1989 Japanese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Prost leads Senna by 16 points — 76 to 60 — with two races remaining. Senna must win both Japan and Australia to have any chance of retaining his championship. If Senna wins both remaining races, he will be champion regardless of where Prost finishes, due to the dropped-scores system.

Previous race

At Jerez, Senna won from pole position, leading throughout and beating Berger by almost half a minute to keep the championship alive. Prost drove a cautious race and finished third, dropping more points under the best-eleven system. Jean Alesi was fourth for Tyrrell. Riccardo Patrese took fifth and Philippe Alliot scored the only championship point of the season for Larrousse — the first points finish for the Lamborghini V12 engine.

Championship permutations

Senna must win both this race and the Australian Grand Prix to have any chance of retaining his title. Prost has told team boss Ron Dennis before the race that in the past he has left the door open when Senna challenges — so as not to take out both team cars — but he will not be doing so at Suzuka.