1988 Portuguese Grand Prix
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Results from the 1988 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix held at Estoril on September 25, 1988.
[edit] Classification
[edit] Race summary
McLaren gained their 9th front row position of the year ahead of a stunning drive by Ivan Capelli in the nonturbo March. The first start was aborted when Andrea de Cesaris stalled on the grid. The second start was aborted after Derek Warwick stalled and was hit by de Cesaris, tangling with Luis Perez Sala and Satoru Nakajima. Ayrton Senna led off at the third start, to the delight of the Portuguese crowd. At the start of lap 2, Alain Prost pulled out of Senna's slipstream to pass him. Senna moved violently over on Prost and forced him towards the pit wall.
This led to angry words in the McLaren camp after the race. Prost's lead built up to 7 seconds and would last until the flag, whilst Senna was being troubled by an erratic fuel readout, which allowed Capelli to close right up on him.
On lap 22, Capelli outbraked Senna to excited acclaim and opened up a gap on him. Soon after Gerhard Berger passed the McLaren, leaving him exposed to the advances of Nigel Mansell's Williams. The Briton was closer on the corners, but the Honda engine was superior in the powerful fast lap sectors.
Berger had claimed the fastest lap in his pursuit of Capelli, but spun off on lap 36. He had accidentally set off his fire extinguisher, with the resultant freezing of his leg with carbon dioxide causing his foot to slip off the pedals. On lap 55, Mansell and Senna attempted to lap Jonathan Palmer - during this manoeuvre Mansell hit the back off the McLaren and spun into the Armco barrier.
Mauricio Gugelmin, Nelson Piquet, Michele Alboreto, Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen were hotly contesting the last point place in 6th - on lap 29 Patrese retired with a split radiator and the next lap Piquet succumbed to clutch and gearbox problems.
On lap 55, Senna, still having problems with his fuel readout was passed by Alboreto for 4th and on lap 57 Boutsen and Derek Warwick passed him.
Prost won convincing from a stunning Capelli - the gap at the line was just 9.5 seconds and Prost himself was marginal on fuel.
Fuel problems were a notable feature of this race - on the very last corner of the race Alboreto's engine stuttered-his car was running out of fuel despite the gauge indicating he had plenty left. Boutsen passed him to claim his 5th podium of the week and Warwick claimed 4th place. The dry Ferrari of Alboreto and McLaren of Senna were classified 5th and 6th.
[edit] Notes
- Fastest Lap: Gerhard Berger 1'21.961
| Previous race: 1988 Italian Grand Prix |
FIA Formula One World Championship, 1988 season |
Next race: 1988 Spanish Grand Prix |
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| Previous race: 1987 Portuguese Grand Prix |
Portuguese Grand Prix | Next race: 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix |
