Race of my Life: Prost on the 1990 Mexican GP
The latest episode in Autosport’s Race of My Life podcast series is four-time world champion Alain Prost’s remarkable victory in the 1990 Mexican Grand Prix

Race: 1990 Mexican Grand Prix, Mexico City
Car: Ferrari 641
There were several races that I could choose from, but if I had to pick one it would be the 1990 Mexican Grand Prix and 1986 Australian. Maybe Mexico was stronger for me.
The main thing was that, although the car was OK, I was struggling with the qualifying tyres. I decided to concentrate on the race set-up during qualifying and, in fact, not use any qualifying tyres.
Read Also:
The decision not to qualify on qualifying tyres and concentrate on race set-up is never easy, but I was sure that it was the right decision. So I was obviously surprised and disappointed to start 13th. I was expecting to be maybe fifth, sixth or seventh, but 13th was quite hard. To be honest, when I qualified I said to my race engineer, “Don’t worry”, but nobody believed me at the time.

Alain Prost, Ferrari 641
Photo by: Sutton Images
In this type of team, when you have a car capable of the front row and you’re fighting for the championship, and you then qualify 13th, sometimes people do not understand. Even if they trust what you’re doing it’s not that easy, especially in the Latin teams. But the race was perfect.
In the warm-up in the morning I did everything that I wanted to. I remember being with the race engineer and the guy from the engine department and I said, “I will win the race”. One of them said, “Nobody wins the race from 13th!”

Alain Prost, Ferrari 641/2, leads Nigel Mansell, Ferrari 641/2
Photo by: Ercole Colombo
The good thing was that I overtook everybody. Nobody stopped because of reliability problems.
All of the frontrunners had the same tyres, so I think my set-up was better in terms of handling. Mexico City was very bumpy and very tiring physically because of that.
I decided to run with less downforce. This was to try to push much less on the car and not to go too strong on the bumps. This would ask a little bit less of the tyres and I would have good speed on the straight. That was the main reason for my advantage in the race, but this set-up simply didn’t work in qualifying.

Podium: race winner Alain Prost, Ferrari, second place Nigel Mansell, Ferrari
Photo by: Motorsport Images
During practice optimise what you have, and it worked out. But, of course, I still had to drive. I had to overtake, because on the first lap I think I was 14th or 15th, but I saw very quickly that the car was braking perfectly.
It was really one of my best races, or should I say, my best weekends.
Interview by Peter Mills, first published in Autosport, 9 September 2010

Podcast: The greatest F1 team – team principal
Ferrari Driver Academy to establish Australian base

Latest news
Haas: No plans to change F1 team model despite nearing budget cap
Gunther Steiner says there is no plan for Haas to change the model of its Formula 1 team despite nearing the budget cap with a new title sponsor.
Riley Herbst will make NASCAR Cup debut at Daytona 500
NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Riley Herbst will make his Cup Series debut in the season’s biggest race – the Daytona 500.
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
IndyCar reveals new Medical Unit for 2023 season
This week’s two-day IndyCar test at Thermal Club near Palm Springs, CA. will see the series debut its new mobile medical facility.
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Nico Hulkenberg: Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? Luke Smith asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.