1988 Brazilian Grand Prix

Lore & Background

Ayrton Senna qualified on pole for McLaren, but on the parade lap his gear selector mechanism broke and he had to start from the pits in the spare car. Alain Prost led from the start and won the race. Senna made a remarkable charge from the rear, climbing to second place, but was later shown the black flag and disqualified for changing cars after the green flag had been shown. Nelson Piquet finished third in his first drive for Lotus.

In Their Own Story

The roar of the Honda turbos echoed off the hills of São Paulo as Senna lined up on pole. The lights went out, and the MP4/4 surged forward, its tires gripping the asphalt with supernatural tenacity. Behind him, Prost followed in perfect formation, a silent testament to the machine's reliability. As they navigated the first sector, the gap opened instantly; the car was not just faster, it felt like it belonged to another era entirely. Senna glanced at his mirrors, saw only the blur of his teammate, and pushed harder, knowing this was merely the opening move in a season that would rewrite the record books.

Reader's Guide

The race was held at the Jacarepaguá Circuit in Rio de Janeiro, not Interlagos. Senna did not lead every lap; Prost led from the start. Senna did not win; he was disqualified.

Did You Know?

• Nigel Mansell qualified his naturally aspirated Williams second, 1.5 seconds faster than the next atmospheric car.
• Mansell became the first driver of a naturally aspirated car to start on the front row since Keke Rosberg in 1983.
• Alex Caffi used a modified Formula 3000 chassis because his Formula One chassis was not ready.
• Five drivers made their Formula One debut at this race: Maurício Gugelmin, Luis Pérez-Sala, Oscar Larrauri, Julian Bailey, and Bernd Schneider.