Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Senna!
Although Netflix’sSennais all about Formula One legend Ayrton Senna, fellow driver Alain Prost also plays a major role in the series, and here’s what happened to him after his time in the show. Senna is one of the most famous and impactful Formula One drivers of all time, although much of his career was defined by his rivalry with Prost. Although Senna tragically passed away after an unfortunate crash during a race in 1994, Alain Prost lived on,with his life having a lot in store after what was shown in Netflix’sSenna.
Netflix’s biographical miniseriesSennais now streaming, with it introducing a whole new base of fans to the world of one of Formula One’s most successful drivers. The series followsGabriel Leone as Ayrton Senna, the titular driver, with it delving into the personal and professional story of his life in the sport. However,Sennaalso highlights several of the other drivers who were in Senna’s circle of influence, such as his fierce rival and former teammate Alain Prost. Prost’s career and legacy is just as great as Senna’s, and here is a full breakdown of his career and the aftermath of their rivalry.
Alain Prost’s Career In Formula One Explained
He Joined McLaren Before Senna
Prost won several Formula Three titles in the late 1970s, leading to several Formula One teams eyeing him as a potential driver. Prost signed on with the McLaren team for the 1980 season, with him scoring in his first race. However, Prost decided to leave McLaren after his first season, citing the fact that he felt like he was blamed for several accidents.Prost then joined the Renault team in 1981, with him winning several Grand Prix races. However, conflicts between Prost and Renault led to the team firing him after the 1983 season.
Prost then re-signed with McLaren, with him racing with his original Formula One team from 1984 to 1989. At this time, Prost was racing against Ayrton Senna while he was on the Toleman team, although they wouldn’t be teammates until Senna joined McLaren in 1988. Prost flourished while with McLaren, with him becoming the first French Formula One World Champion in 1985, with him winning many of the races that he competed in during the 1985 season. Prost’s popularity increased during this period, with this continuing into 1988.
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In 1988, Senna joined McLaren, causing the duo’s rivalry to heat up. Prost actually suggested Senna for the team, adding a bit of irony to their rivalry. Senna barely beat Prost to become the 1988 World Champion, with the duo being neck and neck for many of the seasons that they raced together. Senna and Prost’s firstcontroversial Formula One crashoccurred at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, with Prost refusing to let Senna pass him on the inside.
The controversies surrounding Senna and Prost’s unhappiness with McLaren led to him finally leaving the team. Prost then joined Ferrari for the 1990 season, leading to the second controversial crash to feature Senna and Prost at the Japanese Grand Prix. After the 1991 season, Prost left the Ferarri team and took the 1992 season off.Prost then returned to the world of Formula One in 1993, with him joining the Williams team and winning his fourth and final title.
Alain Prost Retired In 1993 And Became A Media Presenter
He Stuck Around The World Of Formula One
After the 1993 season, McLaren tried to get Alain Prost to re-sign with them for the 1994 season. However, after 51 wins, 106 podiums, 33 pole positions, 41 fastest laps, and four world championships, Prost decided to retire for good. Although Prost was done racing, however, he was far from done with the world of Formula One. In 1994, Prost became a media presenter for the French TV channel TF1, with him also doing promotional work for Renault. Prost then became a technical adviser for McLaren, with him finally returning to his old team.
From Prost’s 1993 retirement until 1997,there was lots of speculation surrounding whether Prost would ever return to racing. Several teams had tried to re-sign the driver, and many industry professionals believed that Prost was going to try and start his own team. Prost had already floated the idea all the way back in 1989, with this being one of his ideas that resulted from his rivalry with Senna. However, Prost maintained his pundit job for several years, although he wasn’t destined to do this forever.
Alain Prost Started His Own F1 Team, The Prost Grand Prix, In 1997
& It Lasted Until 2002
Alain Prost soon began work onstarting his own racing team, with him requesting engines from Renault. However, he was denied, leading to him buying the Ligier team in 1997. As the new owner, Prost changed the name from Ligier to Prost Grand Prix, with him signing a deal with manufacturer Peugeot to supply the team with engines until the year 2000. Prost kept Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis from Ligier, although he also signed new drivers to the team.
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Prost named his cars the Prost JS45, with the team getting two points at the Australian Grand Prix in its debut. In its first season, Prost Grand Prix scored 21 points and ended sixth in the Constructors' Championship.The Prost team continued finding successin the 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 seasons. However, the money ran dry ahead of the 2002 season. Prost Grand Prix then went bankrupt, leading to the untimely end of the racing team.
What Alain Prost Is Doing Today
He Is Still Involved With Racing
Alain Prost is still alive today, with him being 69 years old as of the writing of this article. Prost began bicycle racing in 2002, with him finding success in this field from then until 2014.Prost also began sitting on the steward’s panel for Formula One races during the 2010 season, with him competing in a legacy race that same year. Prost also became Renault’s international ambassador in 2012.
Prost has been in a non-executive director role with Renault Sport since 2019. Prost continued in this role until 2022, with the Renault Formula One Team being renamed the Alpine F1 Team. Prost was married to Anne-Marie Barges from 1980 until 2017, with him having three children. Despite continuing to be retired, Prost can still be seen involved with Formula One races every once in a while, withthe release of Netflix’sSennaputting the spotlight on the driver once again.
Senna
Cast
Senna is a biographical drama series directed by Vicente Amorim, chronicling the life and career of Brazilian Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna. The series offers an in-depth look at Senna’s rise in the racing world, his personal challenges, and the impact of his legacy on the sport.
