1990 Formula One season

The 1990 Formula One season was the 44th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1990 FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on 11 March 1990 and ended on 4 November after sixteen races. Ayrton Senna won the Drivers' Championship for the second time, and McLaren won the Constructors' Championship.

The championship featured a dramatic battle between Senna and former teammate Alain Prost who had made the switch to Ferrari. Prost mounted Ferrari's first title challenge for several years, and led the championship after three consecutive mid-season wins. Senna fought back strongly and led the championship going into the penultimate round in Japan. Senna lost the start from pole and appeared to deliberately take Prost out in the first corner. Senna admitted a year later that he was furious Prost had been able to start on the clean side of the grid and said that he was not going to allow him to 'make the corner' should he lose the start with FIA president Jean-Marie Balestre being furious with Senna. In spite of Senna causing the collision, no action was taken. However, with him sealing the title the only action that would have punished him would have been to exclude Senna from the championship. This was the second year in succession the two of them had collided at the track.

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1990 FIA Formula One World Championship.

McLaren retained Ayrton Senna, who had won the title in 1988, now partnered by Gerhard Berger. Ferrari signed Alain Prost, Senna's great rival and former teammate, to partner Nigel Mansell. The other main team, Williams, retained their 1989 pairing of Thierry Boutsen and Riccardo Patrese. Benetton completed the signing of triple world champion Nelson Piquet, on a rumored incentive based contract of $100,000 per point scored following 2 disappointing years at Lotus in 1988 and 1989. meaning he had to score points to actually be paid. His teammate was Alessandro Nannini who was now entering his third year with the team.

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