Formula 1 experienced one of its most explosive episodes on May 17, 1987, during the Belgian GP held at Spa-Francorchamps. Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell were involved in a strong collision on the track that ended in a physical fight in the pits after the incident.
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All the confusion happened still on the first lap of the race restart. Senna, then racing for Lotus, had taken the lead after overtaking Mansell, from Williams, who had started from pole position.
When trying to regain the first position, Mansell went for an aggressive outside move at the Campus chicane. The two cars ended up touching in the middle of the corner, causing Senna’s immediate retirement, while Mansell continued in the race with damage until retiring on lap 17.
Angry about the incident, the Brit went straight to the Lotus pits to confront the Brazilian personally. The episode quickly became one of the most memorable moments in Formula 1 history.
“I went up to him, grabbed his overalls and pushed him against the wall,” Mansell recalled years later. “At that time he wore loose overalls, and I pulled the zipper up above his chin, almost to his nose. Then I said: ‘Next time you do that, you’ll need to do a much better job’.”
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The confrontation symbolized the beginning of an intense rivalry between two drivers known for their aggressive style and difficulty in yielding positions on the track. Mansell was still carrying the frustration from the dramatic loss of the 1986 title, while Senna was already building his reputation for extremely competitive driving with no room for hesitation.
Despite the strong argument and physical contact in the pit lane, no official punishment was applied to the drivers. The episode reflected a more informal era of Formula 1, where competitors often resolved their conflicts without major interventions from the category’s authorities.
On the track, Alain Prost won the race for McLaren. Stefan Johansson completed the British team’s one-two in second place, while Andrea de Cesaris secured third place with Brabham.
