Two years ago, Alain Prost sat down with Nico Rosberg to discuss the iconic rivalry he once shared with the great Ayrton Senna in a podcast on the official YouTube channel of Rosberg. Recalling a rivalry that was cut short due to the tragic events that unfolded at Imola in 1994, Prost admitted he wanted to share a “complete relationship” with the Brazilian driver and did not want it to just be an on-track animosity.
Per Prost, the last six months before Senna’s death were especially challenging for the two following Prost’s retirement. The Frenchman called it quits with the sport following a fourth drivers’ championship as Senna finished a close second. Prost always felt something was incomplete between the two but never got the chance to address the void, given Senna wouldn’t be around to talk it out.
The death of Senna brought about an unprecedented change in the fanbases of both drivers. Seeing the four-time world champ’s incredible gesture towards the deceased, the animosity quickly evolved into generosity, and Brazil became a second home for the French driver. Prost even grew closer to Senna’s family, often visiting Senna’s ex-wife, Lilian.
Having been a part of one of F1’s most iconic rivalries of all time, Prost understands the importance of not letting go of the “human side” of rivalries. He further told Rosberg he wished he and Lewis Hamilton could also make amends soon following their falling out.
“I hope you have the same thing with Lewis [Hamilton]. Maybe one day.”
Rosberg reacted positively to Prost’s advice, as he said he would be open to that. While Prost added the wisdom that comes with age was all-important in letting go of such rivalries, Rosberg claimed it would require either him or Hamilton to take the first step of apologizing to the other to break the ice.
The Lewis Hamilton-Rosberg rivalry reminiscent of the one between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost
Currently sworn enemies of each other, Rosberg and Hamilton were once close friends with each other. The duo had a great relationship in their childhood, rising through the ranks of motorsports to make it to Formula One. However, once they had the fastest car on the grid in 2014, the friendship soon turned into a fierce on-track rivalry, much like that of Senna and Prost. According to Rosberg, the case will always be the same between two friends in F1 once they start competing for titles.
The former world champion added that the team and drivers have to go into grey areas and test the limits of their cars to win races. With two drivers driving exceedingly well, it becomes extremely tight on the tracks, and even a small mistake can end up benefiting the other. While personal rivalries in sports often look to be trivial, they can often be the spark that ignites a fire within the athletes to become legends of their sport. A similar thing unfolded between Senna and Prost, who stopped speaking to each other after a time but continued pushing their boundaries in an attempt to outperform the other.
