Alain Prost

Alain Prost
Born	Alain Marie Pascal Prost (1955-02-24) February 24, 1955 Lorette, Loire, France
Other names	"The Professor"
Occupation(s)	Racing driver, motorsport executive
Years active	1980–1993 (Formula One)
Known for	Four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion
Notable work	Record holder for most race victories (51), fastest laps (41), and podium finishes (106) at retirement

Alain Marie Pascal Prost (born 24 February 1955) is a retired French racing driver and motorsport executive who participated in Formula One between and . Known as "the Professor" due to his methodical and strategic racing style, Prost secured four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and, upon retiring, held records for the highest number of race victories (51), fastest laps (41), and podium finishes (106).

Originating from Lorette, Loire, Prost began kart racing at age 14 and clinched the junior Karting World Cup four years later. Advancing through the ranks of junior categories, he won the Formula Renault National Championship in 1976, followed by the Challenge de Formule Renault Europe in 1977, and achieved consecutive French Formula Three Championships in 1978 and 1979. His junior career culminated with triumph in the 1979 FIA European Formula 3 Championship driving for Oreca.

Prost made his Formula One debut with McLaren in , finishing sixth at the Argentine Grand Prix. He transferred to Renault in , where he earned his first Grand Prix victory at the French Grand Prix and added wins in the Netherlands and Italy that same year. After multiple victories in 1982, he ended the 1983 World Championship season as runner-up to Nelson Piquet but was dismissed by Renault following contentious comments after the season concluded.

Returning to McLaren in , Prost narrowly lost the championship to teammate Niki Lauda by just half a point. He then captured his inaugural World Championship title in , becoming France’s first-ever champion, and successfully defended it in 1986 amid stiff competition from Piquet and Nigel Mansell. In 1987, Ayrton Senna joined Prost at McLaren; together they dominated the 1988 season with the Honda-powered McLaren MP4/4, although Senna ultimately won the title by a margin of three points.

Prost’s fierce rivalry with Senna resulted in pivotal collisions at Suzuka during the 1989 and 1990 seasons. After signing with Ferrari in 1990, Prost secured the 1989 championship but was bested by Senna in 1990. Following an unproductive 1991 season and subsequent dismissal from Ferrari due to critical remarks about the car’s performance, Prost took a year away from racing before joining Williams in . There, he set multiple records en route to winning his fourth championship before retiring from Formula One.

After retiring from driving, Prost became owner of Prost Grand Prix from to , having acquired Ligier. He also acted as an advisor for Renault—later Alpine—from to . Beyond Formula One, Prost competed successfully in other disciplines: he won races in the 2005 FFSA GT Championship, represented France alongside Sébastien Loeb at the 2010 Race of Champions, and claimed three Andros Trophy ice racing titles. Additionally, he co-owned Renault e.dams in Formula E until 2018, achieving three consecutive Teams' Championships between 2014–15 and 2016–17. Prost was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.

Early life

Alain Prost was born in Lorette near Saint-Chamond, Loire, France, to André Prost and Marie-Rose Karatchian, who had Armenian heritage. His father ran a furniture business. Prost had an elder brother named Daniel who passed away from cancer in 1986. As an energetic child, Prost participated in various sports such as wrestling and football, often sustaining injuries including a broken nose. Initially contemplating careers as a gym instructor or professional football player, he discovered kart racing at age 14 during a family vacation—a pursuit that quickly became his main ambition. At sixteen, he bought his first kart using money saved from working at his father’s store.

During his teenage years, Prost won numerous karting championships and committed to racing full-time by 1974. He claimed the French senior karting title in 1975. Transitioning to open-wheel competition in 1976, he dominated the French Formula Renault series by winning the championship and all but one race. He captured the European Formula Renault crown in 1977 and secured the French Formula Three title in 1978 while competing across European Formula Three events. In 1979, he achieved both European and French Formula Three championships and made occasional appearances as a guest driver in European Formula Two races.

Prost’s impressive results drew interest from Formula One teams and sponsors alike. Prior to the final race of the 1979 season, Marlboro executives proposed funding a third McLaren car for him to make an early F1 debut; however, he declined this offer, preferring to enter Formula One fully prepared after adequate testing due to unfamiliarity with both Watkins Glen circuit and the car itself.

McLaren (1980)

Following his triumph in the European Formula Three championship, Prost was recruited by McLaren for the 1980 season after impressing team principal Teddy Mayer during testing sessions. Partnered with John Watson, Prost managed to score points in his very first race at Buenos Aires, a notable accomplishment in Formula One. He concluded the season 15th in the Drivers' Championship with five points, earning points at multiple Grands Prix but enduring several crashes, which included a fractured wrist and a concussion. Although contracted for two more years, Prost departed from McLaren due to recurrent mechanical failures and feeling unfairly held responsible for accidents. Watson revealed that Mayer initially favored Kevin Cogan, but Marlboro insisted on signing Prost. Prost made his return to McLaren in 1984 after Ron Dennis assumed full control of the team.

Renault (1981–1983)

In 1981, Prost joined Renault alongside René Arnoux. Despite early tensions and numerous retirements, he achieved his first podium finish in Buenos Aires and claimed his inaugural Formula One victory at his home Grand Prix in France. When finishing races, he consistently reached the podium, securing three wins and ending fifth in the Drivers' Championship, trailing Nelson Piquet by seven points.

The 1982 season saw Prost winning the opening two Grands Prix, including a promoted victory in Brazil following disqualifications. Although he retired from seven events, he improved to fourth place in the championship standings. His relationship with Arnoux worsened after the French Grand Prix due to a breach of a team agreement. Prost also faced unfavorable media scrutiny in France, which he attributed to cultural attitudes toward successful competitors.

In November 1982, Prost dominated the non-championship Australian Grand Prix at Calder Park Raceway by leading every lap from pole position.

With Eddie Cheever replacing Arnoux in 1983—partly aimed at enhancing Renault's presence in North America—Prost secured four victories and finished as runner-up in the Drivers' Championship, narrowly losing to Piquet. He expressed dissatisfaction with Renault's cautious approach to car development and increasingly clashed with management, who held him responsible for not winning a title. Following escalating tensions involving both fans and team officials—including acts of vandalism against his cars—Renault terminated Prost's contract shortly after the season ended. He promptly rejoined McLaren for 1984 and moved his family to Switzerland.

1984–1986

Prost teamed up with double world champion Niki Lauda at McLaren in , piloting the John Barnard-designed McLaren MP4/2, powered by a 1.5-litre TAG-Porsche V6 engine. He narrowly missed out on the 1984 world championship by just half a point to Lauda after winning seven races, including the final round in Portugal. This margin remains the closest ever recorded in Formula One history. The reduced points awarded due to the rain-shortened Monaco GP played a role in this outcome. Prost's tally of seven victories matched Jim Clark's record set in 1963.

In , Prost became France’s first Formula One World Champion by winning five out of sixteen Grands Prix. Despite being disqualified at San Marino for a technical violation, he finished the season with a commanding 20-point lead over runner-up Michele Alboreto. His achievements earned him France’s esteemed Légion d'honneur. At the conclusion of that year, Lauda retired from racing and later acknowledged Prost as an influence on his decision.

For , Keke Rosberg replaced Lauda as Prost’s teammate. Despite McLaren struggling against Honda-powered Williams cars driven by Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell, Prost successfully defended his title. Entering the final race in Australia second in the standings, he secured the championship after Mansell crashed and Piquet made an unscheduled pit stop for tires. This made Prost the first driver since Jack Brabham in 1960 to retain the World Championship.

One memorable highlight of 1986 was Prost’s dramatic triumph at the , where he managed to cross the finish line despite running out of fuel just before completing the race. He also ran dry on fuel while holding fourth place at the GP and attempted to push his car across the finish line, earning applause although officially classified sixth. Earlier that season, a collision with Gerhard Berger during the GP caused significant damage to Prost’s car that negatively impacted its handling over subsequent events.

1987

Following Rosberg's retirement after the 1986 season, Swedish racer Stefan Johansson joined McLaren to partner with Prost for 1987. The team introduced the MP4/3, designed by Steve Nichols, which replaced the MP4/2 after Barnard moved to Ferrari. Nevertheless, the TAG engines fell short in both power output and reliability compared to prior seasons. Despite these limitations, Prost remained competitive against rivals Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell throughout the year, securing three victories and surpassing Jackie Stewart’s record with his 28th win at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Stewart regarded Prost as the finest driver of his era.

Prost considered his triumph at the Brazilian Grand Prix particularly satisfying, as he managed to defeat the dominant Williams-Hondas by prioritizing race setup over qualifying pace. Employing a low-downforce configuration minimized tire degradation, enabling him to complete 61 laps with only two pit stops, while most competitors required three or more. This strategy delivered a 40-second margin over Piquet and an additional 16 seconds ahead of Johansson.

By the end of 1987, Prost ranked fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, trailing champion Piquet by 30 points and finishing behind Mansell and Ayrton Senna as well. Apart from his rookie year in 1980 and his campaign in 1991, this was his greatest gap from the championship lead.

Despite a difficult season, Prost secured his fourth straight No.1 driver of the year accolade from Autocourse editor Maurice Hamilton, equalling Niki Lauda’s streak from 1975 to 1978. Hamilton observed that although Prost’s engine was less powerful than Honda’s, he "should have won at least six races" during 1987. Previous Autocourse issues had highlighted Prost’s consistent speed in 1985 and comprehensive skillset in 1986, reinforcing his status as an elite driver of that period.

1988

The 1988 season marked a significant shift as Honda ended its collaboration with reigning champions Williams and supplied their potent RA16 engines to McLaren, now driven by Prost. Honda stipulated that teams using their engines must sign one of two preferred Brazilian drivers: three-time champion Nelson Piquet or emerging talent Ayrton Senna. McLaren consulted Prost, who advocated for Senna due to his youth and potential—a choice he would later regret.

McLaren declared that Prost and Senna would compete on equal footing, although team principal Dennis noted that while Prost accepted the rivalry, he remained "deeply suspicious." The McLaren-Honda partnership produced a record-breaking car that won 15 out of 16 races—an unprecedented dominance not matched until Red Bull-Honda’s 2023 campaign. McLaren amassed three times Ferrari’s points total, while Williams fell to seventh in the Constructors’ standings despite having been champions previously.

Prost finished either first or second in all but two events, claiming seven victories and outscoring Senna by 11 points despite Senna having more wins. Under the scoring system introduced in 1991, Prost would have been champion; however, the 1988 rule counting only the best eleven results favored Senna’s higher win count, granting him the title by three points. Their rivalry was fierce but largely free of on-track incidents.

During the season, Prost grew suspicious that Honda favored Senna as McLaren’s primary driver despite official assurances. He confronted Honda F1 director Nobuhiko Kawamoto, who admitted that engineers preferred Senna but assured equal equipment on race day. After the season concluded, Kawamoto was promoted within Honda’s corporate structure.

1989

Throughout 1989, McLaren maintained its supremacy, with the internal rivalry between Prost and Senna intensifying amid limited external challenges. Prost accused Senna of reckless driving and unsportsmanlike behavior, which led to a complete breakdown in their relationship following the Imola race. Prost also claimed that McLaren-Honda favored Senna, citing Honda’s delivery of an engine crate marked "Special - For Ayrton" as evidence. As Prost approached the conclusion of his contract and considered switching teams, Ron Dennis publicly backed Prost, highlighting persistent discrepancies in the engines supplied to each driver. To mitigate these concerns, Dennis experimented with random engine distribution methods, including coin tosses.

Tensions reached a climax at the Italian Grand Prix when Prost announced his transfer to Ferrari for the 1990 season. McLaren then fully committed to Senna’s championship campaign, allocating him two cars and a dedicated crew, while Prost received limited support despite leading the standings. Although Honda asserted that both drivers received identical equipment, Prost openly challenged this claim. After Senna outqualified Prost by 1.790 seconds, Honda threatened to withdraw engine supply from Prost unless he apologized, which he ultimately did. Prost triumphed at Monza as Senna retired due to engine failure, extending Prost's lead in the championship. In a controversial gesture, Prost threw his winner’s trophy to Ferrari fans, prompting McLaren to revise its trophy policy to retain ownership.

Following the weekend’s upheaval, Senna demanded that McLaren dismiss Prost immediately; meanwhile, Ferrari proposed exchanging Prost for Gerhard Berger for the final races of the season. Nevertheless, McLaren permitted Prost to complete the campaign after his public apology, preventing him from clinching the title while driving for Ferrari. Years later, Prost commissioned a replica of the Monza winner’s trophy and gifted it to Ron Dennis.

Prost secured his third Drivers' Championship at the Japanese Grand Prix, the penultimate event of the year. Holding a 16-point advantage over Senna, Prost needed only for Senna not to win both remaining races. With seven laps left, the pair collided; many attributed fault to Prost for refusing to yield. Senna managed to restart and win but was subsequently disqualified by the FIA for cutting a chicane and fined US$100,000 for "dangerous driving," along with a suspended six-month ban.

Prost admitted that while suspicions existed about an intentional collision, he maintained it was accidental and regretted how the championship concluded. He acknowledged anticipating Senna’s overtaking attempt but chose not to concede space. McLaren appealed Senna’s disqualification unsuccessfully; Sports Illustrated characterized this as Ron Dennis opposing his own driver’s championship victory.

Ferrari (1990–1991)

The 1990 season marked Prost as the first Ferrari driver signed following team founder Enzo Ferrari’s death in 1988. Ferrari had recruited key personnel from McLaren’s chassis design team, including John Barnard and Steve Nichols. The 1990 Ferrari 641 challenged Honda’s dominance and brought Ferrari within 11 points of winning the Constructors' Championship. That year, Prost claimed victories in Brazil, Mexico, France, Britain, and Spain—most notably an impressive win in Mexico starting from 13th position—and secured Ferrari one-two finishes alongside Nigel Mansell in Mexico and Spain.

The championship again hinged on the penultimate round at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Prost trailed Senna by nine points. A controversial first-corner collision saw Senna deliberately crash into Prost, eliminating both drivers and securing Senna’s title. Although Prost condemned this maneuver, no penalties were imposed on Senna. Ultimately, Prost finished seven points behind Senna; Ferrari ended as runners-up in the Constructors' Championship.

At season’s end, Mansell departed Ferrari for Williams due to an unstable relationship with Prost. Despite contractual assurances as number one driver, Mansell reportedly relinquished this status upon joining Ferrari. Mansell alleged that after securing pole position in France, Prost demanded Mansell’s superior car; Mansell was subsequently replaced by French driver Jean Alesi.

The following season proved difficult as the Ferrari 642 struggled with reliability issues and lacked competitiveness compared to McLaren and Williams. Although Prost never finished outside the top five and achieved five podiums, he did not win any races and completed only eight events; Alesi finished seven races. Ferrari’s V12 engine fell behind smaller and more efficient V10 units from rivals, while their chassis failed to be competitive. Despite mid-season upgrades with the Ferrari 643, demonstrated by Prost’s second place at his home Grand Prix, Ferrari remained unable to challenge for championships. Meanwhile, Mansell’s Williams-Renault emerged as McLaren-Honda’s primary competitor, with Mansell finishing second in the Drivers’ Championship.

Expressing frustration publicly by likening the car to a "truck," Prost was dismissed by Ferrari with one race left in 1991. He was replaced by Italians Gianni Morbidelli for the 1991 Australian Grand Prix and Ivan Capelli for the subsequent season.

Williams (1993)

During the 1992 season, Prost took a sabbatical year. Although Ligier extended an offer and he participated in early tests for them, Ferrari compensated him to sit out the entire season. Nigel Mansell, driving the Williams-Renault, dominated that year, clinching the championship with five races remaining. Due to Honda’s financial struggles in Japan, engine development slowed significantly, prompting their withdrawal from Formula One at the season’s conclusion. With minimal opposition, a Williams driver was widely expected to claim victory again in 1993.

Acknowledging Williams’ strong prospects, Prost initiated discussions with Frank Williams during early 1992 and secured a two-year contract covering 1993 and 1994. Riccardo Patrese, facing replacement, transferred to Benetton. Prost anticipated partnering with Mansell; however, Mansell’s contract negotiations faltered because of increased financial demands and Williams’ interest in Ayrton Senna. Prost’s agreement included a clause preventing Senna from joining the team, which Senna publicly criticized but ultimately could not overturn.

Prost captured his fourth and final championship in 1993 alongside newly promoted teammate Damon Hill. With Mansell absent, Williams assigned car numbers "0" and "2" to Hill and Prost respectively. The Williams-Renault FW15C proved dominant, securing the Constructors' Championship with twice the points of McLaren. Prost won seven of the first ten races, achieved pole position thirteen times out of sixteen events, and finished 26 points ahead of Senna, clinching the title at the Portuguese Grand Prix. In recognition of his success, he was honored with an OBE.

Shortly before securing the championship, Prost announced his intention to retire at the end of the season. Initially, he stated that his contract’s clause barring Senna’s entry applied only for 1993; however, he later disclosed it extended into 1994 but was waived following pressure from Renault on Frank Williams. Prost agreed to retire in return for his salary for 1994, thereby enabling Senna’s move to Williams for that year.

In his final race at the Adelaide Grand Prix, Prost finished on the podium. After the race, Senna embraced him—a gesture notable given their previous rivalry. McLaren offered Prost Senna’s former seat for 1994 with Peugeot engines; despite encouragement from Senna himself, Prost declined after an underwhelming test and retired permanently.

Helmet

Prost’s helmet design prominently displayed the colors of the French flag—blue, white, and red—alongside his name positioned on the side. Early in his career, he wore a plain white helmet featuring blue accents around the visor. During his tenure with Renault, blue elements became more pronounced, especially toward the rear portion. In 1985, the design evolved to incorporate blue surrounding the visor along with a white ring topped by red lines forming a unique pattern. He retained similar helmet designs throughout his periods with Ferrari and Williams. Occasionally opting for variations, Prost reverted to his original design featuring red highlights in 2007; later in 2010, he sported a pearl white helmet adorned with silver flames and a blue-white-red stripe on the visor created by Kaos Design.

Career legacy

Alain Prost is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished drivers in Formula One history, ranking fourth in the number of Drivers' Championships won, trailing only behind Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Juan Manuel Fangio. He came close to securing an eighth championship, missing out by just 12.5 points. At the time of his retirement, Prost held the record for the highest number of Grand Prix victories with 51 wins—a milestone that remained unbroken until Michael Schumacher surpassed it in 2001. Prost expressed the belief that if Ayrton Senna had not passed away in 1994, Senna would likely have eclipsed his win record first. While Senna led in pole positions when Prost ended his career, Prost maintained the record for the most fastest laps (41) until Schumacher overtook this in 2001.

Prost shares the distinction of achieving the greatest proportion of race starts from the front row within a single season (16 out of 16 in ) alongside Ayrton Senna and Damon Hill. As of November 2024, he remains the most recent French driver to triumph at his home Grand Prix ().

Driving style

Nicknamed "The Professor" due to his cerebral approach to racing, Prost later embraced this label as an accurate reflection of his method. Renowned for his skill in car setup, he strategically conserved brakes and tyres during the early stages of races to maximize performance in later phases—a philosophy often summarized as "win as slowly as possible." This tactic may have been influenced by teammates such as Niki Lauda and Juan Manuel Fangio. Nobuhiko Kawamoto, Honda F1’s team principal, contrasted Prost’s calculated style with Ayrton Senna’s intensity, likening Senna to a "samurai" and Prost to a "computer."

In contrast to Senna’s aggressive driving, Prost was known for his smoothness and composure behind the wheel, drawing inspiration from legendary drivers like Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark. While some competitors dismissed his technique as simply "chauffeuring" a superior car, Stewart himself recognized Prost’s driving as a form of artistry. Prost’s measured style helped preserve engine reliability and earned him considerable respect among both fellow drivers and engineers. Nevertheless, his cautiousness was sometimes criticized—for example, Ron Dennis reproached him after he chose not to push aggressively for victory at the 1985 Belgian Grand Prix. Prost defended this decision by explaining that he preferred to avoid unnecessary risks following previous championship disappointments.

Prost’s fluid driving often masked his underlying speed. Steve Nichols, McLaren’s designer, recounted being unaware that Prost had claimed pole position at the 1985 Belgian Grand Prix because he had calmly completed his laps without apparent urgency. Similar stories were shared by journalist Nigel Roebuck and Williams designer Adrian Newey, who noted Prost’s tendency to avoid pushing limits during testing but acknowledged his capacity to deliver peak performance when required. Despite Senna dominating qualifying sessions during their rivalry—with 26 poles compared to Prost’s 4—Prost managed more fastest race laps (12 versus Senna’s 6).

Although often overshadowed by Senna in qualifying statistics, Prost was a highly capable qualifier himself. Niki Lauda observed that when Prost joined McLaren in 1984, his pace was so impressive that Lauda shifted focus from matching Prost’s qualifying speed to concentrating on race setup optimization—a strategy Prost later employed against Senna during the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

Team changes

Prost understood the importance of aligning with leading teams; McLaren observed that he "crafted his extensive career by making timely and strategic moves." Despite his accomplishments, Prost frequently encountered difficulties with team management and engine partners, resulting in four acrimonious departures.

During his tenure at Ferrari, Nigel Mansell, Prost’s teammate, recounted an episode at the 1990 British Grand Prix when Prost exchanged cars with him without prior notice, using his fluency in Italian to strengthen his position within the Maranello outfit. Prost’s outspoken criticism of Ferrari’s vehicle dynamics ultimately led to his dismissal in 1991. He accepted a substantial financial settlement from Ferrari to remain inactive throughout 1992 instead of racing for Ligier.

In early 1992, Prost recognized the promise of Williams-Renault and secured a contract for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. He declared his retirement at the conclusion of 1993, opting not to compete alongside Senna in 1994; Williams agreed to compensate him for that year regardless. After Senna’s tragic accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Prost was offered Senna’s vacant seat but declined out of respect for his late rival.

Evaluations by peers

A 2009 Autosport poll involving 217 Formula One drivers placed Prost as the fourth greatest driver ever, trailing only Senna, Schumacher, and Fangio. Former teammate Keke Rosberg described him as "the finest driver I have encountered," highlighting his comprehensive abilities. Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone regarded Prost as the best driver in history, noting that unlike Senna or Schumacher, Prost seldom held clear number one status within teams. In 2023, Ecclestone conceded that Max Verstappen had eclipsed Prost’s achievements.

Eddie Jordan, head of Jordan Grand Prix, shared this sentiment, emphasizing Prost’s professionalism irrespective of teammates (Senna being a notable exception). Formula One medical director Sid Watkins commended Prost’s intellect and safety record, recalling only a single significant accident during his career.

Statistical rankings

Several organizations have created systems to objectively evaluate driver talent relative to machinery quality, with Prost consistently ranking near the top:

• University of Sheffield (2016): Second best ever
• The Economist (2020): Third best ever
• Carteret Analytics (2020): Eighth overall
• F1-Analysis.com (2022): Fourth overall; second when adjusted for era differences

Ayrton Senna rivalry

The rivalry between Prost and Ayrton Senna was fierce and extensively covered, featuring numerous high-profile on-track clashes:

• Estoril 1988: Senna threatened to force Prost into the pit wall to block an overtaking attempt
• Imola 1989: Dispute over a first-lap non-aggression agreement led to Prost’s public grievances
• Suzuka 1989: Prost clinched the Drivers’ Championship by pushing Senna off the racing line
• Suzuka 1990: Senna responded by deliberately colliding with Prost to secure the title
• Hockenheim 1991: Senna forced Prost off track, prompting FISA intervention to ease tensions

Following 1991, FISA organized a meeting aimed at defusing their rivalry. Both drivers competed for the same Williams seat after Ferrari declined and Honda withdrew from Formula One. Prost secured the Williams drive and prevented Senna from signing on, provoking Senna to accuse Prost publicly of "acting cowardly." Facing hostility from Senna’s supporters, Prost required police protection during the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix. He won the championship in 1993 before retiring, allowing Senna to lead Williams in 1994.

After their competitive years ended, Prost and Senna reconciled. At Prost’s final race—the 1993 Australian Grand Prix—Senna embraced him on the podium. Shortly before Senna’s fatal accident at Imola in 1994, he greeted Prost warmly during a televised segment. Prost was among Senna’s pallbearers at his funeral and later reflected that losing Senna felt like losing a part of himself due to their closely linked careers. Likewise, Senna acknowledged that competing against Prost had been a significant driving force throughout his own career.

Later years

Between 1994 and 1995, Prost contributed as a commentator for the French broadcaster TF1 while managing public relations and promotional activities for Renault. Subsequently, he rejoined McLaren in a technical advisory capacity and engaged in endurance sports, including cycling events such as L'Étape du Tour, reflecting his passion for long-distance athletic pursuits.

Prost Grand Prix

In 1989, amid growing friction with teammate Ayrton Senna, Prost contemplated establishing his own Formula One team. Alongside former McLaren chief designer John Barnard, he nearly launched a team in 1990 but was hindered by a lack of sponsorship. Prost then moved to Ferrari, whereas Barnard took a position at Benetton. Following disagreements with Ferrari in 1991 and unsuccessful attempts to acquire the Ligier outfit, Prost joined Williams in 1993. Although speculation arose about a Prost-Renault team by 1995, Renault ultimately declined to provide engines.

On 13 February 1997, Prost acquired the Ligier team from Flavio Briatore and rebranded it as "Prost Grand Prix." The following day, he secured a three-year engine supply agreement with French manufacturer Peugeot covering 1998 to 2000. For its inaugural season, Prost retained Ligier’s driver Olivier Panis, winner of the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, and signed Shinji Nakano. The team competed using Mugen-Honda engines from the prior year while continuing with the renamed Ligier JS45 chassis. The season commenced positively with Panis scoring points on debut; however, his injury at the Canadian Grand Prix hampered results. Jarno Trulli temporarily replaced him. Prost GP concluded the season sixth in the Constructors' Championship with 21 points.

In 1998, Prost assumed the role of team president. With Peugeot supplying engines that year, Mugen-Honda shifted their support to Jordan. Prost GP managed only one point during the season, earned by Trulli’s sixth-place finish in Belgium. The 1999 campaign was critical; Prost rehired John Barnard as a technical consultant to aid with developing the Prost AP02 chassis. Drivers Panis and Trulli remained on the roster, but progress was restricted due to the heavy and unreliable Peugeot V10 engine.

For the 2000 season—Peugeot’s final year as engine supplier—Prost signed Jean Alesi alongside emerging talent Nick Heidfeld. Nonetheless, the AP03 chassis suffered from poor reliability and handling issues. Incidents between drivers at the Austrian Grand Prix and mid-season dismissal of technical director Alan Jenkins prompted organizational changes: Joan Villadelprat became managing director and Henri Durand took over technical responsibilities.

In 2001, Ferrari agreed to supply engines to the team; however, financial troubles culminated early in the following season when Prost Grand Prix folded, leaving debts estimated around $30 million.

Additional engagements

In 2002, Prost devoted time to family life and participated in eight cycling competitions, achieving third place in the Granite – Mont Lozère. He competed in the Andros Trophy ice racing series in 2003, finishing runner-up to Yvan Muller, and continued racing there to claim championships with Toyota during 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons as well as with Dacia in 2011/12. Prost also took part in Étape du Tour events in 2003 and 2004 and acted as an Ambassador for Uniroyal until May 2006.

Following modifications to the Formula One Sporting Regulations in 2010 mandating a former driver on the stewards' panel, Prost became the first individual appointed to this role at the Bahrain Grand Prix that year. He also competed in the 2010 Race of Champions event. In February 2012, he was named Renault’s international ambassador, representing the company at various functions and demonstrations. Additionally, he completed the Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race twice—in both 2012 and 2013.

In October 2013, Prost collaborated with Jean-Paul Driot’s DAMS outfit to establish e.dams for competition starting in 2014 within the FIA Formula E Championship. The team’s initial drivers were Nicolas Prost and Sébastien Buemi; they secured victory in the inaugural Formula E teams championship. During the 2016 season, Prost served as an F1 analyst for Channel 4.

Prost joined Renault Formula One Team as a special adviser in 2017 before being appointed non-executive director at Renault Sport from July 2019 onward. At the milestone 1000th Formula One race—the Chinese Grand Prix that year—he waved the chequered flag as Lewis Hamilton claimed his 75th win. Prost remained affiliated with Renault through its transition to Alpine F1 Team until his departure was announced in January 2022.

Personal life

Prost was wed to Anne-Marie (born 14 February 1955), and together they have two sons: Nicolas (born 18 August 1981) and Sacha Prost (born 30 May 1990). Additionally, he has a daughter named Victoria, born in 1996 from a relationship with Bernadette Cottin. Between 2014 and 2018, Nicolas competed in Formula E representing e.dams Renault, a squad partly overseen by Prost. Initially residing in Saint-Chamond until the early 1980s, Prost relocated to Switzerland due to disputes with Renault employees. The family moved multiple times within Switzerland, eventually settling in Nyon by 1999. Prost is a grandfather to two grandsons through Nicolas: Kimi (born November 2015) and Mika (born December 2020), as well as another grandson, Liam (born June 2018), through Sacha.

In acknowledgement of his accomplishments, Prost was bestowed the Légion d'honneur by French President François Mitterrand in 1986 and later elevated to the Officier rank in 1993. He was honoured with an honorary British OBE in 1994 and received the Brazilian Order of the Southern Cross in 1999. His induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame occurred in 1999, followed by his inclusion in the FIA Hall of Fame in 2017.

Apart from French, Prost is proficient in both English and Italian.

In popular culture

Prost lent his voice to an animated persona of himself in McLaren’s Tooned series, which commemorated McLaren’s 50th anniversary. The fifth episode of the second season depicts the events of the 1984 season, attributing Prost’s mechanical setbacks and eventual ranking to a fictional character named Professor M (voiced by Alexander Armstrong).

Karting career summary

Season	Series	Team	Position
1973	French Championship — Junior		1st
	French Championship — Senior		2nd
	European Championship — Junior		1st
	FIA Karting World Championship — Junior		1st
	FIA Karting World Championship — Senior		14th
1974	French Championship — Senior		1st
	FIA Karting World Championship — Senior		23rd
1975	French Championship — Senior		1st (DSQ)
	FIA Karting World Championship — Senior		9th

Career Overview

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Season	Series	Team	Races	Victories	Pole Positions	Fastest Laps	Podium Finishes	Points	Final Standing
1976	Formule Renault Nationale	Ecurie Elf	13	12	10	11	12	112	1st
	Challenge de Formule Renault Europe	Equipe Danielson	2	0	1	0	0	1	28th
1977	Challenge de Formule Renault Europe		16	6	4	7	10	157	1st
	1978 ...

• Source: DriverDB.com*

Full European Formula Three Results

(key) (Entries in bold signify pole position) (Entries in italics denote fastest lap)

Year	Team	Chassis Model	Engine Type	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Final Rank (DC)	Points Earned (Pts)
1978	Ecurie Elf	Martini Mk 21B	Renault	ZAN	NÜR	ÖST	ZOL 10	IMO	NÜR DNS	DIJ 10	MNZ 15	PER	MAG Ret	KNU	KAR	DON 6	KAS	JAR 1	VAL Ret	9th	10
1979	Ecurie Elf	Martini Mk 27	Renault	VAL 2	ÖST 1	ZOL 1	MAG 1	DON 3	ZAN 1																		1st	67

Complete Formula One World Championship Results

(key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole positions, while those in italics represent fastest laps)

Template:F1 \ ... [The table proceeds with comparable information for subsequent years up to 1993, detailing teams, car models, engines, race outcomes, final championship positions, and accumulated points.]

Year	Team	Car Model	Power Unit	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Points
Template:F1	Marlboro McLaren	McLaren M29B	Ford Cosworth DFV V8	ARG 6	BRA 5	RSA DNS	USW													16th	5
		McLaren M29C						BEL Ret	MON Ret	FRA Ret	GBR 6	GER 11	AUT 7
		McLaren M30												NED 6	ITA 7	CAN Ret	USA DNS
Template:F1	Équipe Renault Elf	RE20B	Renault EF1 V6 turbocharged	style="background:#efcfff;" | USW Ret	style="background:#efcfff;" | BRA Ret	style="background:#ffdf9f;" | ARG 3	style="background:#efcfff;" | SMR Ret	style="background:#efcfff;" | BEL Ret	colspan=11 |	5th	43
		nowrap  RE30		colspan=5 |	style= "text-align:center; background: #ffffbf"  FRA 1	style= "text-align:center; background: #efcfff"  GBR Ret	style= "text-align:center; background: #dfdfdf"  GER 2	style= "text-align:center; background: #efcfff"  AUT Ret	style= "text-align:center; background: #ffffbf"  NED 1			style= "text-align:center; background: #ffffbf"  ITA 1	style= "text-align:center; background: #efcfff"  CAN Ret	style= "text-align:center; background: #dfdfdf"  CPL 2
\[[Renault in Formula One#Équipe Renault and Ligier (1977–1985)|Équipe Renault Elf\]\]	\[[Renault RE30B\]\]	\[[Renault EF-Type engine#EF1\|\EF1\]\] V6 turbocharged	\ RSA\ \{{small\|'\'1'\}\}	\ BRA\ \{{small\|'\'1'\}\}	\ USW\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ SMR\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ BEL\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ MON\ \<small\>7\<sup\>\†\<\/sup\>\<\/small\>	\ DET\ \{{small\|'\'NC'\}\}	\ CAN\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ NED\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ GBR\ \{{small\|'\'6'\}\}	\ FRA\ \{{small\|'\'2'\}\}	\ GER\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ AUT\ \<small\>8\<sup\>\†\<\/sup\>\<\/small\>	\ SUI\ \{{small\|'\'2'\}\}	\ ITA\ \{{small\|'\'Ret'\}\}	\ CPL\ \{{small\|'\'4'\}\}	4th	34

^† Finished classified despite not completing full race distance.
^‡ Event ended prematurely, resulting in half points awarded.

Formula One non-championship outcomes

(legend) (Events highlighted in bold denote pole position) (Events shown in italics represent fastest lap)

Year	Team	Car	Power unit	1
1980	Marlboro McLaren Team	McLaren M29	Ford Cosworth DFV	ESP Retired
Template:Center

See also

• Formula One drivers from France

External links

• Grand Prix History – Hall of Fame
• Alain Prost statistics
• Alain Prost Biography – McLaren
• Alain Prost – Fan site featuring interviews, images, stats, and updates