DEEP EMOTIONS DOWN UNDER

-ADELAIDE, Australia (7 November, 1993) - The actual racing in the Australian Grand Prix, the last event of the 1993 season, was not particularly memorable yet the top two finishers, the men who dominated the sport for a decade and had come to hate each other, made Formula 1 history. Ayrton Senna scored his final F1 victory in this, his last race with McLaren. Alain Prost’s second place finish for Williams was the final race of his exceptional career. (Prost's replacement at Williams for 1994 was Senna, destined to die a few months later.)

Prost, 2nd in his final race. Senna, 1st for the last time (motorsport)


At the conclusion of their final racing confrontation Prost extended a hand of friendship to Senna, a gesture that swept away several years of feuding that had included deliberate collisions on the track. On the victory podium a misty-eyed Senna hauled Prost up onto the top step to share the limelight and embraced his rival warmly. Their peace pact was sealed with champagne, which they playfully showered over each other before discussing their emotions.

Senna was overcome by the prospect of leaving McLaren after six years. The volatile Brazilian shed tears at the finish of the race and had to fight them back before the start. "I tried to keep my feelings very much under control because you cannot allow emotion to take over at such a critical time. In those last 15 minutes I couldn't cope, I couldn't control my feelings. Five minutes before it was so difficult just to clear my mind and concentrate for the race"

Prost admitted he was thinking "It's the last time you will put on your helmet, the last time you put on your gloves, get in the car, think about the start - it was very difficult to keep the concentration. Mentally, it was not easy today, knowing it was the last race. I am very tired and have a strange feeling that I can't explain."

And what did Ayrton really think of Alain now that their often bitter rivalry was racing history? "I think our attitude on the podium speaks for itself. It reflected my feeling, and I believe his feeling too." Did Alain think they could ever become close friends? "I think only life will tell that. If you want to speak about the future you must also speak about the past and we don't want to do that. It's best that we remember only the good times we had."

When Prost was asked how his life would change away from the intensity of F1 Senna interjected "You'll get fat and lazy!" Prost disagreed but the two found some common ground when Senna revealed that "It's never too late to change your mind" were the first words McLaren team owner Ron Dennis said to him after the race. "That's what he told me too!," replied Prost, and they laughed together.

They were further amused when Damon Hill, who finished third in the race, explained why his Williams spun to a halt in the middle of the track on the cooling down lap. Hill said it was the result of a failed attempt to celebrate the successful conclusion of his first F1 season by executing a deliberate 360 degree spin. Hill: "I thought I would do a doughnut but it turned out to be more like a croissant."

Simply The Best

As soon as the shrieking F1 engines were shut off in Adelaide the noise vacuum was filled by the traditional musical concert billed as the 'Rage After The Race.' Cavorting and wailing on an enormous stage behind the pits this year was 'the grandmother of rock and roll, a supercharged powerhouse performer, all lips and legs: Tina Turner!' Several drivers watched the caterwauling bundle of energy, including Ayrton Senna, whose gorgeous girlfriend Adriane Galisteu was also a focus of attention. When Tina was in the middle of her hit song 'Simply The Best' she called Senna onto the stage where he gyrated with her for a few moments to thunderous applause. Some of those close to Ayrton Senna still become tearful when they watch a video clip of this poignant occasion.it.    br / br /

Ayrton Senna and Tina Turner 'Simply The Best' video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzhIKBckjk