Editing Alain Prost

{{short description|French racing driver (born 1955)}}
{{Redirect|Prost}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Alain Prost
| image         = Festival automobile international 2015 - Photocall - 065 (cropped3).jpg
| caption       = Prost in 2015
| birth_name    = Alain Marie Pascal Prost
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1955|2|24|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Lorette, Loire]], France
| spouse        = {{marriage|Anne-Marie Barges|1980|2017|end=div}}
| children      = 3, including [[Nico Prost|Nico]]
| signature     = Tanda tangan Alain Prost.svg
| signature_alt = A Prost
| module        = {{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes 
| nationality   = {{flagicon|FRA|1974}} [[Formula One drivers from France|French]]
| Years         = {{F1|1980}}–{{F1|1991}}, {{F1|1993}}
| Team(s)       = [[McLaren]], [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]], [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]], [[Williams Racing|Williams]]
| Races         = 202 (199 starts)
| Championships = 4 ({{F1|1985}}, {{F1|1986}}, {{F1|1989}}, {{F1|1993}})
| Wins          = 51
| Podiums       = 106
| Points        = 768.5 (798.5){{efn|name="droppedpoints"}}
| Poles         = 33
| Fastest laps  = 41
| First race    = [[1980 Argentine Grand Prix]]
| First win     = [[1981 French Grand Prix]]
| Last win      = [[1993 German Grand Prix]]
| Last race     = [[1993 Australian Grand Prix]]
}}
}}

'''Alain Marie Pascal Prost''' ({{IPA|fr|alɛ̃ pʁɔst}}; born 24 February 1955) is a French former [[racing driver]] and [[motorsport]] executive, who competed in [[Formula One]] from {{F1|1980}} to {{F1|1993}}. Nicknamed "'''the Professor'''",{{efn|{{langx|fr|Le Professeur}}<br>Prost was widely known as ''the Professor'' for his methodical and analytical approach to racing.<ref name=":2"/><ref name="UPI1986"/>}} Prost won four [[Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles]] and—at the time of his retirement—held the [[List of Formula One driver records|records]] for most [[List of Formula One Grand Prix winners|wins]] (51), [[List of Formula One drivers who set a fastest lap|fastest laps]] (41), and [[List of Formula One driver records#Total podium finishes|podium finishes]] (106).

Born in [[Lorette, Loire]], Prost began [[karting]] aged 14, winning the [[KF3|junior direct-drive]] [[Karting World Cup]] four years later, and progressing to [[junior formulae]] in 1976. Prost won his first title at the [[Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup|Formula Renault National Championship]] that year, prior to winning the [[Formula Renault#Championships|Challenge de Formule Renault Europe]] in 1977. Replaced by the [[French Formula Three Championship]] the following season, he successfully defended his titles in 1978 and 1979. His junior career culminated in his victory at the [[1979 FIA European Formula 3 Championship]] with [[Oreca]]. Prost signed for [[McLaren]] in {{F1|1980}}, making his Formula One debut at the {{F1GP|1980|Argentine}}, where he finished sixth. He moved to [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] in {{F1|1981}}, taking his maiden victory at [[1981 French Grand Prix|his home Grand Prix in France]], with further wins in the [[1981 Dutch Grand Prix|Netherlands]] and [[1981 Italian Grand Prix|Italy]]. Following multiple race wins in his {{F1|1982}} campaign with Renault, Prost finished runner-up to [[Nelson Piquet]] in the [[1983 Formula One World Championship|1983 World Drivers' Championship]] after retiring with a [[Turbocharger|turbo]] failure in [[1983 South African Grand Prix|the title-decider]]. Prost was sacked by Renault two days later for his post-season comments and moved back to McLaren for {{F1|1984}}, where he finished runner-up to teammate [[Niki Lauda]] by a record [[List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems#Special cases|half-point]].{{efn|From {{F1|1980}} until {{F1|2022}}, half-points were awarded in Formula One for incomplete races that had run between two laps and 75% of the scheduled race distance.}}

In {{F1|1985}}, Prost won his maiden title with McLaren, becoming the [[Formula One drivers from France|first World Drivers' Champion from France]]. He successfully defended his title the [[1986 Formula One World Championship|following season]], amidst a close title battle with Piquet and [[Nigel Mansell]]. After winning several races in his {{F1|1987}} campaign, Prost was partnered by [[Ayrton Senna]]. Together, they won all Grands Prix bar one in {{F1|1988}}—driving the [[Honda in Formula One|Honda-powered]] [[McLaren MP4/4|MP4/4]]—with Senna taking the title by three points.{{efn|In the {{F1|1981}} to {{F1|1990}} points system, each driver's best 11 results counted towards the Drivers' Championship. With all results counted, Prost scored 105 points to Senna's 94.}} Their [[Prost-Senna rivalry|fierce rivalry]] culminated in title-deciding collisions at [[Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka]] in [[1989 Japanese Grand Prix|1989]] and [[1990 Japanese Grand Prix|1990]], despite Prost's move to [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] in [[1990 Formula One World Championship|the latter]], with Prost winning [[1989 Formula One World Championship|the former championship]] and Senna taking the following. Amidst a winless {{F1|1991}} campaign, he was sacked by Ferrari over comments made about the [[Ferrari 643|643]]. After a year hiatus, Prost returned with [[Williams Racing|Williams]] in {{F1|1993}}, breaking several [[List of Formula One driver records|records]] on the way to his fourth championship and retiring at the end of the season. He returned to Formula One as the owner of [[Prost Grand Prix]] from {{F1|1997}} to {{F1|2001}}, having purchased [[Équipe Ligier|Ligier]]. Prost held an advisory role at Renault—later re-branded as [[Alpine F1 Team|Alpine]]—from {{F1|2017}} to {{F1|2021}}.

After retiring from Formula One, Prost was a race-winner in the 2005 [[FFSA GT Championship]], and entered the [[Race of Champions]] in [[2010 Race of Champions|2010]], representing France alongside [[Sébastien Loeb]]. In [[ice racing]], Prost is a three-time champion of the [[Andros Trophy]], competing from 2003 to 2012. He was the co-owner of [[DAMS|Renault e.dams]] in [[Formula E]] until 2018, winning three consecutive [[List of Formula E champions#Teams|Teams' Championships]] from [[2014–15 Formula E season|2014–15]] to [[2016–17 Formula E season|2016–17]]. Prost was inducted into the [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] in 1999.

==Early life==
Alain Prost was born in the commune of [[Lorette, Loire|Lorette]] near the town of [[Saint-Chamond, Loire|Saint-Chamond]], in the [[département]] of [[Loire (department)|Loire]] close to [[Saint-Étienne]], France to André Prost and Marie-Rose Karatchian, born in France of [[Armenians|Armenian]] descent.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=31 January 2019|title="I Don't Speak Armenian, but I'm Armenian": Alain Prost – Living Legend of Formula One|url=https://armedia.am/eng/news/67224/i-dont-speak-armenian-but-im-armenian-alain-prost-living-legend-of-formula-one.html|access-date=7 February 2021|website=armedia.am|language=en|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102132531/https://armedia.am/eng/news/67224/i-dont-speak-armenian-but-im-armenian-alain-prost-living-legend-of-formula-one.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His father ran a furniture store.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /> Prost had one older brother called Daniel, who died of cancer in September 1986.<ref>{{cite book|title=Motor Cycling and Motoring|volume=171|page=14|publisher=Temple Press Limited|year= 1986}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Prost was an active and athletic child, who enthusiastically took part in diverse sports, including [[wrestling]], [[roller skating]] and [[association football|football]]. In doing so he broke his nose several times.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Gerald |date=30 January 2015 |title=Alain Prost |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Alain_Prost.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417020310/https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Alain_Prost.html |archive-date=2024-04-17 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=[[Formula One]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> He considered careers as a gym instructor or a professional footballer before he discovered [[kart racing]] at the age of 14 while on a family holiday. This new sport quickly became his career of choice.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> At age 16, he bought his first kart with money he saved working for his father's shop.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" />

Prost won several karting championships in his teens. In 1974, he became a full-time racer.<ref name=":2" /> He won the French senior karting championship in 1975.<ref name="GP Encyclopedia">{{Cite web |title=DRIVERS: ALAIN PROST |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030002900/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html |archive-date=2006-10-30 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Grandprix.com}}[http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html Alain Prost] </ref>

Prost made the transition to open-wheel racing in 1976 and rapidly progressed through the junior categories. That year, he dominated French{{efn|There were several national Formula Renault championships in Europe.}} [[Formula Renault]],<ref name=":2" /> winning the title and all but one race.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /> In 1977, he won the Formula Renault European championship. In 1978, he won the French [[Formula Three]] championship while simultaneously competing in the European Formula Three category. Finally, in 1979, he won both the European and French Formula Three titles.<ref name="GP Encyclopedia" /> He also made three guest appearances in European Formula Two in 1977 and 1978.

Prost's Formula Three wins drew interest from Formula One teams and sponsors. Before the [[1979 United States Grand Prix|final race of the 1979 season]], [[Paddy McNally]] and [[John Hogan (motorsport executive)|John Hogan]] of [[Marlboro]] ([[McLaren]]'s lead sponsor) offered to cover the costs of a third McLaren car so that Prost could make an early Formula One debut, but Prost declined the cameo appearance, reasoning that it would be a mistake to debut in Formula One without being fully prepared: "I didn't know [[Watkins Glen International|Watkins Glen]] and I didn't know the car. I said I thought it would be a better idea to organise a test."<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=McLaren Racing – Alain Prost Biography {{!}} Extract 1|url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/|access-date=13 February 2021|website=www.mclaren.com|language=en|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302023507/https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=126}}

==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>

==Career legacy==
Prost is widely regarded as one of Formula One's greatest-ever drivers. He has the fourth-most Drivers' Championships of all time, behind only [[Lewis Hamilton]], Michael Schumacher, and [[Juan Manuel Fangio]].<ref name=":20">{{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> In addition, he was just 12.5 points away from an eight-title career.<ref name=":17" /> At his retirement, Prost held the record for most career Grand Prix victories (51),<ref>{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Results: Portuguese GP, 1993 |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr546.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030022713/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr546.html |archive-date=30 October 2006 |access-date=7 November 2006 |publisher=GrandPrix.com}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> which stood for fourteen years.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Henry |first=Alan |date=4 September 2001 |title=Schumacher rubs salt into Prost wounds |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/sep/04/formulaone.formulaone2001 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417055456/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/sep/04/formulaone.formulaone2001 |archive-date=17 April 2019 |access-date=17 April 2019 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref name=":13" /> ([[Michael Schumacher]] broke Prost's record during the [[2001 Formula One World Championship|2001 season]]. For his own part, Prost believed that had Ayrton Senna not [[1994 San Marino Grand Prix|died in 1994]], he would have broken Prost's wins record first.<ref name=":0" />) In addition, while Senna held the record for most career pole positions at Prost's retirement, Prost was superb on race day and held the record for most career [[Fastest lap|fastest laps]] (41) until 2001, when Schumacher broke that record as well.<ref name=":27">{{Cite news |date=1993-06-01 |title=Alain Prost retires |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/alain-prost-retires-5053020/5053020/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |work=Autosport}}</ref>

Prost currently shares the record for the highest percentage of races started from the front row in a single season (16 for 16 in {{F1|1993}}) with Ayrton Senna ({{F1|1989}}) and Damon Hill ({{F1|1996}}).<ref>{{cite web |last=Lynch |first=Steven |date=1 July 2011 |title=Front row regulars |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/53088.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501082158/http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/53088.html |archive-date=1 May 2019 |access-date=1 May 2019 |website=ESPN UK}}</ref> {{As of|November 2024}}, he is the last Frenchman to have [[1993 French Grand Prix|won his home Grand Prix]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Haldenby |first=Nicky |date=8 June 2021 |title=France's Home Race Heroes |url=https://f1destinations.com/france-home-race-f1-heroes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614214908/https://f1destinations.com/france-home-race-f1-heroes/ |archive-date=14 June 2021 |access-date=14 June 2021 |website=F1Destinations}}</ref>

=== Driving style ===
During his career, Prost was nicknamed "The Professor" for his intellectual approach to competition. Though it was not a name he particularly cared for, he later admitted that the term appropriately characterized his driving style. Skilled at setting up his car for race conditions, Prost would often conserve his brakes and tyres early in a race, leaving them fresher for a challenge at the end.<ref name=":2" /> His mantra was to "win as slowly as possible,"<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=On this week #8: A masterclass from The Professor |url=https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/race/racingspot/formula-1/a-masterclass-from-the-professor-119946/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.pirelli.com |language=it}}</ref> a phrase he may have picked up from his teammate [[Niki Lauda]],<ref name=":24">{{Cite web |last=James |first=Clive |title=Niki Lauda Wins Going Slowly |url=https://www.clivejames.com/niki-lauda-wins-going-slowly.html |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=CliveJames.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Buxton |first=Will |date=2016-06-03 |title=BUXTON: The Secret |url=https://racer.com/2016/06/03/buxton-the-secret-130356/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=RACER |language=en-US}}</ref> or [[Juan Manuel Fangio]].<ref name=":27" /> Honda F1 boss [[Nobuhiko Kawamoto]] once told Prost that Ayrton Senna "was more the samurai, and [Prost] was more the computer."<ref name=":5" />

In contrast to Senna, who had a "tendency to go flat out all the time,"<ref name=":2" /> Prost employed a smooth, relaxed style behind the wheel, deliberately modelling himself on personal heroes like [[Jackie Stewart]] and [[Jim Clark]].{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=131}} Although Prost may not have driven as stylishly as his contemporaries – [[Nigel Mansell]] once said that Prost merely "chauffeur[ed]" the best car on the grid – Stewart praised Prost for his silkiness behind the wheel, explaining, "To some, that's boring; to me, it's artistry - and so much more difficult than just throwing a car about."<ref name=":27" /><ref name=":28" /> Prost's calmness allowed him to get the most out of an engine without driving it to failure. [[Clive James]] wrote that Prost "was considered uncanny even by the other drivers for the way his cars held together: it was as if he could hear what was going on in the engine. Prost was the car's friend. Other drivers treated the car no more tactfully than they treated women."<ref name=":24" /> However, his approach had some critics, including Ron Dennis, who was upset that Prost declined to go for the win at [[1985 Belgian Grand Prix|Spa in 1985]]. Prost responded that "I've lost the championship at the last moment so many times I'm not taking any chances."<ref name=":26">{{Cite web |title=Alain Prost |url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/formula-1/drivers/alain-prost/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=www.mclaren.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Prost's smooth style sometimes masked his raw pace on track. [[Steve Nichols]], Prost's car designer at McLaren and Ferrari, said that at the [[1985 Belgian Grand Prix]], he watched Prost calmly circle the track three times, and did not realize that Prost had taken pole position until after he went back to the garage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prosser |first=Dan |date=2023-08-02 |title=McLaren designer Steve Nichols on Prost, Senna and Lauda |url=https://www.the-intercooler.com/library/blog/mclaren-designer-steve-nichols-on-prost-senna-and-lauda/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=The Intercooler |language=en-GB}}</ref> [[Nigel Roebuck]] told a similar story about a Prost pole position at Monaco.<ref name=":28">{{Cite web |last=Keilloh |first=Graham |date=2011-07-24 |title=In defence of Alain Prost |url=http://www.talkingaboutf1.com/2011/07/in-defence-of-alain-prost.html |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Talking About F1}}</ref> [[Adrian Newey]], Prost's car designer at Williams, said that Prost sometimes frustrated him in testing because Prost rarely pushed the car to the limit, making it harder for Newey to figure out whether the car was quick enough.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=Prost's final fling |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2023/71/prosts-final-fling/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Motor Sport Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> Newey added that "when he wanted to, he could turn it on."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Costa |first=Lucrezia |date=2024-08-11 |title=Adrian Newey on the champions he has worked with: "Very different characters, but all phenomenal" |url=https://pitdebrief.com/post/adrian-newey-on-the-champions-he-has-worked-with-very-different-characters-but-all-phenomenal/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Motorsport {{!}} Pit Debrief |language=en-US}}</ref> Although Senna crushed Prost in qualifying during their 32 races together, taking 26 poles to Prost's 4, on race day Prost scored 12 fastest laps to Senna's 6.<ref name=":21" />

Although Senna outshone Prost's qualifying pace, Prost was also an underrated qualifier. Niki Lauda remarked that when Prost joined McLaren in 1984, Prost was so quick that Lauda quit trying to match Prost in qualifying and used his track time to set up his car for the race. Prost internalized those lessons and used them against Senna in 1988 and 1989.<ref name=":21" />

Prost also understood the importance of racing in top machinery; McLaren's website comments that he "built his long career on making the right move at the right time."<ref name=":26" /> However, once he found his way into a winning team, he was not always deft with his relationships with teams and engine suppliers. Formula One's website notes that while Prost "made winning races [] look easy," he "was less successful at the politics in which he was invariably embroiled," and he "left teams acrimoniously on four occasions."<ref name=":2" />

=== Appraisals by contemporaries ===
In 2009, an ''[[Autosport]]'' survey taken by 217 Formula One drivers saw Prost voted as the fourth greatest Formula One driver of all time, behind Senna, Schumacher, and Fangio.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009 |title=Formula 1's Greatest Drivers – AUTOSPORT.com – Alain Prost |url=http://f1greatestdrivers.autosport.com/?driver=4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517231624/https://f1greatestdrivers.autosport.com/?driver=4 |archive-date=17 May 2021 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=f1greatestdrivers.autosport.com}}</ref> Prost's teammate [[Keke Rosberg]] said that "He's the best I've ever known, no question about it. As an all-round race driver he's head and shoulders clear of anyone else."<ref name=":28" /> Formula One CEO [[Bernie Ecclestone]] traditionally said that Prost was the greatest driver of all time, as Prost, unlike Senna or Schumacher, rarely enjoyed number one driver treatment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NewsDesk |date=2016-09-13 |title=Ecclestone: Prost was better than Schumacher or Senna |url=https://www.grandprix247.com/2016/09/13/ecclestone-prost-was-better-than-schumacher-or-senna/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=GRANDPRIX247.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=Bernie Ecclestone says Alain Prost best ever F1 driver |url=https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/fb_281199.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628085026/https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/news/ecclestone-says-prost-best-ever-f1-driver_281199.html |archive-date=28 June 2024 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=Sports Mole |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2023, Ecclestone said that [[Max Verstappen]] had surpassed Prost.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodhouse |first=Jamie |date=2023-09-23 |title=Bernie Ecclestone snubs Lewis Hamilton to hand F1 GOAT title to former title rival |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/bernie-ecclestone-max-verstappen-f1-greatest |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}</ref> [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]] team boss [[Eddie Jordan]] shared Ecclestone's opinion, appreciating that Prost "never minded who his teammate was"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Mark |date=2020-04-16 |title=Jordan: 'Prost the greatest, not Schumi or Senna' |url=https://www.planetf1.com/news/greatest-formula-1-driver |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=PlanetF1 |language=en}}</ref> (Senna being a notable exception). Formula One medical chief [[Sid Watkins]] said that Prost and Niki Lauda were the most intelligent drivers he had worked with, noting that he could recall only one dangerous auto accident involving Prost in his career.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Watkins |first=Sid |title=Life at the Limit |publisher=Pan Macmillan |year=2013 |isbn=9781447241010 |location=London |pages=110}}</ref>

=== Quantitative ratings ===
Various outlets have attempted to develop models that objectively measure driver skill relative to car quality. Prost generally places highly in these comparisons.

* [[University of Sheffield]] (2016): Second all-time<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2016-04-14 |title=University research reveals greatest Formula One driver of all time |url=http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/greatest-formula-one-driver-ever-1.567358 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416020912/http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/greatest-formula-one-driver-ever-1.567358 |archive-date=2016-04-16 |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=University of Sheffield}}</ref>
* ''[[The Economist]]'' (2020): Third all-time<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 October 2020 |title=Engineers, not racers, are the true drivers of success in motor sport |url=https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/10/17/engineers-not-racers-are-the-true-drivers-of-success-in-motor-sport |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120194230/https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/10/17/engineers-not-racers-are-the-true-drivers-of-success-in-motor-sport |archive-date=20 November 2020 |access-date=19 February 2021 |newspaper=The Economist |issn=}}</ref>
* Carteret Analytics (2020): Eighth all-time<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalleres |first=Frank |date=15 November 2020 |title=Why Juan Manuel Fangio, not Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher, is the greatest Formula 1 driver ever |url=https://www.cityam.com/why-juan-manuel-fangio-not-lewis-hamilton-or-michael-schumacher-is-the-greatest-formula-1-driver-ever/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120141605/https://www.cityam.com/why-juan-manuel-fangio-not-lewis-hamilton-or-michael-schumacher-is-the-greatest-formula-1-driver-ever/ |archive-date=20 November 2020 |access-date=19 February 2021 |website=CityAM |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* F1-Analysis.com (2022): Fourth all-time; second all-time after correcting for era differences<ref>{{cite web |date=31 May 2022 |title=A History of F1: Who is the GOAT? |url=http://f1-analysis.com/2022/05/31/who-is-the-f1-goat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705091012/https://f1-analysis.com/2022/05/31/who-is-the-f1-goat/ |archive-date=5 July 2022 |access-date=1 September 2022}}</ref>

===Rivalry with Ayrton Senna===
{{main|Prost–Senna rivalry}}
Prost's battles with [[Ayrton Senna]] were widely covered. The two drivers were intense competitors and contributed to several infamous on-track incidents:

* [[1988 Portuguese Grand Prix|Estoril 1988]] (Senna tried to stop Prost from passing him by threatening to sideswipe him into the pit wall)<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>
* [[1989 San Marino Grand Prix|Imola 1989]] (Senna and Prost agreed to avoid racing each other too closely on the first lap, but disagreed on the precise terms of the agreement, after which Prost complained to the media)<ref name=":8" />
* [[1989 Japanese Grand Prix|Suzuka 1989]] (driving side by side with Senna, Prost clinched the Drivers' Championship by turning into Senna's path on the inside line and daring him to brake or crash)<ref name=":18" />
* [[1990 Japanese Grand Prix|Suzuka 1990]] (driving side by side with Prost, Senna clinched the Drivers' Championship by intentionally crashing Prost out of the race in retaliation for the 1989 incident)<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=SAWARD |first=Joe |date=1 October 1991 |title=Ayrton Senna attacks Jean-Marie Balestre |url=http://www.grandprix.com//features/joe-saward/news-feature-ayrton-senna-attacks-jean-marie-balestre.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121174811/https://www.grandprix.com/features/joe-saward/news-feature-ayrton-senna-attacks-jean-marie-balestre.html |archive-date=21 January 2021 |access-date=10 February 2021 |website=www.grandprix.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* [[1991 German Grand Prix|Hockenheim 1991]] (Senna ran Prost off the track and onto the escape road).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Grandprix.com|date=28 July 1991|title=German GP, 1991|url=http://www.grandprix.com//races/german-gp-1991.html|access-date=12 February 2021|website=www.grandprix.com|language=en-GB|archive-date=4 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304180439/https://www.grandprix.com/races/german-gp-1991.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the 1991 Hockenheim incident, the FISA ordered a sit-down meeting between the two men to cool tensions and prevent further incidents.<ref>{{cite web |last=Tremayne |first=David |date=September 1991 |title=Formula One: 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1991/13/formula-one-hungarian-grand-prix?v=7516fd43adaa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229202513/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1991/13/formula-one-hungarian-grand-prix?v=7516fd43adaa |archive-date=29 December 2022 |access-date=12 February 2021 |website=Motor Sport Magazine}}</ref>

In addition, the two drivers both found themselves chasing the same race seat after the 1992 season, as Ferrari's performance had declined and Honda left Formula One, leaving Williams-Renault as the unquestioned ruler of Formula One. In exchange for his signature with Williams, Prost infamously blocked the team from signing Senna, prompting Senna to publicly complain that Prost was "behaving like a coward."<ref name=":25">{{cite web |title=Ayrton Senna Calls Prost A Coward.mpg | date=5 December 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFZKkK6odgY |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218163814/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFZKkK6odgY&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=18 February 2013 |access-date=28 June 2013 |publisher=Youtube.com |quote=This is supposed to be a world Drivers' Championship!}}</ref> Senna's Brazilian fans were so enraged by Prost's refusal to race with Senna on equal terms that Prost received a police escort for the [[1993 Brazilian Grand Prix]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Allsop |first=Derick |title=Designs on Victory: On the Grand Prix Trail With Benetton |publisher=Hutchinson |year=1993 |isbn=0-09-178311-9}}</ref> Prost comfortably won the 1993 title and retired at season's end, allowing Senna to take the lead at Williams in 1994.

Once they were no longer competitors, the two rivals began mending their relationship. At Prost's last Grand Prix, the [[1993 Australian Grand Prix]], Senna pulled him onto the top step of the podium for an embrace.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fan review of Grand Prix with image of pair on podium |url=http://www.farzadsf1gallery.com/features/adel93.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061025173536/http://www.farzadsf1gallery.com/features/adel93.html |archive-date=25 October 2006 |access-date=28 January 2007 |publisher=farzadsf1gallery.com}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Only a couple of days before Senna's untimely [[1994 San Marino Grand Prix|death at Imola]], when filming an in-car lap of Imola for French television channel [[TF1]], he greeted Prost, by then a pundit on the channel: "A special hello to my...to our dear friend, Alain. We all miss you Alain." Prost said that he was amazed and very touched by the comment.<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite book |last=Hamilton |first=Maurice |title=Frank Williams |publisher=Macmillan |year=1998 |isbn=0-333-71716-3 |page=234}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Prost was a [[pallbearer]] at Senna's funeral,<ref>{{cite web |title=Open Warfare |url=http://www.gpracing.net192.com/drivers/prost-senna.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702171047/http://www.gpracing.net192.com/drivers/prost-senna.cfm |archive-date=2 July 2007 |access-date=30 August 2015 |publisher=GPRacing.net192.com}}</ref> and commented that when Senna died "a part of himself had died also", because their careers had been so closely bound together. Senna felt similarly, admitting to a close friend that after Prost retired, he realised how much of his motivation had come from fighting with Prost.<ref name=":5" />

==Later life==
During 1994 and 1995, Prost worked as a [[pundit]] for the French TV channel [[TF1]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Sport et Télé: Les Liaisons Secrètes|page=379|author=Eric Maitrot|publisher=Flammarion|year= 1995}}</ref> He also worked for [[Renault]] doing [[public relations]] and promotions.<ref>Hamilton 2015, p. 306.</ref> Prost went back to his old team [[McLaren]], working as a technical adviser;<ref name=":2" /> he also completed [[L'Étape du Tour|L'Étape du Tour]], an annual mass-participation bike ride that takes place on a stage of the [[Tour de France]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cycling News 19|date=11 February 2011|title=Prost trades pedal strokes with Merckx in Oman|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/prost-trades-pedal-strokes-with-merckx-in-oman/|access-date=12 February 2021|website=cyclingnews.com|language=en|archive-date=25 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125074709/https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/prost-trades-pedal-strokes-with-merckx-in-oman/|url-status=live}}</ref> 

===Prost Grand Prix===
{{Main|Prost Grand Prix}}

During 1989 Prost began to contemplate starting his own team, as his relationship with his McLaren teammate, Ayrton Senna, had turned sour. Prost and [[John Barnard]], formerly chief designer at McLaren, came close to founding a team in 1990; but a lack of sponsorship meant that this was not possible, so Prost moved to Ferrari and Barnard left Ferrari to join [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]]. After falling out with the Italian team at the end of 1991, Prost found himself without a drive for 1992; after the failure of extensive negotiations with [[Guy Ligier]] about buying his [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]] team, Prost decided to join Williams for 1993.<ref name="Prost Renault">{{Cite web |last=Saward |first=Joe |date=1995-09-01 |title=Team Prost - a dream or reality? |url=http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00198.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605084146/http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00198.html |archive-date=2014-06-05 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Grandprix.com}}</ref> By 1995, when Prost was working for Renault, people had assumed that a Prost-Renault team would be formed. Renault refused Prost's request to supply engines for his team, ending the speculation.<ref name="Prost Renault" />
[[File:Olivier Panis 1998.jpg|thumb|left|[[Olivier Panis]] driving for the Prost Grand Prix team at the [[1998 Canadian Grand Prix]]]]
On 13 February 1997, Prost bought the Ligier team from [[Flavio Briatore]] and renamed it "Prost Grand Prix".<ref name="Prost GP">"GrandPrix.com – GP Encyclopedia – Constructor – Prost Grand Prix" [http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-prost.html GrandPrix.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060816000024/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-prost.html |date=16 August 2006 }}. Retrieved 8 September 2006.</ref> The day after he bought the team, Prost signed a three-year deal with French car manufacturer [[Peugeot]], who would supply the team with engines from {{f1|1998}} until {{f1|2000}}.<ref name="Prost GP" /> For the team's first season, Prost kept one of Ligier's 1996 drivers, [[Olivier Panis]], who had won the [[1996 Monaco Grand Prix|Monaco Grand Prix]] the previous year; Japanese driver [[Shinji Nakano]] was signed to partner Panis. The team raced with the [[Mugen-Honda]] engines used by Ligier the previous season, while the car was actually the originally intended [[Prost JS45|Ligier JS45]], but was renamed the Prost JS45. Things looked promising at the start of the season, as the team picked up two points on its Grand Prix debut in [[1997 Australian Grand Prix|Australia]] when Olivier Panis finished fifth. The team scored a further 13 points before Panis broke his leg in an accident during the [[1997 Canadian Grand Prix|Canadian Grand Prix]]. He was replaced by [[Minardi]]'s [[Jarno Trulli]]. From there, things started to go downhill slightly, the team scored only five points during Panis's recovery. He came back at the end of the season to race in the last three Grands Prix. Prost GP finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship in its first season, with 21 points.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/analysis-prosts-dream-of-french-team-in-jeopardy-5058532/5058532/ |title=Analysis: Prost's Dream of French Team in Jeopardy |last=Thomazeau |first=Francois |date=22 November 2001 |website=Autosport |access-date=23 January 2007 |archive-date=29 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229202510/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/analysis-prosts-dream-of-french-team-in-jeopardy-5058532/5058532/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="essaar">{{cite web |url=http://essaar.co.uk/f1-prost-grand-prix-went-wrong/ |title=F1: Prost Grand Prix – What went wrong? |last=Collins |first=Aaron |date=3 September 2018 |website=Essaar Motorsport |access-date=15 August 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815013921/http://essaar.co.uk/f1-prost-grand-prix-went-wrong/ |archive-date=15 August 2019}}</ref>

Prost became the president of Prost Grand Prix at the start of 1998. With Peugeot supplying the engines for Prost GP, Mugen-Honda decided to supply the [[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]] team. Prost GP scored a single point during the season when Jarno Trulli finished sixth in [[1998 Belgian Grand Prix|Belgium]].<ref name="essaar" />

{{f1|1999}} was a crucial year for Prost GP.<ref>Jean-Michel Desnoues; Patrick Camus & Jean-Marc Loubat <u>Formula 1 99</u> . Queen Anne Press. {{ISBN|1-85291-606-0}}</ref> Prost hired [[John Barnard]] as a technical consultant,<ref name="Prost GP" /> Barnard's B3 Technologies company helping Loic Bigois with the design of the [[Prost AP02]]. Panis and Trulli agreed to stay on with the team for the season. The car was not a major concern but the Peugeot V10 engine proved to be heavy and unreliable.<ref name="essaar" />

Peugeot's final year as Prost's engine supplier in 2000 saw some optimism. Prost hired his 1991 Ferrari teammate [[Jean Alesi]] to drive the lead car and [[Germany|German]] [[Nick Heidfeld]], who had won the [[1999 Formula 3000 season|1999]] [[International Formula 3000|Formula 3000]] championship, to partner him. The season proved to be yet another disastrous one: the [[Prost AP03|AP03]] proved to be unreliable and ill handling. Things weren't helped when the drivers collided with each other in the [[2000 Austrian Grand Prix|Austrian Grand Prix]]. Newly hired technical director Alan Jenkins was fired midway through the year. Prost restructured the team, hiring Joan Villadelprat as the managing director and replacing Jenkins with Henri Durand as the team's new technical director.<ref name="Prost GP" />

In {{f1|2001}} Ferrari agreed to supply engines for the season.<ref name="Prost GP" /> The money ran out at the start of the {{f1|2002}} season and Prost was out of business, leaving debts of around $30 million.<ref name="Prost GP" />

===Other roles===
During 2002, Prost spent time with his family and competed in eight bicycle races, finishing third in the ''Granite – Mont Lozère''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=12 October 2017|title=Limited Edition RM 70-01 Tourbillon Alain Prost – The Richard Mille watch with the Odometer|url=https://luxuothailand.com/watches/limited-edition-rm-70-01-tourbillon-alain-prost-the-richard-mille-watch-with-the-odometer.html|access-date=12 February 2021|website=LUXUO Thailand|language=en-US|archive-date=8 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208010129/https://luxuothailand.com/watches/limited-edition-rm-70-01-tourbillon-alain-prost-the-richard-mille-watch-with-the-odometer.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.prostfan.com/2002.htm  Alain Prost 2002 Bicycle Racing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019100827/http://www.prostfan.com/2002.htm |date=19 October 2006 }}, ProstFan.com. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref> The Frenchman raced in the [[Andros Trophy|Andros ice race series]] in 2003, finishing second in the championship behind [[Yvan Muller]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Alain Prost pilotera le nouveau Dacia Duster au Trophée glace Andros|url=https://www.argus.nc/le-mag/actualites/alain-prost-pilotera-le-nouveau-dacia-duster-au-trophee-glace-andros-388|access-date=12 February 2021|website=www.argus.nc|language=fr|archive-date=31 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331053557/https://www.argus.nc/le-mag/actualites/alain-prost-pilotera-le-nouveau-dacia-duster-au-trophee-glace-andros-388|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name = "Andros">''Trophée Andros Championship Standings'', [http://www.prostfan.com/andros03.htm  p. 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019101133/http://www.prostfan.com/andros03.htm |date=19 October 2006 }}. ProstFan.com. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref> In 2003 and 2004, Prost took part in the [[L'Étape du Tour|Étape du Tour]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=François|first=Patrick|date=1 February 2005|title=Alain Prost: 12 ans de cyclosport!|url=http://cyclosport.info/alain-prost-12-ans-de-cyclosport/|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Cyclisme Pour Tous|language=fr-FR|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225101108/http://cyclosport.info/alain-prost-12-ans-de-cyclosport/|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost also became an Ambassador for [[Uniroyal]], a position he would keep until May 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=16 July 2003|title=Alain Prost, ambassadeur d'Uniroyal|url=https://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r76616W/alain-prost-ambassadeur-d-uniroyal.html|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Stratégies|language=fr|archive-date=22 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122073134/https://www.strategies.fr/actualites/marques/r76616W/alain-prost-ambassadeur-d-uniroyal.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Later Life">''Alain Prost Information – Alain's career year by year, 1973–2006'' [http://www.prostfan.com/infos.htm ProstFan.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905184626/http://www.prostfan.com/infos.htm |date=5 September 2017 }}. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref> Prost continued to compete in the [[Andros Trophy]], winning the title with Toyota in 2006/07, 2007/08<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rusz|first=Joe|date=10 November 2010|title=Prost Plays it Cool|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/racing/race-coverage/prost-plays-it-cool|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Road & Track|language=en-US}}</ref> and with Dacia in 2011/2012.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Joseph|first=Noah|date=5 February 2012|title=Alain Prost wins ice-racing series in Dacia Lodgy Glace MPV|url=https://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/05/alain-prost-wins-ice-racing-series-in-dacia-lodgy-glace-mpv/|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Autoblog|language=en|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628084929/https://gum.criteo.com/syncframe?origin=publishertag&topUrl=www.autoblog.com&gdpr=0&gdpr_consent=&us_privacy=1YNN&gpp=DBABBg~BVoIgACA.QA&gpp_sid=8|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>''Trophée Andros Championship Standings'', [http://www.prostfan.com/andros04.htm p. 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019212848/http://www.prostfan.com/andros04.htm |date=19 October 2006 }}. ProstFan.com. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref><ref name="Andros5">''Trophée Andros Championship Standings'', [http://www.prostfan.com/andros05.htm p. 5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110014307/http://www.prostfan.com/andros05.htm |date=10 November 2006 }}. ProstFan.com. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.prostfan.com/20062007.htm  Trophée Andros] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101091920/http://www.prostfan.com/20062007.htm |date=1 January 2007 }}, ProstFan.com. Retrieved 11 October 2006.</ref>

For the [[2010 Formula One season]], the Sporting Regulations were changed so that a former driver sits on the stewards' panel. Prost was the first such driver to take on this role, at the [[2010 Bahrain Grand Prix]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Beer|first=Matt|title=Prost joins stewards for Bahrain|publisher=[[Haymarket Group|Haymarket Publications]]|work=autosport.com|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82000|date=11 March 2010|access-date=11 March 2010|archive-date=14 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314141858/http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82000|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost also took part in the [[Race of Champions]] in 2010, a race organised for legends of motor sport to compete in equal machinery.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=20 May 2010|title=Alain Prost for ROC|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/alain-prost-for-roc.308156|access-date=12 February 2021|website=Times of Malta|language=en-gb|archive-date=2 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202185414/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/alain-prost-for-roc.308156|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2012, Prost was named as [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]'s new international ambassador, representing the company in sports demonstrations and at events organized or attended by Renault.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vandezande|first=Luke|title=Alain Prost Named New Renault Brand Embassador [sic&#93; |url=http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/02/alain-prost-named-new-renault-brand-embassador.html|publisher=AutoGuide|date=23 February 2012|access-date=18 October 2012|archive-date=28 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128174700/http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/02/alain-prost-named-new-renault-brand-embassador.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost has finished the Absa [[Cape Epic]], an eight-day 700&nbsp;km mountain bike race in [[South Africa]], twice. He first completed the race in 2012 with partner Sebastien di Pasqua and then again in 2013, and started but did not finish the race in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Prost/Di Pasqua {{!}} 2014 Absa Cape Epic|url=https://www.cape-epic.com/teams/2014/7473/prost-di-pasqua|access-date=12 February 2021|website=www.cape-epic.com|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205153215/https://www.cape-epic.com/teams/2014/7473/prost-di-pasqua|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2013, it was announced that Prost would join forces with Jean-Paul Driot's [[DAMS]] racing team to form e.dams, a team which would compete in the [[FIA Formula E Championship]] for electric racing cars from its commencement in September 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2013/october/alain-prost-jean-paul-driot-team-up-for-formula-e.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924012620/http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2013/october/alain-prost-jean-paul-driot-team-up-for-formula-e.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |title=Alain Prost & Jean-Paul Driot team up for Formula E |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=24 October 2013 |website=[[FIA Formula E Championship]] |access-date=28 June 2015 }}</ref> In June 2014, the team announced that its initial driver line-up would consist of [[Nico Prost|Nicolas Prost]] and [[Sébastien Buemi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/june/buemi-prost-sign-for-newly-titled-edams-renault.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706123625/http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2014/june/buemi-prost-sign-for-newly-titled-edams-renault.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 July 2014 |title=Buemi & Prost sign for newly-titled e.dams-Renault |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=30 June 2014 |website=[[FIA Formula E Championship]] |access-date=28 June 2015 }}</ref> The team went on to win the inaugural Formula E teams championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-motor-racing-electric-renault-idUKKCN0P80V120150628|title=Renault to invest more in electric series|last=Baldwin|first=Alan|date=28 June 2015|editor-last=Ferris|editor-first=Ken|website=[[reuters.com]]|access-date=28 June 2015|archive-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630231259/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/06/28/uk-motor-racing-electric-renault-idUKKCN0P80V120150628|url-status=dead}}</ref> Prost was a [[color commentator|pundit]] with [[Channel 4 F1]] for the {{F1|2016}} season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barretto |first=Lawrence |date=8 March 2016 |title=Mark Webber, Alain Prost and Murray Walker join Channel 4 F1 team |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mark-webber-alain-prost-and-murray-walker-join-channel-4-f1-team-4993194/4993194/ |access-date=21 January 2025 |website=[[Autosport]]}}</ref>

In 2017, he was employed as a special adviser for the Renault Formula One Team.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hall|first=Sam|title=Four-time F1 champ Alain Prost signs on to help Renault F1|url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a1815436/four-time-f1-champ-alain-prost-signs-help-renault-f1/|work=Autoweek|date=23 February 2017|access-date=1 December 2020|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201123442/https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a1815436/four-time-f1-champ-alain-prost-signs-help-renault-f1/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since July 2019, he took up a non-executive director role with Renault Sport. During the 1000th Formula One race, the [[2019 Chinese Grand Prix]], Prost had the honor of waving the chequered flag as Mercedes driver [[Lewis Hamilton]] crossed the line to take his 75th career victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alain-prost-director-renault-team/4503770/|title=Prost takes non-executive director role with Renault F1 team|first=Adam|last=Cooper|date=30 July 2019|website=www.motorsport.com|access-date=30 July 2019|archive-date=30 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730075415/https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alain-prost-director-renault-team/4503770/|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost continued in his role within Renault Formula One Team, renamed "[[Alpine F1 Team]]" in 2021, until January 2022, when his departure from the team was announced.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alain Prost slams Alpine for 'lack of respect' as departure is announced |url=https://sportslumo.com/f1/alain-prost-slams-alpine-for-lack-of-respect-as-departure-is-announced/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Sportslumo |language=en |archive-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527093123/https://sportslumo.com/f1/alain-prost-slams-alpine-for-lack-of-respect-as-departure-is-announced/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Personal life===
Prost was married to Anne-Marie (born 14 February 1955), but they divorced sometime later. They have two sons, [[Nicolas Prost|Nicolas]] (born 18 August 1981) and Sacha Prost (born 30 May 1990).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pooja|date=14 August 2020|title=Learn More About Alain Prost's Wife Anne-Marie Prost, Married In 1980|url=https://ecelebritymirror.com/entertainment/alain-prost-wife-anne-marie-prost/|access-date=7 February 2021|website=Ecelebritymirror|language=en-US|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102132707/https://ecelebritymirror.com/entertainment/alain-prost-wife-anne-marie-prost/|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost also has a daughter, Victoria, born in 1996 from his relationship with Bernadette Cottin.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pooja|date=13 August 2020|title=Meet Victoria Prost – Photos Of Alain Prost's Daughter|url=https://ecelebritymirror.com/celebrity-babies/victoria-prost-alain-prost-daughter/|access-date=7 February 2021|website=Ecelebritymirror|language=en-US|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102132705/https://ecelebritymirror.com/celebrity-babies/victoria-prost-alain-prost-daughter/|url-status=live}}</ref> From 2014 to 2018, Nicolas raced in [[Formula E]] for [[e.dams Renault]], a team partially run by his father.<ref>''[http://www.prostfan.com/nicolas.htm –  Nicolas' career year by year, 2003 – 2018] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416162110/http://www.prostfan.com/nicolas.htm |date=16 April 2008 }}'', ProstFan.com. Retrieved 17 August 2018.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=12 June 2018|title=Nico Prost to leave Renault e.dams after New York finale|url=http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/june/nico-prost-to-leave-renault-edams-after-new-york|access-date=7 February 2021|website=FIA Formula E|language=en|archive-date=9 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209032835/https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/june/nico-prost-to-leave-renault-edams-after-new-york|url-status=live}}</ref> Prost lived in his hometown, Saint-Chamond, until he and his [[Renault F1|Renault team]] fell out in the early 1980s. In April 1983 the Prost family moved to [[Sainte-Croix, Switzerland]], and shortly after to [[Yens]], Switzerland. They moved to Switzerland after Renault workers went to Prost's house in France and burned his [[Mercedes-Benz]] and another one of his road cars.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/08/magazine/racing-s-record-breaker.html|title=Racing's Record Breaker|last=McBride|first=Stewart|date=8 November 1987|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 February 2011|archive-date=14 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514092617/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/08/magazine/racing-s-record-breaker.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They lived there until November 1999, when they moved to [[Nyon]] in the same country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prostfan.com/index.htm |title=Alain Prost Information |publisher=prostfan.com |access-date=17 August 2006 |archive-date=11 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060511200904/http://www.prostfan.com/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2013|title=Prost Alain Switzerland|url=https://switzerlandisyours.com/E/celebrities/bios/2.html|access-date=7 February 2021|website=switzerlandisyours.com|archive-date=27 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327021759/http://switzerlandisyours.com/E/celebrities/bios/2.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Through [[Nico Prost|Nicolas]], Prost has two grandsons named Kimi (born November 2015)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Testi|first=Gabriele|date=18 November 2015|title=È arrivata la "terza generazione" dei... Prost!|url=https://it.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/formula-e-arrivata-la-terza-generazione-dei-prost/658288/|access-date=8 February 2021|website=it.motorsport.com|language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=PALISTHA|date=8 January 2021|title=Nico Prost Bio|url=https://ecelebrityspy.com/wikis/nico-prost-bio-net-worth-career-crash-parents-wife-siblings-wiki|access-date=8 February 2021|website=Nico Prost Bio – Net Worth, Career, Crash, Parents, Wife, Siblings, Wiki {{!}} eCelebritySpy|language=en|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121230941/https://ecelebrityspy.com/wikis/nico-prost-bio-net-worth-career-crash-parents-wife-siblings-wiki|url-status=live}}</ref> and Mika (born December 2020).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Prost|first=Nicholas|date=27 December 2020|title=Welcome little Mika ❤️ our second son was born today, he is in great form and his mom also. His brother is very happy!|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CJTwu28AuGI/?hl=en |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/nicoprost/2473534946673877384 |archive-date=2021-12-23 |url-access=subscription|access-date=8 February 2021|website=www.instagram.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Through Sacha, he has another grandson named Liam (born June 2018).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pooja|date=13 August 2020|title=5 Facts About Alain Prost's Son Sacha Prost|url=https://ecelebritymirror.com/celebrity-babies/5-facts-alain-prost-son-sacha-prost/|access-date=8 February 2021|website=Ecelebritymirror|language=en-US|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302233339/https://ecelebritymirror.com/celebrity-babies/5-facts-alain-prost-son-sacha-prost/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1986, Prost was awarded the [[Légion d'Honneur|Légion d'honneur]] by the [[President of France|French President]], [[François Mitterrand]];<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web|last=Ina.fr|first=Institut National de l’Audiovisuel-|date=21 January 1986|title=Remises légion d'honneur|url=http://www.ina.fr/video/CAB86001865|access-date=13 February 2021|website=Ina.fr|language=fr-FR|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628084927/https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/cab86001865/remises-legion-d-honneur|url-status=live}}</ref> he was promoted from Chevalier to Officier rank in 1993.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1 January 1994 |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/article_jo/JORFARTI000001319949 |title=Article – Décret du 31 décembre 1993 portant promotion et nomination à titre exceptionnel – Légifrance |access-date=13 February 2021 |website=www.legifrance.gouv.fr |archive-date=27 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227212022/https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/article_jo/JORFARTI000001319949 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 1994 |title=LÉGION D'HONNEUR Les promotions et les nominations du Nouvel An |trans-title=LEGION D'HONNEUR New Year's promotions and appointments |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1994/01/04/legion-d-honneur-les-promotions-et-les-nominations-du-nouvel-an_3793531_1819218.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412041126/https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1994/01/04/legion-d-honneur-les-promotions-et-les-nominations-du-nouvel-an_3793531_1819218.html |archive-date=12 April 2021 |access-date=15 February 2021 |work=Le Monde.fr |language=fr}}</ref> In addition, he was awarded an honorary [[Order of the British Empire|British OBE]] in 1994,<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|date=13 December 1994|title=FRANCE: ALAIN PROST IS AWARDED BRITISH OBE|url=https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/1011437|access-date=18 February 2021|website=Reuters Archive Licensing|language=en|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628085426/https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/1011437|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> and the Brazilian [[Order of the Southern Cross]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 May 1999|title=LFL – Produção intelectual – DocReader Web|url=https://www.docvirt.com/docreader.net/docreader.aspx?bib=ACER_LFL_PI&pasta=LFL%20pi%20Lampreia,%20L.%20F.%201999.05.26&pagfis=3117|access-date=19 February 2021|website=www.docvirt.com|archive-date=4 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204222526/https://www.docvirt.com/docreader.net/docreader.aspx?bib=ACER_LFL_PI&pasta=LFL%20pi%20Lampreia,%20L.%20F.%201999.05.26&pagfis=3117|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=19 June 2019|title=Embaixador da Suécia no Brasil é condecorado com a Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul|url=https://www.swedenabroad.se/pt/embaixada/brasil-bras%C3%ADlia/atual/not%C3%ADcias/embaixador-da-su%C3%A9cia-no-brasil-%C3%A9-condecorado-com-a-ordem-nacional-do-cruzeiro-do-sul/|access-date=19 February 2021|website=Sweden Abroad|language=pt|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228213242/https://www.swedenabroad.se/pt/embaixada/brasil-bras%C3%ADlia/atual/not%C3%ADcias/embaixador-da-su%C3%A9cia-no-brasil-%C3%A9-condecorado-com-a-ordem-nacional-do-cruzeiro-do-sul/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also inducted into the [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] and the [[FIA Hall of Fame]] in 1999 and 2017 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Alain Prost|url=https://www.motorsportshalloffame.com/inductees/alain-prost/|access-date=15 February 2021|website=International Motorsports Hall of Fame|language=en-US|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414015831/https://www.motorsportshalloffame.com/inductees/alain-prost/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=5 December 2017|title=F1 Champions gather in Paris as FIA opens Hall of Fame|url=https://www.fia.com/news/f1-champions-gather-paris-fia-opens-hall-fame|access-date=15 February 2021|website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile|language=en|archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517124759/https://www.fia.com/news/f1-champions-gather-paris-fia-opens-hall-fame|url-status=live}}</ref>

Besides his native [[French language]], Prost also speaks fluent [[English language|English]] and [[Italian language|Italian]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxWnjjoJPqM|title=Intervista ad Alain Prost|author=RMC Motori - Racing Mobilità Curiosità|date=22 February 2017|access-date=28 October 2023|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
Prost voiced an [[Animation|animated]] depiction of himself in McLaren's ''[[Tooned]]'' cartoon series to commemorate McLaren's 50th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |author1-link=McLaren|title=Tooned 50: The making of (part 2)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw2VjijqxOI|language=en |format=video|date=November 18, 2013}}</ref> Episode 5 of the series' second season tells a fictionalized account of the [[1984 Formula One World Championship|1984 Formula One season]] which attributes Prost's mechanical failures and final championship standing in the season to the actions of the character Professor M (voiced by [[Alexander Armstrong]]).<ref>{{cite web |author1-link=McLaren|title=Tooned 50: Episode 5 - The Alain Prost Story|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxMH9ZKb-Zw|language=en |format=video|date=October 6, 2013}}</ref>

== Karting record==
=== Karting career summary ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align:center"
!Season
!Series
!Team
!Position
|-
! rowspan="5" |1973
| align="left" |French Championship — Junior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''1st'''
|-
| align="left" |French Championship — Senior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#DFDFDF;" |'''2nd'''
|-
| align="left" |European Championship — Junior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''1st'''
|-
| align="left" |[[Karting World Championship#Junior World Champions & Junior World Cup winners|FIA Karting World Championship]] — Junior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''1st'''
|-
| align="left" |[[Karting World Championship#Senior World Champions & Senior World Cup winners|FIA Karting World Championship]] — Senior
| align="left" |
|14th
|-
! rowspan="2" |1974
| align="left" |French Championship — Senior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''1st'''
|-
| align="left" |[[Karting World Championship#Senior World Champions & Senior World Cup winners|FIA Karting World Championship]] — Senior
| align="left" |
|23rd
|-
! rowspan="2" |1975
| align="left" |French Championship — Senior
| align="left" |
| style="background:#FFFFBF;" |'''1st (DSQ)'''
|-
| align="left" |[[Karting World Championship#Senior World Champions & Senior World Cup winners|FIA Karting World Championship]] — Senior
| align="left" |
|9th
|-
! colspan="4" |Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Alain Prost {{!}} Racing career profile|url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/alain-prost/|access-date=23 October 2023|website=www.driverdb.com|archive-date=4 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004194241/https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/alain-prost|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

==Racing record==

===Career summary===
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align:center"
!Season
!Series
!Team
!Races
!Wins
!Poles
!F/Laps
!Podiums
!Points
!Position
|-
!rowspan=2|1976
|align=left|[[Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup|Formule Renault Nationale]]
|align=left|[[Oreca|Ecurie Elf]]
|13
|12
|10
|11
|12
|112
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
|align=left|[[Formula Renault#Championships 2|Challenge de Formule Renault Europe]]
|align=left|Equipe Danielson
|2
|0
|1
|0
|0
|1
|28th
|-
!rowspan=2|1977
|align=left|[[Formula Renault#Championships 2|Challenge de Formule Renault Europe]]
|align=left|
|16
|6
|4
|7
|10
|157
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
|align=left|[[1977 European Formula Two Championship|European Formula Two]]
|align=left|[[Kauhsen|Willi Kauhsen Racing Team]]
|2
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|{{abbr|NC|Not classified}}
|-
!rowspan=5|1978
|align=left|[[French Formula Three Championship|French Formula Three]]
|rowspan="4" style="text-align:left"|[[Oreca|Ecurie Elf]]
|?
|?
|?
|?
|?
|?
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
|align=left|[[1978 FIA European Formula 3 Championship|European Formula Three]]
|8
|1
|1
|1
|1
|10
|9th
|-
|align=left|[[1978 British Formula Three season#BP Super Visco British F3 Championship|Super Visco British Formula Three]]
|2
|0
|0
|0
|1
|7
|13th
|-
|align=left|[[1978 British Formula Three season#Vandervell British F3 Championship|Vandervell British Formula Three]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|1
|18
|9th
|-
|align=left|[[1978 European Formula Two Championship|European Formula Two]]
|align=left|[[Fred Opert|Fred Opert Racing]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|{{abbr|NC|Not classified}}
|-
!rowspan=3|1979
|align=left|[[French Formula Three Championship|French Formula Three]]
|rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"|[[Oreca|Ecurie Elf]]
|5
|5
|4
|5
|5
|75
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
|align=left nowrap|[[1979 FIA European Formula 3 Championship|FIA European Formula 3 Championship]] 
|10
|6
|5
|6
|8
|67
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
|align=left|[[1979 British Formula Three Championship|British Formula Three]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|4
|12th
|-
!rowspan=2|1980
|align=left|[[1980 Formula One season|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|Team McLaren]]
|13
|0
|0
|0
|0
|5
|16th
|-
|align=left|[[1980 BMW M1 Procar Championship|BMW M1 Procar Championship]]
|align=left|[[BMW in motorsport|BMW Motorsport]]
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|6
|21st
|-
!1981
|align=left|[[1981 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
|15
|3
|2
|1
|6
|43
|5th
|-
!1982
|align=left|[[1982 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
|16
|2
|5
|4
|4
|34
|4th
|-
!1983
|align=left|[[1983 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
|15
|4
|3
|3
|7
|57
|style="background:#DFDFDF"|'''2nd'''
|-
!1984
|align=left|[[1984 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left nowrap|[[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|McLaren International]]
|16
|7
|3
|3
|9
|71.5
|style="background:#DFDFDF"|'''2nd'''
|-
!1985
|align=left|[[1985 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|McLaren International]]
|16
|5
|2
|5
|11
|73
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
!1986
|align=left|[[1986 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|McLaren International]]
|16
|4
|1
|2
|11
|72
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
!1987
|align=left|[[1987 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|McLaren International]]
|16
|3
|0
|2
|7
|46
|4th
|-
!1988
|align=left|[[1988 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren]]
|16
|7
|2
|7
|14
|87
|style="background:#DFDFDF"|'''2nd'''
|-
!1989
|align=left|[[1989 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren]]
|16
|4
|2
|5
|11
|76
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
!1990
|align=left|[[1990 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Scuderia Ferrari]]
|16
|5
|0
|2
|9
|71
|style="background:#DFDFDF"|'''2nd'''
|-
!1991
|align=left|[[1991 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Scuderia Ferrari]]
|15
|0
|0
|1
|5
|34
|5th
|-
!1993
|align=left|[[1993 Formula One World Championship|Formula One]]
|align=left|[[Canon Inc.|Canon]] [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]] [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
|16
|7
|13
|6
|12
|99
|style="background:#FFFFBF"|'''1st'''
|-
!2005
|align=left|[[FFSA GT Championship]]
|align=left|[[Exagon Engineering]]
|11
|1
|2
|0
|3
|104
|11th
|-
!colspan="10"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Alain Prost|url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/alain-prost/|work=DriverDB|access-date=5 May 2022|archive-date=25 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525013731/https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/alain-prost/|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
|}

===Complete European Formula Three results===
([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! DC
! Pts
|-
| [[1978 FIA European Formula 3 Championship|1978]]
!nowrap| [[Oreca|Ecurie Elf]]
!nowrap| [[Martini (cars)|Martini Mk 21B]]
!nowrap| [[Renault]]
| [[Circuit Zandvoort|ZAN]]
| [[Nürburgring|NÜR]]
| [[Red Bull Ring|ÖST]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Circuit Zolder|ZOL]]<br>{{small|10}}
| [[Imola Circuit|IMO]]
|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| [[Nürburgring|NÜR]]<br>{{small|DNS}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Dijon-Prenois|DIJ]]<br>{{small|10}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Autodromo Nazionale di Monza|MNZ]]<br>{{small|15}}
| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|MAG]]<br>{{small|Ret}}
| [[Ring Knutstorp|KNU]]
| [[Karlskoga Motorstadion|KAR]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Donington Park|DON]]<br>{{small|6}}
| [[Kassel Airport|KAS]]
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR]]'''''<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VAL]]<br>{{small|Ret}}
!9th
!10
|-
| [[1979 FIA European Formula 3 Championship|1979]]
!nowrap| [[Oreca|Ecurie Elf]]
!nowrap| [[Martini (cars)|Martini Mk 27]]
!nowrap| [[Renault]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ''[[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VAL]]''<br>{{small|2}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Red Bull Ring|ÖST]]<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''[[Circuit Zolder|ZOL]]'''<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''[[Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours|MAG]]''<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Donington Park|DON]]<br>{{small|3}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''[[Circuit Zandvoort|ZAN]]''<br>{{small|1}}
| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Autodromo Nazionale di Monza|MNZ]]<br/>{{small|{{tooltip|DNQ|Eliminated in heat}}}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''[[Ring Knutstorp|KNU]]'''''<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''''[[Kinnekulle Ring|KIN]]'''''<br>{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR]]'''''<br>{{small|1}}
|[[Kassel Airport|KAS]]
|colspan=4|
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|'''1st'''
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"|'''67'''
|-
!colspan="22"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=":3"/>}}}}
|}

===Complete Formula One World Championship results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position, races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%;"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! {{Abbr|WDC|Final World Drivers' Championship position}}
! [[List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems|Points]]{{efn|name="droppedpoints"|Up until {{F1|1990}}, not all points scored by a driver contributed to their final World Championship tally (see [[List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems|list of points scoring systems]] for more information). Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.<ref>{{cite web|last=Diepraam|first=Mattijs|title=World Championship points systems|url=http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/points.html|work=8W|date=18 January 2019|access-date=1 December 2020|archive-date=24 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924032459/http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/points.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
|-
|rowspan="3"| {{F1|1980}}
!rowspan="3" nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|Team McLaren]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren M29|M29B]]
!rowspan="3" nowrap| [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV]] 3.0 [[V8 engine|V8]]
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1980 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1980 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#fff;"| [[1980 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />{{small|DNS}}
| [[1980 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]
|colspan=12|
!rowspan="3"| 16th
!rowspan="3"| 5
|-
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren M29|M29C]]
|colspan=4|
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1980 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1980 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1980 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1980 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1980 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|11}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1980 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />{{small|7}}
|colspan=6|
|-
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren M30|M30]]
|colspan=10|
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1980 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1980 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|7}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1980 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#fff;"| [[1980 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />{{small|DNS}}
|colspan=2|
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{F1|1981}}
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault RE20|RE20B]]
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault EF-Type engine#EF1|EF1]] 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1981 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|colspan=11|
!rowspan="2"| 5th
!rowspan="2"| 43
|-
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault RE30|RE30]]
|colspan=5|
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1981 French Grand Prix|FRA]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''[[1981 German Grand Prix|GER]]'''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1981 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1981 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1981 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix|CPL]]<br />{{small|2}}
|
|-
| {{F1|1982}}
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault RE30|RE30B]]
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault EF-Type engine#EF1|EF1]] 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1982 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1982 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| '''[[1982 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]'''<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1982 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>7<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| '''''[[1982 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]'''''<br />{{small|NC}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1982 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1982 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1982 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br /><small>8<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''''[[1982 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]'''''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1982 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| '''[[1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix|CPL]]'''<br />{{small|4}}
! 4th
! 34
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{F1|1983}}
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Equipe Renault]] [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]]
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault RE30|RE30C]]
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault EF-Type engine#EF1|EF1]] 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1983 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|7}}
|colspan=15|
| rowspan="2" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
| rowspan="2" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''57'''
|-
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] [[Renault RE40|RE40]]
|
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1983 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br />{{small|11}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1983 French Grand Prix|FRA]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1983 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''[[1983 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]'''<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1983 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1983 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|8}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1983 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1983 British Grand Prix|GBR]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1983 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1983 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1983 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1983 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1983 European Grand Prix|EUR]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1983 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|
|-
| {{F1|1984}}
!nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren International]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/2|MP4/2]]
!nowrap| [[Techniques d'Avant Garde|TAG]] TTE PO1 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1984 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1984 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1984 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1984 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| ''[[1984 French Grand Prix|FRA]]''<br />{{small|7}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1984 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]'''<br /><small>1{{sup|‡}}</small>
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1984 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1984 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1984 Dallas Grand Prix|DAL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1984 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1984 German Grand Prix|GER]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1984 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1984 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1984 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1984 European Grand Prix|EUR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1984 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''' 2nd'''
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''' 71.5'''
|-
| {{F1|1985}}
!nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren International]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/2|MP4/2B]]
!nowrap| [[Techniques d'Avant Garde|TAG]] TTE PO1 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1985 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1985 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
| style="background:#000; color:#fff;"| [[1985 San Marino Grand Prix|<span style="color:white;">SMR</span>]]<br />{{small|DSQ}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1985 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1985 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1985 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1985 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1985 British Grand Prix|GBR]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1985 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1985 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1985 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1985 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''''[[1985 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]'''''<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1985 European Grand Prix|EUR]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1985 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1985 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''73 (76)'''
|-
| {{F1|1986}}
!nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren International]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/2|MP4/2C]]
!nowrap| [[Techniques d'Avant Garde|TAG]] TTE PO1 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1986 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1986 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1986 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1986 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| ''[[1986 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]''<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1986 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1986 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1986 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1986 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1986 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>6<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1986 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1986 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />{{small|1}}
| style="background:#000; color:#fff;"| [[1986 Italian Grand Prix|<span style="color:white;">ITA</span>]]<br />{{small|DSQ}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1986 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1986 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1986 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''72 (74)'''
|-
| {{F1|1987}}
!nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren International]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/3|MP4/3]]
!nowrap| [[Techniques d'Avant Garde|TAG]] TTE PO1 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1987 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1987 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1987 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1987 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>9<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1987 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1987 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1987 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1987 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>7<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1987 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1987 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1987 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|15}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1987 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1987 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1987 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| ''[[1987 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]''<br />{{small|7}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1987 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
! 4th
! 46
|-
| {{F1|1988}}
!nowrap| [[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/4|MP4/4]]
!nowrap| [[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] RA168E 1.5 [[V6 engine|V6]] [[Turbocharger|t]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1988 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1988 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1988 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1988 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1988 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1988 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1988 French Grand Prix|FRA]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1988 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1988 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1988 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1988 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1988 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1988 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1988 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1988 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1988 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''87 (105)'''
|-
| {{F1|1989}}
!nowrap| [[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren MP4/5|MP4/5]]
!nowrap| [[Honda in Formula One|Honda]] RA109E 3.5 [[V10 engine|V10]]
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1989 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1989 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1989 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1989 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1989 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| '''[[1989 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]'''<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1989 French Grand Prix|FRA]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1989 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1989 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1989 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1989 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1989 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1989 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1989 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| ''[[1989 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]''<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1989 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''76 (81)'''
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{F1|1990}}
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
!nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 641|641]]
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] 036 3.5 [[V12 engine|V12]]<br>[[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] 037 3.5 [[V12 engine|V12]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1990 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1990 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1990 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1990 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|colspan=12|
| rowspan="2" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
| rowspan="2" style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''71 (73)'''
|-
!nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 641|641/2]]
|colspan=4|
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1990 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| ''[[1990 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1990 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1990 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1990 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1990 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ''[[1990 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1990 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1990 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1990 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1990 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1990 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|3}}
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{F1|1991}}
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
!nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 642|642]]
!rowspan="2" nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] 037 3.5 [[V12 engine|V12]]
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1991 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1991 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#fff;"| [[1991 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|DNS}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| ''[[1991 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]''<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|colspan=10|
!rowspan="2"| 5th
!rowspan="2"| 34
|-
!nowrap| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 643|643]]
|colspan=6|
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1991 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1991 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| [[1991 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1991 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1991 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[1991 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|4}}
| [[1991 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]
|-
| {{F1|1993}}
!nowrap| [[Canon (company)|Canon]] [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]] [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]
!nowrap| [[WilliamsF1|Williams]] [[Williams FW15C|FW15C]]
!nowrap| [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]] RS5 3.5 [[V10 engine|V10]]
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1993 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#efcfff;"| '''[[1993 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]'''<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''[[1993 European Grand Prix|EUR]]'''<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''''[[1993 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]'''''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1993 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| '''''[[1993 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]'''''<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1993 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| [[1993 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1993 British Grand Prix|GBR]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''[[1993 German Grand Prix|GER]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| '''''[[1993 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]'''''<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''''[[1993 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]'''''<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#cfcfff;"| '''[[1993 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]'''<br /><small>12<sup>†</sup></small>
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1993 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''''[[1993 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]'''''<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| [[1993 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''99'''
|-
!colspan="22"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=":3"/><ref name="espn">{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/driver/1058.html |title=Alain Prost: F1 Driver Profiles |publisher=[[ESPN]] |access-date=23 February 2018 |archive-date=23 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232232/http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/driver/1058.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Alain Prost – Involvement|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/alain-prost/engagement.aspx|publisher=StatsF1|access-date=1 December 2020|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526072211/https://www.statsf1.com/en/alain-prost/engagement.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
|}
<sup>†</sup> Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.<br>
<sup>‡</sup> Race was stopped with less than 75% of laps completed, half points awarded.

===Formula One non-championship results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 3|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position)
(Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
|-
| 1980
!nowrap| [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] [[McLaren|Team McLaren]]
!nowrap| [[McLaren]] [[McLaren M29|M29]]
!nowrap| [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV]]
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1980 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|-
!colspan="5"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web|title=Alain Prost – Involvement Non World Championship|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/alain-prost/engagementhc.aspx|publisher=StatsF1|access-date=1 December 2020|archive-date=14 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414223427/http://www.statsf1.com/en/alain-prost/engagementhc.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
|}

== Notes ==
{{notes}}

==See also==
* [[Formula One drivers from France]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==

*{{Cite book|last=Roebuck|first=Nigel|title=Grand Prix Greats|year=1986|publisher=Book Club Associates|isbn=0-85059-792-7}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Hamilton |first=Maurice |date=2015 |title=Alain Prost |publisher=Blink Publishing |isbn=978-1905825981}}
* {{cite book |last=Henry |first=Alan |date=1986 |title=Alain Prost (Champion Series) |publisher=Kimberley's |isbn=0-946132-30-5}}
* {{cite book |last1=Ménard |first1=Pierre |last2=Vassal |first2=Jacques |date=2003 |title=Alain Prost: The Science of Racing (Formula 1 Legends Series) |publisher=Chronosports Editeur |isbn=2-84707-062-1}}

==External links==
{{commons|Alain Prost}}
* [http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/prost_bio.htm Grand Prix History&nbsp;– Hall of Fame] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612170722/http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/prost_bio.htm |date=12 June 2008 }}
* [http://www.4mula1.ro/history/driver/Alain_Prost Alain Prost statistics]
* [http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/ Alain Prost Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201171932/http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/ |date=1 February 2019 }}&nbsp;– McLaren
* [http://www.prostfan.com/ Alain Prost]&nbsp;– Fan page: interviews, photos, statistics, regularly updated

{{Navboxes
|title=Alain Prost sporting positions
| list1 =
{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|before=[[Michel Leclère]]|title=[[Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup|Championnat de Formule Renault<br> Nationale]] Champion|years=1976|after=[[Joël Gouhier]]}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Elio de Angelis]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[List of Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three support race winners|Monaco Formula Three <br />Race Winner]]|years = 1979}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Mauro Baldi]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Patrick Depailler]] (1973)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[French Formula Three Championship|French Formula Three]]<br />[[Champion]]|years=1979}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alain Ferté]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Jan Lammers]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[FIA European Formula 3 Championship (established in 1975)|European Formula Three]]<br />[[Champion]]|years=[[1979 FIA European Formula 3 Championship|1979]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Michele Alboreto]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Niki Lauda]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|Formula One World Champion]]|years={{F1|1985}}–{{F1|1986}}}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Nelson Piquet]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ayrton Senna]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|Formula One World Champion]]|years={{F1|1989}}}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Ayrton Senna]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Nigel Mansell]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|Formula One World Champion]]|years={{F1|1993}}}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Michael Schumacher]]}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Jackie Stewart]]<small><br/>27 wins<br/>([[1965 Formula One season|1965]]–[[1973 Formula One season|1973]])</small>}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Most Grand Prix wins]]<br />51 wins,|years = 28th at the [[1987 Portuguese Grand Prix|1987 Portuguese GP]]}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Michael Schumacher]]<small><br/>91 wins,<br/>52nd at the [[2001 Belgian Grand Prix|2001 Belgian GP]]</small>}}
{{s-ach}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Niki Lauda]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Autosport]]<br />International Racing Driver Award|years = 1985}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Nigel Mansell]]}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Murray Walker]]<br />[[Colin McRae]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Autosport]]<br />Gregor Grant Award|years = 1994}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Leo Mehl]]<br />[[Emerson Fittipaldi]]}}
{{s-end}}
}}
{{Formula One World Drivers' Champions}}
{{Autosport International Racing Driver Award}} 
{{Formula One drivers from France}}
{{McLaren}}
{{Renault F1}}
{{Honda F1}}
{{Scuderia Ferrari}}
{{Williams}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prost, Alain}}

[[Category:Alain Prost| ]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:FIA European Formula 3 Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Ferrari Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Formula E team owners]]
[[Category:Formula One race winners]]
[[Category:Formula One team owners]]
[[Category:Formula One team principals]]
[[Category:Formula One World Drivers' Champions]]
[[Category:French Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:French Formula Renault 2.0 drivers]]
[[Category:French Formula Three Championship drivers]]
[[Category:French people of Armenian descent]]
[[Category:French racing drivers]]
[[Category:Grand Prix Masters drivers]]
[[Category:International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:McLaren Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:McLaren people]]
[[Category:Renault people]]
[[Category:Honorary officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Loire (department)]]
[[Category:Renault Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Williams Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Karting World Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Oreca drivers]]
[[Category:BMW M drivers]]