Editing Alain Prost (section)

==Formula One==

===McLaren (1980)===
After winning the European Formula Three title, Prost was courted by Formula One teams [[McLaren]], [[Brabham]], and [[Équipe Ligier|Ligier]].<ref name=":10" /> After impressing McLaren team boss [[Teddy Mayer]] at a test drive, McLaren signed him for the [[1980 Formula One season|1980 season]]. He was paired with Ulsterman [[John Watson (racing driver)|John Watson]].<ref name=":2" />

Prost's career started promisingly. On his debut in [[1980 Argentine Grand Prix|Buenos Aires]], he accomplished the rare achievement of scoring in his first race, earning one point for finishing sixth.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /> From 1973 to 1993, only two other drivers earned points in their maiden race ([[Johnny Herbert]] and [[Jean Alesi]]). However, Prost finished 15th in the Drivers' Championship with five points (one point behind the veteran Watson), scoring at Buenos Aires, [[1980 Brazilian Grand Prix|Interlagos]], [[1980 British Grand Prix|Brands Hatch]] and [[1980 Dutch Grand Prix|Zandvoort]]. He had several accidents, breaking his wrist during practice at [[1980 South African Grand Prix|Kyalami]] and suffering a [[concussion of the brain|concussion]] during practice at [[1980 United States Grand Prix|Watkins Glen]]. He also retired from the previous round in [[1980 Canadian Grand Prix|Montreal]] a week earlier because of rear suspension failure.

At the end of the season, despite having two years remaining on his contract, he left McLaren and signed with [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]. Prost later explained that he left because the car frequently broke down and because he felt the team blamed him for several accidents.{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=126}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Melsher|first=David|date=7 July 2014|title=Alain Prost – McLaren (1980)|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2000/28/alain-prost-mclaren|access-date=8 February 2021|website=Motor Sport Magazine|language=en-GB|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209004746/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2000/28/alain-prost-mclaren|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="GP Encyclopedia" /> According to Watson, Mayer had initially wanted to sign [[Kevin Cogan]] but Marlboro insisted on Prost.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hamilton |first=Maurice |title=Alain Prost |date=2015-09-24 |publisher=Bonnier Publishing Ltd. |isbn=978-1905825981 |page=49}}</ref> Prost would not return to McLaren until 1984, after [[Ron Dennis]] assumed full control of the team.

===Renault (1981–1983)===
Prost was partnered with [[Formula One drivers from France|fellow Frenchman]] [[René Arnoux]] for {{F1|1981}}. Motor sports author [[Nigel Roebuck]] reports that there were problems between Prost and Arnoux from the start of the season, Prost being immediately quicker than his more experienced teammate{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=129}} He did not finish the first two Grands Prix, due to collisions with [[Andrea de Cesaris]] in [[1981 United States Grand Prix West|Long Beach]] and [[Didier Pironi]] at [[1981 Brazilian Grand Prix|Jacarepaguá]], but scored his first [[Podium#Usage in motorsport|podium finish]] at [[1981 Argentine Grand Prix|Buenos Aires]]. He also did not finish in the next four races, and then won his first Formula One race at his [[1981 French Grand Prix|home Grand Prix in France]] at the fast Dijon circuit, finishing two seconds ahead of his old teammate John Watson.<ref>{{cite news |last=Callcott |first=John A. |date=5 July 1981 |title=Alain Prost of France won the French Formula 1 |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/05/Alain-Prost-of-France-won-the-French-Formula-1/9010363153600/ |work=[[United Press International]] |access-date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2375138-5-great-moments-from-alain-prosts-formula-1-career |title=5 Great Moments from Alain Prost's Formula 1 Career |last=James |first=Neil |date=24 February 2015 |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=27 February 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227101031/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2375138-5-great-moments-from-alain-prosts-formula-1-career |archive-date=27 February 2015}}</ref>

For Prost, his debut victory was memorable mostly for the change it made in his mindset. "Before, you thought you could do it," he said. "Now you know you can."<ref name=":2" /> Prost led from the start the next 5 races, and won two more races during the season, took his first [[pole position]] in [[1981 German Grand Prix|Germany]] and finished on the podium every time he completed a race distance. He won again in Holland and Italy, and finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship, seven points behind champion [[Nelson Piquet]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/98415.html |title=Prost wins as Piquet erases gap |date=30 August 1981 |website=ESPN UK |access-date=26 May 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526070721/http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/98415.html |archive-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>

Prost won the first two Grands Prix of the [[1982 Formula One season|1982 season]] in [[1982 South African Grand Prix|South Africa]], where Prost recovered from losing a wheel,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|date=March 1982|title=1982 South African Grand Prix race report|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1982/36/south-african-grand-prix-14|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Motor Sport Magazine|language=en-GB|archive-date=16 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616205357/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1982/36/south-african-grand-prix-14|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[1982 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]], where he finished 3rd but was awarded the win after Piquet (1st) and [[Keke Rosberg]] (2nd) were disqualified.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Grandprix.com|date=21 March 1982|title=Brazilian GP, 1982|url=http://www.grandprix.com//races/brazilian-gp-1982.html|access-date=9 February 2021|website=www.grandprix.com|language=en-GB|archive-date=13 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213060002/https://www.grandprix.com//races/brazilian-gp-1982.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished in the points on four other occasions, but did not win again. Despite retiring from seven races, Prost improved on his Drivers' Championship position, finishing in fourth,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Alain Prost • Career & Character Info {{!}} Motorsport Database|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/alain-prost/|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Motorsport Database – Motor Sport Magazine|language=en-GB|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209163239/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/alain-prost/|url-status=live}}</ref> but with nine fewer points than the previous year. His relationship with Arnoux deteriorated further after the [[1982 French Grand Prix|French Grand Prix]]. Prost believes that Arnoux, who won the race, went back on a pre-race agreement to support Prost during the race.<ref>{{Cite web|last=ESPN Staff|date=25 July 1982|title=Rene Arnoux defies team orders to win at Paul Ricard for Renault|url=http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/111547.html|access-date=9 February 2021|website=ESPN UK|language=en|archive-date=14 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214151426/http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/111547.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His relationship with the French media was also poor. He has since commented that "When I went to Renault the journalists wrote good things about me, but by 1982 I had become the bad guy. I think, to be honest, I had made the mistake of winning! The French don't really like winners."{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=129}} He added that "It's hard to explain, but the French prefer martyrs who lose gloriously."<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" />

In November 1982, three years before it became a round of the F1 World Championship, Prost, along with fellow F1 drivers [[Jacques Laffite]] and [[Nelson Piquet]], made the trip to [[Melbourne]], Australia to drive in the non-championship [[1982 Australian Grand Prix]] at the short (1.609&nbsp;km (1.000&nbsp;mi)) [[Calder Park Raceway]]. Driving a [[Formula Pacific]] spec [[Ralt|Ralt RT4]] powered by a 1.6 litre [[Cosworth#The BDA series|Ford engine]], Prost sat on pole for the race with a time of 39.18. He then led every lap to win what would be the first of 3 [[Australian Grand Prix]] wins. He finished 15.32 seconds clear of Laffite, with [[1981 Australian Grand Prix]] winner, young Brazilian driver [[Roberto Moreno]] finishing third.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Calder, 7 Nov 1982 « Australian Formula Pacific « OldRacingCars.com|url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=AU82#note1|access-date=9 February 2021|website=www.oldracingcars.com|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212232221/https://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=AU82#note1|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Prost Renault Paris.jpg|thumb|Prost's 1983 [[Renault RE40]], in which he came close to winning his first championship]]
Arnoux left Renault in {{F1|1983}} and American [[Eddie Cheever]] replaced him as Prost's partner, allegedly because of Renault's desire to sell more road cars in North America (three of the season's 15 races were on the North American continent). Prost earned a further four victories for Renault during the season and finished second in the Drivers' Championship, two points behind Nelson Piquet. Piquet and the [[Brabham]] team overhauled Prost and Renault in the last few races of the season. Prost, who felt the team had been too conservative in developing the car, found himself increasingly at odds with Renault's management, who made him the scapegoat for failing to win a championship. In addition to that, the French fans recalled the bitter fight that had caused their favourite, Arnoux, to leave the team. Prost said in an interview with ESPN during [[1983 South African Grand Prix|the final race]] that his car was "not competitive" and that he "didn't lose by my own fault"<ref>{{YouTube|YXZ08ziFJzI}}</ref> Renault fired Prost only two days after the South African race. He re-signed for McLaren for the 1984 season within days and moved his family home to Switzerland after Renault factory workers burned the second of 2 of Prost's cars, one of them being a Mercedes-Benz.{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=129}}

===McLaren (1984–1989)===
[[File:Anefo 933-1302 Huub Rothengatter, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda 29.10.1984 Prost crop.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Prost in 1984]]
====1984–1986====
Prost joined double world champion [[Niki Lauda]] at McLaren in {{f1|1984}}, driving the [[John Barnard]] designed [[McLaren MP4/2]] which used a 1.5 litre [[Techniques d'Avant Garde|TAG]]-[[Porsche in Formula One|Porsche]] [[V6 engine]]. He lost the world championship to Lauda in the [[1984 Portuguese Grand Prix|final race]] of the season in Portugal by half a point, despite winning seven races to Lauda's five,<ref name=":3" /> including winning in Portugal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Portuguese GP, 1984|url=https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr404.html|access-date=9 February 2021|website=www.grandprix.com|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414140959/https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr404.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The half point came from the {{F1GP|1984|Monaco}}, where Prost had been leading, albeit with [[Ayrton Senna]] ([[Toleman]]) and [[Stefan Bellof]] ([[Tyrrell Racing|Tyrrell]]) closing on him rapidly, when Clerk of the Course [[Jacky Ickx]] stopped the race at half distance due to heavy rain, which was controversial, for Ickx displayed the red flag without consulting the race officials. Under Formula One regulations, Prost received only half of the nine points normally awarded for a victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prost wins under a cloud of controversy |url=http://www.gpracing.net192.com/races/reports/394.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061125182722/http://www.gpracing.net192.com/races/reports/394.cfm |archive-date=2006-11-25 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=GPRacing.net}}</ref> Prost's seven wins in 1984 equalled the record set by [[Jim Clark]] in {{F1|1963}}.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Toynton|first=Dave|date=24 October 2020|title=Formula 1's Curious Statistical History In Portugal|url=https://worldinsport.com/formula-1s-history-in-portugal/|access-date=9 February 2021|language=en-GB|archive-date=25 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125042230/https://worldinsport.com/formula-1s-history-in-portugal/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lauda's 0.5-point margin of victory is the closest title race in Formula One history.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |last= |date=2015-08-15 |title=The Professor nearly an eight times F1 world champion |url=https://www.grandprix247.com/2015/08/15/the-professor-nearly-an-eight-times-f1-world-champion/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=GRANDPRIX247.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:ProstAlain McLarenMP4-2B 1985.jpg|thumb|Prost driving the McLaren MP4/2B at the [[1985 German Grand Prix]]]]
[[File:Cockpit of Alain Prosts F1 McLaren TAG-Porsche turbo, from his first Championship year (6283362892).jpg|thumb|Cockpit of Prost's F1 McLaren TAG-Porsche turbo, from his first Championship year]]
In {{f1|1985}} Prost became the first French Formula One [[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|World Champion]]. He won five of the sixteen Grands Prix during the season. He had also won the [[1985 San Marino Grand Prix|San Marino Grand Prix]], but was disqualified after his car was found to be 2&nbsp;kg underweight in post-race [[scrutineer]]ing.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{cite web|title=1985 San Marino Grand Prix |url=http://www.gpracing.net192.com/races/reports/407.cfm |work=GPRacing.net192.com |access-date=7 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060722110141/http://www.gpracing.net192.com/races/reports/407.cfm |archive-date=22 July 2006 }}</ref> Prost finished 20 points ahead of his closest rival, [[Michele Alboreto]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=1985 F1 World Championship|magazine=Motor Sport Magazine|url=https://database.motorsportmagazine.com/database/championships/f1/1985-f1-world-championship|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> Prost's performance in 1985 earned him the [[Légion d'honneur]] distinction in France.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /><ref name=":9" /> At the end of the season, Lauda retired; he would later credit Prost with sending him into retirement, explaining that "I had this perfect car, and then this French pain-in-the-ass arrives and blows me away. If he hadn't turned up I'd have gone on for another few years."<ref name=":21">{{Cite web |date=2014-07-07 |title=Alain Prost: too good to be true? |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-2001/26/too-good-be-true/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Lauda was replaced at McLaren by {{f1|1982}} World Champion [[Keke Rosberg]] for {{f1|1986}}. Prost successfully defended his title, despite his car struggling against the [[Honda Racing F1|Honda]]-powered Williams cars driven by Nelson Piquet and [[Nigel Mansell]]. Until the latter stages of the final race of the 1986 season, the {{F1GP|1986|Australian}}, Prost appeared set to finish second in the Championship, behind Mansell. Prost had the same number of wins as Piquet, but he had four second places to Piquet's three, thus placing him second before the final race. While running third behind Piquet, and directly behind Prost on the road (3rd was all he needed to win the title), Mansell suffered a rear tyre failure at {{Convert|180|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} and crashed out. The [[Williams F1|Williams]] team then pitted Piquet to change tyres as a safety precaution, while Prost had already pitted earlier due to a puncture and did not need to change his tyres again. He then held the lead ahead of a charging Piquet to the chequered flag and the championship.<ref name=":3" /> Prost became the first driver to retain the title since [[Jack Brabham]] in 1960.<ref name="UPI1986">{{Cite news |date=1986-10-26 |title=Alain Prost, auto racing world champion, 1985 and 1986 |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/10/26/Alain-Prost-auto-racing-world-champion-1985-and-1986/8271530683200/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241128015646/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/10/26/Alain-Prost-auto-racing-world-champion-1985-and-1986/8271530683200/ |archive-date=2024-11-28 |access-date=2024-11-27 |work=[[United Press International]]}}</ref>

Another memorable race that year for Prost was at the {{F1GP|1986|San Marino}}. He was cruising to victory when his car began to run out of fuel three corners from the chequered flag. Frantically weaving the car back and forth to slosh the last drops of fuel into the pickup, he managed to keep it running just long enough to creep over the line and win the race.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Roebuck|first=Nigel|title=Grand Prix Gold: San Marino GP 1986 {{!}} F1 {{!}} Autosport Plus|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/feature/3776/grand-prix-gold-san-marino-gp-1986|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Autosport.com|date=17 August 2011|language=en|archive-date=14 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214132936/https://www.autosport.com/f1/feature/3776/grand-prix-gold-san-marino-gp-1986|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost commented after the race that when his car started running dry he immediately thought to himself ''"shit, I am going to lose this race again"'', referring to his 1985 disqualification at Imola.<ref name=":4" /> It happened again at the {{F1GP|1986|German}}: while running in fourth position, Prost's car ran out of fuel on the finishing straight of the last lap. Instead of retiring at a time in the season when points were critical, Prost got out of his car and tried to push it to the finish, to great applause from the crowd.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-27 |title=Prost runs out of fuel on final straight |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/onthisday/motorsport/story/2438.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528114500/http://en.espn.co.uk/onthisday/motorsport/story/2438.html |archive-date=2023-05-28 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=ESPN UK |language=en-GB}}</ref> The finish line was too far, though, and he never reached it. He was eventually classified sixth in the race, as the seventh-placed car (the [[Brabham BT55|Brabham]]-BMW of [[Derek Warwick]]) was a lap behind.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Results: German GP, 1986 |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr430.html |publisher=GrandPrix.com |access-date=7 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109022342/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr430.html |archive-date=9 November 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref> Prost also finished sixth at the {{F1GP|1986|Belgian}}, where he collided with [[Gerhard Berger]] in the Benetton. As a result, the car's front suspension and engine mountings were bent, which badly affected its handling. It would behave one way in left hand corners and a completely different way in right hand corners. McLaren Technical Director [[John Barnard]] said afterwards that the car was "bent like a banana" upon the teams' post-race inspection of the car.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Keilloh|first=Graham|date=24 July 2011|title=In defence of Alain Prost|url=http://www.talkingaboutf1.com/2011/07/in-defence-of-alain-prost.html|access-date=10 February 2021|website=|archive-date=11 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211030202/http://www.talkingaboutf1.com/2011/07/in-defence-of-alain-prost.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====1987====
With [[Keke Rosberg|Rosberg]] retiring from Formula One at the end of 1986 season, [[Swedes|Swedish]] driver [[Stefan Johansson]] filled the McLaren seat alongside Prost for the {{F1|1987}} season. Even though McLaren had introduced the new [[Steve Nichols]] designed [[McLaren MP4/3|MP4/3]] after three seasons with the MP4/2 model (Barnard had departed for Ferrari), the TAG engines were not the force they had been previously, lagging behind in power and with unreliability previously unseen. He never gave up though and challenged [[Nelson Piquet|Piquet]] and [[Nigel Mansell|Mansell]] almost until the end, winning three races and breaking [[Jackie Stewart]]'s record for race victories by winning for the 28th time at the [[1987 Portuguese Grand Prix|Portuguese Grand Prix]]. "People might not believe me," said Stewart at the time. "But I'm glad to see Alain take my record. I am glad that he has done it because he's the one that deserves it. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the best race driver of his generation."<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=23 September 2017|title=McLaren Racing – Alain's record breaking year|url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alains-record-breaking-year-mp43-2119871/|access-date=13 February 2021|website=www.mclaren.com|language=en|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227150006/https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alains-record-breaking-year-mp43-2119871/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Prost considers his win in the opening round in [[1987 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]] as his best and most rewarding race ever. The Williams-Hondas had been dominant during qualifying, and Prost started fifth on the grid with a time three seconds slower than Mansell's pole time. Knowing he didn't have the qualifying speed, he instead worked on his race set-up, and with everyone else going for a high-downforce set-up, he went the other way. The set-up meant less tyre wear, thanks to slower speeds in the corners while going fast down the straights. With his car having less tyre wear than his rivals, Prost was able to get through the 61 laps of the abrasive [[Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet|Jacarepaguá Circuit]] with only two stops compared to the three or more by his rivals (Piquet pitted for tyres 3 times within the first 40 laps). Prost finished 40 seconds in front of Piquet, with Johansson a further 16 seconds back in third.

<blockquote>When you win a race like this the feeling is very, very good. There have been times when I have been flat-out to finish sixth, but you can't see that from the outside. In {{f1|1980}} I finished three or four times in seventh place. I pushed like mad, yet everyone was gathered around the winner and they were thinking that I was just trundling around. But that's motor racing. So in fact the only thing you can judge in this sport is the long term. You can judge a career or a season, but not one race.<ref>transcript of recording from [http://www.forix.com/8w/prost.html Forix.com, paragraphs 19 & 20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104033847/http://www.forix.com/8w/prost.html |date=4 January 2007 }}.</ref></blockquote>

Prost finished the 1987 season in fourth place in the championship behind [[Nelson Piquet|Piquet]], [[Nigel Mansell|Mansell]] and [[Team Lotus|Lotus]] driver [[Ayrton Senna]]. Prost finished 30 points behind champion Nelson Piquet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Auto Racing Results;NEWLN:Portuguese Formula One Grand Prix At Estoril, Portugal, Sept.20 |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/09/20/Auto-Racing-ResultsNEWLNPortuguese-Formula-One-Grand-Prix-At-Estoril-Portugal-Sept20/9221559108800/ |work=United Press International |date=20 September 1987 |access-date=9 February 2021}}</ref> Other than his debut season in 1980 and {{f1|1991}}, it was the furthest away he would finish a season from the championship lead.<ref name=":2" />

Despite a slightly disappointing 1987 season, nevertheless by the end of that year Prost had the honour of notching up his 4th consecutive No.1 driver of the year by the editor of the ''[[Autocourse]]'' annual, matching Niki Lauda's run of No.1's from 1975 to 1978 in the same annual. Writing in 1987, the ''Autocourse'' editor mentioned that despite driving a down on power engine (compared to the Honda's) "Prost should have won at least 6 races in 1987 – but he won't moan about it. Despite being out of championship contention, 1987 was a memorable year for Prost. His win at Estoril was exceptional."<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Hamilton |editor-first=Maurice |date=1987 |title=Autocourse 1987–1988 |title-link=Autocourse |publisher=Hazleton Publishing Ltd |isbn=0-905138-47-3}}</ref> In 1985, the ''Autocourse'' editor wrote of Prost: "In the long run, Ayrton Senna may be the better driver, but in 1985 for speed and consistency Prost had no equal",<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Hamilton |editor-first=Maurice |date=1985 |title=Autocourse 1985–1986 |publisher=Hazleton Publishing Ltd |isbn=0-905138-38-4}}</ref> while in 1986, the ''Autocourse'' editor commented on Prost's season "Alain had an almost faultless year. 1986 was a year of Prost's outstanding all round ability."<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Hamilton |editor-first=Maurice |date=1986 |title=Autocourse 1986–1987 |publisher=Hazleton Publishing Ltd |isbn=0-905138-44-9}}</ref>

====1988====
[[File:Alain Prost 1988 Canada.jpg|thumb|right|Prost driving for McLaren at the [[1988 Canadian Grand Prix]]]]{{main|Prost–Senna rivalry}}
The [[1988 Formula One World Championship|1988 season]] proved to be a watershed moment for Formula One, as [[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] ended its relationship with defending champion Williams and brought their [[Honda RA16 engine|all-conquering RA16 engines]] to Prost's McLaren.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|last=Hamilton|first=Maurice|date=1 September 2017|title=30 years later: Honda's awkward Italian Grand Prix|url=https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/20530902/30-years-later-honda-awkward-italian-grand-prix|access-date=10 February 2021|website=ESPN.com|language=en|archive-date=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819103023/https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/20530902/30-years-later-honda-awkward-italian-grand-prix|url-status=live}}</ref> Going into 1988, it was understood that any team that wanted Honda engines would have to sign one of the two Brazilian drivers favored by Honda (which coveted the South American car market<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=2014-07-07 |title=Honda and Formula One |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1987/13/honda-and-formula-one/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>): three-time world champion [[Nelson Piquet]], or rising star [[Ayrton Senna]].<ref name=":202">{{Cite news |last=Spurgeon |first=Brad |date=2015-09-18 |title=A Driver's Greatness, in the Words of Others |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/19/sports/autoracing/a-drivers-greatness-in-the-words-of-others-alain-prost-singapore-grand-prix-formula-one.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> When McLaren asked Prost for his opinion, Prost suggested Senna, citing his youth and talent. It was a decision he would come to regret.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Roebuck |first=Nigel |date=October 1998 |title=Ayrton Senna by Alain Prost |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1998/28/ayrton-senna-alain-prost |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112012555/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1998/28/ayrton-senna-alain-prost |archive-date=12 November 2020 |access-date=10 February 2021 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Upon signing Senna, McLaren announced that Prost and Senna would compete on equal terms.<ref name=":14" /> According to Dennis, "Alain was fine with the competition, but deeply suspicious."<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |title=Ron Dennis on Senna - Part one: the early years |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2014/4/Ron-Dennis-on-Senna---Part-one-the-early-years.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website |language=en}}</ref>

The McLaren-Honda partnership delivered Prost a legendarily fast car and two golden opportunities for a third Drivers' Championship, but it also kicked off one of Formula One's [[Prost–Senna rivalry|most famous rivalries]]. McLaren-Honda dominated the season, winning 15 out of 16 races – a record that stood until the 2023 season, when [[Red Bull Racing|Red Bull]]-Honda won 21 out of 22 races. McLaren scored three times as many points as second-placed Ferrari. Reflecting the dominance of Honda power, Williams finished a distant seventh in the Constructors' Championship just one year after winning the title by 61 points.

Prost finished first or second in every race other than his two retirements at [[1988 British Grand Prix|Silverstone]] and [[1988 Italian Grand Prix|Monza]]. He won seven races and outscored his new teammate Senna by 11 points, despite Senna winning one more race than him. Although Prost would have been champion under the 1991 scoring system,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.racefans.net/2009/12/22/think-the-new-f1-points-system-is-weird-weve-seen-much-stranger-than-that/ |title=From 8 points for a win to 25: Every F1 scoring system |last=Collantine |first=Keith |date=22 December 2009 |website=RaceFans |access-date=22 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622070750/https://www.racefans.net/2009/12/22/think-the-new-f1-points-system-is-weird-weve-seen-much-stranger-than-that/ |archive-date=22 June 2021}}</ref> Senna took the title by three points under the rules of the day – only the 11 best results from the season counted toward a driver's championship total, a rule that in practice valued Senna's wins over Prost's consistent podiums.<ref name=":3" /> Senna nearly shunted an overtaking Prost into the pit wall at [[1988 Portuguese Grand Prix|Estoril]], but other than that, the two competitors generally raced cleanly on track that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alain Prost on Senna {{!}} Ayrton Senna da Silva - Legacy Matters |url=https://www.ayrton-senna-dasilva.com/alain-on-senna/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.ayrton-senna-dasilva.com}}</ref>

Over the course of the 1988 season, Prost began to suspect that Honda was trying to make Senna McLaren's number one driver, in violation of McLaren's promise to treat the two drivers equally. He met with Honda F1 boss [[Nobuhiko Kawamoto]] at the end of the season to express these concerns. Kawamoto acknowledged that Honda's engineers were probably more excited to work with Senna than Prost, but said that he intended to deliver Prost equal machinery on race day.<ref name=":5" /> However, following the 1988 season, Kawamoto was promoted to a position at Honda headquarters.

====1989====
McLaren's domination continued throughout {{F1|1989}}, and with no meaningful outside competition, Prost and Senna's title fight turned inwards. Prost accused Senna of dangerous driving<ref name=":2" /> and dishonorable behavior.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Rubython |first=Tom |title=Atlas F1 Magazine: The Life of Senna: Six years of continual conflict |url=https://www.atlasf1.com/2004/apr14/rubython.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=www.atlasf1.com}}</ref><ref name=":82">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 April 2018 |title=McLaren Racing – A 1–2 at San Marino |url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/on-this-day-1-2-san-marino-2172059/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302023439/https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/on-this-day-1-2-san-marino-2172059/ |archive-date=2 March 2021 |access-date=12 February 2021 |website=www.mclaren.com |language=en}}</ref> After [[1989 San Marino Grand Prix|Imola]], the two drivers were no longer on speaking terms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arron |first=Simon |date=2021-11-24 |title=Racing's toxic rivals |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-2022/70/racings-toxic-rivals/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Prost also accused Senna of receiving unwarranted favoritism from McLaren-Honda. His suspicions were inflamed when Honda sent McLaren an engine crate marked "Special - For Ayrton."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buxton |first=Will |date=2019-02-03 |title=BUXTON: The 2019 team mate battle I'm most excited about {{!}} Formula 1® |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/buxton-the-2019-team-mate-battle-im-most-excited-about.2Ys3NYI5xuODTh9nATMEnt |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website |language=en}}</ref> After Prost (who was in the last year of his contract with McLaren) threatened to join a rival team at the end of the season, Ron Dennis publicly backed Prost against Honda, "declar[ing] that the team had found consistent differences" between the engines that Honda assigned to Senna and Prost.<ref name=":212">{{cite news |title=Honda power casts doubts over Senna |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19890714&id=hclUAAAAIBAJ&pg=4917%2C2115752 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201123447/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19890714&id=hclUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4917%2C2115752 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |access-date=1 November 2020 |newspaper=The Age |page=27}}</ref> To accommodate Prost's concerns, Dennis attempted to allocate engines on a random basis, such as a coin flip or drawing numbers from a hat.<ref name=":162">{{Cite web |title=Ron Dennis on Senna - Part one: the early years |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2014/4/Ron-Dennis-on-Senna---Part-one-the-early-years.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Collantine |first=Keith |date=2009-01-10 |title=Ron Dennis on how the Hamilton-Alonso row compared to Senna and Prost |url=https://www.racefans.net/2009/01/10/ron-dennis-on-how-the-hamilton-alonso-row-compared-to-senna-and-prost/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=RaceFans |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

Matters came to a head at the [[1989 Italian Grand Prix|Italian Grand Prix]], where Prost burned his bridges with both McLaren and Honda. In advance of the Italian Grand Prix, he announced that he would drive for [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] in 1990. Following his announcement, McLaren provided full support to Senna's title chase. Although Prost was the championship leader and would have been the natural candidate for priority, at Monza McLaren gave Prost one car and four or five mechanics, while Senna received two cars and 20 assistants.<ref name=":5" /> In addition, while the new Honda F1 leadership publicly stated that Prost was getting the same equipment as Senna, Prost publicly rejected Honda's reassurances. After Senna outqualified Prost by a mammoth +1.790 seconds, Prost once again complained about Honda to the press. Insulted, Honda threatened to withdraw its engines from Prost's car unless Prost apologized, which he did.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |last=Milloy |first=David |date=2018-04-09 |title=Alain Prost: the Other Edge of Genius? |url=https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/influx/people/alain-prost/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Influx Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> Ultimately, Prost won at Monza while Senna retired with an engine issue, giving Prost a commanding 20-point lead in the Drivers' Championship. Prost threw salt in the wound by dropping his winner's trophy into the crowd of cheering Ferrari fans, a major taboo at McLaren.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Tanya |date=4 July 2018 |title=F1: Top 5 Unusual F1 Podium Ceremonies, bet you never knew! |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/f1-top-5-unusual-f1-podium-ceremonies/5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201123507/https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/f1-top-5-unusual-f1-podium-ceremonies/5 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=sportskeeda}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Six of the best – Unusual podium ceremonies |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2015/9/six-of-the-best---unusual-podium-ceremonies.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108122207/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2015/9/six-of-the-best---unusual-podium-ceremonies.html |archive-date=8 November 2020 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=formula1.com}}</ref> 

Following the tumult of the weekend, Senna opportunistically encouraged McLaren to fire Prost immediately, and Ferrari offered to accommodate the move by switching Prost with Ferrari's [[Gerhard Berger]] for the final four weeks of the season. Cooler heads prevailed, and McLaren allowed Prost to finish the season with the team in exchange for a public, written apology.<ref name=":18">{{cite web |date=January 1990 |title=Alain Prost Interview |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-1990/57/alain-prost-2?v=7516fd43adaa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230112191729/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-1990/57/alain-prost-2?v=7516fd43adaa |archive-date=12 January 2023 |access-date=11 February 2021 |website=Motor Sport Magazine}}</ref> This concession eliminated the possibility that Prost would clinch the 1989 title in a Ferrari car.

Prost clinched his third Drivers' Championship at the [[1989 Japanese Grand Prix|Japanese Grand Prix]], the penultimate race of the season. Prost was 16 points ahead of Senna at the time, meaning that Senna needed to win the last two races. By contrast, Prost would automatically become the champion if Senna retired from either race, which was precisely what happened. Prost and Senna collided with seven laps to go, and Prost was widely blamed for causing the collision.<ref name=":5" /> (Prost was leading the race at the time and refused to leave a gap on the inside.<ref name=":18" /> Senna's normal practice was to line up his car for a crash and dare the other driver to back off,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=How good actually was Ayrton Senna? Hint: Exceptionally |url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/formula-1/drivers/ayrton-senna/how-good-actually-was-ayrton-senna-hint-exceptionally/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=www.mclaren.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> and as expected, Senna refused to yield and collided with Prost's car.<ref name=":18" />) Senna managed to restart his car and win the race, but the FIA (led by Prost's countryman [[Jean-Marie Balestre]], whom Senna disliked) disqualified him for missing the chicane, fined him US$100,000 for "dangerous driving," and handed him a suspended six-month ban.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Results: Japanese GP, 1989 |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr483.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620101901/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr483.html |archive-date=20 June 2006 |access-date=16 August 2006 |work=GrandPrix.com}}</ref>

Following the race, Prost admitted that "I know everybody thinks I did it on purpose,"<ref name=":5" /> but rationalized that "Senna came behind me, I didn't see him come and I couldn't do anything to avoid him. I am very sorry to have to finish[ed] the championship on such an incident."<ref>{{cite news |date=23 October 1989 |title=MOTOR SPORTS ROUNDUP : Senna Is Disqualified in Japan |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-23-sp-300-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110172542/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-23-sp-300-story.html |archive-date=10 November 2020 |access-date=9 February 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> He later said that he knew Senna would attempt to pass him at the chicane, and while "I did not [crash] on purpose, I did not open the door."<ref>[[Senna (film)|''Senna'' (extended edition)]], at 0:54-0:55.</ref> McLaren, now fully behind Senna, unsuccessfully appealed the disqualification, which ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' characterized as Ron Dennis "objecting to his [own] driver's winning the world title."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Moses |first=Sam |date=1990-03-19 |title=Fireworks in Formula One |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/03/19/fireworks-in-formula-one-amid-acrimony-ayrton-senna-won-the-us-grand-prix |access-date=2024-09-30 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>

===Ferrari (1990–1991)===
[[File:Alain Prost, 1990 USA GP Phoenix.jpg|thumb|Prost practising for his first event for [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]], the [[1990 United States Grand Prix]]]]
In [[1990 Formula One World Championship|1990]], Prost became the first Ferrari driver to sign for the Scuderia after the death of team founder [[Enzo Ferrari]] in 1988. Ferrari had lured away several McLaren chassis designers over the years, including [[John Barnard]] and [[Steve Nichols]].<ref name=":23">{{Cite news |last=Straw |first=Edd |date=2017-12-29 |title=Why the Ferrari 641 should have won a Formula 1 title in 1990 |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/why-the-ferrari-641-should-have-won-a-formula-1-title-in-1990-4988738/4988738/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |work=Autosport}}</ref> The 1990 [[Ferrari 641]] was the first car to seriously threaten Honda's stranglehold on the Constructors' Championship, as Ferrari came within 11 points of the title. Prost won five races for Ferrari that year, in [[1990 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]], [[1990 Mexican Grand Prix|Mexico]], [[1990 French Grand Prix|France]], [[1990 British Grand Prix|Britain]] and [[1990 Spanish Grand Prix|Spain]]. At Mexico, he accomplished one of his finest drives, winning the race after starting in 13th position.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=27 May 2020|title=Race of my life: Alain Prost on the 1990 Mexican GP|url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/149648/race-of-my-life-alain-prost-on-mexico-1990|access-date=10 February 2021|website=Autosport.com|language=en|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028020359/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/149648/race-of-my-life-alain-prost-on-mexico-1990|url-status=live}}</ref> In both the Mexican and Spanish races, he led Mansell to Ferrari 1–2 finishes.

The championship once again came to the penultimate round of the season in [[1990 Japanese Grand Prix|Japan]], but this time the roles were reversed, with Prost trailing McLaren-Honda's Senna by nine points. As in 1989, a controversial collision between the two settled the race.<ref name=":3" /> At the first corner of the first lap, Senna intentionally drove his car into Prost's, taking them both out of the race and sealing the title in his favour. Dennis immediately knew that Senna had purposely crashed Prost out of the race,<ref name=":16" /> but it took a year for Senna to admit that the crash was intentional; in 1991, he disclosed that he crashed into Prost in part to retaliate for Prost's actions in 1989.<ref name=":112">{{Cite web |last=Tremayne |first=David |date=2014-07-07 |title=The other side of Senna — his rage at Prost and Suzuka 1990 |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1991/6/the-other-side-of-senna/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> Although Prost complained loudly about Senna's manoeuvre, saying that "What he did today was absolutely disgusting. ... He has no value [as a person]," Senna was not penalized.<ref name=":112" /> Prost finished the season seven points behind Senna, and his Ferrari team were runners-up to McLaren in the Constructors' Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/championships/1990-f1-world-championship/ |title=1990 F1 World Championship |website=Motor Sport Magazine |access-date=27 January 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301231913/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/championships/1990-f1-world-championship/ |archive-date=1 March 2021}}</ref>

At the end of the season, Mansell left the Scuderia to rejoin a resurgent Williams team, citing his unstable relationship with Prost.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Murray |title=Murray Walker's Formula One Heroes |date=2001 |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |isbn=1-85227-918-4 |page=108}}Murray Walker & Simon Taylor ''Murray Walker's Formula One Heroes'' p. 108, paragraph 2. Virgin Books, {{ISBN|1-85227-918-4}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Simon |date=December 2009 |title=Lunch with... Nigel Mansell |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2009/60/lunch-nigel-mansell |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713202624/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-2009/60/lunch-nigel-mansell/ |archive-date=13 July 2023 |access-date=11 February 2021 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> Although Mansell had supported Prost during the 1989 Prost-Honda controversy, as reigning world champion, Prost had joined Ferrari as the team's lead driver and was said to have played on this status. (According to Mansell, Ferrari contractually guaranteed him number one driver status, but once Prost became available, Ferrari paid Mansell to let Prost be the number one driver.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodhouse |first=Jamie |date=2022-08-20 |title=Nigel Mansell now realises why his team-mates didn't like him too much |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/nigel-mansell-realises-reason-team-mate-dislike |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}</ref>) Mansell said that after watching him take pole in [[1990 French Grand Prix|France]] with a purportedly superior chassis, Prost secretly demanded that Ferrari give him Mansell's car for the next race in [[1990 British Grand Prix|Britain]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mansell|first=Nigel|title=My Autobiography|date=1995 |page=222|publisher=Collins Willow|isbn=0-00-218497-4}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> Mansell was replaced by Frenchman [[Jean Alesi]].

[[File:Alain Prost 1991 United States GP.jpg|thumb|left|Prost at the [[1991 United States Grand Prix]]]]
The {{f1|1991}} season was not as kind to Ferrari, as the [[Ferrari 642]] was not as reliable as the McLaren and Williams cars. Prost never finished a race lower than fifth, but won no races, scored only five podiums, and finished only eight races; similarly, Alesi finished only seven races. Reportedly, Ferrari's famous V12 engine was no longer competitive against the smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient V10s of its competitors, and the Ferrari chassis was likewise uncompetitive.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} (Barnard had left Ferrari in 1990, early enough to have input on the 1990 car but too late to help with the 1991 cars.<ref name=":23" />) Although Ferrari upgraded the car to the [[Ferrari 643]] in time for Prost's home race at [[1991 French Grand Prix|Magny-Cours]], in which Prost and Alesi finished second and fourth, the car was still unable to compete for the title over the course of the season. Adding insult to injury, Mansell's Williams-Renault clearly supplanted Ferrari as McLaren-Honda's main competition in 1991, and Mansell finished second in the Drivers' Championship that year.

Prost took out his frustrations on the team, publicly likening the car to a "truck."<ref>{{cite book |title=Formula Ferrari |first=Umberto |last=Zapelloni |isbn=0-340-83471-4 |publisher=[[Hodder & Stoughton]] |date=April 2004 |page=17}}</ref><ref name=":19" /> Ferrari retaliated by firing him with one race left to go in the 1991 season.<ref>{{Cite book|first1=Murray| last1=Walker| first2=Simon |last2=Taylor |title=Murray Walker's Formula One Heroes| date=2001|page=115| publisher=Virgin Books|isbn=1-85227-918-4}}</ref> He was replaced by Italian driver [[Gianni Morbidelli]] for the [[1991 Australian Grand Prix]] and by another Italian, [[Ivan Capelli]], for the following season.

===Williams (1993)===
Prost spent the [[1992 Formula One World Championship|1992 season]] on sabbatical.<ref name=":2" /> Ligier offered him a seat, and he eventually performed pre-season testing for the team in early 1992, but Ferrari paid him a significant amount of money to take the year off.<ref name="8w">{{cite web |last1=Diepraam |first1=Mattijs |last2=Nyberg |first2=Rainer |date=May 2001 |title=Subtlety redefined |url=http://8w.forix.com/prost.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015073811/http://8w.forix.com/prost.html |archive-date=15 October 2012 |access-date=18 October 2012 |publisher=8w.forix}}</ref> During this season, [[Nigel Mansell]] put up record numbers in the Williams-[[Renault F1|Renault]] and won the title with five races remaining. The McLaren-Honda combination was waning: due to [[Japanese asset price bubble|economic difficulties in Japan]], Honda was not in position to outspend Renault on engine development. Honda opted to leave Formula One at season's end rather than carry on with a second-tier product.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=Honda's Bittersweet F1 Legacy |url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g02026/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=nippon.com |language=en}}</ref> With no meaningful competition, a Williams driver was expected to cruise to the title again in 1993.

Prost quickly recognized the potential of the Williams car and began negotiating with [[Frank Williams (Formula One)|Frank Williams]] for a 1993 ride no later than the second race of the 1992 season.<ref name=":242">{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Adam |date=2014-07-07 |title=The Domination Game: How Mansell and Williams made 1992 their own |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-2002/30/the-domination-game/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> He ultimately signed a two-year contract for 1993 and 1994.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 December 2012 |title=The History of Williams - 1993 |url=https://www.williamsdb.com/the-history-of-williams/the-history-of-williams-1993/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216163106/https://www.williamsdb.com/the-history-of-williams/the-history-of-williams-1993/ |archive-date=16 December 2019 |access-date=16 December 2019 |website=The Williams Database}}</ref> Prost had expected to race alongside Mansell, but Mansell's contract negotiations fell through over financial terms.<ref name=":242" /> As insurance, Prost had negotiated a clause in his contract which prevented Senna from joining the team.{{sfn|Ménard|Vassal|2003|p=138}} Although Senna furiously accused Prost of cowardice,{{sfn|Ménard|Vassal|2003|p=138}} there was nothing he could do about it.{{multiple image
| total_width       = 400
| image1            = Prost at 1993 British Grand Prix crop.jpg
| alt1              = Photograph of an F1 car being driven perpendicular to camera
| image2            = Alain Prost during the race in Adelaide on 7 November 1993.jpg
| alt2              = Blue Formula One car turning slightly.
| footer            = Prost driving his 1993 Williams-Renault FW15C at [[Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone]] (left) and [[Adelaide Street Circuit|Adelaide]] (right)
}}
Prost won his fourth and final title in 1993. That year, Williams-Renault fielded another dominant car and handily defended the Constructors' Championship, finishing with twice as many points as second-placed McLaren. Prost led the way, winning seven of the first ten races and taking pole in thirteen out of sixteen races. Although he was regularly challenged on track by teammate Hill and rival Senna, he finished 26 points ahead of the second-placed Senna and clinched the title in [[1993 Portuguese Grand Prix|Portugal]] with two races to go. At season's end, the British government awarded Prost an [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] for his performances; he had won all four of his titles with British teams.<ref name=":12">{{cite news |date=11 December 1994 |title=Briefly |url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A296056825/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201123443/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA296056825&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GPS&asid=5b88d3e4 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |access-date=17 April 2019 |work=[[The Age|Sunday Age]] |page=4 |via=Infotrac Newsstand}}</ref>

Shortly before securing the title, Prost announced he would retire at the end of the season.<ref name="la">{{Cite web |last=Glick |first=Shav |date=1993-09-25 |title=Prost, 38, Announces Retirement |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-25-sp-38901-story.html |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> At the time, he stated that under the terms of his Williams contract, while he could block Senna from joining Williams in 1993, he could not do so for 1994.{{sfn|Ménard|Vassal|2003|p=138}} However, in an interview for [[Asif Kapadia]]'s 2010 documentary ''[[Senna (film)|Senna]]'', Prost revealed that the Senna clause did in fact extend to 1994, but Renault (Williams' engine supplier) pressured Frank Williams to ask Prost to waive the clause. As a compromise, the 38-year-old Prost agreed to retire after the 1993 season, provided that Williams paid him his agreed-upon salary for the 1994 season.<ref name=":22">[[Senna (film)|''Senna'' (film)]] (extended edition), at 1:47-1:50.</ref> This cleared the way for Senna to join Williams in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-10-11 |title=Senna signs with Williams |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/10/11/Senna-signs-with-Williams/9005750312000/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>

Prost finished on the podium in his final race ([[1993 Australian Grand Prix|Adelaide]] 1993). Following the race, Senna embraced him, which Prost found surprising, as Senna had declined a handshake at the previous race.<ref name=":5" /> McLaren tempted Prost to unretire by offering him Senna's old seat for the 1994 season, but while Senna encouraged Prost to take the offer,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodhouse |first=Jamie |date=2021-12-24 |title=Ayrton Senna called Alain Prost 'begging' him to stay in F1 in 1994 |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/ayrton-senna-begged-alain-prost-return |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}</ref> Prost was unimpressed by a test-drive of the 1994 car and retired for good.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2018-09-30 |title=Martin Brundle at McLaren in 1994 |url=https://www.unracedf1.com/martin-brundle-at-mclaren-in-1994/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=UnracedF1.com |language=}}</ref>

===Helmet===
[[File:Alain Prost 1988 helmet left 2015 Honda F1 Exposition.jpg|thumb|Prost's helmet for the [[1988 Formula One season]]]]

Prost used a helmet design based on the three colours of the French flag, blue, white and red, with his name along the side. During his early career Prost used a basic design of white all over with some blue detail around the visor (blue helmet with a white 180° flipped Y and red lines in the lower branch of the flipped Y and in the upper branch, surrounding the top).<ref>''Grande Prěmio da Argentina de 1980'' [http://www.lookweb.com.br/medaglia/f1/80/8001arg/8001arg.html LookWeb.com.br] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212201305/http://www.lookweb.com.br/medaglia/f1/80/8001arg/8001arg.html |date=12 February 2007 }}. Retrieved 12 October 2006.</ref> During Prost's time at Renault, he used more blue details, most notably around the rear of his helmet. Prost's helmet changed in 1985, as his helmet now had the blue detail around the front, surrounding the visor (with also a blue stripe on the side region, making the white area become a P) and a white ring with red lines surrounding the top (forming a white circle with a blue half in the rear of the top).<ref>''Alain Prost Helmet'' [http://www.jmjauto.com/New%20Photos%204-08-03/Prost%201990%20helmet.jpg JmJauto.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109013613/http://www.jmjauto.com/New%20Photos%204-08-03/Prost%201990%20helmet.jpg |date=9 November 2006 }}. Retrieved 12 October 2006.</ref> Prost kept a similar design for his entry at Ferrari and Williams. Sometimes Prost used variants of his helmet design. In 2007 he used his original design, but with the circle top all red and a red line in the lower chin area. In 2010, he used a pearl white helmet with silver flames and a blue-white-red-white-blue stripe on the visor, designed by Kaos Design.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prostfan.com/pdf/2010/2010-11-11_press_release_alain_prost_roc.pdf |title=SPECIAL HELMET FOR ALAIN PROST AND RACE OF CHAMPIONS |date=11 November 2010 |work=Kaos Design |via=Prostfan.com |access-date=8 April 2012 |archive-date=29 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229202513/https://www.prostfan.com/pdf/2010/2010-11-11_press_release_alain_prost_roc.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>