Mansell Jokes About Splitting Points After 1986 Jerez Photo‑Finish
Summary
On 13 April 1986, Ayrton Senna beat Nigel Mansell by 0.014 seconds at Jerez. Mansell joked they should split winner’s nine and runner‑up’s six – split that would have erased points deciding the title.
On 13 April 1986 at Jerez, Ayrton Senna beat Nigel Mansell by a razor‑thin 0.014 seconds, the third‑closest finish in F1 history. After the photo‑finish, Mansell joked the two should split the winner’s nine points and runner‑up’s six, giving each 7.5 points.
Why it matters:
- Mansell missed three points – the exact margin that left him two points behind champion Alain Prost at season’s end.
- The near‑miss underscores how a single race, and even a joke, can tip a title battle when the points spread is tight.
The details:
- 0.014 s separated Senna’s Lotus from Mansell’s Williams after a 320 km/h dash down Jerez’s final straight.
- Mansell’s puncture on lap 63 dropped him to third, but a furious eight‑lap charge erased a 19‑second gap, setting the stage for the last‑lap duel.
- At the finish both drivers were wheel‑to‑wheel at over 320 km/h; Senna edged out Mansell by 93 cm, split that would have erased points deciding the title.
What's next:
- F1’s points system has been tweaked several times since 1986, most recently in 2022 to reward the top 10 and narrow the gap between first and second.
- Close finishes like Jerez keep the debate alive about extra points for photo‑finish duels or for fastest laps, points deciding the title.
Original Article :https://racingnews365.com/wacky-f1-points-change-jokingly-proposed-as-title-lost