Alain Prost led Nigel Mansell home for a Ferrari one-two in the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix, cutting Ayrton Senna‘s championship lead to nine points. The weekend was overshadowed by Martin Donnelly‘s serious qualifying accident, which ended his Formula 1 career.
Race Guide
Season: 1990 F1 World Championship
Race date: 30 September 1990
Race start time: 14:00 local time (UTC+01:00)
Circuit: Circuito de Jerez
Laps: 73 laps
Circuit length: 4.218 km
1989 winner: Ayrton Senna
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:18.387 | |
| Fastest lap | Riccardo Patrese | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:24.513 on lap 53 | |
| First | Alain Prost | Ferrari |
| Second | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari |
| Third | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 28 September 1990 | Pre-qualifying | Start time unconfirmed |
| 28 September 1990 | Practice 1 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 28 September 1990 | Qualifying 1 | 13:00 |
| 29 September 1990 | Practice 2 | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 29 September 1990 | Qualifying 2 | Afternoon; start time unconfirmed |
| 30 September 1990 | Warm-up | Morning; start time unconfirmed |
| 30 September 1990 | Race | 14:00 |
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 14 leading the 1990 F1 World Championship on 78 points, with Alain Prost on 60. McLaren headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 118 points.
Race entries
Bernd Schneider replaced Alex Caffi at Arrows while the Italian recovered from his Portuguese accident. The other teams kept their line-ups. This would be the final weekend for EuroBrun and Life, whose withdrawals would remove the need for pre-qualifying at the remaining races.
Pre-qualifying
Yannick Dalmas and Gabriele Tarquini made it an AGS one-two, with Olivier Grouillard and Gachot also advancing. Roberto Moreno missed the cut by only 0.018 seconds. Langes and Giacomelli were eliminated, ending their teams’ unsuccessful campaigns in the preliminary sessions.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 1:22.470 | — |
| 2 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:22.592 | +0.122 |
| 3 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | 1:22.708 | +0.238 |
| 4 | 31 | Bertrand Gachot | Coloni | 1:24.603 | +2.133 |
| 5 | 33 | Roberto Moreno | EuroBrun | 1:24.621 | +2.151 |
| 6 | 34 | Claudio Langes | EuroBrun | 1:25.736 | +3.266 |
| 7 | 39 | Bruno Giacomelli | Life | 1:42.699 | +20.229 |
Friday Free Practice
Gerhard Berger led Friday practice, with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost closely matched behind him. Bernd Schneider crashed his Arrows during the morning, damaging the car and forcing him to rely on the spare. Honda had selected an engine specification suited to the circuit’s demands, while Benetton spent the opening day trying to find a satisfactory balance. The session preceded the much more serious accident that halted afternoon qualifying.
Friday Practice Classification
1990 Spanish Grand Prix Practice, 28 September 1990
Friday Qualifying
Friday qualifying was stopped after Martin Donnelly suffered a devastating accident at the fast right-hander. He was treated and taken to hospital with serious injuries. When running resumed, Ayrton Senna set the fastest time ahead of Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi; the sporting contest remained secondary to concern for the injured Lotus driver.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1990 Spanish Grand Prix first qualifying session, 28 September 1990
Saturday Free Practice
Jean Alesi headed Saturday practice in a subdued paddock following Martin Donnelly‘s accident. Derek Warwick continued alone for Lotus after discussions with the team about the car’s safety. Williams struggled with grip and heavy steering, while the bumpy surface again troubled Leyton House. Jean Alesi‘s pace was a notable performance in circumstances that had affected him particularly deeply.
Saturday Practice Classification
1990 Spanish Grand Prix Practice, 29 September 1990
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna improved to 1:18.387 on Saturday to take his 50th pole. Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell followed, with Jean Alesi fourth and Gerhard Berger fifth. Both AGS drivers qualified, a rare success for the small team. Martin Donnelly did not take any further part in the weekend.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1990 Spanish Grand Prix second qualifying session, 29 September 1990
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 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:18.900 | 1:18.387 | 1:18.387 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:20.026 | 1:18.824 | 1:18.824 | — |
| 3 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:21.005 | 1:19.106 | 1:19.106 | — |
| 4 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 1:19.923 | 1:19.604 | 1:19.604 | — |
| 5 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 1:19.643 | 1:19.618 | 1:19.618 | — |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:20.562 | 1:19.647 | 1:19.647 | — |
| 7 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1:20.721 | 1:19.689 | 1:19.689 | — |
| 8 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 1:21.111 | 1:19.700 | 1:19.700 | — |
| 9 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:21.383 | 1:20.367 | 1:20.367 | — |
| 10 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | 1:22.111 | 1:20.610 | 1:20.610 | — |
| 11 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:22.255 | 1:21.060 | 1:21.060 | — |
| 12 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | Leyton House | 1:23.019 | 1:21.167 | 1:21.167 | — |
| 13 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | 1:23.783 | 1:21.170 | 1:21.170 | — |
| 14 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 1:22.690 | 1:21.215 | 1:21.215 | — |
| 15 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 1:21.740 | 1:21.244 | 1:21.244 | — |
| 16 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | 1:23.485 | 1:21.277 | 1:21.277 | — |
| 17 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 1:22.953 | 1:21.467 | 1:21.467 | — |
| 18 | 29 | Éric Bernard | Lola | 1:22.403 | 1:21.551 | 1:21.551 | — |
| 19 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 1:23.866 | 1:21.910 | 1:21.910 | — |
| 20 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | 1:23.290 | 1:21.996 | 1:21.996 | — |
| 21 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | 1:24.784 | 1:22.288 | 1:22.708 | — |
| 22 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 1:23.260 | 1:22.466 | 1:22.592 | — |
| 23 | 12 | Martin Donnelly | Lotus | 1:22.659 | no time | 1:22.659 | — |
| 24 | 18 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 1:23.249 | 1:22.716 | 1:22.470 | — |
| 25 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:23.641 | 1:23.133 | 1:23.133 | — |
| 26 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Arrows | 1:24.043 | 1:23.161 | 1:23.161 | — |
| 27 | 7 | David Brabham | Brabham | 1:25.899 | 1:23.163 | 1:23.163 | — |
| 28 | 24 | Paolo Barilla | Minardi | 1:25.093 | 1:23.274 | 1:23.274 | — |
| 29 | 10 | Bernd Schneider | Arrows | 1:24.675 | 1:23.924 | 1:23.924 | — |
| 30 | 31 | Bertrand Gachot | Coloni | 1:26.593 | 1:25.114 | 1:24.603 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost was fastest in the warm-up after an overnight storm washed rubber from the circuit. The renewed abrasiveness and heat increased the importance of tyre management. Most drivers anticipated stops on softer compounds, while Gerhard Berger and Nelson Piquet selected harder rubber. Ferrari‘s race preparation looked strong at a weekend when Alain Prost urgently needed to outscore Ayrton Senna.
Warm-up Classification
1990 Spanish Grand Prix Warm-up, 30 September 1990
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 1:23.637 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +1.076s | — |
| 3 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | +1.148s | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | +1.291s | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.828s | — |
| 6 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | +2.058s | — |
| 7 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | +2.098s | — |
| 8 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | +2.359s | — |
| 9 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | +2.709s | — |
| 10 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | +2.714s | — |
| 11 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | +2.949s | — |
| 12 | 4 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | +3.262s | — |
| 13 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +3.264s | — |
| 14 | 18 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | +3.479s | — |
| 15 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | +3.579s | — |
| 16 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | +3.796s | — |
| 17 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +3.807s | — |
| 18 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | +3.837s | — |
| 19 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | +3.915s | — |
| 20 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Arrows | +4.201s | — |
| 21 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +4.385s | — |
| 22 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | +4.447s | — |
| 23 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | +4.793s | — |
| 24 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | +4.880s | — |
| 25 | 21 | Emanuele Pirro | Dallara | +5.137s | — |
What happened in the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix?
Ayrton Senna led initially, while Jean Alesi was eliminated in first-corner contact with Riccardo Patrese. Alain Prost moved into control as the tyre strategies unfolded, with Nelson Piquet briefly leading by delaying his stop.
Ayrton Senna eventually retired with radiator trouble, removing Alain Prost‘s championship rival from the contest. Gerhard Berger also went out after contact with Thierry Boutsen. Ferrari‘s advantage became decisive, with Nigel Mansell following his team-mate towards a one-two finish.
Alain Prost won ahead of Nigel Mansell and Alessandro Nannini, with Thierry Boutsen, Riccardo Patrese and Aguri Suzuki completing the points. It would be Alessandro Nannini‘s final Formula 1 appearance before his helicopter accident. Alain Prost‘s victory kept the title fight alive for Japan, though the weekend would be remembered above all for Martin Donnelly‘s injuries.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 78 points, followed by Alain Prost on 69. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 118, with Ferrari on 100.
1990 Spanish Grand Prix race results
The 1990 Spanish Grand Prix was held on 30 September 1990, with a scheduled start of 14:00 local time.
1990 Spanish Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 53 | 1:24.513 |
| 2 | 20 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 44 | 1:25.095 |
| 3 | 1 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 53 | 1:25.177 |
| 4 | 25 | Nicola Larini | Ligier | 62 | 1:26.104 |
| 5 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 49 | 1:26.250 |
| 6 | 11 | Derek Warwick | Lotus | 59 | 1:26.252 |
| 7 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 48 | 1:26.599 |
| 8 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Leyton House | 37 | 1:26.773 |
| 9 | 2 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 23 | 1:26.957 |
| 10 | 30 | Aguri Suzuki | Lola | 36 | 1:27.158 |
| 11 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 41 | 1:27.206 |
| 12 | 27 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 28 | 1:27.430 |
| 13 | 18 | Yannick Dalmas | AGS | 45 | 1:27.710 |
| 14 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 26 | 1:28.314 |
| 15 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 30 | 1:28.436 |
| 16 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Dallara | 29 | 1:28.471 |
| 17 | 9 | Michele Alboreto | Arrows | 65 | 1:28.712 |
| 18 | 29 | Eric Bernard | Lola | 8 | 1:29.296 |
| 19 | 26 | Philippe Alliot | Ligier | 6 | 1:29.329 |
| 20 | 14 | Olivier Grouillard | Osella | 30 | 1:29.692 |
| 21 | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | Tyrrell | 5 | 1:30.347 |
| 22 | 17 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS | 4 | 1:31.062 |
| 23 | 8 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 4 | 1:31.467 |
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 Spanish Grand Prix.
1990 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1990 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren | 118 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 100 |
| 3 | Williams | 49 |
| 4 | Benetton | 47 |
| 5 | Tyrrell | 15 |
| 6 | Leyton House | 7 |
| 7 | Lola | 7 |
| 8 | Lotus | 3 |
| 9 | Arrows | 2 |
| 10 | Brabham | 2 |
| – | Ligier | 0 |
| – | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Onyx | 0 |
| – | AGS | 0 |
| – | Dallara | 0 |
| – | Osella | 0 |
| – | EuroBrun | 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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