Thirty-seven years ago today, Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen secured a memorable victory at the 1989 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, a race defined by torrential rain and dramatic incidents involving two of Formula 1's greatest rivals.
The Williams FW12C, powered by a Renault V10 engine, carried Boutsen to his second career win in conditions so severe that the race was stopped after 70 of the scheduled 81 laps. The Belgian driver mastered the flooded streets of the Adelaide circuit, finishing ahead of Alessandro Nannini's Benetton and Riccardo Patrese in the second Williams.
The race is equally remembered for the collision between Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle. Senna, leading comfortably in his McLaren-Honda, attempted to lap Brundle's Brabham-Judd on lap 13 but the two made contact, eliminating the Brazilian from contention. The incident highlighted the treacherous visibility and standing water that plagued drivers throughout the afternoon.
Adding to the race's narrative, Alain Prost announced his departure from McLaren to join Ferrari for the 1990 season shortly before the Grand Prix. The Frenchman's decision to leave the dominant McLaren team after winning the 1989 championship marked the end of one of F1's most successful driver-team partnerships.
Boutsen's victory in the Williams FW12C remains a standout moment in the team's history, demonstrating the car's competitiveness in wet conditions and the Belgian's skill in extreme weather. The race also served as the season finale for the 1989 championship, which Prost had already secured mathematically at the previous round in Japan.
