Formula One 1989 Trivia Quiz

Answer: 38

38 drivers in 20 teams attempted to go for the 26 grid spots. There were so many cars, in fact, that a pre-qualifying system was introduced, in which 13 cars participated in a cut-throat 30 minute session on Friday morning with only 4 being allowed into qualifying proper.

Answer: Brabham

After being sold by Bernie Ecclestone at the end of 1987, certain team assets were acquired by a Swiss financier, Joachim Luthi, and the team re-appeared on the grid. However, Luthi was jailed by season's end for massive tax fraud and the team was sold to the Middlebridge Company.

Answer: False

Mario Andretti was the first driver to win a race for Ferrari in his debut for the team, at the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1971. Nigel Mansell was the second driver to win on his debut for the Ferrari team at the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Answer: Tamburello

The Tamburello curve at Imola was a fearsome flat-out left-hander just after the start-finish straight, a corner that required maximum commitment, a tonne of bravery and complete confidence in the car. Unfortunately, Berger suffered a mechanical problem that pitched his car off the road and his car slammed into the concrete wall, bursting into flames. Thankfully, the marshals were on the scene in seconds and the flames were out quick as a flash, and Gerhard only suffered minor injuries. Tamburello was re-configured after the fatal crash of Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Answer: Stefano Modena

Stefano Modena put Brabham back on the podium in 1989 with a wonderful level-headed drive after starting 8th on the grid. Team-mate Martin Brundle was originally looking good for third until a battery problem dropped him down the field, eventually finishing sixth.

Answer: A.G.S.

After qualifying an incredible 17th, Tarquini drove a brilliant race to climb through the field and eventually finished in sixth position for A.G.S., his and the team's only point they would score in Formula One.

Answer: 9

Nine cars were classified at race end, although only eight saw the chequered flag, Andrea de Cesaris in eighth out with a fuel pump problem, although Jonathan Palmer in ninth finished six laps down. Alain Prost won the race from Riccardo Patrese with Eddie Cheever in third.

Answer: Illegal start from pits

As the cars completed their pace lap, Nannini and Mansell ducked into the pits to change tyres. Approaching the pit exit, there was no red light, so figuring the race had started, they exited the pitlane as the rest of the cars sat on the grid. The two cars were immediately disqualified.

Answer: 16th

Alesi drove a positively brilliant race, dicing with everyone and anyone during the race, and at one stage was even as high as third place, and only lost that during the last few laps as Patrese recovered from a spin. It certainly grabbed the attention of many teams...

Answer: 5th and 6th

The three points earned by the team at Silverstone meant Pierluigi Martini and Luis Perez Sala would no longer have to pre-qualify on a Friday morning. The double-points finish remains the only time Minardi have ever had both cars finish in the points.

Answer: Alain Prost

Alain Prost led 23 laps of the German Grand Prix, leading laps 20-42. Ayrton Senna led 22 laps, laps 1-19 and laps 43-45. McLaren-Honda also took pole position and fastest lap, both of which were claimed by Senna.

Answer: Onyx

After the highs of driving for Ferrari and McLaren, Johansson's career was drifting, suffering a horror year at Ligier in 1988 and things were only slightly better at Onyx in 1989, where at least he would stand on the podium later on in the year at Estoril.

Answer: 1.82 seconds

In cool, wet/dry conditions, Senna only just held off a charging Alain Prost, who likewise had Nigel Mansell breathing down his neck. The three crossed the line separated by only 1.82 seconds, one of the closest finishes between the top three in years.

Answer: No Brakes

After losing his nosecone on the opening lap, Nannini was sensational as he charged through the field, and had just hauled himself into the points when he had to go into the pits again, this time for good - all that out-braking other cars at the chicane had left him with no brakes.

Answer: 40

It was a moment to savour for the tiny Italian team, and one Minardi fans always talk about. It was more to do with pitstops than anything and it was only the one solitary lap, but Martini had been on top form all year and the Minardi-Ford was a neat little car. Lap 40, Estoril, Sept. 24 1989 holds a special place in the hearts of all Minardi fans.

Answer: 2. Berger 3. Prost

Team-mate Alain Prost simply had no answer to the dominance of Senna, while Gerhard Berger continued his run of recent good form, but Senna was just a class above all weekend.

Answer: 46

Senna had taken pole position, but it was Prost who led the majority of the race, although Senna was never far behind. On lap 46, Senna made his move for the lead at the chicance, and it is here that opinion is divided. Some say Prost turned in on the Brazilian and caused the accident, while others say Senna was never going to make the corner and simply took out his team-mate. Whatever the case, Prost retired, Senna was push-started, 'won', was subsequently disqualified for a push-start and the eventual winner of the race was Alessandro Nannini.

Answer: Satoru Nakajima

In appalling wet conditions with the track resembling a skating rink, new world champion Alain Prost called it quits after one lap, Ayrton Senna crashed into the back of Brundle while plenty of other cars spun out in the wet. Boutsen eventually won while Nakajima finished fourth and set fastest lap, the only one of his career.

Answer: 29

Alain Prost, as champion, scored 81 points, while on 1 point were Luis Perez Sala, Philippe Alliot, Gabriele Tarquini and Olivier Grouillard.

Answer: 4

J.J Lehto, Enrico Bertaggia (never qualified), Martin Donnelly, and Eric Bernard also made their Formula One debuts during 1989. The 1989 F3000 would produce a bunch of drivers who would reach Formula One in 1990 or after - Gary Brabham (1990 - never qualified), Martin Donnelly (1990), Jean-Denis Deletraz (1994), Marco Apicella (1993 - one race), Eric van der Poele (1991), Pedro Chaves (1991 - never qualified), Damon Hill (1992), Ukyo Katayama (1992), Eddie Irvine (1993), Allan McNish (2002), 1990 F3000 Champion Eric Comas (1991), Mark Blundell (1993), Paul Belmondo (1992), Andrea Chiesa (1992), Emanuele Naspetti (1992), Alessandro Zanardi (1991), Perry McCarthy (1992 - never qualified) and Claudio Langes (1990 - never qualified) all going on to Formula One in the future.