The race saw six lead changes among five drivers, and the victory for Senna began a streak that would see him take five United States Grand Prix wins in six years.

Cheever, who was racing in the 1986 World Sportscar Championship for the TWR Jaguar team, already had the required licence and had no such issues qualified tenth, out-qualifying temporary teammate Alan Jones by almost 3 seconds.

As expected, the drivers had difficulty finding grip in Friday's sessions, as the temporary street circuit needed time to get some rubber down.

On a gorgeous Saturday, Mansell and Senna bided their time, waiting until halfway through the one-hour session to take the track.

Mansell was balked on his run on the fragile qualifying tires when Alain Prost crashed in the chicane, and Senna had the pole by more than half a second.

At the start, Senna led Mansell into the first corner, and René Arnoux's Ligier-Renault jumped ahead of Nelson Piquet in the second Williams.

His Ligier teammate Jacques Laffite, running with harder compound Pirelli rear tires, moved to the top of the score sheet.

Piquet's 18.4 second stop was even slower than teammate Mansell's had been, but when he returned to the track, the two-time champion got the bit between his teeth.

Very uncharacteristic of a street race, these three – Piquet, Arnoux and Boutsen – were the only drivers all afternoon to retire due to accidents.