Date 24 June 1990 | Course length 4.421 km (2.747 mi) | |
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Official name XIV Gran Premio de Mexico Location Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Mexico City, Mexico Course Permanent racing facility Distance 69 laps, 305.049 km (189.549 mi) | ||
The 1990 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on 24 June 1990. It was sixth race of the 1990 Formula One season, the 14th Mexican Grand Prix and the fifth since the Mexico City circuit returned to the Formula One calendar in 1986. It was held over 69 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a race distance of 305 kilometres.
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The race was won by reigning world champion, French driver Alain Prost driving a Ferrari 641. In winning Prost became only the second multiple-winner in Mexican Grand Prix history, joining British driver Jim Clark. It was Prost's second win for the year after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. Prost won the race by 26 seconds over his British team mate Nigel Mansell. Third was Austrian driver Gerhard Berger driving a McLaren MP4/5B.
Prost's win and Berger's third coupled points leader Ayrton Senna stopping with a puncture late in the race allowed both drivers to close to be eight points behind Senna.
Qualifying
There were no changes to the line-up as the F1 show moved to Mexico City. The weather was on and off during the weekend, catching some drivers out, with the Larrousse team having the worst luck on Saturday morning when both of their drivers had massive accidents, but both Aguri Suzuki and Éric Bernard managed to qualify for the race, but all was not as well down at Leyton House, where both Ivan Capelli and Maurício Gugelmin failed to qualify. At the front of the grid there was a bit of a surprise with Gerhard Berger taking pole from Riccardo Patrese, qualifying ace Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Thierry Boutsen, Jean Alesi, Pierluigi Martini, Nelson Piquet, Satoru Nakajima, and Stefano Modena, with championship contender Alain Prost a disappointing 13th. Roberto Moreno was disqualified for receiving a push start in qualifying
Race
Sunshine greeted the drivers on race day and at the start it was Patrese who got away from Senna, Berger, Boutsen, and Piquet. Senna was desperate to get by Patrese and at the start of lap 2 he swept into the lead, bringing Berger with him. The McLaren duo proceeded to rocket off into the distance while further back the action was thick and furious with Prost charging through the field from his poor grid position and with Piquet moving up to third. Berger's run in second place came to an early end when he had to stop for new tyres on lap 13, leaving Piquet in second but under immense pressure from his old rival Nigel Mansell, who was able to pass him soon afterwards. However, it was Prost who was raising eyebrows as he continued his charge through the field, eventually taking second from Mansell with 15 laps to go. Prost proceeded to set off after Senna, who was beginning to slow with tyre problems. The Brazilian had gambled on tyre durability by not making a stop for fresh rubber. On Lap 60, Prost got past Senna with a simple move and three laps later Senna's rear tyre exploded, forcing him to retire from his 100th Grand Prix. The real battle ended up being for second place between Mansell and Berger, which culminated in Mansell's now legendary pass around the outside of Berger going into the ultra-fast Peraltada corner. Some called it brave; some called it suicidal but either way Mansell finished second behind Prost with Berger being third from Alessandro Nannini, Boutsen, and Piquet.