The 1990 F1 Season: Between Rivalry and Drama

The 1990 F1 season is remembered as one of the most intense seasons in the history of the championship.

The Senna-Prost Rivalry: The Prelude to An Unforgettable Season

The 1989 Formula 1 season was the culmination of a growing rivalry between McLaren teammates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in a season marked by tension and polemics.

For the 1990 F1 season, Prost joined Ferrari, while Senna remained at McLaren. This called for an epic battle between both teams. The season was not only marked by technical challenges between both teams but also a season full of emotions, twists and controversies.

The protagonists of the season were once again Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, two motorsport legends whose rivalry reached its peak that year.

The two challenged each other intensely, leading to a sensational clash in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. This decided the championship in Prost’s favour.

However, internal tensions within McLaren led Prost to leave McLaren and join Ferrari in 1990. While Senna remained to defend the title for the British team.

Senna and Prost: Two Legends in Comparison

Senna and Prost were the undisputed stars of the 1990 season. Both of them always demonstrated two completely opposite driving styles.

On the one hand, there was Senna, the Brazilian driver, who was known for his natural talent, aggressive speed and willingness to risk everything to win.

On the other hand, Alain Prost, nicknamed ‘The Professor’, was the emblem of precision and strategy. Able to maximise every opportunity with a calculated driving style.

1990 F1 Season: A Championship Decided at the Limit

Senna driving the McLaren-Honda, and Prost, the Ferrari driver exchanged victories in crucial races such as the Monaco GP, the French GP and the Hungarian GP.

However, one of the most iconic moments of the 1990 season came in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Senna, starting from pole position, collided with Prost at the first corner, eliminating both from the race and automatically securing the world title.

This incident, considered by many to be a deliberate act, remains to this day, one of the most discussed episodes in Formula 1 history.

The Final Classification: A Championship Dominated by Two Drivers

The 1990 season ended with Senna crowned world champion, six victories to his name.

Prost, second in the standings, was his only real opponent, taking five victories. The Frenchman kept the fight alive until the iconic and controversial clash at Suzuka.

Behind them, Gerhard Berger, Senna’s teammate at McLaren, finished third. Nigel Mansell, at the wheel of the other Ferrari, placed fourth, highlighting the team’s potential. However, he suffered the pressure of the internal rivalry with Prost.

As for the Constructors’ championship, McLaren dominated the standings, followed by Ferrari, confirming their technical as well as sporting duel.

An Unforgettable Season

The 1990 F1 season left an indelible mark on both emotional and sporting levels. Indeed, the rivalry between Senna and Prost was not just a battle on the track. It was also an epic confrontation that captured the imagination of millions of fans, representing the very essence of competition.

However, the accident at Suzuka became a symbol of how much the desire to win could push the limits of sportsmanship.

From a sporting point of view, the 1990 F1 season consolidated Senna as one of the most determined and controversial drivers in history whereas Prost demonstrated resilience and adaptability that earned him universal admiration.

This was a season that marked an era. It reminded the world that Formula 1 is not just about technology and speed, but also about emotions, personalities and human drama.