Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell got into a physical altercation on 17 May 1987 at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The 1987 Belgian Grand Prix, which took place on May 17th at Spa-Francorchamps, is remembered for the infamous clash between Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna during a physical confrontation after their on-track collision.
Senna, driving for Lotus, had overtaken Mansell’s Williams for the lead at the start of the race before the incident occurred on the opening lap of the restarted race as Mansell tried to pass around the outside at the Campus Chicane.
The collision forced Senna out of the race immediately, while Mansell continued with damage but eventually retired on lap 17, leading him to storm into the Lotus garage to confront Senna.
Mansell described grabbing Senna by the overalls and warning him about his actions, setting the stage for a fierce rivalry between the two drivers known for their strong personalities and competitive spirits.
Despite the intense confrontation, no official repercussions followed in an era when drivers were often left to resolve conflicts themselves, with Alain Prost winning the race for McLaren and Stefan Johansson taking second place, while Andrea de Cesaris finished third for Brabham.
