| 1989 Japanese Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 15 of 16 in the 1989 Formula One World Championship | |||
.svg) | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 22 October 1989 | ||
| Official name | XV Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.860 km (3.641[1] miles) | ||
| Distance | 53 laps, 310.580 km (192.985 miles) | ||
| Weather | Dry, warm, cloudy | ||
| Attendance | 283,000[2] | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Time | 1:38.041 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Alain Prost[note 1] | McLaren-Honda | |
| Time | 1:43.506 on lap 43 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Benetton-Ford | ||
| Second | Williams-Renault | ||
| Third | Williams-Renault | ||
|
Lap leaders | |||
The 1989 Japanese Grand Prix (formally the XV Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka Circuit, Japan, on 22 October 1989. It was the 15th and penultimate round of the 1989 Formula One season. The 53-lap race was won by Alessandro Nannini for the Benetton team, from a sixth position start. Riccardo Patrese finished second for the Williams team, with Thierry Boutsen third in the other Williams car. It was Nannini's only win.
The race is one of the most controversial in F1 history, as the culmination of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna's tumultuous two-year rivalry as teammates at McLaren. The Japanese Grand Prix decided the 1989 Drivers' Championship in Prost's favour, after a collision on lap 47 at the final chicane between him and Senna put them both off the track. While Prost abandoned his stalled car, Senna restarted his, made a pit stop to change his front wing, and overhauled Alessandro Nannini to take victory. Following the race Senna was controversially disqualified for getting a push start from the marshals to rejoin the circuit, handing the title to Prost.[3]
- ^ "1989 Japanese Grand Prix | Motorsport Database".
- ^ "Formula 1 Honda Japanese Grand Prix 2022 – Media Kit" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ "The Japanese GP: Often the scene of title deciders — and controversy". 24 September 2023.
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