Alain Prost

French Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, known for his smooth driving style and tactical intelligence.

Alain Marie Pascal Prost was born on 24 February 1955 in Lorette, Loire, France, and began kart racing at 14, winning the junior World Cup before progressing rapidly through French Formula Three. He made his Formula One debut with McLaren in 1980, moving to Renault before returning to McLaren in 1984, where he lost the World Championship to teammate Niki Lauda by just half a point — the closest margin in the sport's history. Prost, nicknamed "the Professor" for his meticulous, scientific approach to racing and car setup, won the World Championship in 1985, becoming the first French driver to do so, and defended the title successfully in 1986. His rivalry with new McLaren teammate Ayrton Senna from 1988 became one of the most intense and consequential in motorsport history, the pair's contrasting personalities and racing philosophies producing several controversial collisions over the following years. Prost won two further titles, with Ferrari-affiliated silverware eluding him before a fourth championship with Williams in 1993, his final season before retirement. He held the all-time records for wins, fastest laps, and podium finishes at the time of his retirement, with 51 Grand Prix victories across 13 seasons. Prost later owned and ran his own Formula One team, Prost Grand Prix, from 1997 to 2002, and his son, Nicolas, has continued the family's motorsport legacy as a racing driver in his own right, competing extensively in Formula E.

Tactical and calculated racing approach, excellent at managing races and equipment, smooth driving style that preserved tyres and fuel

One of Formula 1's greatest drivers, held the record for most F1 wins (51) until 2001, known for intelligent racecraft over raw speed

• F1 World Champion 4x (1985,1986,1989,1993)
• Race wins 51
• Pole positions 33