1989 French Grand Prix

Championship standings

Williams scored their first one-two finish since Ferrari at Monza the previous year when Boutsen won in Canada and Patrese followed him home. Senna led for 66 of 69 laps before his Honda V10 failed three laps from the end.

Previous race

At Montreal, Boutsen took his first Grand Prix victory — the first for a Belgian driver since Jacky Ickx at the 1972 German Grand Prix — and the first win for Williams-Renault. Patrese was second for a Williams one-two. Andrea de Cesaris was third for Dallara, the small Italian team’s first ever podium. Nelson Piquet scored his and Lotus’s first points of the season in fourth. René Arnoux finished fifth — the last points of his Formula One career.

Between-race developments

Johnny Herbert was dropped by Benetton after failing to qualify at Montreal, the team deciding he needed more time to recover from his Brands Hatch injuries. McLaren test driver Emanuele Pirro replaces him. Pirro drives the older DFR-powered B188 while Nannini takes the new B189 with the Ford HB V8 engine, debuting here.

At Tyrrell, Michele Alboreto is replaced by Frenchman Jean Alesi — making his Formula One debut — after a sponsorship dispute: the team has taken on Camel sponsorship, conflicting with Alboreto’s personal Marlboro deal. At Larrousse, Éric Bernard replaces Yannick Dalmas, who is still suffering the effects of Legionnaires’ disease. At Arrows, Lotus test driver Martin Donnelly replaces Derek Warwick after Warwick injured his back in a karting accident.

Entrants

Four drivers make their Formula One debuts at Paul Ricard: Alesi, Bernard, Donnelly and Pirro.

Between-race developments

In a press conference before the race, Prost announces he will be leaving McLaren at the end of the season.