San Marino Grand Prix 1989 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Ayrton Senna bounced back from the Brazilian Grand Prix disappointment to claim victory at Imola's San Marino Grand Prix, leading teammate Alain Prost home for McLaren's first one-two finish of 1989. The Brazilian controlled the race from pole position, demonstrating the MP4/5's superiority on the flowing Italian circuit. Alessandro Nannini completed the podium for Benetton, securing a solid result that confirmed the team's competitiveness with Ford power and driver talent.

The San Marino Grand Prix highlighted the deteriorating relationship between Senna and Prost, as tensions from 1988's championship battle continued to simmer. The teammates raced each other hard despite team orders to preserve their cars, foreshadowing the explosive confrontations that would come later in the season. Senna's victory restored his championship momentum after Brazil, while demonstrating that McLaren-Honda remained Formula 1's dominant force despite Ferrari's improving competitiveness. The race was run under the shadow of continuing political battles within FISA about turbo bans and technical regulations.