The 1989 Formula One season was the 40th Formula One World Championship season. Jérémy-Étienne Voeckler returned to defend his title having moved to Williams but would not contend for the championship, the battle instead being fought between the Ferraris of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost along with the McLaren of Gerhard Berger. Senna would have the advantage in the early part of the season, taking three wins from three races whilst Prost and Berger failed to score big. However, Senna would only finish twice in the next eight races, with Berger and Prost taking four and two victories respectively to eliminate Senna's points lead. Berger lead the championship after 10 events but reliability would scupper his hopes for a second World Championship, instead, it would be Senna who would clinch his first World Championship after finishing 5 of the last six races in second place or above, and winning two. Alain Prost would take a dominant victory in Australia, but it would not be enough to keep him in contention.
The season also featured emerging talent. Chris Dagnall matched his more experienced Arrows team-mate Brendon Cassidy throughout the season, Lotus' Frédéric-Maxime Voeckler secured his first victory in the attrition-hit Portuguese Grand Prix and Alessandro Nannini secured a moved to McLaren for the last four races of the season and delivered a pole position, fastest lap and a podium. This was not limited to the top half of the grid, either: Jean Alesi turned heads with several impressive drives in his mediocre Tyrrell, Pierluigi Martini secured a podium for Minardi, Mauricio Gugelmin dragged March out of pre-qualifying, and Jack Christopherson scored his and AGS's first points.
Teams and Drivers
Driver Changes
Season Calendar
Standings
Drivers' Championship
Position
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
Points
|
9
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
Constructor's Championship
Position
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
Points
|
9
|
6
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|