Alain Prost

Cast

Born

February 24, 1955 · Lorette, nr. Saint-Chamond, Loire, France

Birth name

Alain Marie Pascal Prost

After graduating from school with a high school diploma, Prost started his motor sport career. In 1973, at the age of 18, he became French and European champion in his first year in the French Junior Kart Championship. In 1974 he took 1st place in the Senior Kart Championship in France and had to sit out the 1975 European Kart Championship after a serious accident. After his recovery, he was signed to Lola and Martini for the "Formula Renault France", with whom he won six races in the 1977 season. In 1978 he managed to get into Formula 3 with Martini, where he already achieved nine victories in the 1979 season. After these successes, he made the leap into the premier class of Formula 1 with McLaren in 1980. For the 1981 season he moved to René Arnoux at Renault. In his first year he won three Grand Prix for Renault. In 1982 he achieved two victories. In 1983 he won four F1 races alongside Eddie Cheever as a teammate. In 1983 he became runner-up to Nelson Piquet. In 1984 he moved to McLaren-TAG-Porsche. Here Niki Lauda, who returned to Formula 1 in 1982, became a new team colleague. Here he became runner-up again and Niki Lauda became world champion for the third time. After Niki Lauda finally retired from motor sport in 1984, Prost became the first driver at McLaren-Porsche in 1985 and, after winning five Grand Prix, won the Formula 1 World Championship for the first time. In 1986 he was able to defend his title and became Formula 1 world champion again with just four Grand Prix victories. In 1987, Piquet became world champion again and Prost only came fourth overall with three wins. In 1988, Ayrton Senna moved to the top team McLaren, which from then on was equipped with Honda engines. A competition that is still unique to this day began between the two teammates and was never decided. In his first year at McLaren-Honda, Senna became Formula 1 world champion for the first time and Prost became runner-up again. In 1989 Prost became world champion for the third time and Senna became runner-up. Because of these close decisions, both drivers also had personal differences, and so Prost moved to Ferrari in 1990, with whom he became runner-up again. The 1991 season was marred by numerous technical failures. Prost then broke away from Ferrari and remained without a contract in 1992. In 1993 he returned to Formula 1 with a contract with Williams and became Formula 1 world champion for the fourth time, winning seven Grand Prix. With this result he ended his active sports career. Prost became an advisor to the French team Ligier F1, which he bought in 1997 and renamed "Prost Grand Prix Racing". However, the hoped-for successes did not materialize. In 2001 the Prost team was sold to Arrows. In 2003 he returned to motor sport as a pilot in the "Race of Legends" and the French GT Championship. From the end of 2003, Prost took part in the winter ice racing series Trophée Andros, which he won for the first time in a Toyota Auris at the beginning of 2007. In 2003/2004 and 2005/2006 Prost finished the championship with second place and in 2004/2005 with third place overall.