1990 Brazilian Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Grand Prix = Brazilian
Country = Brazil
Official name = XIX Grande Prêmio do Brasil
Date = March 25
Year = 1990
Race_No = 2
Season_No = 16
Location = Autódromo José Carlos Pace
São Paulo, Brazil
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 2.687
Course_km = 4.325
Distance_laps = 71
Distance_mi = 190.807
Distance_km = 307.075
Weather = Hot, dry, sunny
Pole_Driver = Ayrton Senna
Pole_Country = Brazil
Pole_Team = McLaren-Honda
Pole_Time = 1:17.277
Fast_Driver = Gerhard Berger
Fast_Country = Austria
Fast_Team = McLaren-Honda
Fast_Time = 1:19.899
Fast_L

First_Driver = Alain Prost
First_Country = France
First_Team = Ferrari
Second_Driver = Gerhard Berger
Second_Country= Austria
Second_Team = McLaren-Honda
Third_Driver = Ayrton Senna
Third_Country = Brazil
Third_Team = McLaren-HondaThe 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 25, 1990 at Interlagos.

Race summary

Qualifying

The rebuilt Interlagos circuit which hosted the race for the first time since F1|1981 had been dramatically altered, but without losing any of its challenges. Local hero Ayrton Senna took his 43rd career pole position and led from the start.

Race

At the first corner, Jean Alesi, Alessandro Nannini and Andrea de Cesaris tangled, eliminating de Cesaris and requiring the Benetton driver to stop for a new nosecone. On lap 8 Thierry Boutsen passed Gerhard Berger for second place, and Alain Prost took the Ferrari past the McLaren driver on lap 17. Nigel Mansell pitted on lap 27 for new tyres and also to inspect a broken rollbar. He rejoined in 9th place.Boutsen's pit stop on lap 30 went disastrously wrong. With failing brakes, and a tricky bump in the pitlane, the Williams was unable to stop and crashed into the wheel and tyre equipment stacked in the garage. This required a new nosecone and when he rejoined, he was down in 11th position.

Prost was piling on the pressure - by lap 35 he had climbed to second within 10 seconds of Senna, and was now ahead of Riccardo Patrese, Berger and Nelson Piquet. When Senna came up to lap backmarker Satoru Nakajima, there was contact and the McLaren had to pit for a new nosecone. He rejoined and challenged hard, but the reduced downforce levels made the car difficult to drive. On lap 66, Patrese retired with a broken oil cooler.

Prost took his 40th victory, and his first for Ferrari, from Berger and the recovering Senna. Mansell finished an excellent 4th, having driven through the field with a broken rollbar. Boutsen finished a creditable 5th and Piquet claimed the final point in front of his home crowd after passing Jean Alesi - who was suffering severe tyre wear after attempting to run non-stop - on the last lap.

Classification

Pre Qualifying

Notes

*Lap Leaders: Ayrton Senna 38 laps (1-32 & 35-40); Gerhard Berger 2 laps (33-34); Alain Prost 31 laps (41-71)
*First Grand Prix start: Gianni Morbidelli
*The Life team saw their car splutter to a halt 400 metres after exiting the pits, Gary Brabham claimed the mechanics were on strike and refused to put oil in the car.

References

* "Unless otherwise indicated, all race results are taken from cite web |title=The Official Formula 1 website |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1990/216/ |accessdate=2007-08-05

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Brazilian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1990
Previous_race_in_season = 1990 United States Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1990 San Marino Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix