1989 French Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 7 of 16 in the 1989 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | 9 July 1989 | ||
| Official name | LXXV Rhône-Poulenc Grand Prix de France | ||
| Location |
Circuit Paul Ricard France |
||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 3.813 km (2.369 mi) | ||
| Distance | 80 laps, 305.04 km (189.543 mi) | ||
| Weather | Hot, dry, sunny | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Time | 1:07.203 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Maurício Gugelmin
|
March-Judd | |
| Time | 1:12.090 on lap 29 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | McLaren-Honda | ||
| Second | Ferrari | ||
| Third | Williams-Renault | ||
The 1989 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Paul Ricard on 9 July 1989.
In a press conference before the weekend, Alain Prost announced that he would be leaving McLaren at the end of the season with the speculation being (which ultimately proved to be correct) that he would join Ferrari in 1990.
The race saw four drivers replaced by drivers making their first Formula One start: Jordan Formula 3000 driver Jean Alesi replaced Michele Alboreto at Tyrrell after a rumoured contract dispute (Alboreto was personally sponsored by Marlboro and team boss Ken Tyrrell had signed their rival Camel as the team's major sponsor. Ironically Alboreto lost his Marlboro backing soon after). Éric Bernard replaced Yannick Dalmas at Larrousse after it was discovered that Dalmas was still suffering the effects of Legionnaires' disease, and Lotus test driver Martin Donnelly (on the recommendation of Derek Warwick) replaced Warwick at Arrows for one race after Warwick injured his back in a Kart race.
Another new face was McLaren test driver Emanuele Pirro who replaced Johnny Herbert at Benetton after it was decided Herbert needed more recovery time from his leg and ankle injuries suffered at Brands Hatch in 1988 (Herbert and Benetton found that he still could not push hard on the brakes which meant early braking resulting in slower lap times). Pirro's appointment caused some unhappy faces among Benetton team management who allegedly had wanted a British driver to replace Herbert. They were overruled however by the team owners, the Italian Benetton Group who wanted an Italian driver. Pirro, who had been based in Japan to test for McLaren and be close to Honda as well as driving a BMW M3 touring car for the factory backed Schnitzer Motorsport in the German DTM series, was signed on short notice and despite having to catch an international flight and a sleepless few days, was reportedly just happy to be there. As a contracted McLaren test driver, Pirro needed permission to race for another Formula One Team, though McLaren boss Ron Dennis offered no objection to the move. Despite being allegedly unhappy, the Benetton team would become very impressed with Pirro's testing abilities as he helped sort out the new Benetton B189 which Alessandro Nannini debuted in France. Pirro continued to drive the older B188 until a second B189 was made available two races later in Germany.
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