STORY OF THE DAY: Senna’s decisive Suzuka confrontation

Ayrton Senna is recorded as the winner at Suzuka on 21 October 1990 in the number 27 McLaren MP4/5B. The Japanese Grand Prix was the decisive meeting of his championship contest with Ferrari’s Alain Prost, and the confrontation at the first corner settled the World Championship in Senna’s favour.

Senna started from pole position but objected to its placement on the dirtier side of the circuit. Prost made the stronger launch, and the rivals collided as they entered the opening right-hander. Their immediate elimination made the episode one of Formula One’s most disputed title conclusions and ensured that Prost could no longer overhaul Senna in the standings.

The McLaren MP4/5B was a carbon-fibre monocoque designed around Honda’s naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V10. An evolution of the 1989 car, it combined strong aerodynamic performance with the power and reliability needed for a championship campaign, although Ferrari’s 641 presented a sustained challenge during 1990.

Senna, born in São Paulo, Brazil, progressed through British junior racing before entering Formula One in 1984. A formidable qualifier and master of wet conditions, he won three World Championships with McLaren. Suzuka in 1990 matters because it reveals both the intensity of his rivalry with Prost and the controversy inseparable from their championship struggle.