Fans that are new to F1 are used to opening the season in Australia around the historic Albert Park in Melbourne, but your parents may remember a different setting for F1 in Australia, one carrying more drama along with it.
1986 saw the Williams duo of Piquet and Mansell as well as the legendary Alain Prost dueling it out for the glory of the greatest trophy in motorsport. This tumultuous battle would hit its boiling point in the land down under in Adelaide.
Early troubles saw Piquet spin leaving the title almost certainly in the hands of his Williams teammate as he would have to battle back through the field but as luck would have it, Prost would suffer a puncture dropping him to 4th.
The late Ayrton Senna would retire with 25 to go and the three title combatants would restart 2nd, 3rd, and 4th with Mansell the leader of the three.
With only so much time to go, surely the title was Mansell’s, until his right rear tire would decide to part ways the the car retiring him from the race.
William’s in a panic would opt to pit Piquet, taking him out of contention. From there, Prost would keep things clean until the end of the race where he would take the checkered flag as well as the title, defying the dominance Williams showed all season and bringing a title home to France.
The Fastest Sector 