Race details | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 1 of 16 in the 1993 Formula One season | |||
Date | 14 March 1993 | ||
Location | Kyalami, South Africa | ||
Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
Course length | 4.261 km (2.658 mi) | ||
Distance | 72 laps, 306.792 km (191.386 mi) | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Williams-Renault | ||
Time | 1:15.696 | ||
Fastest lap | |||
Driver | Alain Prost | Williams-Renault | |
Time | 1:19.492 on lap 40 | ||
Podium | |||
First | Williams-Renault | ||
Second | McLaren-Ford | ||
Third | Ligier-Renault |
The 1993 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 14 March 1993. It was the first round of the 1993 Formula One season.
The season started off in Kyalami where Prost took pole ahead of Senna, Schumacher, Hill, Alesi and Lehto, impressing in Sauber's first Grand Prix. At the start, Prost was poor and Senna and Hill (who was already ahead of Schumacher) got ahead of him. Then, Hill spun in front of Prost and dropped well down the field, Prost being forced to back off and let Schumacher through to second. Senna led Schumacher, Prost, Lehto, Wendlinger and Alesi at the end of lap one.
Prost attacked Schumacher, took second on lap 13 and set off after Senna. Five laps later, he attacked into the first corner but Senna took the inside and defended. However, Senna could not do anything when Prost attacked on lap 25 with the inside line. He took the lead and motored off. Schumacher also passed Senna to take second soon after. Both of them pitted unlike Prost, but Senna was quicker and rejoined ahead.
Schumacher was in no mood to stay third and attacked Senna on lap 40. There was minor contact and Schumacher spun off into retirement. Patrese was third but he too spun off on lap 47 just as Christian Fittipaldi passed Lehto. Prost won from Senna, Blundell, Fittipaldi, Lehto and Berger (he was out but was classified sixth).