Senna vs Prost
The Revenge Crash
The Story
The 1990 season was the bitter culmination of the most intense personal rivalry in F1 history. Ayrton Senna, still furious about what he saw as Alain Prost's manipulation of the 1989 title fight, had moved to McLaren while Prost joined Ferrari. Senna took pole in Japan but was enraged when officials moved the pole position to the dirty side of the track, giving Prost (who started second) the advantage. At the start, Senna drove straight into the back of Prost at Turn 1, taking both cars out and clinching the championship. Senna later admitted it was deliberate, saying it was payback for 1989. The moment crystallised everything about their rivalry: the brilliance, the bitterness, and the willingness to go beyond the limits of fair play.
Points Progression
| Race | Senna | Prost | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States GP | 9 | 0 | Senna +9 |
| Brazilian GP | 13 | 9 | Senna +4 |
| San Marino GP | 13 | 12 | Senna +1 |
| Monaco GP | 22 | 12 | Senna +10 |
Final Standings
| Pos | Driver | Team | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 6 | 78 |
| 2 | Alain Prost | Ferrari | 5 | 71 |
| 3 | Nelson Piquet | Benetton | 2 | 43 |
| 4 | Gerhard Berger | McLaren | 0 | 43 |
| 5 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1 | 37 |
| 6 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams | 1 | 34 |
| 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1 | 23 |
| 8 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 0 | 21 |
| 9 | Jean Alesi | Tyrrell | 0 | 13 |
| 10 | Ivan Capelli | Leyton House | 0 | 6 |