Widely considered one of motor racing’s most exciting seasons, the 1986 Formula One World Championship saw a fierce contest for the title between four of the sport’s top drivers.
Australia: Adelaide Diary
In the run-up to the season-ending Australian Grand Prix at the end of November, the race for the championship stretched to a tight and dramatic climax. With 70 points, Nigel Mansell, the Williams-Honda driver from Nottingham, held a comfortable lead in first place. Alain Prost was six points adrift in second, while Brazil’s Nelson Piquet trailed by seven, rapidly losing touch. All year long, Williams had dominated the field to such an extent that they looked almost certain to win both the Driver and Constructor titles. Prost had been a steady force, racking up points in his McLaren-TAG, but coming under serious pressure from the two Williams drivers. Piquet, too, was in with a chance, but this would need to be proven in the final race. For all this, the scene was set for a gripping conclusion: the Australian Grand Prix would be the decisive race.
The Race: Dramatic End
At the start of the Adelaide Grand Prix, as the lights turned green, the action was immediate. Ayrton Senna, who had lined up third, seized the lead at the second corner. He was followed by Piquet and Keke Rosberg. Mansell, in pole position, dropped back to fourth place during the opening lap. Those first few laps saw some surprising events. Senna and Rosberg continued to exchange places, while Mansell and Prost fought their way through the field to climb higher.
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Prost Clenches the Crown
Alain Prost’s win in the Australian Grand Prix guaranteed him the 1986 World Championship for Drivers. He became the first driver since Jack Brabham in the 1950s to claim back-to-back titles. It was a thrilling conclusion to a season that had been marked by fierce rivalry, dramatic moments, and unforgettable racing. That win was not just a stroke of luck; Prost’s Championship was a true reflection of his consistent performance throughout the year. While others faltered, he managed to score points steadily.
In this race, Stefan Johansson finished third in his last outing for Ferrari, while Martin Brundle took fourth for Tyrrell. After encountering problems in the later stages of the race, Elio de Angelis finished fifth, and Ayrton Senna took sixth. But the focus remained firmly on the heated battle between the title contenders.
A Historic Season
The 1986 season was one in which Formula One’s past, present, and future collided. This is a telling reflection of the sport. Prost won the day, but the season revealed an all-out war among four men—Prost, Mansell, Piquet, and Senna. For all its power, the season’s results didn’t reflect well on McLaren, who had a challenging year. Honda, however, who had already been so successful with Williams in recent years, returned to form with great joy, clinching the Constructors’ Championship in 1986.
One of the most exciting episodes in F1 history unfolded in the final Adelaide race. Mansell’s bitterness over missing out on the championship due to a tire failure still resonates today. It’s often discussed that if Mansell had hit the wall and caused debris on the track, the race would have been red-flagged, and Mansell would have been crowned World Champion.
In the end, what saw Alain Prost through to victory was his measured drive and relentless consistency, which cemented his place as one of Formula 1’s greatest-ever drivers.
