1989 Formula One season

The 1989 Formula One season was the 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1989 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 26, 1989 and ended on November 5 after sixteen races. Alain Prost won his third Drivers' World Championship, and McLaren won the Constructors' Championship.

Pre-season

Technical and rules changes

• Turbocharged engines had been banned at the end of 1988, as they were felt to be making the sport dangerous and expensive.
• In response to the above, a number of new teams were expected to enter the series, and there would be 39 drivers now competing for 26 spots on the starting grid. To reduce the number of cars down to 30 in order to render Qualifying itself manageable, a separate 1-hour Pre-Qualifying Session was held at Friday morning during every GP weekend. 13 cars from teams with lowest results from previous 2 half-seasons were forced to pre-qualify, and only 4 fastest cars would advance to Qualifying proper. At the halfway point of the season the group of teams required to pre-qualify during the first half would be revised, based on the results during last 2 half-seasons.
• At the start of the season, some new (Onyx) and returning (Brabham) teams had to pre-qualify, along with two Osellas and Zakspeeds and single EuroBrun. Four teams who had run single car in 1988 had to run one car in pre-qualifying at the beginning: Dallara, Coloni, Rial and AGS.
• At the halfway of the season, Alex Caffi in the 2nd......
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