Brazilian Grand Prix 1985 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Alain Prost opened his championship-winning 1985 campaign with a commanding victory at Jacarepagua, demonstrating the tactical brilliance that would define his season. The Frenchman drove a calculated race in the sweltering Rio heat, managing his McLaren MP4/2B's fuel consumption while extracting maximum performance from the TAG-Porsche turbo. Michele Alboreto provided Ferrari with an encouraging second place, suggesting the Scuderia would challenge McLaren's dominance from the previous year.

The race marked the beginning of the turbo era's peak, with engines producing over 1,000 horsepower in qualifying trim despite the new fuel restrictions. Prost's smooth driving style proved perfectly suited to managing the 220-liter fuel limit, giving him a decisive advantage over more aggressive rivals who had to lift and coast. Elio de Angelis completed the podium for Lotus, while reigning champion Niki Lauda could only manage fourth in the sister McLaren, foreshadowing the struggles that would characterize his final season. The victory established Prost as the early championship favorite and showcased McLaren's ability to adapt to increasingly restrictive regulations.