Great quote by Prost

[Paulc]

I am reading Christopher Hiltons book about Senna titled "The hard edge of genius" (Great read by the way) where Prost defends himself for being criticised for driving to slow in severe wet conditions in the 88 British GP by saying:"What do you think it feels like,trying to listen to the engine noise from the car in front to estimate when he's braking because you cant see him" WOW

[outflat]

Prost's aversion to the wet was a direct result of Hockenheim '82.

He was often still quick in those conditions though - as your quote suggests, his objection was to the lack of visibility rather than the slippery circuit.

[SkaifeHRT]

I read that book too and agree that it was a great read (I have just finished reading Nigel Mansell Driven To Win which was also good).

Prost was certainly no fan of the wet and I can think of a couple of occasions where he pulled out of a wet race, eg. British GP '88, Australian GP '89. He was a great driver though.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Paulc

:"What do you think it feels like,trying to listen to the engine noise from the car in front to estimate when he's braking because you cant see him" WOW

The onboard shot from the back of Brundle's car at Australia in 1991 (??) when Senna rammed him up the backside is testimony of Prost's quote.

Btw, i have also read that book, albeit a long time ago, but a good read from what i recall.

[Adam43]

Prosts adversion to driving in the wet was not because he was poor in such conditions. He wasn't, it was down to the danger of poor visibilty.

Berger once said he was embaressed that he didn't have the courage to pull out of that Austrailian race.

[Knowlesy]

Prost could drive very quickly in the wet, he was very good. The visibility was indeed the problem, perhaps this stems from his accident with Didier Pironi, which was a pretty vicious and horrible one.

[Gt_R]

As much as it is interesting to watch a real wet race, one thing undeniable is that it's completely mad to race in such conditions. We'd be crazy to be speeding at 150kmh in a storm, with wipers and all on a straight highway. These guys need to do two times the speed, with no wipers, and a ton of spray and a speck of blinking red light.

On board footage sometimes give an idea of how bad it can get, but it's worse for the driver who sits lower. When racing at such speeds, instinct and hearing is too little as the only form of "judgement".

[foreversideways]

Who knows, but seeing the results of Didier Pironi's crash at Hockenheim in 1982, when he ran into the back of Alain in the rain must have affected his view of driving in tretcherous conditions.

(When Didier saw Derek Daly's shadowy Williams and its spray fountain moving to the right side of the track between the second chicane and the Motodrom, he assumed the left side to be free. But there was Alain Prost's Renault on a warm-up lap.

Alain Prost: "He hit my rear and took to the air over my right rear wheel. The Ferrari overtook me standing vertically in the air."

The Ferrari overturned three times on a distance of 250 meters and then broke into pieces like Villeneuve's car did at Zolder. Like in Villeneuve's the belts were torn as well. Alain Prost escaped uninjured. The rescue party came quickly, immediately the race doctor started fighting the shock.

"Two minutes later and Pironi would probably have died of his shock..."

Didier was squeezed in the wreck for 20 minutes, meanwhile lost much blood.

"He wept and then cried, first in French, then in English: Get me out of here !")

You cannot underestimate what effect this would have had on him.

[Knowlesy]

I have an issue of Autosport from 1982 in which Roebuck describes how he saw the accident. He was walking to the track and suddenly there was a car 20ft in the air and crunching into the ground and rolling end over end.

That kind of thing would certainly put me off driving in the wet...

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by Paulc

I am reading Christopher Hiltons book about Senna titled "The hard edge of genius" (Great read by the way) where Prost defends himself for being criticised for driving to slow in severe wet conditions in the 88 British GP by saying:"What do you think it feels like,trying to listen to the engine noise from the car in front to estimate when he's braking because you cant see him" WOW

Well, he could maybe have been up the front in the best car in the field, like, say, his team-mate. Not battling with Modena in a bloody Eurobrun.

As for his supposed aversion to driving in the wet...I didn't see much of that at Monaco in 1984. Until Senna was catching him, then it was "stop this race, it's getting too hard". And shamefully the race was indeed stopped.

[Adam43]

How do you know that Prost wanted the race stopped because Senna was catching him? Anyway you will feel satisfaction that he lost the world championship because he scored only 4.5 points instead of 6.

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

How do you know that Prost wanted the race stopped because Senna was catching him? Anyway you will feel satisfaction that he lost the world championship because he scored only 4.5 points instead of 6.

He was pointing animatedly at the sky every time he crossed the start-finish line.

And the latter was karma. Although if Bellof won the race (which he may well have done) with Prost 3rd would FISA have given Tyrrell such a punishment? The showpiece race having its winner changed 8 months after...embarrassing for Balestre...

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by ensign14

He was pointing animatedly at the sky every time he crossed the start-finish line.

I know. I did not dispute that he wanted the race stopped.

[N I Tram]

To get those 6 points he had to complete another 47 laps without being passed by anybody, which doesn't seem likely to have happened.

[Adam43]

Well that is all ifs and my only point there was to suggest that ensign11 would take satisfaction in the fact that Prost didn't win the title.

None of which detracts from the interesting point Prost raises or that conditions were bad at Monaco that day.

[b1ackcr0w]

I don't know about anybody else, but reading that quote, I couldn't help thinking about Schumacher & Coultahrd's collision at Spa in the wet (98? memory fails me). When you look at it again from the perspective of that quote, it changes your whole view of it.

[Paulc]

Originally Posted by b1ackcr0w

I don't know about anybody else, but reading that quote, I couldn't help thinking about Schumacher & Coultahrd's collision at Spa in the wet (98? memory fails me). When you look at it again from the perspective of that quote, it changes your whole view of it.

Well said,Us mere mortals can only guess what that can be like to drive an F1 in those conditions but to have one of the greats describe it makes this clearer.

[KaiserSose]

As for his supposed aversion to driving in the wet...I didn't see much of that at Monaco in 1984. Until Senna was catching him, then it was "stop this race, it's getting too hard". And shamefully the race was indeed stopped.

Yeah, we get it. You love Senna.

But in case it had escaped you, you couldn't carry Prost's jock behind the wheel and your criticism of him is laughable.

But I can't say most of your posts aren't laughable.

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by KaiserSose

Yeah, we get it. You love Senna.

Shows how much you know. I have a lot more respect for Prost than Senna.

Originally Posted by KaiserSose

But in case it had escaped you, you couldn't carry Prost's jock behind the wheel and your criticism of him is laughable.

I've never lived in a Nazi dictatorship. Does that mean I can't criticize Hitler?

I've never been Prime Minister. Does that mean I can't criticize Bliar?

And as for criticizing Prost...please point out where I said anything that was untrue.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by Mr V

The onboard shot from the back of Brundle's car at Australia in 1991 (??) when Senna rammed him up the backside is testimony of Prost's quote.

Was Adelaide '89, I believe.

[ensign14]

It was - also that year Piquet hit Ghinzani in similar fashion.

[foreversideways]

I am not sure how anyone can criticize Prost for disliking conditions where visability was poor. In particular as unless you have driven a racing car in the wet you cannot understand just how little visability there actually is. Clearly i have never driven an F1 car in the wet but i have driven Formula Fords and i can assure you, thats quite bad enough. Lots of drivers at all levels including me actually enjoy the challenge of controlling a car on a wet track, but being in heavy spray is not recomended.

[luke]

I don't blame Prost. In a F1 car at those speeds and when the cars didn't have all the aids and even traction control and aquaplaning in every corner with zero visibility around a street circuit with little or no run off it's too easy and too unfair to blame Prost for not continuing racing. Especially after he was already champion. (Adelaide '89)

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by foreversideways

I am not sure how anyone can criticize Prost for disliking conditions where visability was poor. In particular as unless you have driven a racing car in the wet you cannot understand just how little visability there actually is. Clearly i have never driven an F1 car in the wet but i have driven Formula Fords and i can assure you, thats quite bad enough. Lots of drivers at all levels including me actually enjoy the challenge of controlling a car on a wet track, but being in heavy spray is not recomended.

Quite; approaching Les Combes and hoping you can see the marker boards because you won't be able to see the corner is not the calmest of situations to be in. My high intensity lights were great, I wasn't so convinced about the other cars.

[davyboy]

I've raced open wheel vehicles in the wet and its truely terrifying. In close company you cannot see anything and are operating on bravado a lot of the time. There's a very fine line between bravado and stupidity, the kind that could cause serious injury or death to yourself or somebody else.

Prost was a very smart guy and was fully aware of that. His driving was top tier and didn't need any excuses. He ought to be respected for the calls he made in halting or withdrawing from races which could have easily turned out to be tragic.