Bitter Rivals

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The very first podium together at Monaco.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost became bitter rivals and they literally hated each other. It wasn't always like that though and it is a shame that personal ambitions get in the way and ruin friendships. They saw each other as the rival and underhand tactics would be used for personal gain.

What we have to look at is Ayrton's sudden rise in the Formula One family. In 1978 he moved from Brazil to Europe to compete in caring he was 18 at the time. His family wasn't very wealthy, but were comfortable and supported his dreams. Most Formula One drivers come from money and have contacts bringing sponsors along for the ride ensuring they obtain a seat in a team. Basically they are buying there way into the sport.

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Robbed by the rain as Ayrton would have won.

Ayrton didn't go along the normal route and his results propelled him into Formula One. In 1983 he won the Formula Three championship. The following year in 1984 Toleman-Hart offered him a seat on their car. He should have won the Monaco Grand Prix as he was lying in second place and catching Prost by 3 seconds per lap. The race was stopped on the 28 th lap due to Prost begging to stop the race. At that point Senna was within striking distance and the FIA stopped the race. Prost and the FIA is quite significant in Senna's career. The FISA president at the time Jean-Marie Balestre was in charge from 1978 -1991 and he was French.

In 1985 Senna moved to lotus as their driver and he won his first Grand Prix in Portugal. Senna was showing his talents and catching the eye of all the other teams now. He was faster and he braked later than all the other drivers and made the car dance driving it on the edge. In 1988 Senna was teamed up with Alain Prost at Mc Laren and they dominated the sport.

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In the zone and 56 seconds clear of Prost at Monaco.

The first incident was at the Monaco Grand Prix. Senna out qualified Prost by a massive 1.4 seconds and was leading the race by over 56 seconds. There was a distinct possibility that Prost was going to be lapped. Senna was told to slow down and take it easy. Senna admitted he was in "tunnel vision" and everything he was doing was in slow motion. He was subconciously driving the car and was in the zone. The radio message he received angered him as it disrupted his concentration and he crashed. Prost won the race and Senna was very angry with the team. that year Mc Laren won 15 of the 16 races with Senna winning the World Championship.

The 1989 season was one of bitter rivalry and the team mechanics were either in team Senna or Team Prost. This was not a team anymore and everyone was so secretive on car set ups and tactics. Ron Dennis announced at the French Grand Prix that they had found vast differences with the engines even though they were on the same team. Prost won the championship that year after Ayrton was disqualified in Japan. Prost cut Senna up at the chicane by turning into him. Both cars went off the track and Senna used the safety lane to join the track. Senna went on to win the race and the championship only to be disqualified for using the safety lane. FIA had stepped in again favoring Prost and no mention of Prost driving into Senna and causing an accident.

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Seconds away from Senna driving into Prost.

In 1990 Prost went to Ferrari as they couldn't work together as team mates. Senna was leading the Championship by nine points and one race to go in Japan. Senna took pole and the pole position was moved off the racing line to the outside. Prost in theory had pole position now and it is very unusual for this to happen. The FIA manipulations are clear and obvious and Senna was pissed. The race was a farce as Prost had the fast line with a rubberized section of the track and got away quicker only for both of them to collide in the first corner knocking them both out. Senna did this on purpose a sit ensured he would win the Championship and deny Prost. The rivalry now was more like bitter enemies.

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The last time on a podium together.

In 1991 Senna won his third World Championship and with a down and out Ferrari not featuring and a complaining Alain Prost slating the car. Prost was fired by Ferrari and went on a sabbatical year only to join Williams for 1992. The Williams car was now the dominant car and Prost signed the contract on one condition that they don't sign Senna as his team mate. Meanwhile at McLaren they were struggling with the reliability of the Honda engine. In 1993 Mc Laren tried to negotiate the use of the Renault engine powering Williams ,but the French would have none of it.

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Soon to be team mates. Mansell gives Senna a lift after his car broke down after completing the British Grand Prix.

In 1994 Prost had retired from Williams and Formula One racing leaving the seat for Senna to take. The one major part of the story I have purposely left out though and that was in 1999 at the Japanese Grand Prix. At the pre race drivers meeting which is customary Gerhard Berger raised the question regarding the safety escape lane. The officials had said that you need to turn around and enter the track from where you entered. His argument is that you are facing the traffic head on then and it is too dangerous. The FIA president agreed with him and Senna stood up and walked out. This is what had disqualified him the year before and it was proven he had gained no advantage by this maneuver as his back end had skidded into the safety lane in the first place.

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Alain Prost and Jean-Marie Balestre, the FIA President.

Prost was known as "the Professor" for his calculated driving. He would do whatever it took to win and if that meant fifth place he would aim for fifth. I believe he was in cahoots with the French President and this is what made Senna into a more aggressive driver. He was fighting the establishment from day one as he was an outsider. Sponsors followed him and he didn't have them in his pocket. Winning races meant the sponsors paid more to be on his car and that is what made him a class above the others.

Today drivers have to have sponsors and money backing them to secure a seat. I hope we see another Senna at some point who rely on talent alone to drive in Formula One.