Hard road ahead for Prost

Press, 17 July 1987, Page 20

Hard road ahead for Prost

As the battle for this year’s world drivers’ championship reaches the half-way stage, it is becoming increasingly evident that the title-holder, Alain Prost (France), has his work cut out if he is to successfully achieve a third consecutive title. The 32-year-old Swissdomiciled champion began his title defence on a triumphant note when he won the season’s opening race in Brazil on the Jacarepagua circuit, near the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. From there the Formula One fraternity headed for Italy and the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. This time it was the turn of Nigel Mansell (Britain) to power his Williams-Honda to victory and to show everyone .that, like Prost, he too had lost none of his competitive edge in the lengthy five month offseason. Not to be outdone, Prost bounced back with a brilliant win in the Belgian G.P. on the ultra-fast. Spa-Francorchamps circuit and in so doing, equalled the all-time record of 27 grand prix wins set 14 years ago at the Nurburgring, West Germany, by Jackie Stewart ' (Scotland). Prost’s chances of setting a new record appear to have gone into limbo as both Mansell and the

Brazilian ace, Ayrton Senna, are emerging as unquestionably the fastest duo in Formula One. Senna, driving a LotusHonda, convincingly won consecutive street-races in Monaco and Detroit and Mansell proved equal to the task by winning in France and, most recently, on home soil when he won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last week-end. In the wake of this period of Honda-engined dominance, Prost is finding it increasingly difficult to stay in the points race and it would seem, at this stage of the championship, that a sudden downturn in Japanese mechanical fortunes would be the only way Prost could get back into top contention. Worthy of mention is the role of a team-mate and, in particular, Mansell’s Williams-Honda prtner. Nelson Piquet (Brazil), a former double world champion, is partnering Mansell for a second season and is at present embroiled in a verbal, as well as driving, battle with his British team-mate. The Brazilian claimed recently that Mansell had no natural talent, a rather stupid remark when one considers the success Mansell has achieved since joining Williams two seasons ago. Such statements from

Piquet seem only to have hardened Mansell’s resolve, but the pair must be cautious and not let their egos get in the way of the job at hand, depriving Prost of his world title. Neither Prost nor Senna have any cause to worry about their respective team-mates, Stefan Johansson (Sweden) and Satoru Nakajima (Japan). Despite the occasional finish in the points this season, neither driver is really in the same league as their revered team leaders. As the teams prepare for the eighth round of the championship at Hockenheim, West Germany, next week-end, perhaps Prost can convince himself that he has the equipment to beat the Williams and Lotus cars on a circuit not noted for sheer speed and in so doing have the psychological advantage of being the most successful grand prrix winner of all time. This could then give the Frenchman the boost he needs in a torrid struggle that looks like being unresolved until the final round in Adelaide in November. GEORGE TANNER