Nigel Roebuck's 1986 season review
It was the height of the turbo era and fuel economy in F1... But in spite of FISA's rules, 33 drivers and 14 teams contrived over 16 races to make the 1986 season one of the greatest. Nigel Roebuck told the stories within the saga in our season review issue of the time
Finishing the 68th lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, with four to go, Alain Prost saw Nigel Mansell in his mirrors and put his boost up for the pit straight. It prevented Mansell from getting by at that point, but soon he was through.
Thereafter the Williams swiftly hauled in Ayrton Senna's leading Lotus, failing to catch it by just 0.014s. It was the closest grand prix finish of all time, and afterward Prost apologised to Mansell for delaying him. He had thought Senna too far ahead to be caught, he said. If he had known, he would have let Mansell through.
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