1986 F1 Season

The 1986 Formula One World Championship, marking the 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing, was a year of intense rivalry and dramatic conclusions. Alain Prost, driving for McLaren, won his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship in a season that spanned from 23 March to 26 October, encompassing sixteen races. The championship battle culminated in a memorable finale at the Australian Grand Prix, where a dramatic tyre explosion for Nigel Mansell and a precautionary pit stop for Nelson Piquet allowed Prost to clinch the title. Mansell, driving for Williams, finished as the runner-up, while his teammate Piquet secured third place in the championship.

The 1986 season was significant for being the final year for Renault as an engine supplier until their return in 1989. The championship was dominated by the “Gang of Four” – Prost, Mansell, Piquet, and Lotus’ Ayrton Senna, who showcased their skill and competitiveness throughout the season. This year also marked the first time turbocharged engines were compulsory, leading to some of the most powerful cars in Formula One history. The engines, particularly the BMW M12/13, were capable of producing over 1,350 horsepower in qualifying trim, pushing the cars to their absolute limits. The season was also notable for the retirements of former World Champions Alan Jones and Keke Rosberg, as well as the tragic death of Elio de Angelis in a testing accident. The 1986 championship saw the introduction of the Hungarian Grand Prix and the return of the Mexican and Spanish Grands Prix, adding to the global appeal and challenge of the Formula One calendar.