Ayrton Senna secured his fourth Belgian Grand Prix victory and fifth win of the 1990 season, extending his championship lead over Alain Prost.
Key Facts
- Race distance
- 301 kilometres over 44 laps
- Circuit length
- 7 kilometres
- Championship round
- 11th of 1990 Formula One season
- Winning margin
- Four seconds
- Belgian GP edition
- 48th Belgian Grand Prix
- Aborted starts
- Two red-flagged starts before race began
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1990 Formula One World Championship season was underway, with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost locked in a close title battle. The race at Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit reshaped after 1979 redevelopment, drew teams including McLaren, Ferrari, and smaller outfits such as Leyton House, though the Onyx team withdrew before the weekend due to financial difficulties.
Held on 26 August 1990, the race required three start attempts after two red-flag stoppages caused by collisions involving Aguri Suzuki and Paolo Barilla. Senna ultimately won in his McLaren MP4/5B by four seconds over Prost's Ferrari 641, with Gerhard Berger third and Maurício Gugelmin scoring a single championship point for Leyton House.
Senna's victory was his fourth consecutive win at Spa and his fifth of the season, reinforcing his advantage in the drivers' championship standings. Off-track, speculation grew about Nigel Mansell reversing his retirement decision and joining Williams, while the Onyx team's exit reduced the field, reflecting financial pressures affecting smaller Formula One constructors.