Prost doubles

The 1986 Australian Grand Prix was the sixteenth and final race of the season and was held on the circuit of Adelaide. It was a three-way battle for the Drivers’ Championship between Nigel Mansell, driving a Williams-Honda; his team mate Nelson Piquet; and Alain Prost, driving a McLaren TAG-Porsche.

Mansell went into the race in the strongest position amongst the three drivers, needing only to finish third or higher to take the title, while Prost and Piquet both needed to win to have a chance.

Mansell looked well on course in third position when his left-rear tyre exploded on the main straight with 19 laps remaining. He did well to control his vehicle at over 300 km/h. But his race, and title chances were over. The Williams team then called Piquet for a precautionary tyre change, and Alain Prost took victory to win his second of four titles.

Picture below: Keke Rosberg, who had to retire from the lead in his last ever Grand Prix, is amongst the first ones to congratulate Alain Prost for his second World Drivers’ title.