Can anyone explain to me why in 1989, Prost didn't give way? Yes yes, he didn't have to, but if you know this is how crazy senna is, why risk it? This is what boggles me about the history here. Prost KNEW senna was dangerous, wreckless, and if he could show you a wheel he would leave up to you to decide your out come.
I haven't really read much into prost, or really senna for that matter other than what I've seen on top gear and maybe some vintage footage, but Prost seems like a very decisive driver, and very calm and thought out. It didn't make since to me why he would risk that, he was still ahead of Ayrton in 1989, I thought, so duke it out don't let him wreck you.
Then in 1990, and please don't mistake what I am about to say as defending Senna here, but Senna IN THE PUBLIC EYE said what he was going to do. To me, it just seems like Prost was tired of the BS and Drama and threw in the towel, when he could have played it safe, go for the corner if it looked like senna was going to play a little dirty back off, and fight the rest of the match like he was so amazing at doing.
Doing it that way at least would show you played your best!
Im gonna be unbiased cause i really do love Senna and Prost, both of them, when i dont come across as a Senna fan its cause i like Prost more and moreso cause somebody is hatin on me cause i dont conform to the popular opinion, its become so cult-like these days you are driven out of forums and such with pitchforks and lighted clubs if you as much as joke Senna isnt untouchable, he was. So here we go
Prost was one of the few drivers that didnt let Sennas mind games win half the battle, Senna isnt given enough credit for how his attitude won him so much, drivers leaping out of the way for you to do a quali lap, no other driver was given that treatment, how many poles would Senna have got if drivers told him to do one, less then what he achieved for sure only by like one at a push two DIRECTLY but knowing youve got a clear track no matter when you go out, priceless. Most drivers when fighting Senna knew hed try something risky, like drivers that take on schumacher know, so most of the time the battle was won before the cars reached each other, Senna knew this, he pounded out comments like a genius to let people know it. Prost had none of it his whole career, if Senna wanted to try the move, Prost was gonna stick to the textbook, defend his line. Also, whether Prost was aware of it or not, likely was, he knew if they both DNF'd, hed win the WDC, if anything Senna gave Prost the chance to win it rather then took it away from him.
Naturally gotta disagree with you on 1990. Balestre favoured Prost clearly, disgracefully, and unsportsmanshiply, but if Senna was the God made out to be by everyone, and the devout Christian with extrememoral values, hed of fought back until the last lap he could then taken Prost out if he hadnt passed him already, to show Balestre his bias caused this. Prost of course didnt deserve any of it, but vengeance has no compassion. If anyone, and anyone did, throw in the towel it was Senna, who knew the moment he was beaten to turn 1, Prost was going to win. a championship robbed.
In the end i think the legend of Senna speaks for itself it his greatness, but the titles no matter if Senna had got more, say a lot to me about what F1 wants to tell us about these two drivers, Prost was in contention for i think 8 titles, of which one he missed out by .5 of a point! Against numerous champions such as Senna, Mansell, Lauda, Piquet, Both of them could do things the other couldnt, nor has any other driver bbefore or since. Both deserve maximum respect, i can only hope once Prost does join Senna in the racing god heaven, that his memory isnt tarnished by his rivalry with Senna and survival wheras Senna did not.
Alain Prost - Lewis Hamilton - Kamui Kobayashi - Fernando Alonso - Kimi Raikkonnen - Jenson Button