United States GP 1989

United States GP, 1989

There was only a week between the Mexican Grand Prix and the new United States GP on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona. In that time the March team was acquired by its major sponsor Leyton House. The weather in Arizona was very hot and the circuit less than spectacular and there were minimal crowds. Qualifying offered few surprises with Ayrton Senna on pole from his McLaren-Honda team mate Alain Prost with Sandro Nannini third in his Benetton and Nigel Mansell (Ferrari) fourth. Martin Brundle (Brabham) was fifth ahead of Alex Caffi (Scuderia Italia Dallara), Stefano Modena (Brabham) and Berger with the top 10 being rounded off by Michele Alboreto's Tyrrell and Derek Warwick's Arrows. The two Williams-Renaults were struggling with Riccardo Patrese 14th and Thierry Boutsen 16th while Johnny Herbert's problems at Benetton continued as he only just scraped onto the grid in 25th position.

In the race Senna went into the lead from Prost, Nannini and Mansell. Sandro soon dropped back when he went up an escape road, the Italian struggling with the Benetton's poor handling. Mansell ran in third with Modena moving to fourth ahead of Caffi and Brundle. Mansell disappeared at half distance with gearbox trouble and Senna went out with electronic trouble so Prost found himself ahead of Caffi and Berger (who had gained from the retirements of both Brabhams). Caffi had to pit for new Pirellis but he was on his way back up to the front when his own team mate Andrea de Cesaris took him off while being lapped. Berger also disappeared in the closing laps and so second place went to Patrese with Eddie Cheever (Arrows) third, Christian Danner fourth in his Rial, Herbert fifth in his Benetton and Boutsen sixth.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
Alain Prost McLaren-Honda  75 2h01m33.133s  
Riccardo Patrese Williams-Renault  75 2h02m12.829s  14 
10 Eddie Cheever Arrows-Cosworth  75 2h02m16.343s  17 
38 Christian Danner Rial-Cosworth  74  26 
20 Johnny Herbert Benetton-Cosworth  74  25 
Thierry Boutsen Williams-Renault  74  16 
40 Gabriele Tarquini AGS-Cosworth  73 Engine 24 
22 Andrea de Cesaris Dallara-Cosworth  70 Fuel Pump 13 
Jonathan Palmer Tyrrell-Cosworth  69 Fuel Injection 21 
28 Gerhard Berger Ferrari  61 Alternator 
21 Alex Caffi Dallara-Cosworth  52 Accident 
11 Nelson Piquet Lotus-Judd  52 Suspension/accident 22 
36 Stefan Johansson Onyx-Cosworth  50 Puncture/suspension 19 
24 Luis Sala Minardi-Cosworth  46 Engine Overheating 20 
Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda  44 Electronics 
Martin Brundle Brabham-Judd  43 Brakes 
Stefano Modena Brabham-Judd  37 Brakes 
27 Nigel Mansell Ferrari  31  Gearbox 
23 Pierluigi Martini Minardi-Cosworth  26 Engine Overheating 15 
12 Satoru Nakajima Lotus-Judd  24 Throttle Linkage 23 
16 Ivan Capelli March-Judd  22 Gearbox 11 
dq 15 Mauricio Gugelmin March-Judd  20 Brake Fluid Refilled During Race 18 
Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Cosworth  17 Gearbox 
19 Alessandro Nannini Benetton-Cosworth  10 Driver Exhausted 
Derek Warwick Arrows-Cosworth  Accident 10 
30 Philippe Alliot Lola-Lamborghini  Spin 12 
nq 26 Olivier Grouillard Ligier-Cosworth    27 
nq 31 Roberto Moreno Coloni-Cosworth    28 
nq 25 Rene Arnoux Ligier-Cosworth    29 
nq 29 Yannick Dalmas Lola-Lamborghini    30 
npq 18 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella-Cosworth    31 
npq 32 Pierre-Henri Raphanel Coloni-Cosworth    32 
npq 33 Gregor Foitek EuroBrun-Judd    33 
npq 17 Nicola Larini Osella-Cosworth    34 
npq 41 Joachim Winkelhock AGS-Cosworth    35 
npq 39 Volker Weidler Rial-Cosworth    36 
npq 34 Bernd Schneider Zakspeed-Yamaha    37 
npq 35 Aguri Suzuki Zakspeed-Yamaha    38 
npq 37 Bertrand Gachot Onyx-Cosworth    39