Report
The FIRST team withdrew before the beginning of the season, as the car had failed a mandatory FIA pre-season crash test. Philippe Streiff continued as AGS's lead driver for the 1989 season, but was paralysed in a pre-GP testing crash at the circuit which ended his racing career.
Ayrton Senna took pole position in qualifying ahead of Riccardo Patrese, making a record-breaking 177th appearance at a Grand Prix, and Gerhard Berger in the new Ferrari 640, which featured the first semi-automatic gearbox in Formula One. On his debut for Ferrari, Berger's teammate Nigel Mansell qualified sixth. He was reportedly so convinced of new car's unreliability that he had booked an early flight home.
Johnny Herbert and Olivier Grouillard both qualified for their first Formula One races.
At the start, Nicola Larini was disqualified for an illegal start. Mansell became the first man since Mario Andretti in 1971 to win on his Formula One debut for Ferrari, a feat that was not matched until Kimi Räikkönen won for Ferrari at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix. It was also the first race ever to be won by a car with a semi-automatic gearbox. Mansell cut his hands on the trophy following the race. He was joined on the podium by McLaren's Alain Prost and March's Maurício Gugelmin, making his first appearance on the podium. Johnny Herbert finished fourth and scored points for Benetton on his debut. Eddie Cheever collapsed after exiting his car following the collision involving Bernd Schneider that ended his race.
This would be the last Formula One race at Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro. From 1990 onwards the Brazilian Grand Prix would be held at a shortened Interlagos.
Read more about this topic: 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
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