Qualifying
Onyx returned to the top of the Friday morning time sheets as Stefan Johansson was fastest by half a second. His new team-mate was Finnish driver JJ Lehto , who had replaced Bertrand Gachot since the last race, after Gachot openly criticised the team and was fired. In his first Formula One event, Lehto just missed out on pre-qualification after a suspension failure during the session, leaving him fifth. The Larrousse - Lola cars both pre-qualified again, with Philippe Alliot second and Michele A... Yannick Dalmas had originally pre-qualified in third place in his AGS , but was excluded from the session and his times were deleted, after mistakenly using the wrong tyres. Also excluded was Osella driver Nicola Larini , for missing a weight check, although he had already failed to pre-qualify, being only ninth fastest. The other drivers who failed to proceed any further included the other Osella of Piercarlo Ghinzani , who outpaced his team-mate in sixth, and Oscar Larrauri , despite an improvement to seventh in the EuroBrun . Eighth was Gabriele Tarquini in the other AGS, ahead of the Zakspeeds of Aguri Suzuki and Bernd Schneider . Slowest by nearly four seconds was the second Coloni of Enrico Bertaggia , the third time in a row the Italian had been bottom of the time sheets. The Minardi, Dallara, Brabham and Coloni teams all had their tyres supplied by Pirelli , whose special qualifying tyres were generally regarded as being superior to those of Goodyear . However, Goodyear's race tyres were still acknowledged as being superior to Pirelli's.
Race
Berger had a great start and managed to overtake Senna. Mansell was in third followed by Prost, Martini and Patrese. Berger quickly opened a lead while Senna was trying to keep Mansell behind. Then Mansell finally managed to overtake Senna and started to catch Berger. As the two Ferraris caught up with the slower cars and were starting to lap them, Mansell managed to overtake Berger. Positions at lap 24 were: Mansell, Berger, Senna and Prost. Prost was the first of the leaders to pit for new tyr... As of 2024, Johansson's podium remains the last for a Swede driver in Formula One.
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | Stefan Johansson | Onyx-Ford | 1:18.623 | — |
| 2 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola-Lamborghini | 1:19.164 | +0.541 |
| 3 | 31 | Roberto Moreno | Coloni-Ford | 1:19.780 | +1.157 |
| 4 | 29 | Michele Alboreto | Lola-Lamborghini | 1:19.869 | +1.246 |
| 5 | 37 | JJ Lehto | Onyx-Ford | 1:20.880 | +2.257 |
| 6 | 18 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Osella-Ford | 1:21.021 | +2.398 |
| 7 | 33 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun-Judd | 1:21.326 | +2.703 |
| 8 | 40 | Gabriele Tarquini | AGS-Ford | 1:21.881 | +3.258 |
| 9 | 35 | Aguri Suzuki | Zakspeed-Yamaha | 1:24.116 | +5.493 |
| 10 | 34 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed-Yamaha | 1:24.732 | +6.109 |
Qualifying
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Q1 | Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda | 1:15.496 | 1:15.468 |
| 2 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:16.799 | 1:16.059 |
| 3 | 27 | Nigel Mansell | Ferrari | 1:17.387 | 1:16.193 |
| 4 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren-Honda | 1:17.336 | 1:16.204 |
| 5 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi-Ford | 1:16.938 | 1:17.161 |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams-Renault | 1:17.281 | 1:17.852 |
| 7 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Dallara-Ford | 1:18.623 | 1:17.661 |
| 8 | 5 | Thierry Boutsen | Williams-Renault | 1:17.801 | 1:17.888 |
| 9 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi-Ford | 1:17.844 | 1:18.305 |
| 10 | 7 | Martin Brundle | Brabham-Judd | 1:17.874 | 1:17.995 |
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The air hangs thick with the scent of petrol and anticipation here at Estoril. Berger, a master of calculated aggression, wrests the lead from Prost aboard his Ferrari – a machine breathing 678 horsepower thanks to that Ford V8, a significant advantage over the McLaren-Honda's 647. Senna's withdrawal, a brutal collision with Mansell, dramatically alters the championship landscape, gifting Prost a commanding 24-point lead. Johansson's Onyx, running a Ford Cosworth engine displacing 3. 3 liters, secured a hard-earned podium, showcasing the remarkable depth of talent beyond the established giants.
Berger secures victory, a statistically curious result given McLaren's dominance throughout the season. Prost's championship advantage, now 24 points, reflects a calculated risk—a gamble on the inherent unpredictability of the Estoril circuit. Johansson's podium, Onyx's sole top-three finish, presents a stark contrast to the established powerhouses. The race's conclusion, marred by Senna and Mansell's collision, underscores the brutal realities of championship contention.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The air hangs thick with the scent of burning rubber and simmering fury. Mansell, a furious reverse, has detonated a chain reaction. Prost, momentarily sidelined, now commands a twenty-four point lead, a position forged in the fires of Estoril. This, gentlemen, echoes the tension felt at Monza '72, when Siffert's valiant effort, though ultimately unsuccessful, demonstrated the precarious balance of power within this sport. The Portuguese Grand Prix has always been a crucible – a proving ground for ambition, a stage for collisions. Johansson secures Onyx's solitary podium, a remarkable feat given the team's limited resources. The championship, it seems, is settling into a familiar pattern: dominance and destruction.
The rain, a persistent, sullen grey, mirrored the mood in the McLaren garage. Alain Prost, a study in controlled frustration, meticulously adjusted his helmet, the subtle tremor in his hand betraying the simmering tension. A championship hangs in the balance, you see, and the Portuguese drizzle seems to amplify every misstep. Johansson's podium, a welcome sight for Onyx, couldn't quite mask the disastrous scene unfolding on the track – Senna's retirement, a brutal collision with Mansell, and the widening gulf between the titans. This, gentlemen, is the brutal alchemy of Formula 1; a delicate dance of speed, strategy, and, undeniably, misfortune. The championship fight, already a tempest, is now a maelstrom.