Ferrari finished the 1987 F1 World Championship with a one-two in Adelaide. Gerhard Berger won again, and Ayrton Senna’s post-race exclusion promoted Michele Alboreto to second and Thierry Boutsen to third at the Australian Grand Prix.
Race Guide
Season: 1987 F1 World Championship
Race date: 15 November 1987
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+10:30)
Circuit: Adelaide Street Circuit
Laps: 82 laps
Circuit length: 3.780 km
1986 winner: Alain Prost
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
| Pole time | 1:17.267 | |
| Fastest lap | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:20.416 on lap 72 | |
| First | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
| Second | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari |
| Third | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 13 November 1987 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 13 November 1987 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 14 November 1987 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 14 November 1987 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 15 November 1987 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 15 November 1987 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Nelson Piquet arrived at round 16 leading the 1987 F1 World Championship on 73 points, with Nigel Mansell on 61. Williams – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 137 points.
Race entries
Nigel Mansell remained sidelined after his Suzuka accident, so Riccardo Patrese moved early from Brabham to Williams. Formula 3000 champion Stefano Modena made his Formula 1 debut in the vacated Brabham. Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna prepared for their final races with Williams and Lotus respectively.
Friday Free Practice
Gerhard Berger arrived feeling unwell, but Ferrari’s late-season form carried into the opening running. Nelson Piquet compared active and conventional Williams cars before choosing the latter for its grip, while Riccardo Patrese learned his new machinery. Stefano Modena faced a different challenge, adapting to Formula 1 on a street circuit where braking and precision were essential.
Friday Qualifying
Gerhard Berger’s Friday lap of 1:17.267 established a decisive advantage over Nelson Piquet and Alain Prost. Ferrari’s momentum from Japan was unmistakable despite its leading driver’s illness.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1987 Australian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 13 November 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:17.267 | — |
| 2 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:18.017 | — |
| 3 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:18.200 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:18.508 | — |
| 5 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:18.578 | — |
| 6 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:18.943 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:19.461 | — |
| 8 | 5 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:19.507 | — |
| 9 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:19.761 | — |
| 10 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:19.768 | — |
| 11 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:20.187 | — |
| 12 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:20.638 | — |
| 13 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:20.701 | — |
| 14 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:21.708 | — |
| 15 | 7 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:21.887 | — |
| 16 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:21.888 | — |
| 17 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:21.971 | — |
| 18 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:22.224 | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:22.315 | — |
| 20 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:22.689 | — |
| 21 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:22.698 | — |
| 22 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:23.046 | — |
| 23 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:23.659 | — |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 1:24.833 | — |
| 25 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:25.021 | — |
| 26 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 1:25.760 | — |
| 27 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:25.872 | — |
Saturday Free Practice
Hotter conditions on Saturday made improving the previous day’s times difficult. Mechanical problems disrupted several teams: de Andrea de Cesaris suffered an engine failure, Christian Danner encountered a succession of faults and the Ligiers proved unstable. Brake durability was already a concern for McLaren and would become one of the defining issues of the race.
Saturday Qualifying
Alain Prost was fastest in Saturday’s hotter session but remained seven-tenths short of Gerhard Berger’s Friday time. Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna formed the second row, with Thierry Boutsen and Michele Alboreto behind. Riccardo Patrese qualified seventh on his Williams debut and Stefano Modena fifteenth for Brabham.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1987 Australian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 14 November 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:17.967 | — |
| 2 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:18.142 | — |
| 3 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:18.176 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:18.488 | — |
| 5 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:18.523 | — |
| 6 | 5 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:18.813 | — |
| 7 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:18.826 | — |
| 8 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:19.590 | — |
| 9 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:19.612 | — |
| 10 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:20.301 | — |
| 11 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:20.837 | — |
| 12 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:20.891 | — |
| 13 | 7 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:21.014 | — |
| 14 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:21.483 | — |
| 15 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:21.523 | — |
| 16 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:21.592 | — |
| 17 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:22.087 | — |
| 18 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 1:22.303 | — |
| 19 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:22.434 | — |
| 20 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:22.650 | — |
| 21 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:22.704 | — |
| 22 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:22.736 | — |
| 23 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:22.846 | — |
| 24 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 1:24.121 | — |
| 25 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:24.149 | — |
| 26 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:24.652 | — |
| 27 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:27.331 | — |
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Friday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:17.267 | 1:18.142 | 1:17.267 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:18.200 | 1:17.967 | 1:17.967 | — |
| 3 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:18.017 | 1:18.176 | 1:18.017 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:18.508 | 1:18.488 | 1:18.488 | — |
| 5 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:18.943 | 1:18.523 | 1:18.523 | — |
| 6 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:18.578 | 1:19.612 | 1:18.578 | — |
| 7 | 5 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:19.507 | 1:18.813 | 1:18.813 | — |
| 8 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:19.761 | 1:18.826 | 1:18.826 | — |
| 9 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:19.461 | 1:20.301 | 1:19.461 | — |
| 10 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:19.768 | 1:19.590 | 1:19.590 | — |
| 11 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:20.187 | 1:21.592 | 1:20.187 | — |
| 12 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:20.638 | 1:20.837 | 1:20.638 | — |
| 13 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:20.701 | 1:21.523 | 1:20.701 | — |
| 14 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:21.708 | 1:20.891 | 1:20.891 | — |
| 15 | 7 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 1:21.887 | 1:21.014 | 1:21.014 | — |
| 16 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:22.224 | 1:21.483 | 1:21.483 | — |
| 17 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:21.888 | 1:22.846 | 1:21.888 | — |
| 18 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:21.971 | 1:22.434 | 1:21.971 | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:22.315 | 1:22.087 | 1:22.087 | — |
| 20 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:24.833 | 1:22.303 | 1:22.303 | — |
| 21 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:25.021 | 1:22.650 | 1:22.650 | — |
| 22 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:22.689 | 1:24.652 | 1:22.689 | — |
| 23 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:22.698 | 1:22.704 | 1:22.698 | — |
| 24 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:23.046 | 1:22.736 | 1:22.736 | — |
| 25 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:23.659 | 1:24.149 | 1:23.659 | — |
| 26 | 23 | Adrián Campos | Minardi | 1:25.760 | 1:24.121 | 1:24.121 | — |
| DNQ | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:25.872 | 1:27.331 | 1:25.872 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Gerhard Berger was fastest in the warm-up but switched to the spare Ferrari after an engine misfire. Benetton was concerned about brake cooling, leading Thierry Boutsen to choose iron discs while Teo Fabi retained carbon brakes. Those preparations mattered on a circuit where repeated heavy braking could punish even the quickest cars.
Warm-up Classification
1987 Australian Grand Prix Warm-up, 15 November 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:21.738 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +0.216s | — |
| 3 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | +0.536s | — |
| 4 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | +1.446s | — |
| 5 | 7 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | +1.596s | — |
| 6 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | +1.793s | — |
| 7 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | +1.890s | — |
| 8 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | +1.963s | — |
| 9 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | +2.676s | — |
| 10 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | +2.790s | — |
| 11 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | +2.813s | — |
| 12 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +2.953s | — |
| 13 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.083s | — |
| 14 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +3.403s | — |
| 15 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | +3.560s | — |
| 16 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +3.590s | — |
| 17 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | +3.770s | — |
| 18 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +3.856s | — |
| 19 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | +3.886s | — |
| 20 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +3.976s | — |
| 21 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +4.186s | — |
| 22 | 5 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +4.456s | — |
| 23 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | +4.616s | — |
| 24 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | +6.023s | — |
| 25 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +6.336s | — |
| 26 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | +7.180s | — |
What happened in the 1987 Australian Grand Prix?
Nelson Piquet briefly led at the start, but Gerhard Berger retook the position on the opening lap and began pulling clear. Behind him, the battle involved Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, Michele Alboreto and Ayrton Senna. Stefano Modena’s debut ended in exhaustion after 31 completed laps.
Brake failures steadily removed contenders, including both McLarens and Nelson Piquet. Ayrton Senna closed on Gerhard Berger for a time before the Ferrari driver responded. Riccardo Patrese’s late oil leak cost him a strong result, while Jonathan Palmer and Roberto Moreno moved into the points-paying positions.
Gerhard Berger crossed the line ahead of Ayrton Senna, but oversized brake ducts led to the Lotus driver’s disqualification. Michele Alboreto inherited second, Thierry Boutsen third and Jonathan Palmer fourth. Yannick Dalmas was fifth but ineligible for points because Larrousse had registered only one championship entry; Roberto Moreno’s sixth place earned AGS its first World Championship point.
After the race, Nelson Piquet headed the drivers’ standings with 73 points, followed by Nigel Mansell on 61. Williams – Honda led the constructors’ table on 137, with McLaren – TAG on 76.
1987 Australian Grand Prix race results
The 1987 Australian Grand Prix was held on 15 November 1987.
1987 Australian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 72 | 1:20.416 |
| 2 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 63 | 1:20.456 |
| 3 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 65 | 1:20.917 |
| 4 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 48 | 1:21.124 |
| 5 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 47 | 1:21.381 |
| 6 | 5 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 52 | 1:21.491 |
| 7 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 40 | 1:21.981 |
| 8 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 38 | 1:22.232 |
| 9 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 44 | 1:22.246 |
| 10 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 45 | 1:22.769 |
| 11 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 59 | 1:23.197 |
| 12 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 55 | 1:23.207 |
| 13 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 55 | 1:23.296 |
| 14 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 18 | 1:23.390 |
| 15 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 30 | 1:23.999 |
| 16 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 35 | 1:24.119 |
| 17 | 7 | Stefano Modena | Brabham | 4 | 1:24.294 |
| 18 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 18 | 1:24.478 |
| 19 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 62 | 1:24.488 |
| 20 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 39 | 1:24.834 |
| 21 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 18 | 1:24.926 |
| 22 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 24 | 1:25.196 |
| 23 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 11 | 1:25.554 |
| 24 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 6 | 1:26.823 |
| 25 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 35 | 1:27.676 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1987 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1987 Australian Grand Prix.
1987 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1987 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams – Honda | 137 |
| 2 | McLaren – TAG | 76 |
| 3 | Lotus – Honda | 64 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 53 |
| 5 | Benetton – Ford | 28 |
| 6 | Arrows – Megatron | 11 |
| 7 | Tyrrell – Ford | 11 |
| 8 | Brabham – BMW | 10 |
| 9 | Lola – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | Zakspeed | 2 |
| 11 | Ligier – Megatron | 1 |
| 12 | AGS – Ford | 1 |
| 13 | March – Ford | 1 |
| — | Minardi – Motori Moderni | 0 |
| — | Osella – Alfa Romeo | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
Jim Clark Trophy standings
| Pos. | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Palmer | 95 |
| 2 | Philippe Streiff | 74 |
| 3 | Philippe Alliot | 43 |
| 4 | Ivan Capelli | 38 |
| 5 | Pascal Fabre | 35 |
| 6 | Roberto Moreno | 4 |
| 7 | Nicola Larini | 0 |
| 8 | Yannick Dalmas | 0 |
Colin Chapman Trophy standings
The naturally aspirated cars also competed for the Jim Clark and Colin Chapman trophies. These separate totals count every round; bracketed positions in the race results show the naturally aspirated finishing order. Dalmas was ineligible for trophy points in the second Larrousse entry.
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race.
1987 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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