Ayrton Senna mastered Monaco again in 1989, converting another dazzling pole position into victory despite late gearbox trouble. Alain Prost completed a McLaren one-two, but the happiest celebrations beyond the winners belonged to Brabham: Stefano Modena finished third as the returning team claimed what would prove to be its final Formula 1 podium.
Race Guide
Season: 1989 F1 World Championship
Race date: 7 May 1989
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 77 laps (78 laps scheduled)
Circuit length: 3.328 km
1988 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:22.308 | |
| Fastest lap | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:25.501 on lap 59 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Third | Stefano Modena | Brabham |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1989 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 4 May 1989 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 4 May 1989 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 6 May 1989 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 6 May 1989 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 7 May 1989 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 7 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
Alain Prost arrived at round 3 leading the 1989 F1 World Championship on 12 points, with Ayrton Senna on 9. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 21 points.
Race entries
Ferrari brought only Nigel Mansell, with Gerhard Berger still recovering from his Imola injuries. March introduced its CG891 for Ivan Capelli and Maurício Mauricio Gugelmin. Michele Alboreto missed Thursday’s running at Tyrrell while his new 018 was being prepared; he returned on Saturday. Pierre-Henri Pierre Henri Raphanel would make his only Grand Prix start after an excellent weekend for Coloni.
Pre-qualifying
Stefano Modena topped Thursday pre-qualifying, followed by Alex Caffi, Pierre-Henri Pierre Henri Raphanel and Martin Brundle. Pierre Henri Raphanel‘s progress was a particularly welcome breakthrough for Coloni. Ferrari‘s absent second car did not produce another place for the pre-qualifiers, leaving 29 drivers in the main sessions. Both Onyx cars again fell at the first hurdle.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:26.957 | — |
| 2 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:27.098 | +0.141 |
| 3 | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:27.590 | +0.633 |
| 4 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:27.774 | +0.817 |
| 5 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella | 1:27.795 | +0.838 |
| 6 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx | 1.27.821 | +0.864 |
| 7 | 17 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:28.555 | +1.598 |
| 8 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:28.610 | +1.653 |
| 9 | 37 | Bertrand Gachot | Onyx | 1:28.897 | +1.940 |
| 10 | 33 | Gregor Foitek | EuroBrun | 1:29.423 | +2.466 |
| 11 | 39 | Volker Weidler | Rial | 1:29.498 | +2.541 |
| 12 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed | 1:30.528 | +2.571 |
| 13 | 41 | Joachim Winkelhock | AGS | 1:32.274 | +4.317 |
Thursday Free Practice
Alain Prost headed Thursday practice, with Ayrton Senna close behind and Nigel Mansell third. The narrow streets put a premium on confidence, yet Nigel Mansell had alarming reminders of how quickly that confidence could be tested: rear-suspension and front-wing failures during untimed running both threatened to send him into the barriers at Casino Square. He kept the Ferrari intact. Elsewhere, March began the difficult task of sorting its new chassis on one of the least forgiving circuits possible.
Thursday Practice Classification
1989 Monaco Grand Prix Practice, 4 May 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:25.613 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.128s | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +0.271s | — |
| 4 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +1.195s | — |
| 5 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +1.430s | — |
| 6 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +2.111s | — |
| 7 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +2.380s | — |
| 8 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +2.471s | — |
| 9 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +2.503s | — |
| 10 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +2.544s | — |
| 11 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.184s | — |
| 12 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +3.262s | — |
| 13 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +3.455s | — |
| 14 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +3.481s | — |
| 15 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +3.537s | — |
| 16 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +3.549s | — |
| 17 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +3.924s | — |
| 18 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +4.163s | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +4.287s | — |
| 20 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +4.336s | — |
| 21 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +5.509s | — |
| 22 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +5.654s | — |
| 23 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +6.321s | — |
| 24 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | +6.460s | — |
| 25 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +6.933s | — |
| 26 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +7.381s | — |
| 27 | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni | +7.401s | — |
| 28 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +7.931s | — |
Thursday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna claimed provisional pole on Thursday, ahead of Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. Gabriele Tarquini produced one of the session’s standout performances by taking fifth for AGS. The first session gave the smaller teams an opportunity to establish a useful time, but Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost already looked to have the pace to settle the front row between themselves.
Thursday Qualifying Classification
1989 Monaco Grand Prix first qualifying session, 4 May 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:24.126 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:24.671 | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:25.363 | — |
| 4 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:25.540 | — |
| 5 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:26.603 | — |
| 6 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:26.606 | — |
| 7 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:26.617 | — |
| 8 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:26.970 | — |
| 9 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:26.975 | — |
| 10 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:27.040 | — |
| 11 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:27.138 | — |
| 12 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:27.598 | — |
| 13 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:27.894 | — |
| 14 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:28.461 | — |
| 15 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:28.469 | — |
| 16 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:28.568 | — |
| 17 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:28.608 | — |
| 18 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:28.737 | — |
| 19 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | 1:28.886 | — |
| 20 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 1:28.917 | — |
| 21 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:29.047 | — |
| 22 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:29.151 | — |
| 23 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 1:29.661 | — |
| 24 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:29.794 | — |
| 25 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:29.800 | — |
| 26 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 1:30.003 | — |
| 27 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:30.209 | — |
| 28 | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:30.264 | — |
Saturday Free Practice
Alain Prost was again fastest on Saturday morning, nearly a second clear of Ayrton Senna, while Martin Brundle put Brabham third. Michele Alboreto finally joined the action in his new Tyrrell after losing Thursday’s track time. The contrast with March was striking: the new CG891 was struggling with the circuit’s bumps and cooling demands, whereas the Brabham‘s balance was allowing its drivers to attack the streets with growing confidence.
Saturday Practice Classification
1989 Monaco Grand Prix Practice, 6 May 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:23.879 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.997s | — |
| 3 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +1.452s | — |
| 4 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +1.667s | — |
| 5 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +1.697s | — |
| 6 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +2.274s | — |
| 7 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +2.321s | — |
| 8 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +2.384s | — |
| 9 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +2.524s | — |
| 10 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +2.719s | — |
| 11 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.869s | — |
| 12 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +3.339s | — |
| 13 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +3.445s | — |
| 14 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +3.455s | — |
| 15 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | +3.484s | — |
| 16 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +3.494s | — |
| 17 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +3.537s | — |
| 18 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +3.661s | — |
| 19 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +4.009s | — |
| 20 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +4.177s | — |
| 21 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +4.203s | — |
| 22 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | +4.240s | — |
| 23 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +4.412s | — |
| 24 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +4.690s | — |
| 25 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +4.696s | — |
| 26 | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni | +5.105s | — |
| 27 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | +5.373s | — |
| 28 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +5.736s | — |
| 29 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +5.894s | — |
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna‘s 1:22.308 on Saturday left Alain Prost 1.148 seconds behind and secured another commanding Monaco pole. Thierry Boutsen was third, while Martin Brundle took an outstanding fourth for Brabham. Nigel Mansell and Derek Warwick completed the first three rows. Pierre-Henri Pierre Henri Raphanel qualified eighteenth, but Satoru Nakajima, Yannick Dalmas and Christian Danner missed the race.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1989 Monaco Grand Prix second qualifying session, 6 May 1989
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Thursday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:24.126 | 1:22.308 | 1:22.308 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:24.671 | 1:23.456 | 1:23.456 | — |
| 3 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:25.540 | 1:24.332 | 1:24.332 | — |
| 4 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 1:26.970 | 1:24.580 | 1:24.580 | — |
| 5 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:25.363 | 1:24.735 | 1:24.735 | — |
| 6 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:26.606 | 1:24.791 | 1:24.791 | — |
| 7 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:27.138 | 1:25.021 | 1:25.021 | — |
| 8 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:27.598 | 1:25.086 | 1:26.957 | — |
| 9 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:27.894 | 1:25.481 | 1:27.098 | — |
| 10 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:26.617 | 1:25.515 | 1:25.515 | — |
| 11 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:28.469 | 1:26.288 | 1:26.288 | — |
| 12 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | No time | 1:26.388 | 1:26.388 | — |
| 13 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:26.603 | 1:26.422 | 1:26.422 | — |
| 14 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:28.917 | 1:26.522 | 1:26.522 | — |
| 15 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:28.608 | 1:26.599 | 1:26.599 | — |
| 16 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 1:27.040 | 1:26.792 | 1:26.792 | — |
| 17 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:26.975 | 1:26.857 | 1:26.857 | — |
| 18 | 32 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 1:30.264 | 1:27.011 | 1:27.590 | — |
| 19 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:29.047 | 1:27.046 | 1:27.046 | — |
| 20 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:28.461 | 1:27.117 | 1:27.117 | — |
| 21 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:30.003 | 1:27.182 | 1:27.182 | — |
| 22 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:29.800 | 1:27.302 | 1:27.302 | — |
| 23 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:29.151 | 1:27.452 | 1:27.452 | — |
| 24 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 1:29.661 | 1:27.706 | 1:27.706 | — |
| 25 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 1:30.209 | 1:27.721 | 1:27.721 | — |
| 26 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:28.886 | 1:27.786 | 1:27.786 | — |
| 27 | 38 | Christian Danner | Rial | 1:28.737 | 1:27.910 | 1:27.910 | — |
| 28 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:29.794 | 1:27.946 | 1:27.946 | — |
| 29 | 12 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:28.568 | 1:28.419 | 1:28.419 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Ayrton Senna moved ahead in Sunday’s warm-up, leading Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. Changes to the Ferrari‘s front-wing arrangement helped Nigel Mansell recover grip, giving him a better platform for the race after an unsettled build-up. McLaren nevertheless occupied the first two places once more. With traffic capable of costing large chunks of time around Monaco, a strong opening stint would be particularly important for anyone hoping to stay with the leaders.
Warm-up Classification
1989 Monaco Grand Prix Warm-up, 7 May 1989
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:26.214 | — |
| 2 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +0.376s | — |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +0.647s | — |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +2.213s | — |
| 5 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +2.221s | — |
| 6 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +2.512s | — |
| 7 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | +2.653s | — |
| 8 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +2.835s | — |
| 9 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +3.122s | — |
| 10 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.156s | — |
| 11 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +3.427s | — |
| 12 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +3.635s | — |
| 13 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +4.080s | — |
| 14 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +4.331s | — |
| 15 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +4.385s | — |
| 16 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +4.439s | — |
| 17 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +4.673s | — |
| 18 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | +4.804s | — |
| 19 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +4.955s | — |
| 20 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +4.995s | — |
| 21 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | +5.430s | — |
| 22 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | +5.685s | — |
| 23 | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni | +5.768s | — |
| 24 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | +5.812s | — |
| 25 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +5.851s | — |
| 26 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +7.078s | — |
What happened in the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix?
An aborted start reduced the distance to 77 laps. Once the race began, Ayrton Senna established control ahead of Alain Prost. Williams lost both cars to rear-wing problems, while Nigel Mansell‘s gearbox failed. Martin Brundle briefly looked set for a podium before an electrical problem forced a lengthy stop, opening the way for his Brabham team-mate Stefano Modena.
Alain Prost‘s pursuit was damaged by a blockage at the hairpin involving Nelson Piquet and Andrea de Cesaris. Ayrton Senna, meanwhile, was nursing gearbox trouble of his own: losing the use of the lower gears made the tight corners increasingly awkward. He adapted his driving and protected enough of his advantage to win, with Alain Prost second.
Stefano Modena delivered third, Alex Caffi secured fourth for Dallara, and Michele Alboreto recovered from his curtailed practice programme to finish fifth. Martin Brundle salvaged sixth after his stop, giving Brabham points with both cars. On a weekend dominated by McLaren‘s speed, the returning team’s podium was a substantial achievement in its own right.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 18 points, followed by Alain Prost on 18. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 36, with Ferrari on 9.
1989 Monaco Grand Prix race results
The 1989 Monaco Grand Prix was held on 7 May 1989.
1989 Monaco Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 59 | 1:25.501 |
| 2 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham | 58 | 1:25.882 |
| 3 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 23 | 1:26.017 |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 66 | 1:26.369 |
| 5 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 29 | 1:26.946 |
| 6 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 71 | 1:27.240 |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 62 | 1:27.290 |
| 8 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 70 | 1:27.745 |
| 9 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 73 | 1:28.188 |
| 10 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 71 | 1:28.204 |
| 11 | 10 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 71 | 1:28.506 |
| 12 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 58 | 1:28.680 |
| 13 | 4 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 71 | 1:29.063 |
| 14 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 32 | 1:29.203 |
| 15 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 28 | 1:29.251 |
| 16 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 8 | 1:29.446 |
| 17 | 20 | Johnny Herbert | Benetton | 43 | 1:29.685 |
| 18 | 11 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 28 | 1:29.808 |
| 19 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | 16 | 1:30.890 |
| 20 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni | 31 | 1:31.114 |
| 21 | 32 | Pierre Henri Raphanel | Coloni | 15 | 1:31.253 |
| 22 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 15 | 1:31.358 |
| 23 | 9 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 2 | 1:32.050 |
| 24 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 3 | 1:32.270 |
| 25 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 5 | 1:32.334 |
| 26 | 26 | Olivier Grouillard | Ligier | 2 | 1:34.265 |
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 Monaco Grand Prix.
1989 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1989 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 36 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 9 |
| 3 | Benetton – Ford | 8 |
| 4 | Brabham – Judd | 5 |
| 5 | March – Judd | 4 |
| 6 | Arrows – Ford | 4 |
| 7 | Dallara – Ford | 3 |
| 8 | Williams – Renault | 3 |
| 9 | Tyrrell – Ford | 3 |
| — | Lotus – Judd | 0 |
| — | AGS – Ford | 0 |
| — | Ligier – Ford | 0 |
| — | Lola – Lamborghini | 0 |
| — | Osella – Ford | 0 |
| — | Rial – 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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