Alain Prost discusses his underappreciated legacy and achievements in F1, expressing dismay over overlooked contributions and successes.
Alain Prost believes his career and achievements are underrated. The four-time world champion expresses frustration over comments that obscure the truth of his successes, especially as he ranks among the top five most titled drivers in history.
“I sometimes wonder how I will be remembered,” Prost told MotorSport Magazine. “It sounds like a joke, but I’m totally underestimated! I know it. I know it. I don’t know why, but it’s kind of my trademark.”
“It seems like it’s going to stay that way forever, it’s part of history. Look at my teammates, [John] Watson, [René] Arnoux, [Eddie] Cheever, Niki, Keke, Stefan [Johansson], Nigel [Mansell], Jean [Alesi], and Damon [Hill]. No one talks about them.”
“I had five world champions as teammates, which is a bit of a shame. But that’s how it is. Today, there are social networks and everyone goes back to the videos of our battles. Sometimes, I don’t understand. My career didn’t last just two or three years.”
Prost vs. Senna: Rivalry Beyond Politics
Prost notably faced Ayrton Senna at McLaren in 1988 and 1989, and he explains that the Brazilian’s strength was in qualifying: “I must say that he impressed me sometimes in qualifying, I don’t remember exactly when. Never in race conditions. Never. In race conditions, in testing, most of the time, I was faster.”
Prost “does not accept” being seen as a political driver
Often described as a political driver, Prost refutes this and insists it was not the case, citing the documentary on Ayrton Senna, which portrays events in a way that casts him in a negative light: “It’s really frustrating, it’s a pity. I don’t know why.”
“If you watch the film about Senna, you have Balestre in the middle of everything, and he was French. That story in Japan is ridiculous. The previous year, Ayrton had decided to go to the right. People never tell the [whole] story, even some media.”
“There are two things. That story and the fact that Nigel [Mansell] often said I was political. You know why? Because I spoke Italian at Ferrari. We never spoke Italian in the briefing, it was always in English.”
“So, I never understood. There’s a kind of frustration. I tried to do the best job possible, like everyone, trying to get the best things for myself.”
“Never asked anyone to set up my car, that’s for sure. I never hid anything about my car, and the other drivers couldn’t use my settings anyway. I always did my job. Political? I don’t accept it.”
Alain Prost F1 Legacy. Alain Prost F1 Legacy
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