Alain Prost, born Alain Marie Pascal Prost on February 24, 1955, is a French former racing driver and four-time Formula 1 World Champion. He won the Drivers' World Championship in 1985, 1986, 1989, and 1993, becoming the first French driver to achieve the title. Throughout his Formula 1 career, he competed in 199 Grands Prix, winning 51 races, securing 106 podium finishes, 33 pole positions, and 41 fastest laps. He accumulated 798.5 championship points under the scoring systems of his era. His driving style, characterized by tactical precision, consistency, and careful race management, earned him the nickname "The Professor." He competed for McLaren, Renault, Ferrari, and Williams, and his rivalry with Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna became one of the most significant in Formula 1 history.

Early Life and Family Background

Alain Prost was born on February 24, 1955, in Lorette, near Saint-Chamond, in the Loire department of France. His father, André Prost, was a French furniture manufacturer specializing in kitchen furnishings, while his mother, Marie-Rose Karatchian, was of Armenian descent.

He had a younger brother, Daniel Prost, who died of cancer in 1986.

During childhood, Prost was interested in several sports, including football, wrestling, roller skating, and other athletic activities. He initially considered pursuing a career as a professional footballer.

At the age of fourteen, he discovered kart racing during a family holiday. The experience changed his ambitions, and he began concentrating increasingly on motorsport.

By sixteen, he had saved money from working in his father's business and purchased his own go-kart. He subsequently began participating in competitive karting events.

Karting and Early Racing Career

In 1974, Alain Prost left school to concentrate entirely on racing. To support himself financially, he worked as a kart distributor and engine tuner while continuing to compete.

In 1975, he won the French senior karting championship, establishing himself as one of the country's promising young drivers.

The following year, he entered the French Formula Renault Championship and won twelve of thirteen races during his debut season, securing the 1976 title.

In 1977, Prost won the European Formula Renault Championship, demonstrating his ability to compete successfully in increasingly powerful racing cars.

He moved into Formula 3 in 1978 and won both the French and European Formula 3 championships in 1979.

His achievements attracted attention from several Formula 1 teams. Following successful testing, he signed with McLaren for the 1980 season.

Formula 1 Debut with McLaren (1980)

Alain Prost made his Formula 1 debut at the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires, driving for McLaren.

He finished sixth in his first race, earning a championship point under the scoring system used at the time.

Despite the promising beginning, his debut season was affected by mechanical problems and accidents. He suffered injuries including a concussion and a broken wrist.

McLaren was struggling competitively during the period, and Prost became dissatisfied with the team's technical performance and reliability.

At the end of 1980, he terminated his contract and joined the French manufacturer Renault, which was developing turbocharged Formula 1 engines.

Renault and First Grand Prix Victory (1981–1983)

Alain Prost joined Renault for the 1981 season and quickly established himself as a leading Formula 1 competitor.

On July 5, 1981, he achieved his first Formula 1 victory at the French Grand Prix, held at Dijon-Prenois.

He won two additional races that season, in the Netherlands and Italy, finishing fifth in the World Championship standings.

In 1982, Prost claimed two victories and finished fourth in the championship. His most competitive Renault season followed in 1983, when he won four races and challenged Nelson Piquet for the world title.

He eventually finished second in the championship, losing to Piquet by two points.

However, relations between Prost and Renault management deteriorated following the team's failure to win the championship. He was publicly criticized, and tensions involving the team's employees and supporters intensified.

In 1983, angry Renault workers reportedly protested outside his home and damaged one of his vehicles. Prost subsequently moved his family to Switzerland and returned to McLaren for the 1984 season.

McLaren and Three World Championships (1984–1989)

In 1984, Alain Prost returned to McLaren, where he became the teammate of Austrian world champion Niki Lauda.

Prost won seven races during the season but narrowly lost the championship to Lauda by half a point, one of the smallest margins in Formula 1 history.

In 1985, he won five Grands Prix and secured his first Formula 1 World Championship, becoming the first French driver to win the title.

He successfully defended his championship in 1986, defeating competitors including Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet. His decisive victory at the Australian Grand Prix secured his second consecutive title.

In 1987, Prost achieved his twenty-eighth Grand Prix victory, surpassing the record previously held by Jackie Stewart.

His most intense years at McLaren followed the arrival of Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna in 1988. With Honda engines, McLaren became the dominant team, winning fifteen of the sixteen races that season.

Senna won the 1988 Drivers' Championship, while Prost finished second despite collecting more total points before the application of the championship's dropped-score rules.

In 1989, Prost won his third World Championship. However, growing personal and professional tensions with Senna made their partnership increasingly difficult. Prost left McLaren at the end of the season and joined Ferrari.

Rivalry with Ayrton Senna

The rivalry between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna became one of the defining conflicts of Formula 1 during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The drivers possessed contrasting approaches to racing. Prost was widely associated with calculated decision-making, tire management, and consistency, while Senna became known for his aggressive qualifying performances and intense driving style.

Their relationship deteriorated during their time together at McLaren, particularly following disagreements about racing tactics and team management.

The conflict reached a critical point at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, where the two drivers collided while fighting for the championship. Senna continued racing but was subsequently disqualified, confirming Prost as world champion.

In 1990, the rivals collided again at Suzuka, this time at the first corner of the Japanese Grand Prix. Senna, driving for McLaren, and Prost, driving for Ferrari, were both eliminated from the race.

The collision secured the championship for Senna. He later acknowledged that his actions had been intentional, adding another controversial chapter to their rivalry.

Despite their competitive hostility, the relationship became less confrontational during the final period of Prost's driving career. Senna's death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix deeply affected Prost, who subsequently spoke about their shared history and mutual respect.

Ferrari Years (1990–1991)

In 1990, Alain Prost joined Ferrari and became a contender for the championship alongside teammate Nigel Mansell.

He won five Grands Prix during the season, including races in Brazil, Mexico, France, Britain, and Spain.

The championship battle against Ayrton Senna continued until the Japanese Grand Prix, where their collision ended Prost's hopes of winning a fourth title that season.

In 1991, Ferrari struggled with performance and technical reliability. Prost failed to win a race and openly criticized the team's car and management.

His comments intensified tensions with Ferrari executives, and the team dismissed him before the final race of the season.

With no suitable opportunity available for the following year, Prost decided not to compete in Formula 1 during 1992.

Final World Championship with Williams (1993)

After spending 1992 working as a television commentator, Alain Prost returned to Formula 1 in 1993 with Williams, driving the Williams-Renault FW15C.

The car was among the most technologically advanced of its era, incorporating sophisticated suspension and electronic systems.

Prost won seven races during the season and secured his fourth Drivers' World Championship, finishing ahead of Ayrton Senna and Damon Hill.

His victory at the 1993 German Grand Prix became the fifty-first and final Grand Prix win of his Formula 1 career.

He announced his retirement from competitive Formula 1 driving before the end of the season. His final race was the Australian Grand Prix on November 7, 1993.

At retirement, Prost held the Formula 1 records for Grand Prix victories, championship points, fastest laps, and several other statistical achievements. Many of these records were subsequently surpassed by drivers including Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

Prost Grand Prix and Team Ownership

Following his retirement, Alain Prost returned to television commentary and worked as an adviser and test driver for McLaren.

In 1997, he acquired the Ligier Formula 1 team and renamed it Prost Grand Prix.

The new team competed under his ownership from 1997 through 2001. Its drivers included Olivier Panis, Jarno Trulli, Jean Alesi, and Nick Heidfeld.

Although the team achieved several promising results, including a second-place finish for Panis at the 1997 Spanish Grand Prix, it struggled with financial difficulties, technical problems, and inconsistent competitiveness.

The team entered liquidation in early 2002 after failing to secure the financial support necessary to continue competing.

The experience marked the end of Prost's period as a Formula 1 team owner.

Ice Racing and Return to Motorsport

After leaving Formula 1 team ownership, Alain Prost continued participating in motorsport through the Trophée Andros, a French ice-racing championship.

He competed in the series from 2003 to 2012 and won three championships, in 2007, 2008, and 2012.

His victories demonstrated his ability to adapt to racing on snow and ice, where vehicle control and traction management differed substantially from Formula 1.

He also became involved in electric motorsport, co-founding the e.dams Formula E team with Jean-Paul Driot in 2013.

The team subsequently competed in the Formula E championship with Renault support, winning multiple teams' and drivers' championships during its early seasons.

Renault and Alpine Advisory Roles

Alain Prost maintained connections with Renault after retiring from Formula 1.

In 2017, he returned to the manufacturer's Formula 1 operation as a special adviser, contributing his racing experience to the team's development.

He later served as a non-executive director when the operation was rebranded as Alpine F1 Team in 2021.

His association with the organization ended in early 2022 following disagreements over the team's management and direction.

He has continued to participate in motorsport-related events, public appearances, and commentary concerning Formula 1.

Awards and Recognition

In 1985, Alain Prost was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur by French President François Mitterrand in recognition of his achievements in motorsport.

In 1988, the Grand Prix Drivers' Club awarded him the title Champion of Champions.

In 1993, he received an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) distinction from the United Kingdom.

In 1999, Prost was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, recognizing his four world championships and achievements in Formula 1.

He is widely remembered by the nickname "The Professor," reflecting his analytical approach to racing. Other nicknames included "The Calculator," "The King of Rio," for his five Brazilian Grand Prix victories at Jacarepaguá, and "The Fast Kid," a description attributed to Niki Lauda.

Personal Life and Family

Alain Prost married his childhood sweetheart, Anne-Marie Barges, in 1980. They had two sons, Nicolas Prost and Sacha Prost.

Nicolas followed his father into professional motorsport, competing in endurance racing and Formula E.

Prost also has a daughter, Victoria Prost, born in 1996 from his relationship with Bernadette Cottin.

His marriage to Anne-Marie ended in divorce in 2017.

Throughout his career, Prost maintained strong connections with France, while also spending periods living in Switzerland.

Formula 1 Career Statistics

World Championships: 4 (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993)
Formula 1 Seasons: 13 (1980–1991, 1993)
Grand Prix Entries: 202
Grand Prix Starts: 199
Grand Prix Victories: 51
Podium Finishes: 106
Pole Positions: 33
Fastest Laps: 41
Career Championship Points: 798.5
First Grand Prix: 1980 Argentine Grand Prix
First Victory: 1981 French Grand Prix
Final Victory: 1993 German Grand Prix
Final Grand Prix: 1993 Australian Grand Prix

Formula 1 Teams and Championship Results

1980 – McLaren – 16th place
1981 – Renault – 5th place
1982 – Renault – 4th place
1983 – Renault – 2nd place
1984 – McLaren – 2nd place
1985 – McLaren – World Champion
1986 – McLaren – World Champion
1987 – McLaren – 4th place
1988 – McLaren – 2nd place
1989 – McLaren – World Champion
1990 – Ferrari – 2nd place
1991 – Ferrari – 5th place
1992 – Did not compete
1993 – Williams – World Champion

Selected Honors and Championships

1975 – French Senior Karting Champion
1976 – French Formula Renault Champion
1977 – European Formula Renault Champion
1979 – French Formula 3 Champion
1979 – European Formula 3 Champion
1985 – Formula 1 World Champion
1985 – Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur
1986 – Formula 1 World Champion
1988 – Champion of Champions, Grand Prix Drivers' Club
1989 – Formula 1 World Champion
1993 – Formula 1 World Champion
1993 – Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1999 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
2007 – Trophée Andros Champion
2008 – Trophée Andros Champion
2012 – Trophée Andros Champion

Source: Biyografiler.com