STORY OF THE DAY: Prost Claims His First Ferrari Victory

Alain Prost won the 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos in the Ferrari F90 641 number 1, securing his first victory for the Scuderia and the 40th World Championship win of his career. The race marked Formula One’s return to a substantially shortened and renovated Interlagos, where the uneven surface, demanding corners and intense home support for pole-sitter Ayrton Senna created a severe test.

Senna led for much of the afternoon, while Prost progressed from the third row and placed increasing pressure on the McLaren driver. The contest changed when Senna made contact with Satoru Nakajima’s Tyrrell while attempting to lap him and had to stop for a replacement nose. Prost inherited the lead and controlled the remaining distance, finishing ahead of Gerhard Berger, with Senna recovering to third.

The Ferrari 641 was an evolution of John Barnard’s 1989 design, combining a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V12 with an electro-hydraulic semi-automatic gearbox and steering-wheel paddles. Its refined chassis and improved transmission made it more competitive and dependable than its predecessor, while the paddle system allowed the drivers to change gear without removing their hands from the wheel—an appreciable advantage around Interlagos’s bumpy, technical sections.

Alain Prost was a French driver celebrated for his measured racecraft, technical intelligence and ability to manage machinery over a Grand Prix distance. Already a three-time World Champion when he joined Ferrari for 1990, he arrived as the reigning titleholder after a distinguished period with McLaren. Victory in Brazil began a five-win campaign for the Scuderia and established him immediately as a serious contender for that season’s championship.