Alain Prost, born February 24, 1955, is a French former F1 driver and Formula 1 team owner. He is a four-time F1 World Drivers’ Champion and held the record for the most Grand Prix wins, 51 victories, from 1987 until 2001 when Michael Schumacher passed him at the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix.
| Nationality | French |
|---|---|
| Born | Alain Marie Pascal Prost 24 February 1955 Lorette, Loire, France |
Prost was introduced to karting at 14 during a family vacation. He quickly moved up the ranks of motorsport, claiming titles in the French and European Formula Three championships. By 1980, at 24, Prost joined the McLaren Formula 1 team. He scored points in his first race – in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and secured his first podium there the following year. His first Grand Prix win came at the 1981 France Grand Prix, racing for the Renault team. By 1985, Prost had established himself as one of the best drivers on the grid, securing his first drivers’ championship.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Prost was at the centre of intense on-track battles with Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, and Nigel Mansell. And in 1986 at the season finale in Adelaide Prost clinched his second title over Mansell and Piquet.
The arrival of Senna at McLaren in 1988 sparked a series of contentious battles, including a collision at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix that secured Prost his third championship. Their rivalry continued with another collision in 1990, this time costing Prost the title.
After a challenging season in 1991 with Ferrari, during which he criticised the team openly he was subsequently let go, Prost took a break in 1992 and returned with Williams in 1993, won the championship for a fourth time, and retired at the season’s end.
Beyond driving in F1, Prost acquired the Ligier Formula One team in 1997, rebranding it as Prost Grand Prix until it folded in 2002. He also found success in the Andros Trophy, an ice racing series, from 2003 to 2012, where he claimed 38 wins and three championships.
Known for his smooth and calculated driving style, Prost was inspired by legends like Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark which earned him the nickname “The Professor” for his strategic approach to racing. Despite not being fond of the nickname, he acknowledged its fittingness, highlighting his skill in conserving his car’s brakes and tyres in the closing stages of a race.
Alain Prost Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1980–1991, 1993 |
|---|---|
| Teams | McLaren, Renault, Ferrari, Williams |
| Entries | 202 (199 starts) |
| Championships | 4 (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993) |
| Wins | 51 |
| Podiums | 106 |
| Career points | 768.5 |
| Pole positions | 33 |
| Fastest laps | 41 |
| First entry | 1980 Argentine Grand Prix |
| First win | 1981 French Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1993 German Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1993 Australian Grand Prix |
