IMOLA, Italy -- Alain Prost of France extended his all-time record of race wins to 46 with a resounding victory Sunday in the San Marino Grand Prix, putting him back on course for a fourth world Formula One drivers' title.
Prost, who was crowned world champion in 1985, 1986 and 1989, piloted his Williams Renault to a comfortable 32-second victory over Germany's Michael Schumacher in a Benetton Ford. British racer Martin Brundle took third in a Ligier Renault to earn his first podium finish of the season.
Prost, who also won the opening race of the season at Kyalami in South Africa, clocked 1 hour, 33 minutes, 20.413 seconds for the 61-lap, 191.034 mile trip.
His 46th career victory lifted him to within two points of title leader Ayrton Senna of Brazil, who failed to add to his total after spinning off the circuit on lap 43. But there was some good news for McLaren Ford, when it was announced that Senna had agreed to drive for the remainder of the season.
'I feel very tired because mentally this weekend was very difficult and I am very happy now it is over to have won 10 points,' Prost said. 'I was a bit lucky Ayrton did not finish the race so I could close up in the championship and everything was balanced the other way today.'
Senna had opened up a 12-point lead in the championship after back- to-back wins in the Brazilian and European grands prix earlier this year, but had been helped out when both races were held in rain.
Senna, widely regarded as the best wet weather driver in Formula One, maintains his McLaren Ford is unable to match the two Williams Renaults in the dry.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis, who said Sunday that Senna had finally promised to drive for the rest of 1993, was disappointed with the result.
'The team worked very hard and it would have been nice to have brought a result back but reliability and accidents are a part of motor racing. It's been a very disappointing day,' he said.
Senna's hopes of a hat-trick of wins were lifted when there was a light shower before the start of the race, but as the track began drying out, the Williams Renaults showed their superiority.
'I was coping all right until the failure,' Senna said. 'We had a hydraulic failure at the end of the straight, at over 300 kilometers per hour... it was close. I managed to stop the car and shortly afterwards I lost all systems.'
Prost's teammate, Damon Hill of Britain, led for the first 12 laps after a brilliant start from second on the grid.
He surrendered the lead when he stopped to swap his wet weather tires for slicks, but managed just another eight laps before he slid from the course and into sand.
Schumacher, who had been fourth in the early stages, moved into second as Hill and Senna departed and was one of just six drivers from the original 25 still left on the circuit when Prost crossed the finish line.
J.J. Lehto of Finland finished fourth in a Sauber, ahead of Philippe Alliot of France in a Larrousse Lambourghini and Italian Fabrizio Barbazza, who piloted his Minardi Ford home in sixth place despite starting in last place on the grid.
Mark Blundell was the first to drop out when he crashed his Ligier Renault on the opening lap and he was followed seconds later by Riccardo Patrese, who had won at Imola in 1990.
Senna's partner, American Michael Andretti, failed to finish for the fourth time in as many career starts when he slid out on lap 33.
Andretti, whose father Mario won the world title in 1978, was in fifth position and on line to earn his first championship points when he had to abandon the fray.
'It's a pity, I was trying to get the car home,' he said. 'My rear wheels started to lock up when I tried to have a go at (Karl) Wendlinger.
'I wasn't trying to pass him, but my rear locked up again going into the corner and the car swopped ends on me.'
