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The Day a Legend Was Crowned: Prost's First F1 Title

A Historic Triumph for Alain Prost at 30

On October 6, 1985, at the age of 30, Alain Prost achieved a significant milestone in his racing career by claiming his first Formula 1 World Championship. His victory, secured at the European Grand Prix held at Brands Hatch, marked the culmination of a season demonstrating remarkable skill and strategic prowess.

Pre-Race Dynamics and Championship Stakes

Entering the Brands Hatch race, Prost, driving for McLaren, held a commanding 16-point advantage over his closest competitor, Michele Alboreto from Ferrari. To clinch the championship definitively, Prost needed to extend this lead to 18 points. His position as a formidable frontrunner was already well-established, having accumulated 21 Grand Prix victories with both Renault and McLaren. At that time, only legendary figures like Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Niki Lauda, and Juan Manuel Fangio had more wins, placing Prost among the elite.

The 1984 Season's Echoes and Prost's Dominance

The previous year, 1984, saw Prost narrowly miss the championship by a mere half-point to his McLaren teammate, Niki Lauda. However, the 1985 season was characterized by Prost's consistent performance. Although Ayrton Senna often topped the qualifying sessions, Prost consistently excelled on race days. Lauda, on the other hand, encountered a season plagued by mechanical issues and a wrist injury sustained at Spa-Francorchamps, completing only three races.

Brands Hatch Qualifying and Initial Setbacks

At Brands Hatch, Senna once again demonstrated his qualifying speed, securing pole position for Lotus, three-tenths faster than Nelson Piquet and nine-tenths ahead of Nigel Mansell. Prost started further back in sixth, over two seconds off Senna's pace, while Lauda's replacement, John Watson, qualified a distant 21st. Alboreto's 15th-place qualification made his championship aspirations even more challenging.

Dramatic Race Start and Prost's Resilient Climb

The race began with immediate drama for Prost. A slow start from Keke Rosberg's Williams ahead of him forced Prost onto the grass, dropping him to 14th. Yet, demonstrating his tenacity, he rapidly moved up through the field, reaching the points-scoring positions (the top six at the time) within just nine laps.

Key Incidents and Rival's Misfortunes

A significant turn of events occurred when Rosberg spun while attempting to overtake Senna for the lead and was subsequently hit by Piquet, leading to Piquet's retirement. Rosberg's incident, after rejoining the race in last place, inadvertently aided Mansell in taking the lead by impeding Senna. Meanwhile, Alboreto's title hopes evaporated after an early pit stop for tires was followed by a catastrophic turbo failure on lap 13. With Alboreto out, Prost now only needed a fifth-place finish to secure the championship.

The Unforeseen Heroes and Prost's Final Ascent

The race also saw surprising performances from Brabham's Marc Surer and Ligier's Jacques Laffite, who progressively climbed to second and third spots, respectively. Surer's strong bid for a podium finish ended prematurely with a turbo issue on lap 63. Laffite also faced engine failure after Senna re-passed him for third. Despite these unfolding events, Prost capitalized on his rivals' troubles, including Stefan Johansson's mechanical issues. He executed a crucial overtake on Elio de Angelis, advancing to third place with 25 laps remaining.

Championship Secured Despite Podium Miss

Ultimately, Nigel Mansell won the race. Although Prost was re-passed by a recovering Rosberg on lap 65, missing a podium finish, his performance was more than sufficient to clinch the coveted world title. The emotional significance of this victory resonated deeply with Prost.

Reflections and Lasting Legacy

Prost vividly recalled the emotional intensity of the moment in his 1988 autobiography, "Maitre de mon destin" (Master of my destiny), describing a profound, private joy before celebrating with his team and loved ones. His first championship paved the way for three additional titles, solidifying his status as an F1 icon. At the time, his record for victories, fastest laps, podiums, and points scored was unparalleled. Niki Lauda, his former teammate, later acknowledged Prost's impact, humorously remarking that Prost's arrival had effectively curtailed his own career: "I hated having him as a team-mate... If he hadn’t turned up I’d have gone on for another few years."

Unraveling the Mystery: Mercedes' Singapore GP Masterclass

Mercedes' Unforeseen Triumph in Singapore

Team principal Toto Wolff expressed his astonishment at George Russell's commanding win at the Singapore Grand Prix, a circuit Mercedes had not anticipated favoring their W16 car. This victory marks Russell's second of the current campaign, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the ground-effect era in Formula 1 racing, where team fortunes often fluctuate dramatically.

Dissecting the Unexpected Performance

Russell himself admitted that Singapore would have been at the bottom of his list of potential winning venues for the year. The team is now committed to thoroughly analyzing the data from the race to understand the root causes of their exceptional form. Wolff echoed this sentiment, highlighting the circuit's historical difficulty for Mercedes' car performance.

Race Dynamics and Russell's Control

While external circumstances and strategic track positioning played a role in Mercedes' race-day success, particularly Russell's ability to maintain the lead against Max Verstappen, his pole position and overall performance throughout the weekend were undeniably strong. He successfully fended off Lando Norris, who appeared to have the fastest car on track.

Key Factors Contributing to Mercedes' Edge

Several elements appear to have contributed to Mercedes' strong showing. The track temperatures in Singapore, despite the equatorial climate, were moderate during the night race, hovering around 33-34 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the Singapore street circuit, characterized by its numerous slow corners and lack of high-speed sections, places less lateral stress on the tires, a characteristic it shares with Montreal, where Russell also achieved a pole-to-win victory.

The Competitive Landscape and Its Impact

Mercedes' rivals also faced their own challenges. Red Bull, while quick, was reportedly surprised by its strong performance on a track not ideally suited to their car, yet Verstappen still secured a commendable second place. McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella noted that the Singapore circuit did not play to the strengths of their 2025 car, and attributed some of their struggles to other teams closing the development gap. Ferrari, meanwhile, seemed to have fallen out of contention for race victories.

The Enigmatic Nature of Modern F1 Cars

Wolff's central argument revolves around the inherent unpredictability of the current generation of Formula 1 cars and their intricate relationship with Pirelli tires. He emphasized that the margins for success are incredibly narrow, requiring teams to find the perfect aerodynamic balance and mechanical grip without compromising tire performance. This delicate balance, he noted, doesn't always align with virtual simulations and can lead to unexpected outcomes, as seen with the fluctuating fortunes of other top teams. In Singapore, however, Mercedes found that elusive sweet spot, with car, driver, and tires working in perfect harmony.