1993 European Grand Prix

The 1993 European Grand Prix (formally the Sega European Grand Prix [ 1 ] ) was a Formula One motor race held on 11 April 1993 at Donington Park , Leicestershire . It was the third race of the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship . The race was contested over 76 laps and was won by Ayrton Senna for the McLaren team, ahead of second-placed Damon Hill and third-placed Alain Prost , both driving for the Williams team. [ 2 ]

Senna's drive to victory is regarded as one of his finest, [ 3 ] and his first lap exploits are particularly lauded, in which he passed four drivers – Michael Schumacher , Karl Wendlinger , Damon Hill and Alain Prost – to take the lead in a single lap in damp conditions. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] The race was the first held under the European Grand Prix title since 1985 , and to date is the only Formula One Grand Prix to have been held at the Donington Park circuit. [ 6 ]

After plans to hold an Asian Grand Prix at the Nippon Autopolis in Japan failed to materialise, the first European Grand Prix for eight years was run as the third race of the 1993 season. Donington Park was awarded the race, having unsuccessfully bid to host the British Grand Prix . [ 6 ] Video game company Sega sponsored the race and the logo could be seen throughout the Grand Prix and on the podium. Sega also had naming rights to the Grand Prix. [ 7 ]

Ivan Capelli had agreed to part ways with the Jordan team after failing to qualify at the previous round in Brazil. He was replaced by veteran Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen .

The track began to dry and everyone pitted for dry tyres. Lehto was fifth, having started from the pit lane, but he retired with handling problems on lap 14. Gerhard Berger took the place but he too retired with suspension problems six laps later. The rain returned and the leaders now pitted for wets. Mark Blundell was forced off by Senna whilst battling Fittipaldi at the Esses and then spun off backwards into the gravel trap whilst attempting to rejoin the track. Schumacher stayed out and was l...

It began to rain and the two Williams stopped for wets while Senna stayed out. It was the correct decision because it began to dry again. The Williams stopped yet again for dries. Prost stalled in the pits in his stop and when he rejoined, he was a lap behind and down in fourth. Barrichello was now second but it rained and then stopped again. He went to the pits twice and by now Hill was in second, albeit a lap down. Barrichello, third, had trouble with his fuel pressure and retired, giving the ...

Senna won from Hill and Prost, having made four pit stops in the wet-dry conditions compared to Prost's seven. Williams technical director Patrick Head explained: "Our active car maintained very low ride heights, just a few millimetres above the ground, and gained aerodynamic performance by this, but when the water was deeper than the ride height of the car, our drivers were 'surfing'". [ 8 ] Herbert finished fourth for Lotus , stopping only once, while all the other finishing drivers making sev...