The 1980s

The Era

The 1980s were defined by the turbo revolution and some of the most intense rivalries the sport has ever seen. Renault had introduced turbocharging in 1977, but it was the 1980s when turbos became essential: by mid-decade, naturally-aspirated engines were hopelessly uncompetitive, and the top cars were producing over 1,000 horsepower in qualifying trim. The decade opened with the FISA-FOCA war, a power struggle between the governing body and the constructors that threatened to split the sport. On track, the early years belonged to Nelson Piquet and Alain Prost, but the latter half of the decade was dominated by the epic and bitter rivalry between Prost and Ayrton Senna. Their teammates-turned-enemies dynamic at McLaren in 1988 and 1989 produced some of the most dramatic moments in F1 history, including the collision at Suzuka in 1989 that decided the championship. McLaren-Honda's 1988 season, when Senna and Prost won 15 of 16 races, remains arguably the most dominant single-team performance ever.

World Champions

Constructor Champions

Race Winners

Seasons