Ayrton Senna mastered Monaco again in 1990, surviving a late scare to win ahead of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger. A blocked first start, mechanical failures and a demanding street circuit reduced the field, but Ayrton Senna remained in control when it mattered.
Race Guide
Season: 1990 F1 World Championship
Race date: 27 May 1990
Race start time: 15:30 local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 78 laps
Circuit length: 3.328 km
1989 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:21.314 | |
| Fastest lap | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:24.468 on lap 59 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell |
| Third | Gerhard Berger | McLaren |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1990 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 24 May 1990 | Practice 1 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 24 May 1990 | Qualifying 1 | Afternoon; start time unconfirmed |
| 26 May 1990 | Practice 2 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 26 May 1990 | Qualifying 2 | Afternoon; start time unconfirmed |
| 27 May 1990 | Warm-up | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 27 May 1990 | Race | 15:30 |
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 1990 F1 World Championship on 13 points, with Alain Prost on 12. McLaren headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 25 points.
Race entries
Pierluigi Martini returned after the injury that had ended his Imola weekend. Yannick Dalmas was also back for AGS. David Brabham continued at the team founded by his father and would reach his first Grand Prix start, while the leading teams kept their established pairings.
Pre-qualifying
Eric Bernard, Aguri Suzuki, Olivier Grouillard and Roberto Moreno again claimed the four places in the main sessions. Both AGS drivers missed out, as did Langes and Gachot. Giacomelli managed a longer run than before in the Life, but the car remained well off the pace and suffered another engine failure.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:27.134 | — |
| 2 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:27.548 | +0.414 |
| 3 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | 1:27.938 | +0.804 |
| 4 | 33 | Roberto Moreno | EuroBrun | 1:28.295 | +1.161 |
| 5 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:28.677 | +1.543 |
| 6 | 18 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 1:30.511 | +3.377 |
| 7 | 34 | Claudio Langes | EuroBrun | 1:33.195 | +6.061 |
| 8 | 31 | Bertrand Gachot | Coloni | 1:39.295 | +12.161 |
| 9 | 39 | Bruno Giacomelli | Life | 1:41.187 | +14.053 |
Thursday Free Practice
Jean Alesi led Thursday practice in the raised-nose Tyrrell, making an immediate impression at a circuit where teams could not test beforehand. The car’s agility and Pirelli tyres suited the tight layout. Ferrari had a more difficult opening day, with unstable gear selection contributing to contact with the barriers as its drivers worked through their settings.
Thursday Practice Classification
1990 Monaco Grand Prix Practice, 24 May 1990
Thursday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna comfortably headed Thursday qualifying ahead of Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi. The McLaren driver had established a formidable benchmark, but the battle to join him on the front row remained open.
Thursday Qualifying Classification
1990 Monaco Grand Prix first qualifying session, 24 May 1990
Saturday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna headed Saturday practice, with Jean Alesi again his closest challenger. Alessandro Nannini damaged his Benetton heavily during the morning, adding to the repair work demanded by Monaco’s barriers. Williams was also searching for a more compliant setup, while Alain Prost made progress with the revised Ferrari engine and prepared a much stronger challenge in qualifying.
Saturday Practice Classification
1990 Monaco Grand Prix Practice, 26 May 1990
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna improved to 1:21.314 on Saturday. Alain Prost‘s best lap narrowly beat Jean Alesi for second, with Riccardo Patrese fourth and Gerhard Berger fifth. Nigel Mansell qualified seventh, while David Brabham secured his first Formula 1 grid place in twenty-fifth.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1990 Monaco Grand Prix second qualifying session, 26 May 1990
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 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:21.797 | 1:21.314 | 1:21.314 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:23.449 | 1:21.776 | 1:21.776 | — |
| 3 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 1:23.372 | 1:21.801 | 1:21.801 | — |
| 4 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:24.179 | 1:22.026 | 1:22.026 | — |
| 5 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:23.001 | 1:22.682 | 1:22.682 | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:23.936 | 1:22.691 | 1:22.691 | — |
| 7 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:24.433 | 1:22.733 | 1:22.733 | — |
| 8 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:24.012 | 1:23.149 | 1:23.149 | — |
| 9 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:24.766 | 1:23.494 | 1:23.494 | — |
| 10 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:25.273 | 1:23.566 | 1:23.566 | — |
| 11 | 12 | Martin Donnelly | Lotus | 1:24.724 | 1:23.600 | 1:23.600 | — |
| 12 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:25.849 | 1:23.613 | 1:23.613 | — |
| 13 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | 1:24.070 | 1:23.656 | 1:23.656 | — |
| 14 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:25.485 | 1:23.920 | 1:23.920 | — |
| 15 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:27.193 | 1:24.023 | 1:27.548 | — |
| 16 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:25.926 | 1:24.139 | 1:24.139 | — |
| 17 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | 1:24.206 | 1:24.270 | 1:24.206 | — |
| 18 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | 1:25.387 | 1:24.294 | 1:24.294 | — |
| 19 | 24 | Paolo Barilla | Minardi | 1:26.352 | 1:24.334 | 1:24.334 | — |
| 20 | 35 | Gregor Foitek | Onyx | 1:26.183 | 1:24.367 | 1:24.367 | — |
| 21 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:25.679 | 1:24.371 | 1:24.371 | — |
| 22 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Arrows | 1:26.520 | 1:25.000 | 1:25.000 | — |
| 23 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:26.969 | 1:25.020 | 1:25.020 | — |
| 24 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:25.398 | 1:25.541 | 1:27.134 | — |
| 25 | 7 | David Brabham | Brabham | 1:28.339 | 1:25.420 | 1:25.420 | — |
| 26 | 36 | JJ Lehto | Onyx | 1:27.923 | 1:25.508 | 1:25.508 | — |
| 27 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Arrows | 1:27.282 | 1:25.622 | 1:25.622 | — |
| 28 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | 1:25.785 | 1:26.781 | 1:27.938 | — |
| 29 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:26.943 | 1:26.192 | 1:26.192 | — |
| 30 | 33 | Roberto Moreno | EuroBrun | 1:26.604 | 1:27.265 | 1:28.295 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Ayrton Senna narrowly beat Alain Prost in the warm-up, but Jean Alesi clipped a barrier and damaged the rear of his Tyrrell. The team repaired it before the start. Grey skies added uncertainty after rain had affected the preceding afternoon’s support race, although the Grand Prix itself would remain dry. Ferrari‘s improved balance gave Alain Prost genuine hope of challenging from the front row.
Warm-up Classification
1990 Monaco Grand Prix Warm-up, 27 May 1990
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:24.814 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | +0.122s | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +1.044s | — |
| 4 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +1.268s | — |
| 5 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +1.911s | — |
| 6 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +1.925s | — |
| 7 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +1.965s | — |
| 8 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | +2.094s | — |
| 9 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | +2.213s | — |
| 10 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +2.321s | — |
| 11 | 12 | Martin Donnelly | Lotus | +2.447s | — |
| 12 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.909s | — |
| 13 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +2.935s | — |
| 14 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | +2.981s | — |
| 15 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +3.057s | — |
| 16 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +3.243s | — |
| 17 | 35 | Gregor Foitek | Onyx | +3.481s | — |
| 18 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +3.721s | — |
| 19 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | +3.878s | — |
| 20 | 24 | Paolo Barilla | Minardi | +3.884s | — |
| 21 | 36 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Onyx | +4.193s | — |
| 22 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +4.232s | — |
| 23 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Arrows | +4.295s | — |
| 24 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +5.515s | — |
| 25 | 7 | David Brabham | Brabham | +7.317s | — |
What happened in the 1990 Monaco Grand Prix?
Contact between Gerhard Berger and Alain Prost blocked the circuit at Mirabeau on the opening lap, forcing a red flag and a restart. Ayrton Senna led again when racing resumed, while Alain Prost‘s challenge eventually ended with an electrical problem.
Nigel Mansell lost time after contact with Thierry Boutsen, then fought back through the field before retiring. Nelson Piquet was disqualified after receiving a push-start following a spin. Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger contested second as Ayrton Senna began to slow in the closing stages.
Ayrton Senna‘s car survived to deliver victory ahead of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger. Thierry Boutsen finished fourth, Alex Caffi fifth and Eric Bernard sixth after a late clash with Gregor Foitek. Only six cars were still running at the end of a typically unforgiving Monaco afternoon.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 22 points, followed by Gerhard Berger on 16. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 38, with Williams on 18.
1990 Monaco Grand Prix race results
The 1990 Monaco Grand Prix was held on 27 May 1990, with a scheduled start of 15:30 local time.
1990 Monaco Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 59 | 1:24.468 |
| 2 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 47 | 1:24.971 |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 48 | 1:25.021 |
| 4 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 62 | 1:25.353 |
| 5 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 17 | 1:25.888 |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 9 | 1:26.255 |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 18 | 1:26.366 |
| 8 | 10 | Alex Caffi | Arrows | 63 | 1:26.421 |
| 9 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 60 | 1:26.635 |
| 10 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 10 | 1:26.931 |
| 11 | 35 | Gregor Foitek | Onyx | 66 | 1:27.296 |
| 12 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | 26 | 1:27.339 |
| 13 | 24 | Paolo Barilla | Minardi | 51 | 1:27.539 |
| 14 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 20 | 1:27.542 |
| 15 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 31 | 1:27.557 |
| 16 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | 47 | 1:28.265 |
| 17 | 12 | Martin Donnelly | Lotus | 5 | 1:28.366 |
| 18 | 36 | Jyrki Jarvilehto | Onyx | 29 | 1:28.587 |
| 19 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 4 | 1:28.700 |
| 20 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 5 | 1:28.872 |
| 21 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | 10 | 1:29.165 |
| 22 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 11 | 1:29.374 |
| 23 | 7 | David Brabham | Brabham | 9 | 1:31.639 |
| 24 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 2 | 1:32.072 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1990 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1990 Monaco Grand Prix.
1990 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1990 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 38 |
| 2 | Williams | 18 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 15 |
| 4 | Tyrrell | 14 |
| 5 | Benetton | 10 |
| 6 | Arrows | 2 |
| 7 | Brabham | 2 |
| 8 | Lola | 1 |
| – | Lotus | 0 |
| – | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Onyx | 0 |
| – | Ligier | 0 |
| – | EuroBrun | 0 |
| – | Dallara | 0 |
| – | Leyton House | 0 |
| – | Osella | 0 |
| – | AGS | 0 |
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race.
1990 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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