Motorsport Retro brings us another update from the Cahier Archive, this time featuring four-time world champion (and AUSmotive favourite) Alain Prost.
Cast your mind back to the 1988 Formula One season. That was the year McLaren won 15 out of the 16 races, obliging a home win for Ferrari at Monza. Under today’s scoring regime, where the driver with the most points from all races wins, Prost would have pipped Senna by 11 points.
While Senna won eight races to Prost’s seven, the little Frenchman retired twice and in the remaining 14 races finished no worse than second. That’s right, no worse than second. An amazing display of consistency by ‘The Professor’. History tells us that only the best 11 races counted towards the championship in that era and hence Senna won the title by three points.
We wonder how history would reflect the often hostile Prost–Senna rivalry and the standings of both men if it was five world championships to two?
[Source: Motorsport Retro | Pic: Cahier Archive]
One reply on “Alain Prost F1 image archive”
Agreed – Although Senna had the edge in qualifying Prost was always his master in (dry) race trim.
Shame that the Senna legend bandwagon has overshadowed Prost to some extent – there are legions of newbie Senna fans who will swear black is blue that Senna ‘anihilated’ or ‘thrashed’ the professor during 88/89
Then it turns out they have never even seen the 88/89 races!! Thankfully Youtube has races like Mexico 88 for these johhny-come-latelys to view whereupon they are rather amazed to see Alain leaving Ayrton for dead!!
Bottom line: Senna quicker in qualy, Prost quicker over full race distance