Race
The win gave Prost a five-point lead over Johansson in the Drivers' Championship. Williams driver Nigel Mansell was three points further back; a first-lap collision with Ayrton Senna 's Lotus had ultimately led to his retirement from the race, after which he angrily confronted the Brazilian driver in the Lotus garage. On the second start, Senna led Mansell away, but during lap one the Briton tried to overtake the Brazilian. The two controversially tangled, leading to the retirement of the Lotus 99T. Mansell rejoined the race at the back, until the damage sustained in the collision finally forced him to retire on lap 17. Mansell subsequently visited the Lotus garage where harsh words were exchanged and punches were thrown. Berger retired on lap three with a broken piston whilst on lap 10 second place Michele Alboreto 's wheel bearing broke and Nelson Piquet retired with a broken turbo pipe, handing the lead to Alain Prost from Teo Fabi and Stefan Johansson . The pitstops changed little in the situation, and he maintained this to win easily by 25 seconds, despite concerns with his fuel consumption due to a faulty gauge. This was Prost's 27th win, equalling Jackie Stewart 's record with team-mate Johansson making it a McLaren 1-2. Andrea de Cesaris drove superbly to finish third for Brabham despite having to push his car over the line with Eddie Cheever ( Arrows A10 ), Satoru Nakajima (Lotus 99T) and Arnoux taking the remaining points. With the setbacks to the Tyrrell drivers, the Jim Clark points were won by the Lola LC87 of Philippe Alliot . As of 2023 [update] , this was also the last time that the Belgian Gr... Numbers in brackets refer to positions of normally aspirated entrants competing for the Jim Clark Trophy .
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 43 | 1:27:03.217 |
| 2 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren-TAG | 43 | + 24.764 |
| 3 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham-BMW | 42 | Out of Fuel |
| 4 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows-Megatron | 42 | + 1 Lap |
| 5 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus-Honda | 42 | + 1 Lap |
| 6 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier-Megatron | 41 | + 2 Laps |
| 7 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier-Megatron | 40 | Out of Fuel |
| 8 (1) | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola-Ford | 40 | + 3 Laps |
| 9 (2) | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell-Ford | 39 | + 4 Laps |
| 10 (3) | 14 | Pascal Fabre | AGS-Ford | 38 | Ignition |
Qualifying
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Q1 | Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 2:06.965 | 1:52.026 |
| 2 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | 2:08.143 | 1:53.416 |
| 3 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Honda | 2:08.450 | 1:53.426 |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 2:06.216 | 1:53.451 |
| 5 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 2:07.459 | 1:53.511 |
| 6 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 2:11.203 | 1:54.186 |
| 7 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton-Ford | 2:08.752 | 1:54.300 |
| 8 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham-BMW | 2:12.914 | 1:55.064 |
| 9 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton-Ford | 2:12.358 | 1:55.339 |
| 10 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren-TAG | 2:12.063 | 1:55.781 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The rain, a persistent, sullen grey, hasn't dampened the simmering tension here at Spa. Observe Johansson – he's running a slightly higher fuel load than Prost, a calculated risk, I suspect, to buy himself a crucial lap if the McLaren's gearbox decides to stage a mutiny. That BMW-supplied engine, a 3. 5-liter V12, is churning out a respectable 620 horsepower, but the Brabham team's engineers are reportedly chewing their fingernails over the Lotus-Honda's tire degradation; a significant difference in grip, and a potential advantage for the Honda contingent.
The rain, a persistent, sullen guest throughout qualifying, decided to deliver its full, unwelcome hand just as McLaren pulled into the garage. Johansson, predictably, had the edge – a scant 0. 3 seconds separating him from Prost's blistering lap. A curious statistic, though: McLaren holds pole position in *seven* of the ten races this season. That's a 70% rate of dominance that's frankly, unsettling, considering the Ferrari's recent resurgence.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The rain hadn't stopped, hadn't cared a whit about Prost's relentless push. Johansson, soaked to the bone and simmering with frustration, was a ghost on the track – a consequence, I suspect, of a very pointed conversation with McLaren's management this morning. That Monaco spat, you see, hadn't simply been about a disagreement over strategy; it was about control. Prost's dominance wasn't solely built on speed; it was meticulously cultivated through a network of subtle pressures, and Johansson, bless his stubborn heart, was beginning to realize he was a pawn. The McLaren 1-2 was a calculated statement, a warning to anyone considering challenging their authority. Don't mistake ambition for naivety.
Johansson… always the stoic. You wouldn't think a man who spends his life staring at telemetry could possess such a glacial calm, particularly when he's breathing down Prost's neck like that. The Swede's a study in controlled aggression, isn't he? He's been carrying a quiet resentment for years, fueled by McLaren's insistence on Prost as the star. You can almost taste the frustration in his braking points, a subtle but insistent challenge. It's a dangerous game, this simmering patience. Don't underestimate the strategic value of a driver who's willing to push a team's buttons.