Gerhard Berger ended Ferrari’s long wait for victory at the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix, while Nelson Piquet became world champion before the race began. Nigel Mansell’s heavy Friday qualifying accident ruled him out and brought their title contest to a premature conclusion.
Race Guide
Season: 1987 F1 World Championship
Race date: 1 November 1987
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+09:00)
Circuit: Suzuka International Racing Course
Laps: 51 laps
Circuit length: 5.860 km
1977 winner: James Hunt
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
| Pole time | 1:40.042 | |
| Fastest lap | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:43.844 on lap 35 | |
| First | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
| Second | Ayrton Senna | Lotus |
| Third | Stefan Johansson | McLaren |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 29 October 1987 | Familiarisation testing | Start time unconfirmed |
| 30 October 1987 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 30 October 1987 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 31 October 1987 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 31 October 1987 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 1 November 1987 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 1 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 15 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
Roberto Moreno replaced Pascal Fabre at AGS. Japan returned to the championship after a ten-year absence, with Suzuka hosting for the first time. Nigel Mansell’s withdrawal after qualifying allowed Roberto Moreno to take the final place on the race grid.
Thursday familiarisation
An additional free-practice session on Thursday gave the field an early opportunity to learn Suzuka. Its linked corners, changes of elevation and figure-of-eight layout offered a very different challenge from the preceding race in Mexico. This extra running was a special arrangement for the circuit’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Friday Free Practice
Friday’s preparations centred on finding a balance for Suzuka’s varied corners and selecting gearing for its demanding changes of speed. Honda’s home event brought enormous expectations for Williams and Lotus, but Ferrari was also looking increasingly competitive. Yannick Dalmas suffered an alarming loss of a front wheel during Friday running and escaped injury.
Friday Qualifying
Nelson Piquet set Friday’s fastest time, but the session was overshadowed by Nigel Mansell’s heavy accident in the Esses. Nigel Mansell was taken to hospital and could not continue. His absence made Nelson Piquet’s points lead unassailable and confirmed a third world title.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1987 Japanese Grand Prix first qualifying session, 30 October 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:41.423 | — |
| 2 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:42.160 | — |
| 3 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:42.416 | — |
| 4 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:42.496 | — |
| 5 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:42.616 | — |
| 6 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:43.130 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:43.351 | — |
| 8 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:43.612 | — |
| 9 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:44.026 | — |
| 10 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 1:44.767 | — |
| 11 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:44.768 | — |
| 12 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:45.427 | — |
| 13 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:45.898 | — |
| 14 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:46.399 | — |
| 15 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:46.715 | — |
| 16 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:48.902 | — |
| 17 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:48.948 | — |
| 18 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:49.017 | — |
| 19 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:49.337 | — |
| 20 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:49.470 | — |
| 21 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:49.814 | — |
| 22 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 1:50.542 | — |
| 23 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:50.896 | — |
| 24 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:51.230 | — |
| 25 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:51.554 | — |
| 26 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:51.835 | — |
| 27 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 1:53.455 | — |
Saturday Free Practice
Saturday began with the championship situation transformed by Nigel Mansell’s accident. Williams had only Nelson Piquet continuing, while Ferrari and McLaren pursued the pace needed to win the race itself. Limited engine supplies constrained Ligier’s running, and the teams had to turn their experience of a new Grand Prix venue into dependable settings for Sunday.
Saturday Qualifying
Gerhard Berger claimed pole on Saturday with 1:40.042, ahead of Alain Prost and Thierry Boutsen. Michele Alboreto qualified fourth and Nelson Piquet fifth. Ayrton Senna would start seventh after Nigel Mansell’s withdrawal, with Satoru Nakajima eleventh for his home Grand Prix.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1987 Japanese Grand Prix second qualifying session, 31 October 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:40.042 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:40.652 | — |
| 3 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:40.850 | — |
| 4 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:40.984 | — |
| 5 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:41.144 | — |
| 6 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:41.679 | — |
| 7 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:42.723 | — |
| 8 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 1:43.304 | — |
| 9 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:43.371 | — |
| 10 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:43.618 | — |
| 11 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:43.685 | — |
| 12 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:44.277 | — |
| 13 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:44.626 | — |
| 14 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:45.612 | — |
| 15 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:46.023 | — |
| 16 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:46.116 | — |
| 17 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 1:46.200 | — |
| 18 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:47.395 | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:47.775 | — |
| 20 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:48.212 | — |
| 21 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 1:48.337 | — |
| 22 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:48.887 | — |
| 23 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:49.641 | — |
| 24 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:49.741 | — |
| 25 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:50.212 | — |
| 26 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:50.902 | — |
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 | 1:42.160 | 1:40.042 | 1:40.042 | — |
| 2 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:42.496 | 1:40.652 | 1:40.652 | — |
| 3 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:43.130 | 1:40.850 | 1:40.850 | — |
| 4 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:42.416 | 1:40.984 | 1:40.984 | — |
| 5 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 1:41.423 | 1:41.144 | 1:41.144 | — |
| 6 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 1:43.351 | 1:41.679 | 1:41.679 | — |
| 7 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:42.616 | no time | 1:42.616 | — |
| 8 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:44.026 | 1:42.723 | 1:42.723 | — |
| 9 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 1:44.767 | 1:43.304 | 1:43.304 | — |
| 10 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 1:43.612 | 1:43.371 | 1:43.371 | — |
| 11 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 1:46.399 | 1:43.618 | 1:43.618 | — |
| 12 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:45.898 | 1:43.685 | 1:43.685 | — |
| 13 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:45.427 | 1:44.277 | 1:44.277 | — |
| 14 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:44.768 | 1:44.626 | 1:44.626 | — |
| 15 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 1:48.948 | 1:45.612 | 1:45.612 | — |
| 16 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 1:46.715 | 1:46.023 | 1:46.023 | — |
| 17 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 1:49.337 | 1:46.116 | 1:46.116 | — |
| 18 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:50.542 | 1:46.200 | 1:46.200 | — |
| 19 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:49.470 | 1:47.395 | 1:47.395 | — |
| 20 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:48.902 | 1:47.775 | 1:47.775 | — |
| 21 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:49.814 | 1:48.212 | 1:48.212 | — |
| 22 | 23 | Adrián Campos | Minardi | 1:53.455 | 1:48.337 | 1:48.337 | — |
| 23 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:51.230 | 1:48.887 | 1:48.887 | — |
| 24 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 1:49.017 | 1:50.902 | 1:49.017 | — |
| 25 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 1:51.554 | 1:49.641 | 1:49.641 | — |
| 26 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:50.896 | 1:49.741 | 1:49.741 | — |
| 27 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 1:51.835 | 1:50.212 | 1:50.212 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost headed the warm-up, just ahead of Michele Alboreto and Nelson Piquet. The McLaren driver was concerned about fuel consumption despite his speed, while Ayrton Senna prepared to use the spare Lotus. The morning suggested Ferrari would face opposition even with one Williams missing and the drivers’ championship settled.
Warm-up Classification
1987 Japanese Grand Prix Warm-up, 1 November 1987
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:46.113 | — |
| 2 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | +0.086s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | +0.476s | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +0.476s | — |
| 5 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | +0.776s | — |
| 6 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | +1.626s | — |
| 7 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | +1.690s | — |
| 8 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +2.493s | — |
| 9 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | +3.666s | — |
| 10 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.680s | — |
| 11 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +3.720s | — |
| 12 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | +4.000s | — |
| 13 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | +4.490s | — |
| 14 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | +4.873s | — |
| 15 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +5.116s | — |
| 16 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | +5.400s | — |
| 17 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +5.573s | — |
| 18 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +6.150s | — |
| 19 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +6.460s | — |
| 20 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | +6.546s | — |
| 21 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +6.703s | — |
| 22 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | +6.706s | — |
| 23 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | +7.103s | — |
| 24 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | +7.830s | — |
| 25 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | +10.250s | — |
| 26 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | +11.143s | — |
What happened in the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix?
Gerhard Berger led away, and an early puncture forced Alain Prost into a slow return to the pits. Thierry Boutsen initially pursued the Ferrari but could not maintain the challenge. Michele Alboreto recovered from a stalled start, while Nelson Piquet spent much of his race behind Ayrton Senna before retiring with engine trouble.
Stefan Johansson emerged as Gerhard Berger’s closest threat, but the Ferrari driver responded and controlled the race. Alain Prost charged back through the field and set the fastest lap, although the lost time left him just outside the points. Stefan Johansson’s fuel concerns allowed Ayrton Senna to snatch second on the final lap.
Gerhard Berger took Ferrari’s first victory since the 1985 German Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna and Stefan Johansson completed the podium, followed by Michele Alboreto, Thierry Boutsen and Satoru Nakajima. Jonathan Palmer finished eighth and secured the Jim Clark Trophy for naturally aspirated drivers.
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 Japanese Grand Prix race results
The 1987 Japanese Grand Prix was held on 1 November 1987.
1987 Japanese Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 35 | 1:43.844 |
| 2 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 34 | 1:45.540 |
| 3 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 49 | 1:45.805 |
| 4 | 2 | Stefan Johansson | McLaren | 34 | 1:46.323 |
| 5 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 28 | 1:46.534 |
| 6 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 41 | 1:46.706 |
| 7 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 41 | 1:47.182 |
| 8 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 41 | 1:47.421 |
| 9 | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 27 | 1:48.206 |
| 10 | 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 24 | 1:48.581 |
| 11 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Benetton | 9 | 1:49.170 |
| 12 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 33 | 1:49.221 |
| 13 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 28 | 1:49.384 |
| 14 | 26 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Ligier | 29 | 1:49.915 |
| 15 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 34 | 1:50.111 |
| 16 | 9 | Martin Brundle | Zakspeed | 28 | 1:50.367 |
| 17 | 8 | Andrea de Cesaris | Brabham | 18 | 1:50.422 |
| 18 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 44 | 1:51.236 |
| 19 | 24 | Alessandro Nannini | Minardi | 32 | 1:51.848 |
| 20 | 21 | Alex Caffi | Osella | 35 | 1:51.917 |
| 21 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 40 | 1:52.080 |
| 22 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 13 | 1:52.213 |
| 23 | 10 | Christian Danner | Zakspeed | 7 | 1:52.813 |
| 24 | 14 | Roberto Moreno | AGS | 15 | 1:54.015 |
| 25 | 23 | Adrian Campos | Minardi | 2 | 1:59.121 |
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 Japanese Grand Prix.
1987 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
| POS | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson Piquet | Brazilian | Williams | 73 |
| 2 | Nigel Mansell | British | Williams | 61 |
| 3 | Ayrton Senna | Brazilian | Lotus | 57 |
| 4 | Alain Prost | French | McLaren | 46 |
| 5 | Stefan Johansson | Swedish | McLaren | 30 |
| 6 | Gerhard Berger | Austrian | Ferrari | 27 |
| 7 | Teo Fabi | Italian | Benetton | 12 |
| 8 | Thierry Boutsen | Belgian | Benetton | 12 |
| 9 | Michele Alboreto | Italian | Ferrari | 11 |
| 10 | Eddie Cheever | American | Arrows | 8 |
| 11 | Satoru Nakajima | Japanese | Lotus | 7 |
| 12 | Riccardo Patrese | Italian | Brabham | 6 |
| 13 | Andrea de Cesaris | Italian | Brabham | 4 |
| 14 | Philippe Streiff | French | Tyrrell | 4 |
| 15 | Jonathan Palmer | British | Tyrrell | 4 |
| 16 | Derek Warwick | British | Arrows | 3 |
| 17 | Philippe Alliot | French | Lola | 3 |
| 18 | Martin Brundle | British | Zakspeed | 2 |
| 19 | Ivan Capelli | Italian | March | 1 |
| 20 | René Arnoux | French | Ligier | 1 |
| – | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Italian | Ligier | 0 |
| – | Christian Danner | German | Zakspeed | 0 |
| – | Pascal Fabre | French | AGS | 0 |
| – | Yannick Dalmas | French | Lola | 0 |
| – | Alessandro Nannini | Italian | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Alex Caffi | Italian | Osella | 0 |
| – | Adrián Campos | Spanish | Minardi | 0 |
| – | Franco Forini | Swiss | Osella | 0 |
| – | Roberto Moreno | Brazilian | AGS | 0 |
| – | Gabriele Tarquini | Italian | Osella | 0 |
| – | Nicola Larini | Italian | Coloni | 0 |
1987 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams – Honda | 137 |
| 2 | McLaren – TAG | 76 |
| 3 | Lotus – Honda | 64 |
| 4 | Ferrari | 38 |
| 5 | Benetton – Ford | 24 |
| 6 | Arrows – Megatron | 11 |
| 7 | Brabham – BMW | 10 |
| 8 | Tyrrell – Ford | 8 |
| 9 | Lola – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | Zakspeed | 2 |
| 11 | Ligier – Megatron | 1 |
| 12 | March – Ford | 1 |
| — | Minardi – Motori Moderni | 0 |
| — | Osella – Alfa Romeo | 0 |
| — | AGS – Ford | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
Jim Clark Trophy standings
| Pos. | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Palmer | 86 |
| 2 | Philippe Streiff | 74 |
| 3 | Philippe Alliot | 43 |
| 4 | Ivan Capelli | 38 |
| 5 | Pascal Fabre | 35 |
| 6 | Nicola Larini | 0 |
| 7 | Roberto Moreno | 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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