The 1986 Formula 1 season comes to the most dramatic of conclusions - on this day

Modern fans might not be too familiar with this, but the 1986 Formula 1 season was one for the ages. The season saw three drivers – Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost – in contention for the world title.

Piquet and Mansell, it’s worth noting, won 9 of the 16 races that particular season. Both were driving for Williams, and the car was far superior to Prost’s McLaren.

The Williams were powered by Honda engine units whereas McLaren at the time used Porsche engines. However, Prost stayed in contention till the final race by consistently accumulating points.

It was classic mindful driving from a man fondly referred to as ‘The Professor’ in the F1 paddock. And it is precisely that – along with a healthy dose of luck – that saw him win the world title.

#OnThisDay in 1986.

Alain Prost (McLaren-TAG-MP4/2C) became a double F1 World Champion, winning the season-ending Australian GP at the Adelaide Street Circuit.
Nelson Piquet (Williams-Honda-FW11) finished 2nd & Stefan Johansson (Ferrari F1-86) was 3rd.

? Martin King/Leo Mason pic.twitter.com/XbmNbv3geL

— Grand Prix Memories ?️? (@GPMemories) October 26, 2020

Yes, the man who trailed the championship race by 6 points stole it from under his competitors’ noses. And it made for epic watching – not that Mansell or Piquet would agree, of course.

That year, the season ended in Adelaide with the Australian GP. And with 35 years having passed since that day, let us now look back at a dramatic race – and climax to an epic title fight.

The background

Coming into the final race of the season, all eyes were on the title fight. It was Mansell who led the championship standings with 70 points and the ball was firmly in his court. All he needed was a third-place finish to secure the title.

The equation for Prost and Piquet, however, was less simple. Prost was the defending world champion but had 64 points, whereas Piquet had 63 points. Both needed to win and have Mansell finish lower in the points to stand a chance.

Most would not have backed Prost in this situation. After all, the Williams’ were much quicker and Mansell and Piquet were also not exactly fond of one another. Both would have been only too happy to take the title off the other.

To make things worse, qualifying results meant Mansell and Piquet would start from the front row, in that order. Prost was fourth, behind the Lotus of future teammate and rival Ayrton Senna.

As things stood, the Frenchman would need to put in a good drive while praying for some strokes of fortune. As it turns out, he did both.

Alain Prost wins title to cap 1986 Formula 1 season

Mansell might have started the race on pole, but a poor start put his championship charge in early danger. Piquet, Senna and even Keke Rosberg got past him and he was fourth by the end of Lap 1.

Piquet would then end up taking the lead from Senna but that didn’t last long. On Lap 7, Rosberg would take the lead off Piquet and build up a massive lead from the rest of the field.

However, this had little impact on the overall championship standings. Mansell would eventually take second place but would yield that position to Piquet. By Lap 44, Prost was in fourth. Again, this mattered little because Mansell was exactly where he needed to be.

The situation changed when, on Lap 63, Rosberg suffered a puncture and had to retire. Prost would then pass Mansell, who was still third thereafter due to Rosberg’s retirement.

But calamity would strike one lap later. Mansell’s left rear tyre exploded as he used his overtake boost to attempt lapping a car. He didn’t hit any wall or barrier but the puncture severely damaged his suspension and forced him to retire. Suddenly the title race was wide open.

Williams, fearful that Piquet too would suffer a similar fate, called him into the pits. This saw Prost take the lead and build up a lead. A late charge from Piquet cut down the gap but Prost would cross the line first – and bring the 1986 Formula 1 season to a dramatic end.

Prost had won the championship by a mere 2 points, with Mansell finishing second. The constructor’s championship, meanwhile, had been wrapped by Williams 2 races earlier. Not that it made up for the disappointment of neither of their drivers winning the driver’s championship.

The aftermath

All three drivers would go on to win the world title after this season. Piquet, who was already a two-time champion, won his third and final championship in 1987.

Mansell, who would miss out on the title in 1987 too, finally won his one and only championship in 1992. And Prost would win it in 1989 and 1993 – the latter of which came, in a twist of irony, after he replaced Mansell at Williams.

Yet it would not be until 2007 that a championship would see three title contenders going into the final race. Indeed, there are paralells aplenty to be drawn between 1986 and 2007.

In both years, two of the title contenders were teammates and bitter rivals. And in both years, it was the driver with the outside shot who won the title.