1993 San Marino GP, Alain Prost makes 46 – F1world
Victory number 46 in his career, the gap from the leader Senna reduced to two points. Pole number 24, alongside his teammate, Damon Hill. These are the numbers of Alain Prost, who at the San Marino GP in Imola on April 25, 1993, made a full booty thanks also to a mild weather. The one who had hoped for the rain was Ayrton, who started in fourth position and hoped that the rain would give him a great hand by enhancing his driving skills in the wet. And instead nothing. Among the quarrels, Michael Schumacher, finished second, now an important reality in Formula 1 with the Benetton di Briatore.
MONOLOGO OF PROST
However, the Frenchman was surprised at the start: first Hill sprints in front of him and then the arch-rival Senna passes him. The two engage in a duel for a few laps from the old days, with the Frenchman struggling to overtake the Brazilian, only to succeed after a series of sufferings. The stops revolutionized the race a bit: Damon Hill, having a conspicuous advantage, came back third, with Senna ahead of Prost. The track allows dry tires, because the dark sky does not turn into a downpour. On lap thirteenth the asphalt is increasingly dry and Prost turns on the foot of 1:30, arriving at 1:29 a couple of laps later.
The Frenchman puts up a monologue (in the 48th lap there are even 53 seconds advantage over those who follow him), and in second place Schumacher, while third is Brundle with one of the two Ligier. The other, that of Blundell, slams at the exit of the Tamburello on the opposite side where twelve months after the Senna tragedy. This will be the definitive podium, with many other things to report: Zanardi duels with his Lotus against JJ Lehto, until he retires when he was fifth, with the engine that is on fire and it seems that of a vector carrying the man in the space. And Minardi, who comes sixth with Barbazza who takes a small point in the standings.
THE SECOND GUIDE DOES NOT HELP
Schumacher, Prost and Senna, however, are lonely men at the San Marino GP. Patrese, with the other Benetton, hits a hole at the Tosa, spins and the engine never starts again. The unfortunate Michael Andretti, companion of Senna, ends up in an attempt to counter overtake Wendlinger on the low variant. And Hill also acts as a sparring partner, since after a half hour of running he ends up trivially long at the Tosa.
Ferrari chapter: on lap nine Berger had to retire. As soon as the pit stop is completed, the restart does not take place, due to the breaking of the clutch. While Alesi parks the car on the grass on the forty-second lap, same lap where Senna also stops. The Frenchman crosses the track while he blatantly greets the audience who cheers him: he also failed in the clutch while he was fourth. The Brazilian, on the other hand, pays for a failure in the suspension circuit, but the real problem was the loss of the accelerator. For the Reds, however, the races without a win rise to 38. An ordeal.
Prost won, and he feared the boos of the public, which was lenient instead. The French thanks: “My success is dedicated to the public. Before coming to Imola I was a little worried. I was afraid that the fans of the reds have not forgotten my difficult relationship with the Maranello house, instead they have always applauded me, from Friday onwards. I was pleased”. Frank Williams also gloats. The Imola race was preceded by a sort of verbal battle between Benetton and McLaren for the supply of the Ford engine. The number one of the English team does not use half words: “I can’t know what that engine is worth, but I’m glad to see Dennis and Briatore fighting each other.” Divide and conquer.