – Ford | 4 |
| 9 | Dallara – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | AGS – Ford | 1 |
| — | Ligier – Ford | 0 |
| — | Lotus – Judd | 0 |
| — | Rial – Ford | 0 |
| — | Lola – Lamborghini | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed – Yamaha | 0 |
| — | Minardi – Ford | 0 |
| — | EuroBrun – Judd | 0 |
| — | Coloni – 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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