1992 French Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 8 of 16 in the 1992 Formula One season | |||
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| Date | 5 July 1992 | ||
| Location | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours, France | ||
| Course | Permanent circuit | ||
| Course length | 4.250 km (2.651 mi) | ||
| Distance | 69 laps, 293.250 km (182.938 mi) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 72 laps, 306.000 km (190.892 mi mi) | ||
| Weather | Dry, then raining | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Renault | ||
| Time | 1:13.864 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Nigel Mansell
|
Williams-Renault | |
| Time | 1:17.070 on lap 37 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Williams-Renault | ||
| Second | Williams-Renault | ||
| Third | Benetton-Ford | ||
The 1992 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Magny-Cours on 5 July 1992. It was the eighth round of the 1992 Formula One season.
A lorry driver blockade meant the Andrea Moda Formula team did not appear at this race. Every other team was also affected but all managed to make their way to the circuit and compete in the race.
Both Williams cars qualified ahead of the McLarens with Nigel Mansell in pole position ahead of his teammate Riccardo Patrese, Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger, Michael Schumacher and Frenchman Jean Alesi. At the start, Patrese got by Mansell while Berger got ahead of Senna and Martin Brundle was able to sneak by Alesi. At the Adelaide hairpin, Schumacher tried to pass Senna but instead hit him, taking Senna out and forcing himself to pit. Meanwhile, Patrese and Mansell were side by side but Patrese kept the lead. Patrese led Mansell, Berger, Brundle, Alesi and Häkkinen.
Nothing changed until lap 11 when Berger's engine failed. Soon afterwards it began to rain so heavily that the race was stopped. After some time the rain decreased and the grid formed up again. The race would be decided on the aggregate times of both parts of the race. Patrese took the lead again with Alesi getting ahead of Mika Häkkinen's Lotus as well. Mansell tried to pass his teammate again but Patrese defended and once again kept the lead. Further back, Schumacher again tried too hard, hitting Stefano Modena in the Jordan, dropping out of the race with a broken front suspension. Patrese led Mansell, Brundle, Alesi, Häkkinen and Comas on aggregate. Patrese then waved Mansell through on track and soon Mansell got ahead on aggregate. When Patrese was quizzed after the race on whether team orders existed in the Williams team he refused to comment.
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