Mar 03, 2008
Nelson Piquet won the 1987 season with just 3 race wins under his belt. His consistency was rewarded more than the cars superiority! '88 was also predicted to be an open contest with anyone emerging the winner. But fate had other ideas for Ayrton Senna… Jacarepaguá was the setting for the start of the season. Alain Prost, having won his last title in 1986 and desperate to reclaim it, crossed the line first. Imola came next, and that young Brazilian, Ayrton Senna, won by a hair’s breath over Prost. What was amazing about this race was that the rest of the platoon finished a lap down. Was this a sign of things to come? Prost snatched the initiative back by waltzing to the finish line with the rest of the pack way behind in Monte Carlo. He celebrated that win by repeating the win-routine in Mexico. Senna was close behind in second. Incidentally, the track in Mexico, Rodrigues hosted its last ever race on the F1 calendar. Montreal in Canada, was witness to a pitched battle between Senna and Prost with the former sneaking ahead to take the win. This one-two was repeated in Detroit with Senna recording a much more comfortable victory this time. With three wins each to Senna and Prost, the rest of the field looked like mute spectators. The rivalry resumed again at the French Grand Prix; Prost and his McLaren proved too good for Senna’s McLaren. Piquet was brilliant race and despite lacking a second gear, he came through for a fifth place. The Senna-Prost show rolled into Silverstone and as if right on cue, Senna returned to his winning ways. Prost didn’t finish and this was a boost to Senna’s title hopes. Nigel Mansell finished second. It was frustrating for this stalwart to be playing party pooper to the Senna-Prost show. The German Grand Prix saw Senna back his French Grand Prix win up with a sterling display at Hockenheim. He pipped Prost at the post with a few seconds to spare. Gerard Berger finished third. He was having a solid season. Hungry for more success, Senna moved in for the kill in Hungary and won a race which many at the time felt would all but crown him champion. It was a close race and it was believed that it hurt Prost very hard to miss that win. Senna enjoyed the Belgian race with some victory champagne at Spa Francorchamps but Prost followed close behind. Prost hung in there and kept his title aspirations afloat. 11 races gone; we had only two leading racers so far. Was anyone going to have their say about this? It was Berger who finished first in a photo-finish with Alboreto a close second. Senna and Prost didn’t even finish this race. Prost knew he had to bag a few 10 pointers to be able to outdo Senna in the long run. So he won in Portugal and Spain back-to-back to rekindle his title dreams. Senna had his time in the sun at Suzuka and set up a Grand Finale in down under Adelaide. One race to go; Prost needed to win this one and hoped that Senna would finish less than third. Prost did win…but Senna hung on behind him. The Senna-Prost show had ended and it was Senna who won the title; he had displayed flair and consistency to emerge victorious. His eight wins and three seconds gave him a total of 90 points over Prost's 87. Berger came third.