1985 European Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 14 of 16 in the 1985 Formula One season | |||
 |
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| Date | October 6, 1985 | ||
| Official name | XXXVII Shell Oils Grand Prix of Europe | ||
| Location | Brands Hatch, Kent, United Kingdom | ||
| Course | Permanent Racing Facility | ||
| Course length | 4.206 km (2.61 mi) | ||
| Distance | 75 laps, 315.5 km (195.8 mi) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Lotus-Renault | ||
| Time | 1:07.169 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Jacques Laffite
|
Ligier-Renault | |
| Time | 1:11.526 on lap 55 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Williams-Honda | ||
| Second | Lotus-Renault | ||
| Third | Williams-Honda | ||
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The 1985 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on October 6, 1985. It was the fourteenth round of the 1985 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Ayrton Senna got pole position for the 6th time in the season, averaging 140.106 mph (225.479 km/h), the first time anyone had lapped the circuit faster than 140 mph. Second was Nelson Piquet, followed by the Williams-Hondas of Nigel Mansell and Keke Rosberg.
McLaren's defending World Champion Niki Lauda was still unfit to race due to the wrist injury he suffered in Belgium and was replaced by former driver John Watson in what would be his last start in Formula One. Watson qualified 21st and in his first F1 race since the 1983 season ending South African Grand Prix finished 7th, only 2 laps down and less than a second behind 6th placed Thierry Boutsen. Tyrrell were back to a two car team for the race with Italian rookie Ivan Capelli replacing the late Stefan Bellof for his first start in Formula One.
After a very poor start that dropped him to 14th, Alain Prost climbed 8 places in 10 laps, went down the field again to 9th, and climbed another 5 places, breaking the lap record 3 times in the process. He eventually went up to 4th place and in the process, clinched his first World Drivers' Championship, and Nigel Mansell took his first race win. Keke Rosberg took 3rd despite losing a full lap after a collision with Nelson Piquet caused by Ayrton Senna, who finished 2nd. Marc Surer was in second position for Brabham until a late, and dramatic turbo failure.
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