1988 - F1 Season ((exclusive))

Senna sat in the gravel, engine dead. Then, impossibly, marshals appeared. They pushed him. The engine caught. He rejoined the track dead last, 20 seconds behind.

By mid-season, McLaren had won every race. The constructors' title was a foregone conclusion. But between the two drivers, a cold war had turned hot. In private, Ron Dennis, the team principal, tried to play peacemaker. "You are driving for McLaren," he said. "Not against each other." But Senna had stopped sharing setup data. Prost had stopped acknowledging him in the briefings. 1988 f1 season

"I mean survival," Prost said. "We are in the same car. If we take each other out, the title goes to…" he gestured vaguely, "…Gerhard Berger. Or God forbid, a Williams." Senna sat in the gravel, engine dead

Senna won the race. He punched the air as he crossed the line. He was the world champion. The engine caught

The start was clean. Senna led into the first corner. Prost tucked behind, waiting, measuring. Lap 1, the Casio Triangle chicane. Senna braked later than physics should allow. Prost, caught off guard, understeered slightly and tapped Senna's rear wheel. The Brazilian's car snapped sideways, then spun into the gravel trap. Prost continued, his front wing askew.

At Silverstone, Prost complained of a "lack of grip" and finished second to Senna. At Hockenheim, Senna's engine blew while leading, and Prost won again. The points gap widened. Prost, the mathematician, knew that even with Senna winning the remaining races, he could clinch the title by finishing second. Senna, the artist, only knew that he had to win everything.

"Rules are rules," Prost said to the cameras.