RacingAyrton Senna beat Nigel Mansell by 0.014 seconds at Jerez, a photo finish at more than 320 km/h that ranks as the third-closest in Formula 1 history. Mansell had slashed a 19.186-second gap in eight laps on fresh tires, yet Senna’s Lotus held off the Williams by about 93 centimeters at the line.
Senna set the tone from the start. He launched from pole, Lotus’s 100th in Formula 1, and managed the race from the front as the order behind him shifted. Mansell lost ground early, then reset and carved forward. On lap 40 he grabbed the lead from Senna and began to edge clear, the Williams-Honda showing speed that looked set to decide it.
Then it unraveled. A slow puncture on lap 63 forced Mansell to surrender position to Senna and Alain Prost and dive in for tires. When he rejoined, only eight laps remained and Senna led by 19.186 seconds. The chase that followed gave the race its legend.
On new rubber, Mansell charged at more than two seconds per lap, set the fastest lap, and cut through everything in front of him. He cleared Prost for second on lap 69 and locked on to Senna’s fading Lotus, whose tires had reached their absolute limit. By the final lap the gap sat at 1.589 seconds. One clean exit could decide it.
Out of Turn 16, Senna chose the outside and protected the run. Mansell dived to the inside and fired the Williams onto the straight. They sprinted together toward the flag at over 320 km/h, almost wheel to wheel. The timing beam gave it to Senna by 0.014 seconds, about 93 centimeters, a margin recorded among the tightest finishes the sport has seen. It was Senna’s third career win.
Mansell, the Williams driver, said he was “satisfied” the duel was fair when asked afterwards about Senna’s defense, then could not resist a smile about the result. “They should give us seven-and-a-half points each, the average of the winner’s nine and second place’s six. Sorry, Frank, next time!” he said in post-race interviews, addressing team boss Frank Williams.
Senna, Lotus driver, described the strain of the day without any flourish. “From the green light to the flag, there was no time to think on anything else apart from driving as quick as possible,” he said in a later reflection on the race. The numbers, and that final drag to the line, backed him up.