1993 European Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 3 of 16 in the 1993 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | April 11, 1993 | ||
| Official name | XXXVIII Sega European Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Donington Park, Leicestershire, UK | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.023 km (2.500 mi) | ||
| Distance | 76 laps, 305.748 km (190.000 mi) | ||
| Weather | Rain with dry spells | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Renault | ||
| Time | 1:10.458 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Ayrton Senna
|
McLaren-Ford | |
| Time | 1:18.029 (lap record) on lap 57 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | McLaren-Ford | ||
| Second | Williams-Renault | ||
| Third | Williams-Renault | ||
The 1993 European Grand Prix (formally the XXXVIII Sega European Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 11 April 1993 at Donington Park. It was the third round of the 1993 Formula One season. The race was contested over 76 laps and was won by Ayrton Senna for the McLaren team, ahead of second-placed Damon Hill and third-placed Alain Prost, both driving for the Williams team.
Senna's drive to victory is regarded as one of his finest, and his first lap exploits are particularly lauded, in which he passed four drivers—Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Damon Hill and Alain Prost—to take the lead in a single lap in torrential rain conditions. The race was the first held under the European Grand Prix title since 1985, and to date is the only Formula One grand prix to have been held at the Donington Park circuit.
After plans to hold an Asian Grand Prix at the Nippon Autopolis in Japan failed to materialise, the first European Grand Prix for eight years was run as the third race of the 1993 season. Donington Park was awarded the race, having unsuccessfully bid to host the British Grand Prix. Videogame company Sega sponsored the race and the logo could be seen throughout the Grand Prix and on the podium. Sega also had naming rights to the Grand Prix.
The Williams cars were 1–2 in qualifying with Prost on pole ahead of Hill, Schumacher, Senna, Wendlinger and Andretti. At the start, it was damp and Schumacher blocked Senna and both lost time and Wendlinger took third. Having dropped to fifth, Senna quickly passed Schumacher at the third corner. He then went after Wendlinger, passing him through the Craner Curves with Schumacher and Andretti trying to follow through. Schumacher went through but Andretti hit Wendlinger and both were out. Senna went after Hill now and took second at McLean's Corner. Now Prost was the target and the lead was taken at the penultimate corner – the Melbourne Hairpin. Going into the second lap, Senna led Prost, Hill, Barrichello (who had started 12th), Alesi, Schumacher and Lehto.
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