From Adelaide to Le Mans

Emanuele Pirro scored his first Formula 1 points at the wheel of his Benetton B189 (photo above), with a fifth place finish at the 1989 Australian Grand Prix, held in Adelaide.

The race started in torrential rain and Alain Prost (McLaren-Honda), following the first-lap collision and finding the conditions too dangerous, decided not to take the second start.

Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Honda) started from pole position, took all the risks and ended up crashing, because of poor visibility, into Brundle’s Brabham-Judd, which he was lapping.

Thierry Boutsen (Williams-Renault) took the lead, drove a flawless race, and won the second Grand Prix of his career, finishing 28 seconds ahead of Nannini’s Benetton. Emanuele Pirro, in the second Benetton, finished fifth, but two laps behind the winner.

Emanuele Pirro scored a total of 3 points in 37 Grand Prix starts, but distinguished himself in the most spectacular way in endurance racing with five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and two victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring, all with Audi.