Senna was running the same Toyota-powered Ralt as Brundle, but the financial backing behind them differed greatly. The Brazilian’s Ralt was run by Dick Bennetts on a healthy budget, leaving Eddie Jordan, in the Brundle camp, outgunned in that department.
They traded victories throughout the season, Senna had taken the opening nine rounds but Brundle began his comeback at Silverstone, then Cadwell Park and Snetterton, the latter a race in which Senna crashed out in pursuit of his rival.
Wins continued to be split between them, Brundle just edging the remainder of the season to go into the final round with a chance of the title.
Thruxton hosted the finale and the long season had well and truly taken its toll on the underfunded Ralt Brundle was running.
“I wish now I’d robbed a bank to buy a new engine,” he says. Ours were knackered by this time, and Thruxton is a power circuit. Meanwhile Ayrton had been to Italy, seen his new engine on the dyno, and brought it back himself for this last race. It was no contest.”
