Chris Dagnall F1 Career -- 1984/????

[Aerond]

21st Dec. 1988 --

In a press conference held this morning at Silverstone, the Benetton team announced their driver lineup for the 1989 Formula 1 season, keeping the Italian Alessandro Nannini and the British Chris Dagnall as the race drivers, while Johnny Herbert and Emanuele Pirro have been signed as test drivers.

Chris Dagnall speaks about this step in his career: "I think this deal is the best for everyone. I had some interest from other teams, but none of them seemed as commited to sign me as Benetton. The team has improved a lot this season and I think the next one will be even better. We have a solid base and enough experience with the Ford engines to be there. We want to be the alternative if McLaren and Ferrari don´t save the day", asked about his chances of winning the championship, Dagnall wasn´t so confident: "McLaren is definitely one or two steps ahead of the rest, and Ferrari isn´t in a bad position either, so I think we´re behind them and the title won´t be our target, but we can definitely beat Lotus and Williams if we go in the right direction".

The 1989 season will start on 26th March in Rio, Brazil.

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 1 - BRAZIL

Ahhh! Many good memories come from last year in Rio, when I scored my first F1 victory!! I´m realistic about my chances this year, but I suppose everything can happen...

Qualify

I found a good setup quickly and I scored an excellent time very fast! Must say that this year cars are harder to drive (I decided to increment the weight from 500 to 550kgs in order to score slower times, as last year was too fast). On saturday I just had to defend my position and although I couldn´t score a decent time I managed to do so, finishing just behind the Mclarens!

1. Prost -- 1.28.689
2. Senna -- 1.28.928
3. Dagnall -- 1.29.528
4. Boutsen -- 1.29.655
5. Mansell -- 1.30.006
6. Patrese -- 1.30.168
---
8. Nannini -- 1.31.041

Race

Mansell did a great start and managed to pass Boutsen and me. Patrese was quicker so he passed me in lap 3 and then I suffered a little accident in turn 3 and had to enter the pits for a new front wing, so, as last year, I had to overcome! In lap 8 I was approaching Danner but the car was so hard to drive under high weight I spun for good in turn 1 as I hit the wall and lost a great chance to score... Both Mclarens left the race in the end (but not by accident as they retired with mechanical problems in the same lap!!) and Capelli and Sala cars failed in the end when going for the podium after surviving the usual mayhem. Nakajima won in the end and he starts the year winning the same way 1988 ended!!! Only Gugelmin could finish the race as well and the FIA has announced Brazilian GP will change its track for the next season for safety reasons

1. Nakajima -- 1h42m48.314
2. Gugelmin -- +1 lap

ROUND 2 - SAN MARINO

Qualifying:

I´m not good at Imola and this year was no exception. Adding that this years teams are very close each other I was heading towards the end of the grid since the very beggining of the weekend. It´s not a matter of setup, I just ran as fast as I could!!

1. Senna -- 1.19.493
2. Prost -- 1.19.925
3. Berger -- 1.19.959
4. Boutsen -- 1.20.268
5. Mansell -- 1.20.355
6. Patrese -- 1.20.432
7. Nannini -- 1.20.540
---
19. Cheever -- 1.22.080
20. Dagnall -- 1.22.203
21. Johansson -- 1.22.241

Race

I planned just 1 pit as last year hoping most of the rivals would stop twice. The start was good and I placed 13th, but Martini passed me towards the end of first lap. In lap 3 I spun trying to follow the Minardi and I went back to the last position! Modenna and Senna spun on laps 5 and 6 and It started to look better adrer passing Alboreto in lap 9 as some top drivers retired like Mansell and Nannini. My main concern was catching Sala and I couldn´t achieve this until lap 26, a little bit before my pit-stop, which happened in lap 28 when running 13th and put me back 16th. My mechanics were dreadfully slow and it took them 12 secs! Senna, Martini and Boutsen retired afterwards and I came into 11th when Sala got stuck behind Alboreto, passing both of them between Tamburello and Tosa in lap 35. Although I was improving, I was still slower than the Ligiers and I pushed a little bit too much in lap 36 for a second spin, being passed by Sala. Caffi left the race in lap 43 when running 4th and Sala did his second pit as well putting me 10th. Then Gugelmin had an accident and poor Berger was left without gearbox with 3 laps to go! Arnoux also failed in last lap, putting me 7th and just a cinch of scoring a point, as De Cesaris car failed in last lap as well, but after crossing the finish line (he was 2nd!!!). Not a very good race and I´m sure I´ll do better in the future.

1. Prost -- 1h25m54.382
2. Warwick -- +1 lap
3. Capelli -- +1 lap
4. Alesi -- +1 lap
5. De Cesaris -- +2 laps
6. Grouillard -- +2 laps
7. Dagnall -- +2 laps
8. Sala -- +2 laps
9. Alboreto -- +2 laps
10. Arnoux -- +3 laps
11. Danner -- +3 laps
12. Berger -- +4 laps

Standings (I´ll post top 6 and me when I have points!)

Drivers

1. Nakajima -- 9
= Prost -- 9
3. Gugelmin -- 6
= Warwick -- 6
5. Capelli -- 4
6. Alesi -- 3

Teams

1. March -- 10
2. McLaren -- 9
= Lotus -- 9
4. Arrows -- 6
5. Tyrrell -- 3
6. Dallara BMS -- 2

[Aerond]

ROUND 3 - MONACO

Aaaah, back in Monaco for another year, and back to my favourite circuit. I still had some... bitter taste about last years race. Plus I had to score this weekend, just to kick some pressure.

Qualifying

After qualifying the feeling was I wouldn´t be able to do so. Monaco doesn´t give any room to be creative with the setup and everything was clear: I wasn´t quick enough, specially in sector 2. I set my best time on first outing on saturday, and could have been way better just improving 0.2 secs, but it was impossible. I wasn´t quick enough.

1. Prost -- 1.13.075
2. Senna -- 1.13.149
3. Mansell -- 1.13.621
4. Patrese -- 1.13.937
5. Berger -- 1.14.006
6. Boutsen -- 1.14.122
---
8. Nannini -- 1.14.400
---
14. Nakajima -- 1.14.984
15. Dagnall -- 1.15.028
16. Caffi -- 1.15.029

Race

I did a good start and I was 11th at the end of the first lap by passing Modena, then in second lap I passed Gugelmin and Berger had to stop with an electrical problem, then Martini for 8th and could join a great group with my team-mate Nannini and Brundle. Nannini was done in lap 8 and Brundle in lap 10. Boutsen was quite far and spent the rest of the time until my first pitstop just trying not to lose lots of time to the Williams. In lap 18 I stopped and I dropped to 18th, then in lap 19 with new tyres I passed Cheever, Piquet, Capelli and Sala in a row!!! Then Alboreto next lap with Brundle pitting (and coming ahead of him), then 10th when Berger pitted and passed Warwick in lap 22. By lap 24 I was 7th, with Brundle behind and when Nannini stopped in lap 30 I also came ahead of him, with Boutsen in the region of 20 secs ahead. Mansell retired in lap 36 and I did my second stop in lap 38, dropping to 8th this time. Nannini retired next lap and Berger and Brundle stopped after that, so I was 5th, but not being able to take full advantage of the tyres. The next laps Brundle got behind me and we kept a great fight until lap 50. He tried to pass my at Mirabeau and again at Portier, hitting the barriers and being passed by Berger, who was my rival now. Both Berger and Brundle did their final stops before me (laps 56 and 58) and I stopped in lap 59, but my team did an incredible work doing the refuelling in 7.5 secs, enough to be just ahead of Brundle back in 5th! Boutsen was for one stop, and for some laps I had some hopes about catching him as I was able to reduce his advantage from 35.5 secs in lap 59 to 25.5 in lap 65, but trying to lap Grouillard in lap 66 Berger found a small gap in the start/finish line and the power of his Ferrari engine did the rest. However, next lap he found De Cesaris, who kept him for two corners, enough to find a gap at Mirabeau and passing both at the same time!! That same lap Patrese retired so I was 4th!! I still was 25 secs to Boutsen but I thought that if he had any problems I could be there to snap the 3rd and I was right!: He had to stop for an extra 4 laps of fuel in lap 75 and I passed him to score the first points (and podium) of the 1989 season Senna also retired in last lap, but being a lap down I couldn´t get the second place. Scoring a podium in Monaco is so fu***ng special!

1. Prost -- 1h42m30.003
2. Senna -- +1 lap
3. Dagnall -- +1 lap
4. Berger -- +1 lap
5. Boutsen -- +1 lap
6. Alboreto -- +2 laps
7. Modena -- +2 laps
8. Piquet -- +2 laps
9. Warwick -- +2 laps
10. Caffi -- +2 laps
11. De Cesaris -- +2 laps
12. Capelli -- +2 laps
13. Grouillard -- +2 laps

Standings - After 3 races

1. Prost -- 18
2. Nakajima -- 9
3. Warwick -- 6
= Senna -- 6
= Gugelmin -- 6
6. Dagnall -- 4
= Capelli -- 4

1. McLaren -- 24
2. March -- 10
3. Lotus -- 9
4. Arrows -- 6
5. Benetton -- 4
= Tyrrell -- 4

[AndreaModa]

Fantastic! Looks like it could be another good season for you! I've got Monaco tomorrow but somehow I don't think the Arrows will get me on the podium! Brilliant stuff though Aerond, hopefully there's more silverware where that came from!

[Waris]

I'm terribly sorry, posting this question that really doesn't belong here, but how do you get GP2 to work on your computer? I tried to run it with DOSBox on Windows XP and the sound doesn't work. When I try using VDMSound, the game won't start at all. Does it work with sound on your computer?

[Aerond]

I'm terribly sorry, posting this question that really doesn't belong here, but how do you get GP2 to work on your computer? I tried to run it with DOSBox on Windows XP and the sound doesn't work. When I try using VDMSound, the game won't start at all. Does it work with sound on your computer?

Oh! It´s fine to ask it I guess!! It works without any flaws using Microsoft Virtual PC, which installs any old MS OS on a virtual hard drive. I run it on Win 98 through that app, which is downloadable for free (you´ll have to get Win 98 or Win 95 somewhere though).

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 4 - MEXICO

I love the Hermanos Rodriguez track, but I´ve always been quite unlucky here and all my races ended up the worst way possible, so when I arrived to the track I actually thought if it was possible to change the tendency! Anyway, Mclarens seem to be unbeatable and in a high speed track like this, I suffered a lot last year with the lack of speed, so I wasn´t expecting something way different.

Quali

I updated the gear ratio from the last year and the rest of the setup was exactly the same. Somehow the other cars didn´t chose a very low downforce setup this year or maybe it´s the fact that everybody run atmosferic engines but the top speed differences weren´t as high as in 1988. I felt really comfy with the track since the first lap and it ended up pretty well!

1. Senna -- 1.18.456
2. Dagnall -- 1.18.860
3. Prost -- 1.19.032
4. Mansell -- 1.19.954
5. Berger -- 1.20.039
6. Patrese -- 1.20.112
---
8. Nannini -- 1.20.531

Race

In first lap I dropped to 5th then passed Berger, thanks to the lower high speed and the great distance to turn 1, but Prost was even worse and dropped to 7th! Anyway, I was way faster than Mansell and Patrese and passed them in 2nd and 3rd laps. Then, Senna was too fast for me and he easily built a very good gap, which topped 13 secs in lap 17. Somehow, I managed to build up my confidence around the infield and my lap times started to improve and I started to cut the gap, but in lap 20 I did a 360º spin in last corner which nearly ended my race thanks to Sala! In lap 24 Senna stopped being around 12 secs ahead and I gained the lead, with Prost behind but being slower. I stopped in lap 29 for a two pit strategy with a long first stint, and Prost became a candidate with his 1 stop strategy. I was 3rd after the pit-stop, being 7.8 secs behind the brazilian. Between laps 30 and 34 I had a series of bad laps, two of them thanks to Sala (again!) and I thought I lost many chances to get to Senna, but after that I was still faster and the difference was down to 7.2 secs in lap 37 (when Prost stopped and I became 2nd again), and dropped to just 1.9 by lap 43, having scored the fastest lap various times. It was going tough to pass Senna as he was faster in straights, but then the opportunity came when, in lap 46, he found Martini and De Cesaris fighting for 12th place. De Cesaris tried a move over the Minardi driver in second straight and Senna got trapped behind the Minardi, while I moved behind De Cesaris, breaking slightly later than him to pass for the lead! Senna went into the pits that same lap, but it was too late as when I pit in lap 47 I came back with a 3 secs advantage. It still wasn´t done as i lost some of my advantage thanks to going into the grass in lap 52, but in lap 55 Alboreto blocked Senna, puting the gap over the 3 secs again. By that point I was praying not to have a mechanical issue but I had trouble anyway before the end thanks to Sala again when he didn´t open enough gap and making me use of the grass again! I nearly spun there but I could hold it and hold the lead to win for the second time in my F1 career!!
This win is much better than the first one as it was done under normal race conditions and I could beat the best team of the moment, and I also got the fastest lap of the race by more than a second!!

1. Dagnall -- 1h34m13.274
2. Senna -- +4.070
3. Prost -- +17.514
4. Patrese -- +1.15.138
5. Nannini -- +1 lap
6. Piquet -- +1 lap
7. Caffi -- +2 laps
8. Alesi -- +2 laps
9. Alboreto -- +2 laps
10. Nakajima -- +2 laps
11. De Cesaris -- +2 laps
12. Sala -- +3 laps
13. Arnoux -- +3 laps

Standings

1. Prost -- 22
2. Dagnall -- 13
3. Senna -- 12
4. Nakajima -- 9
5. Warwick -- 6
= Gugelmin -- 6
---
12. Nannini -- 2

1. Mclaren -- 34
2. Benetton -- 15
3. Lotus -- 10
= March -- 10
5. Arrows -- 6
6. Williams -- 5

[Waris]

I'm terribly sorry, posting this question that really doesn't belong here, but how do you get GP2 to work on your computer? I tried to run it with DOSBox on Windows XP and the sound doesn't work. When I try using VDMSound, the game won't start at all. Does it work with sound on your computer?

Oh! It´s fine to ask it I guess!! It works without any flaws using Microsoft Virtual PC, which installs any old MS OS on a virtual hard drive. I run it on Win 98 through that app, which is downloadable for free (you´ll have to get Win 98 or Win 95 somewhere though).

Thanks, but somehow I managed to get it working! I will now follow this thread even more loyally (and I'll download all these nice season mods so we can play them together. ^_^)

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 5 - USA

I´m glad to be back to the US, but not so much this year as I used to love the track in Detroit! Phoenix is really different, it´s INSANELY hot and the track just consist of a few 90º turns with two slower turns and two straights. I didn´t know what to expect from the car either, after the exhibition in Mexico. This confussion translated to the track as well when I crashed to Patrese after just one slow lap, finishing Friday 27th, 0.1 secs slower than Alliot in the Rial.
Saturday was a bit better though and I found some consistency, ending 7th, but there were 10 drivers in less than 0.5 secs!!

1. Prost -- 1.18.729
2. Senna -- 1.18.932
3. Berger -- 1.19.324
4. Boutsen -- 1.19.599
5. Mansell -- 1.19.641
6. Patrese -- 1.20.117
7. Dagnall -- 1.20.244
8. Gugelmin -- 1.20.362
---
13. Nannini -- 1.20.483

Race

I did a great start and placed 4th, and was just a few centimeters of beating Senna to the first corner, while Berger surprisingly came first. From the very beggining I realsied I was slower than most of the field... at one point during lap 5 the team told me that 21st, Sala, was at the back of the SAME group! I couldn´t do much under those conditions and just hope my 2 stop strategy would work better than the 3 stop everybody chose. I tried my best to keep my position, but Mansell passed me in lap 7, then Boutsen in lap 10 and I let Nannini pass in lap 14, after he climbed, trying to work for the team. Patrese tried a kamikaze move in lap 16 but he ended up out of the track, coming back 19th. When I pit in lap 26 I felt to 15th out of 19 cars left, but from there, although my pace was still far from good, things started to look better. Prost retired two laps later, and with the pit-stops from laps 28 to 39 of a couple of drivers I was up to 7th, which was 5th in lap 40 when Berger retired and Gugelmin pit. Nannini suffered an stupid accident in lap 43 and I was promoted to 4th and by that point only 10 cars were on track! It was being a very high attrition race so I thought I could score by just surviving. Patrese passed me, this time for good, in lap 48 (I was somehow holding cars all the time) and after my second pit in lap 50 I was 8th... out of 8. In lap 55 Cheever stopped and I was 7th, just coming ahead of him! Then, a series of things got me the best result possible: Mansell and Gugelmin retired and Caffi did a 3rd stop, which got me 4th place out of 6 finishers after holding Cheever for the last 17 laps, and probably the best result I could hope for, taking the poor display.

1. Senna -- 1h40m22.924
2. Boutsen -- +1.00.556
3. Patrese -- +1 lap
4. Dagnall -- +2 laps
5. Cheever -- +2 laps
6. Caffi -- +2 laps

--STANDINGS--

1. Prost -- 22
2. Senna -- 21
3. Dagnall -- 16
4. Nakajima -- 9
5. Boutsen -- 8
6. Patrese -- 7
---
13. Nannini -- 2

1. Mclaren -- 43
2. Benetton -- 18
3. Williams -- 15
4. Lotus -- 10*
5. March -- 10
6. Arrows -- 8

*** Lotus holds 1 win

[TomWazzleshaw]

Will McLaren run way with both championships? Can Dagnall and Benetton haul in the McLarens and take a surprise championship win? Can Williams fight back after their average start to the season? Find out at the next round in Montreal, Canada

[Aerond]

Will McLaren run way with both championships? Can Dagnall and Benetton haul in the McLarens and take a surprise championship win? Can Williams fight back after their average start to the season? Find out at the next round in Montreal, Canada

Will Ferrari finally finish a race?

[thehemogoblin]

Will McLaren run way with both championships? Can Dagnall and Benetton haul in the McLarens and take a surprise championship win? Can Williams fight back after their average start to the season? Find out at the next round in Montreal, Canada

Will Ferrari finally finish a race?

And what about Naomi?

[Aerond]

Will Ferrari finally finish a race?

And what about Naomi?[/quote]

Naomi???

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 6 - CANADA

Qualifying

Since the changes, I use to like the Montreal track but unluckily, my performance this year didn´t improve a lot... getting an average 7th in qualifying, a bit ahead of Nannini.

1. Senna -- 1.21.861
2. Prost -- 1.21.866
3. Mansell -- 1.22.882
4. Berger -- 1.22.966
5. Patrese -- 1.23.060
6. Boutsen -- 1.23.279
7. Dagnall -- 1.23.361
8. Brundle -- 1.23.890
9. Nannini -- 1.24.016

Race

As usual this year, I did a good start and placed 5th behind Mclaren and Ferrari cars, but I was inmediately slower than Mansell, so I just concentrated in my battle with both Williams. In lap 4 Patrese pushed me out of the track while passing me and I spun, and I ended up in 25th place... not a very good thing!
I started to push and I passed De Cesaris in lap 5, in lap 9 I passed Arnoux and in lap 10 I was 20th after passing Johansson and Grouillard. Then Alesi for 19th and things started to look better in lap 21 when Berger retired and with some pit-stops and passes I was 14th. In lap 24 Senna had an accident while leading and I passed De Cesaris and Warwick, and I was 10th. I was doing fine but in lap 29 I lost control in turn 7 and I lost my front wing, having to stop 10 laps before planned (i was heading for 1 pit only). Back in track I was 16th, then after the round of pit-stops and passing Cheever 8th in lap 48, with Nannini behind (and faster). At that point, I lost ground to Piquet, enough to not being able to recover at the end of the race, which made a final 7th after Brundle retired and battling in the last laps with Nannini just for fun.

1. Prost -- 1h37m43.159
2. Mansell -- +47.612
3. Patrese -- +1.19.969
4. Boutsen -- +1 lap
5. Nakajima -- +1 lap
6. Piquet -- +1 laps
7. Dagnall -- +2 laps
8. Nannini -- +2 laps
9. Martini -- +2 laps
10. Cheever -- +2 laps
11. Warwick -- +2 laps
12. Capelli -- +2 laps
13. Alboreto -- +2 laps
14. Grouillard -- +3 laps
15. De Cesaris -- +3 laps
16. Alliot -- +3 laps
17. Johansson -- +3 laps

Standings
Drivers

1. Prost -- 31
2. Senna -- 21
3. Dagnall -- 16
4. Nakajima -- 11
= Patrese -- 11
=. Boutsen -- 11
---
13. Nannini -- 2

Teams

1. Mclaren -- 52
2. Williams -- 22
3. Benetton -- 18
4. Lotus -- 13
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 7 - FRANCE

Qualifying

Simply qualifying here: Comfy with the car, but not fast enough in straights to match the top teams. Result: 3rd 7th place in a row!

1. Senna -- 1.07.261
2. Prost -- 1.07.332
3. Berger -- 1.08.046
4. Patrese -- 1.08.093
5. Boutsen -- 1.08.214
6. Mansell -- 1.08.255
7. Dagnall -- 1.08.385
8. Nannini -- 1.08.873

Race

I did a great start and placed 3rd, but Berger tried to pass where there was no space in the first chicane, going into the barriers and retiring inmediately. I controlled the car but going back Boutsen hit my rear wheel and, while I controlled it, I was very sloooooooowly taking the car back to the pits when Piquet also hit me (he retired as well), putting a very early end to my race.

1. Prost -- 1h36m40.919
2. Senna -- +1.04.533
3. Boutsen -- +1 lap
4. Nannini -- +1 lap
5. Patrese -- +1 lap
6. Brundle -- +2 laps
7. Capelli -- +3 laps
8. Warwick -- +3 laps
9. Alboreto -- +3 laps
10. Arnoux -- +3 laps
11. Johansson -- +3 laps
12. Sala -- +3 laps
13. Grouillard -- +4 laps

Standings

1. Prost -- 40
2. Senna -- 27
3. Dagnall -- 16
4. Boutsen -- 15
5. Patrese -- 13
6. Nakajima -- 11
--
10. Nannini -- 5

1. McLaren -- 67
2. Williams -- 28
3. Benetton -- 21
4. Lotus -- 13
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

[Waris]

1. McLaren -- 67
2. Williams -- 28
3. Benetton -- 21
4. Lotus -- 13
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

Were Ferrari really that bad in 1989?

[FullMetalJack]

1. McLaren -- 67
2. Williams -- 28
3. Benetton -- 21
4. Lotus -- 13
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

Were Ferrari really that bad in 1989?

The car was quite fast but extremely unreliable, Berger didn't finish a race until Italy.

[WeirdKerr]

1. McLaren -- 67
2. Williams -- 28
3. Benetton -- 21
4. Lotus -- 13
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

Were Ferrari really that bad in 1989?

The car was quite fast but extremely unreliable, Berger didn't finish a race until Italy.

But Mansell won in Rio and 2nd in france by this stage so they had 15 points

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 8 - GREAT BRITAIN

Quali:
Another year at Silverstone and another good qualifying session at home! On Friday I couldn´t do much, but an improved setup on Saturday (which removed last years problems at the chicane -at least with low fuel-) gave me enough to finish 4th. Both Ferraris dominated for the first time!

1. Berger -- 1.02.104
2. Mansell -- 1.02.305
3. Prost -- 1.02.464
4. Dagnall -- 1.02.478
5. Senna -- 1.02.800
6. Patrese -- 1.03.074
---
16. Nannini -- 1.04.450

Race:
I did an average start and the fuel load surprised me at the first corner and I spun, unfortunately hitting Berger (who had been passed by Mansell), meaning his inmediate retirement. It was a 360º spin, so I was 3rd for a moment (Capelli got up 2nd!) but 9th at Stowe because of the lack of acceleration after the first corner. In second lap I passed Piquet and Modena, then Boutsen and Capelli and when Mansell retired in lap 7 I was set in a comfy 4th behind Patrese and Senna, but, in lap 13, and what is some sort of tradition now, I spun for the 3rd year in a row in the chicane to retire... Somebody must given me the evil eye at this track... Most of the top drivers retired so I didn´t lose points to the main rivals.

1. Prost -- 1h11m49.316
2. Senna -- +5.819
3. Piquet -- +1 lap
4. De Cesaris -- +2 laps
5. Alessi -- +2 laps
6. Caffi -- +2 laps
7. Grouillard -- +2 laps
8. Arnoux -- +2 laps
9. Alboreto -- +2 laps
10. Martini -- +2 laps
11. Sala -- +2 laps

ROUND 9 - GERMANY

Quali: I suffered a heavy accident with Patrese in my outing lap on Friday so I didn´t record a time. Saturday began badly when Alesi made me spin but I recovered back in my best performance of the year to score a fantastic Pole! Everybody else in the paddock was quite impressed a Benetton could lead in a high speed track, but the car was so well balanced that it felt natural...

1. Dagnall -- 1.39.768
2. Prost -- 1.41.021
3. Senna -- 1.41.023
4. Mansell -- 1.42.144
5. Patrese -- 1.42.403
6. Berger -- 1.42.657
---
9. Nannini -- 1.43.443

Race:
Prost touch me slightly at the back at the start, and that, thankfully, allowed me to stay first as he lost a bit of acceleration. He attacked me in the first two straights but I could hold him and I was leading with 1.2 secs at the end of the first lap. Then 1.4 at the end of the second, with Prost faster than the rest.
The first bad news came in lap 5 when Nannini retired with gearbox problems, but I was leading well, setting the fastest lap in lap 8 and leading around 3 secs ahead of Prost, which I would convert in 9.1 in lap 18 before losing some time before the pit-stop in lap 22 because of some lapped cars. I pit in the same lap as Senna, but my pit-stop was a bit slow, so when Prost came in two laps later I was just 5 secs ahead, then 1.3 in lap 28 after losing some time with Boutsen. When I got rid of him I started to pull a wider gap, which was 4.4 in lap 34, but a slow Nakajima made me spin out of the first corner to avoid a collision!! I just came back in front of Prost again and hold him for a lap until he suffered some trouble and he had to pit!!! I was pretty confident I would win this one as I was leading with 21 secs over Senna but... I suffered the same gearbox problems than Nannini in lap 36 and the car stopped... I was so close to score a great win!!! Prost recovered in time to pass Senna near the end and score another victory in his way for the title.

1. Prost -- 1h19m00.593
2. Senna -- +0.907
3. Patrese -- +45.536
4. Nakajima -- +1.44.980
5. Piquet -- +1 lap
6. Brundle -- +1 lap
7. Martini -- +1 lap
8. Sala -- +1 lap
9. Warwick -- +1 lap
10. Alboreto -- +1 lap
11. Caffi -- +1 lap
12. De Cesaris -- +1 lap
13. Alesi -- +2 laps
14. Berger -- +4 laps

STANDINGS -after 9 races-

Drivers

1. Prost -- 58
2. Senna -- 39
3. Patrese -- 17
4. Dagnall -- 16
5. Boutsen -- 15
6. Nakajima -- 14
---
11. Nannini -- 5

Constructors

1. Mclaren -- 97
2. Williams -- 32
3. Lotus -- 22
4. Benetton -- 21
5. March -- 10
6. Ferrari -- 9

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 10 - HUNGARY

Quali: I have great memories from my pole in 1987 and I knew I could do well. Eventually, this happened on saturday, on my last lap, and didn´t do a clean lap with 100% new tyres, which could have cost me 3rd position. Even though, 4th is good enough, I guess.

1. Senna -- 1.17.464
2. Prost -- 1.17.499
3. Mansell -- 1.18.063
4. Dagnall -- 1.18.258
5. Patrese -- 1.18.378
6. Boutsen -- 1.18.619
---
9. Nannini -- 1.18.907

Race

I knew I would do well in quali... and somehow I knew I wouldn´t perform as well in race, as in 1987. Even though, I managed to pass Mansell in turn one (he gave me the inside) and from there, I was slower than both McLarens so my goal was clear: Keep the 3rd position until the first of my 3 pit-stops. In lap 12 I managed to open a small gap, which allowed me to come back 17th when I stopped in lap 17. I quickly passed Modena but trying to pass Gugelmin I spun in the fast corner over the crest, losing several seconds and my place to Nannini when he stopped. After the first round of pit-stops I was 6th in lap 30, ahead of Berger but behind Mansell and Nannini. Boutsen stopped in lap 35 and I passed him and I kept the 5th place until my second stop, which I had to do 1 lap before planned as Nannini gained preference in strategy. I was 10th after that then managed to stay ahead of Berger in 5th place when he stopped in lap 52. He was way faster than me at that point but he tried to pass me in the second to last corner in lap 54... where there was no space for that! We collided and fortunately he lost more time than me (allowing Nannini to secure 4th place, as both Williams had retired). I did my 3rd pit in lap 57, being 8th, then 7th a lap later when Cheever stopped. I had to hunt for Martini as he was 6th and almost 18 seconds ahead. By lap 61 the difference was 13.6 but six laps later it was 12.6 as I had another visit to the gravel trap. It was going very tough to fight for 6th but luckily he retired next lap. Setting the scene for keeping the 6th position against Cheever, who was a bit faster at the end but not in the straights. Not a bad race, but 1 point in 5 races is not a ver encouraging result.

1. Prost -- 1h44m09.750
2. Senna -- +55.681
3. Mansell -- +1 lap
4. Nannini -- +1 lap
5. Berger -- +1 lap
6. Dagnall -- +2 laps
7. Cheever -- +2 laps
8. Gugelmin -- +2 laps
9. Warwick -- +2 laps
10. Sala -- +2 laps
11. Caffi -- +2 laps
12. Nakajima -- +2 laps
13. Piquet -- +2 laps
14. Alboreto -- +2 laps
15. De Cesaris -- +2 laps

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 11 - BELGIUM

Ahhh! Everybody´s fave track once again!! I guess many of the drivers would be happy enough if the calendar was just 15 races at Spa and 1 at Monaco... I could certainly live with that!!!

Qualify:
I took all the advantage of last year experience and managed to pull a good time from friday, improving it a bit on saturday almost when the session was over. Cheever didn´t qualify the Arrows and the Ferraris were the slowest of the top teams, surprisingly enough.

1. Senna -- 1.51.146
2. Dagnall -- 1.52.077
3. Prost -- 1.52.661
4. Boutsen -- 1.53.096
5. Patrese -- 1.53.105
6. Nannini -- 1.53.430

Race:

Senna was a bit conservative at the start and that allowed me to attack the inside at La Source and get the lead!! At the end of the first lap I was leading with 1 second over Senna, who was followed by Prost, Patrese and Nannini. I was going for one stop, so I had to take it easy, but anyway, both McLaren were faster than me so I just managed to stay ahead of them, having a great fight with Senna, then with Prost from lap 5, when he took the second place, but anyway it still was a 3 way battle. I was looking to keep an advantage in the region of 2 seconds over Prost until the pit-stop when I heard a noise in lap 8 going down to Eau Rouge and I couldn´t select any gear: The transmission was broken and I was out of the race, for the second time this year when leading. I kicked the side of the car and couldn´t hide the huge disappointment. It was specially bitter when Senna and Prost crashed close to the end and Patrese took the win for a 1-2 for the Williams team.

1. Patrese -- 1h26m49.039
2. Boutsen -- +7.991
3. Nannini -- +34.312
4. Berger -- +47.755
5. Piquet -- +1.24.168
6. Mansell -- +1.38.205
7. De Cesaris -- +1.57.498
8. Alesi -- +2.01.665
9. Modena -- +2 laps
10. Alliot -- +2 laps
11. Prost -- +3 laps
12. Arnoux -- +3 laps

Standings

Drivers

1. Prost -- 67
2. Senna -- 45
3. Patrese -- 26
4. Boutsen -- 21
5. Dagnall -- 17
6. Nakajima -- 14
7. Nannini -- 12

Constructors

1. McLaren -- 112
2. Williams -- 47
3. Benetton -- 29
4. Lotus -- 24
5. Ferrari -- 19
6. March -- 10

[Phoenix]

Damn, Chris Dagnall could be 3rd in the championship right now. Tough luck, I guess...Does he have any offer from better teams for 1990 after this string of brilliant performances?

[Aerond]

:twisted: Damn, Chris Dagnall could be 3rd in the championship right now. Tough luck, I guess...Does he have any offer from better teams for 1990 after this string of brilliant performances?

Dagnall has kept converstations with 3 teams at the moment for the 1990, but the name of the teams are to be kept until the end of the season in order to respect the contract with Benetton.

[DemocalypseNow]

:twisted: Damn, Chris Dagnall could be 3rd in the championship right now. Tough luck, I guess...Does he have any offer from better teams for 1990 after this string of brilliant performances?

Dagnall has kept converstations with 3 teams at the moment for the 1990, but the name of the teams are to be kept until the end of the season in order to respect the contract with Benetton.

Mr Dagnall, I'm Alasdair Lindsay of F1 Rejects Magazine.
We've heard there's a new team entering F1 next season, by the name of Life, and they have a revolutionary W12 engine for their new car if reports are to be believed. Are you in contact with them? Would you be interested in moving to their team for next year?

[Aerond]

:twisted: Damn, Chris Dagnall could be 3rd in the championship right now. Tough luck, I guess...Does he have any offer from better teams for 1990 after this string of brilliant performances?

Dagnall has kept converstations with 3 teams at the moment for the 1990, but the name of the teams are to be kept until the end of the season in order to respect the contract with Benetton.

Mr Dagnall, I'm Alasdair Lindsay of F1 Rejects Magazine.
We've heard there's a new team entering F1 next season, by the name of Life, and they have a revolutionary W12 engine for their new car if reports are to be believed. Are you in contact with them? Would you be interested in moving to their team for next year?

Chris Dagnall never heard of them.

[dr-baker]

Mr Dagnall, I'm Alasdair Lindsay of F1 Rejects Magazine.
We've heard there's a new team entering F1 next season, by the name of Life, and they have a revolutionary W12 engine for their new car if reports are to be believed. Are you in contact with them? Would you be interested in moving to their team for next year?

Chris Dagnall never heard of them.

So Chris Dagnall will not have a Life then?

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 12 - ITALY

Qualifying

It was always hard to be very fast in a high-speed track such Monza, so I was just happy enough to be ahead of Nannini once again. Although I was close to the Williams and Berger I don´t I could have done much better. The 7th place allowed me to be in the hunt for points on sunday.

1. Senna -- 1.23.912
2. Prost -- 1.23.949
3. Mansell -- 1.25.388
4. Patrese -- 1.25.601
5. Berger -- 1.25.633
6. Boutsen -- 1.25.717
7. Dagnall -- 1.25.874
8. Brundle -- 1.26.141
9. Nannini -- 1.26.221

Race

I did a right start and I was able to pass both Williams before first corner. Coming out of Lesmos Berger was trying to pass Mansell and I passed both as they didn´t care about me at all, so I was 3rd behind the McLarens! From then on, the Honda powered cars were unreachable, but I was slightly faster than Mansell, so I quietly got to my first pit-stop in lap 18, with about 8 secs of advantage over Mansell. After the pit-stop I was 8th, but I didn´t know the intentions of the other drivers. Basically, I would have a hard time if somebody was going for just one stop. Boutsen and Berger retired during the round of pit-stops and I also passed Nannini. Then Patrese and Mansell stopped in lap 27, so it was clear they would be going for one, so I had to take as much advantage as possible over them. In Lap 30 Senna retired after crashing with Nakajima and next lap Mansell did, so my biggest rival for 2nd was gone
Patrese was then about 38 seconds behind, which was enough to keep him 3rd after my second pit-stop, which allowed me to end the race in 2nd place!! After Senna´s accident, Prost took an easy victory which almost makes him World Champion as he just needs a 2nd place in the 4 races left.

1. Prost -- 1h14m11.373
2. Dagnall -- +1 lap
3. Patrese -- +1 lap
4. Gugelmin -- +1 lap
5. Piquet -- +1 lap
6. Nannini -- +1 lap
7. Cheever -- +1 lap
8. Brundle -- +2 laps
9. Sala -- +2 laps
10. Grouillard -- +2 laps
11. Modena -- +3 laps
12. Alesi -- +3 laps

[TomWazzleshaw]

Mr Dagnall are the rumours that you might be Ferrari bound next year to replace Nigel Mansell true or not?

[Aerond]

ROUND 13 - PORTUGAL

Qualifying

Perfect balance, good car and an unbeatable Senna made way for a 1st row position which I got on Saturday, after a dull Friday performance (I was 6th then). Although Senna completed a great lap I somehow knew I could win the race with a clever strategy and a little bit of luck. About Prost performance... maybe he was under too much pressure?

1. Senna -- 1.16.297
2. Dagnall -- 1.17.175
3. Berger -- 1.17.307
4. Patrese -- 1.17.389
5. Prost -- 1.17.420
6. Mansell -- 1.17.426
----
9. Nannini -- 1.18.186

Race

Given the Honda engine, it was surprising that I did a better start than Senna, it was even better when I passed him in first corner and took the lead (when in fact I had prepared to defend my position to Berger and Patrese). Senna passed me anyway in lap 2 and he was starting to pull a gap when he suffered some mechanical issue and he had to pit. Then, I was leading with Berger 2nd, but it was Prost soon who was there. He started to close on me and, when he tried a move in lap 9 I just closed the door. Next lap he tried again, but as I tried to close the door again, he moved towards the grass, we touched wheels and then he when directly to the wall, retiring inmediately! So, Prost was out and I had Berger 7.3 secs behind, with Senna trying to reach the points and now in 16th position. In lap 21 the advantage to Berger had grown to 15 seconds, and I did my first pit-stop. Coming out I was 5th, just behind Senna, who was starting to be the biggest rival for victory, although I knew he had to stop as well. Senna did in lap 23 and the Ferraris in laps 28 and 29, leaving me 2nd behind Patrese. The williams driver stopped in lap 31, with some problems and then Boutsen was 2nd, some 15 secs behind. Then when Boutsen stopped in lap 37, the race was settled for a final battle, as Senna was 2nd 21.2 secs behind! It was clear it was going to be me or him when Mansell and Boutsen retired before lap 40. In lap 45 I did the 2nd pit and I came out 3rd. Then in lap 48 I passed Berger with an impressive move in 2nd corner (ultra-fast downhill) and Senna did his 2nd stop, allowing me first again. In lap 53 I was still 18.8 seconds ahead of the McLaren, with Patrese retiring from an accident and putting me in a great position to pass him in the drivers championship, but some traffic and a spin by Arnoux made the gap fall to 13.9 in lap 58. I thought I still had enough advantage when I came to lap Nannini in lap 60. I wasn´t faster than him (he had new tyres) at that point, but he let me pass anyway and he had the 4th place secured, but, in lap 62, coming uphill in the last part of the track, he tried a pass on me I didn´t expect at all!!! We touched wheels and I went over the kerb, damaging my front wing!!! I had to take a choice on whether to stop for a new wing or try to keep the car on track, and I decided for a pit-stop in the end. I came out 3rd, some 4 secs behind Berger. It took me only 2 laps to pass the Austrian, but then Senna was very, very far away: 18.9 secs ahead. I put a last effort anyway and scored the fastest lap twice in laps 66 and 67. Senna didn´t fail however and he scored a win that puts him back (at least until Jerez) in the fight for the championship, while I... ermm... I´d better not speak in public about my feelings towards my team-mate.

1. Senna -- 1h35m04.822
2. Dagnall -- +11.707
3. Berger -- +20.908
4. Nannini -- +1.17.784
5. Warwick -- +1 lap
6. Cheever -- +1 lap
7. Caffi -- +1 lap
8. Alesi -- +1 lap
9. Gugelmin -- +1 lap
10. Nakajima -- +1 lap
11. De Cesaris -- +2 laps
12. Alboreto -- +2 laps
13. Danner -- +3 laps

Standings

Drivers

1. Prost -- 76
2. Senna -- 54
3. Patrese -- 30
4. Dagnall -- 29
5. Boutsen -- 21
6. Nannini -- 16

Teams

1. McLaren -- 130
2. Williams -- 51
3. Benetton -- 45
4. Lotus -- 26
5. Ferrari -- 23
6. March -- 13

[Aerond]

Mr Dagnall are the rumours that you might be Ferrari bound next year to replace Nigel Mansell true or not?

As much as I understand, Mansell signed a two-year contract with Ferrari at the end of 1988, but people in the paddock speak about the chance that Ferrari isn´t very happy with its race drivers and might change the line-up for next year.

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 14 - SPAIN

When I arrived at the motorhome on Thursday evening, the view surprised me a lot: There was a lot -A LOT- of journalists waiting for my arrival. I imagine they were hoping for some news about the Portugal incident, but I won´t speak about that until the title is decided or until my future is unveiled. I tried to forget about it, and although it was hard to do it, I overcame it better than last year accident with Prost in Suzuka -which ended with Alain crashing against the wall in Adelaide-. It simply wasn´t the best moment to start a war inside the team. Anyway, Benetton management know that I won´t continue in the team for the 1990 season.

Qualifying

First day was a bit of a disaster, and all I got was 13th. Saturday was little better, specially when I bathplug up in my first try and the first lap of the last one. That left me with almost no time but I managed to put a decent lap crossing the line just 10 seconds before the end of the session.

1. Senna -- 1.17.769
2. Prost -- 1.17.922
3. Berger -- 1.18.269
4. Patrese -- 1.18.272
5. Boutsen -- 1.18.497
6. Mansell -- 1.18.721
7. Nannini -- 1.18.957
8. Dagnall -- 1.19.386
9. Gugelmin -- 1.19.699

Race

I managed to pass the first corner 6th after yet another great start, then passed Mansell in turn 2 with a movement on the inside for 5th. I managed to keep the first laps in front of Mansell quite comfy, with Berger, Patrese and both McLarens pulling away. But, in lap 5 i went too wide in turn 5 and straight into the tyre wall. A stupid accident trying to go faster than I could possibly go and completely my fault. Prost dominated most of the race, but he suffered a problem with 2 laps to go and finished 3rd, keeping Senna the championship alive for the last two races of the season!!

1. Senna -- 1h38m54.912
2. Patrese -- +10.053
3. Prost -- +16.657
4. De Cesaris -- +1 lap
5. Nakajima -- +2 laps
6. Alesi -- +2 laps
7. Modena -- +2 laps
8. Alboreto -- +2 laps
9. Martini -- +2 laps
10. Warwick -- +2 laps
11. Arnoux -- +2 laps
12. Cheever -- +2 laps
13. Alliot -- +3 laps

[Aerond]

ROUND 15 - JAPAN

Qualifying

I still can´t forget what happened here last season, but my race pace last year encourages me a lot to pursue a good result this time. I had some trouble finding a good balance but on Saturday I got a great time, but only a cinch to score a position in the second row! The Mclarens were just impossible to catch.

1. Senna -- 1.36.759
2. Prost -- 1.36.764
3. Mansell -- 1.37.839
4. Berger -- 1.38.238
5. Patrese -- 1.38.245
6. Dagnall -- 1.38.248
7. Boutsen -- 1.38.443
8. Nannini -- 1.39.032

Race

I decided to go for just 1 stop and I paid the price for the overweight: Despite doing a good start and winning the position to Patrese, both Ferraris and McLarens pulled a huge gap very soon, losing around 1.5/2.0 secs per lap with Berger. Senna was passed by Prost and Mansell in first lap and couldn´t progress from there. Me, all I could do was to hold both Williams behind, which would be just Patrese after Boutsen retired in 7th lap. In lap 14 the distance with Berger was 19.4 and in lap 21 around 23 seconds, just in the verge of the pit-stop time (my only hope was to be ahead of Berger after his first pit and hold him enough to come in front for his second). I was managing to get around the spoon in lap 22 when I suffered a puncture in my rear left tyre and had to retire, seeing Patrese snap the final 3rd place, and the 3rd place in the drivers championship in a season I should have scored 4 wins instead of one. Prost retired around lap 35 so the title will be decided in Australia!! Will Senna be able to do magic there?

1. Senna -- 1h29m27.780
2. Berger -- +41.011
3. Patrese -- +1.16.252
4. Nannini -- +1.34.078
5. Nakajima -- +1 lap
6. Martini -- +1 lap
7. Cheever -- +1 lap
8. Gugelmin -- +1 lap
9. Modena -- +1 lap
10. Brundle -- +1 lap
11. Caffi -- +1 lap
12. Warwick -- +1 lap
13. De Cesaris -- +1 lap
14. Alboreto -- +1 lap
15. Piquet -- +2 laps
16. Johansson -- +2 laps

Standings

Drivers

1. Prost -- 80
2. Senna -- 72
3. Patrese -- 40
4. Dagnall -- 29
5. Boutsen -- 21
6. Nannini -- 19

Constructors

1. McLaren -- 152
2. Williams -- 61
3. Benetton -- 48
4. Lotus -- 30
5. Ferrari -- 29
6. March -- 13

[Aerond]

1989 - ROUND 16 - AUSTRALIA

Finally, the last race of the season! Having everything decided regarding my final pos. in the drivers championship (well, Boutsen had to win with me no scoring points to snap the 4th position), and almost as well in the constructors, as Williams was quite far, I could relax a little bit and watch out for the Senna-Prost battle, which I guess is what everybody was interested about. All I cattered for was being best of the rest... and the press conference after the race.

Qualifying

Things on Friday weren´t very good, as I couldn´t find my way through the third sector (I was losing a sec and a half there to Patrese) so all I could do was 16th. Prost, with many problems, didn´t even score a time... risking it all for Saturday. On Sat. I overcame the problems and scored a great time, enough to be 3rd on the grid! Just 0.008 faster than Mansell. Prost did an amazing lap at the very end, snapping the pole from Senna. So, I had the best seat for the championship battle.

1. Prost -- 1.16.106
2. Senna -- 1.16.152
3. Dagnall -- 1.16.995
4. Mansell -- 1.17.003
5. Berger -- 1.17.131
6. Patrese -- 1.17.303
---
8. Nannini -- 1.17.945

Race

Prost did a horrible start... A really bad one!! He passed the first corner 4th, while I managed to keep Mansell behind. Prost passed Mansell before the end of the 1st lap and started to attack me. Senna was fast. Very, very fast. So far, he was 9.5 seconds ahead in lap 4! In lap 6, under great pressure from Prost I spun and the race changed a lot for me, as I was heading for a 3 stop strategy. Anyway, the car wasn´t as fast as on Saturday and I was struggling a little bit to keep the pace of the Ferraris and the Williams. So, I came back on track 12th and with the great task of recovering the 15 seconds lost. I passed Capelli inmediately and in lap 10 I had gotten to the back of Gugelmin´s car when his engine exploded. The next one was Nakajima, who was incredibly fast and climbing through the field in a final effort by the Lotus team to claim the 6th position in the championship from Nannini. So far, Nakajima won in Australia last season, so I guess he likes the track. In Lap 20 Nakajima stopped being around 10 seconds ahead of me, and I did next lap, coming back 15th, but being back to 13th before one lap. Then I was 11th in lap 26 after passing Alesi, and the pit-stop of Martini. At that point Nakajima passed Nannini after my mate stop. After that, Cheever estopped in lap 10th and then I started to gain time over Nakajima, then Brundle and Patrese stopped as well and I was 8th. Nakajima stopped in lap 40 when he was 4.1 secs ahead, and I did in lap 42. Meanwhile, Senna was leading with Prost slowly approaching him, with Mansell very far behind. In lap 44 I spun without any consequences, but that and some irregular laps put Nakajima 15.1 secs ahead in lap 46. I started to put good laps again, taking the most of the tyres and in lap 54 the gap was 9.8, which came down to 2.1 when Nakajima spun as well. I exited my 3rd and last pit-stop 10th in lap 62. Just after that, Mansell came to lap me, but I made a mistake, trying to hold him a bit and he touched me, making just another spin. I was very lucky that Nakajima was still runing on old tyres, which allowed me to be just behind him when he did the last stop in lap 67. Next lap saw me moving ahead of Nakajima for 9th, but I suppose every looked at the championship deciding movement: Berger, about to be lapped by Senna, suffered an oil leak, and he moved to the inside at the exit of the first chicane. Senna, moved to the outside, going over the kerb and spinning, hitting the wall and retiring. Prost was the world champion for the 2nd time in his career! (the other being 1984). After Senna and Berger retirements I was 7th and hoping for another retirement to snap a point, as Brundle was too far ahead... and I got it; Mansell gearbox said goodbye in lap 73. I just held Nakajima a bit in the last few laps, with an attack on his part only in the last lap, but I could hold him (after he hit me from behind!) and get the 6th place and my final point in the championship.

1. Prost -- 1h48m25.149
2. Boutsen -- +1 lap
3. Nannini -- +1 lap
4. Patrese -- +1 lap
5. Brundle -- +1 lap
6. Dagnall -- +2 laps
7. Nakajima -- +2 laps
8. Cheever -- +2 laps
9. Martini -- +2 laps
10. Piquet -- +2 laps
11. Alesi -- +2 laps
12. Sala -- +2 laps
13. Caffi -- +2 laps
14. Alliot -- +3 laps
15. Johansson -- +3 laps

[Aerond]

1989 - FINAL STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Prost -- 89
2. Senna -- 72
3. Patrese -- 43
4. Dagnall -- 30
5. Boutsen -- 27
6. Nannini -- 23
7. Nakajima -- 18
= Berger -- 18
9. Piquet -- 12
10. Mansell -- 11
11. Gugelmin -- 9
12. Warwick -- 8
= De Cesaris -- 8
14. Alesi -- 6
15. Capelli -- 4
= Brundle -- 4
17. Cheever -- 3
18. Caffi -- 2
19. Martini -- 1
= Grouillard -- 1
= Alboreto -- 1

Constructors

1. McLaren -- 161
2. Williams -- 70
3. Benetton -- 53
4. Lotus -- 30
5. Ferrari -- 29
6. March -- 13
7. Arrows -- 11
8. Dallara -- 10
9. Tyrrell -- 7
10. Brabham -- 4
11. Minardi -- 1
= Ligier -- 1

[Aerond]

5th November 1989 - Adelaide.

15:48 - Prost wins the GP and the 1989 drivers championship
16:30 - McLaren calls all the press at 18:30
17:45 - Prost announces he is moving to the Ferrari team for the 1990 season.

18:30 -- EVENING PRESS CONFERENCE - Held by the McLaren team;

Ron Dennis;
First, I want to thank everyone the effort for staying at the track for a couple of hours after the race: We know some of you have to catch a flight back home and we apreciate your effort and commitment to the McLaren team. Of course, this includes the team members of the Honda Marlboro McLaren team. Thanks to everyone.
I´m here to thank Alain for the championship he fairly won today, and also to Ayrton for helping us conquer the constructors championship. I have to specially thank Alain for the wonderful years we´ve shared, the good and the bad times. Thanks to his extraordinary abbility we´ve been able to achieve the amazing results of the past two years. Of course, we wouldn´t have achieved this without the people of Honda, Marlboro, Shell and the rest of the sponsors. I wanted to speak to the press today mainly to thank Alain and to say goodbye to him. We knew he wanted to leave the team at Spa, but we both agreed to announce it once the drivers championship was decided, but we didn´t expect we would have to wait until November! Of course, Ayrton put a fantastic battle until the end of the season, showing the great champion he is.
So, here comes the moment I think you´ve been waiting for, as this is going to be the driver line-up for the 1990 season: Our race drivers are going to be the brazilian Ayrton Senna and the english Chris Dagnall. Our test driver will be Jonathan Palmer. With them, we hope to keep the world championships at McLaren, in what is going to be the toughest season to date.
There will not be a round of questions now but we will be able to answer any inquiries at the team presentation in January.
Thanks for your understanding and good evening.

[Aerond]

After all this: What is your fave option for 1990??

A: - Piquet and Nannini in Benetton. Berger goes to Lotus.
B: - Nannini gets dumped from Benetton after Estoril events, he goes back to Minardi and is replaced by Berger.
C: - Mansell gets dumped from Ferrari and either: 1. Retires -to come back in 1991 of course- or 2. Goes to Lotus. Berger remains at Ferrari with Prost (the less "realistic" option I guess)
D: - Berger don´t get any drive (I don´t like this one)

Also, what would you like me to include/change in my reports? Reject of the race is going to be added for the 1990 season.

[SDHammer]

Option A is the way to go.

[Phoenix]

Firstly, I want to congratulate Chris Dagnall for his awesome 1989 campaign. He really deserves the McLaren seat, and I hope he will continue to show his great form and challenge for the title. As for the options, I go for B. Naninni's incident in Estoril was avoidable and Berger really deserves a competitive seat.

[tommykl]

I'd go fro B.

And, also, I was going to propose the move to McLaren, but there was no connection to the internet, and I forgot to post it again

[shinji]

C. It's the least like what actually happened, and this is a 'fantasy'.

Kudos on keeping up the high standard so far Aerond.

The only thing about the reviews is that you should, imo, have the championship in every one, just for interest's sake.