Motor Racing Roundup : Senna Gains on Prost With Win in Spain

Defending world champion Ayrton Senna of Brazil has had a less than spectacular season on the Formula One circuit this season.

But suddenly he is contending to defend his championship by winning the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez de la Frontera Sunday.

Senna, in a McLaren-Honda, completed 72 laps of the 2.62-mile circuit in 1 hour 47 minutes 48.264 seconds.

Austria’s Gerhard Berger, who trailed Senna from the start, was second, 27.051 seconds behind.

Alain Prost, Senna’s French teammate and main rival for the world drivers’ title, was third, 53.788 seconds behind the winner.

After Sunday’s victory, Senna has 60 points, closing on Prost, who leads the overall standings with 76.

Senna must win both remaining races in Japan and Australia to win the title.

Senna got a clean start and went ahead of Berger going into the first bend.

And although the lanky Austrian virtually tailgated the McLaren-Honda for the first 30 laps, Senna did not seem to be challenged en route to his 20th Grand Prix victory.

“Obviously I’m very happy, although I had a few gearbox and brake problems . . . I got the win, that was the goal,” Senna said.

France’s Jean Alesi made an impressive showing finishing fourth, ahead of Riccardo Patrese.

The Lola-Lamborghini team secured its first championship point with Frenchman Philippe Alliot’s sixth-place finish.

Prost drove a safe race, lagging behind the leaders and never challenging Berger, whose Ferrari engine started smoking in the 52nd lap.

But the third-place finish was enough to keep the pressure on Senna for the last two races.

“I was having serious gearbox problems and it was impossible o overtake Gerhard or Senna on this circuit,” Prost said. “I would be happy if the championship had been decided today but as it hasn’t, I have to go to Japan and Australia to win.”

Jaguar driver Price Cobb worked his way through a pileup and held off division leader Chip Robinson to win the GTE World Challenge in Tampa, Fla.

After a caution period ended with six laps left in the 117-lap race, Robinson, the leader at the time, built up speed coming out of the final corner before the finish line.

But Robinson spun in the turn. Jaguar driver Jan Lammers, running second, crashed into the tire barriers trying to avoid the pileup and was forced out of the race.

Cobb took the lead under a caution flag. Robinson’s car was undamaged and he rejoined the field in fourth place, but sixth in line behind two lapped cars.

When the race restarted with one lap left, Robinson shot through the pits at full speed and came out behind Cobb.

Cobb finished less than a car-length in front of Robinson, but after the race Robinson’s second-place finish was negated because he passed under the yellow flag and violated IMSA’s conduct code in the pits.

Dick LaHaie spoiled an impressive performance by Shirley Muldowney in winning the top fuel honors in a National Hot Rod Assn. race at Topeka, Kan.

LaHaie completed the course in 5.076 seconds at 278.29 miles per hour in defeating Muldowney’s quicker time of 5.072, 272.97 m.p.h.

In the funny car category, Mark Oswald of Cincinnati defeated Ed McCulloch of Hemet.