Australian Grand Prix 1986 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Alain Prost claimed his second World Championship in one of Formula 1's most dramatic season finales, as Nigel Mansell's left-rear tire exploded at 180mph while leading the race, handing the title to the Frenchman by just two points. Mansell had controlled the race from pole position, needing only third place to secure his maiden championship, when disaster struck on lap 63. The tire failure sent his Williams careering toward the barriers in a shower of sparks, destroying his championship dreams in an instant and leaving him devastated. Prost inherited the lead and cruised to victory, claiming the title through consistency and tactical brilliance despite winning only four races to Williams's nine.

Piquet finished second after his own tire concerns forced a precautionary pit stop, mathematically eliminated from championship contention. Stefan Johansson completed the podium for Ferrari, witnessing one of motorsport's most dramatic championship conclusions. The Adelaide finale epitomized the 1986 season - Williams's overwhelming technical superiority undermined by reliability issues and internal competition, allowing Prost to capitalize with McLaren's inferior but dependable MP4/2C. Mansell's heartbreak became one of Formula 1's defining images, the British driver sitting disconsolate beside his stricken Williams as Prost celebrated an unlikely championship. The result proved that championships are won not through raw speed alone but through consistency, reliability, and the ability to capitalize when rivals falter. Prost's tactical genius had triumphed over Williams-Honda's technical might.