Alain Prost won the 1988 Australian Grand Prix as Formula 1’s first turbo era came to an end. McLaren completed its extraordinary season with another one-two at Adelaide Street Circuit, newly crowned champion Ayrton Senna finishing second and Nelson Piquet taking third for Lotus.
Race Guide
Season: 1988 F1 World Championship
Race date: 13 November 1988
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+10:30)
Circuit: Adelaide Street Circuit
Laps: 82 laps
Circuit length: 3.780 km
1987 winner: Gerhard Berger
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:17.748 | |
| Fastest lap | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:21.216 on lap 59 | |
| First | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Second | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Third | Nelson Piquet | Lotus |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 11 November 1988 | Free practice and pre-qualifying | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 11 November 1988 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 12 November 1988 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 12 November 1988 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 13 November 1988 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 13 November 1988 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Ayrton Senna arrived at round 16 leading the 1988 F1 World Championship on 87 points, with Alain Prost on 84. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 184 points.
Race entries
Pierre-Henri Raphanel made his first Grand Prix appearance with Larrousse as Yannick Dalmas remained unwell and Aguri Suzuki had other commitments. Several established partnerships were also ending, including Nigel Mansell’s time at Williams and Michele Alboreto’s Ferrari career. Ayrton Senna arrived with a sore wrist after a holiday injury but was able to drive.
Pre-qualifying
Nicola Larini was eliminated after engine problems affected his Osella cars. Both EuroBruns progressed, along with Alex Caffi and Gabriele Tarquini. Raphanel entered the main qualifying sessions in the Lola, although making the race grid would prove beyond him on this first appearance.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:21.519 | — |
| 2 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 1:21.901 | +0.382 |
| 3 | 31 | Gabriele Tarquini | Coloni | 1:22.022 | +0.503 |
| 4 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 1:24.634 | +3.115 |
| DNPQ | 21 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:28.440 | +6.921 |
Friday Free Practice
Alain Prost led Friday morning in 1:19.676, with Ayrton Senna close behind. Heat, heavy braking and the uneven street surface shaped the teams’ preparations. Ayrton Senna’s injured wrist added another difficulty through Adelaide’s repeated direction changes, while Raphanel had to learn both the circuit and the demands of a Formula 1 weekend. Alain Prost began the meeting with the stronger time, but the two McLarens were already closely matched.
Friday Practice Classification
1988 Australian Grand Prix Practice, 11 November 1988
Friday Qualifying
Alain Prost held provisional pole after Friday with 1:18.179, beating Ayrton Senna by 0.153 seconds. Nigel Mansell was third in the naturally aspirated Williams, ahead of the chasing turbo cars. The remaining qualifying session offered Ayrton Senna one more chance to reverse the order.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1988 Australian Grand Prix first qualifying session, 11 November 1988
Saturday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna moved ahead on Saturday morning in 1:18.414, only 0.105 seconds faster than Alain Prost. The opposition faced a much larger gap, while several teams wrestled with poor grip or reliability. March struggled to find traction, and Ferrari’s preparations were uneven, with Michele Alboreto suffering braking difficulties. For the leading pair, the session set up another close qualifying contest despite the championship already being decided.
Saturday Practice Classification
1988 Australian Grand Prix Practice, 12 November 1988
Saturday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna took that opportunity with 1:17.748, securing pole by 0.132 seconds. Nigel Mansell retained third, followed by Gerhard Berger, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese. Raphanel failed to qualify, as did Gabriele Tarquini, Julian Bailey and Bernd Schneider. The final grid of the season again put the McLarens together on the front row.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1988 Australian Grand Prix second qualifying session, 12 November 1988
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 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:18.332 | 1:17.748 | 1:17.748 | — |
| 2 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:18.179 | 1:17.880 | 1:17.880 | — |
| 3 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:19.427 | 1:19.508 | 1:19.427 | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:20.019 | 1:19.517 | 1:19.517 | — |
| 5 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:20.477 | 1:19.535 | 1:19.535 | — |
| 6 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:19.925 | 1:19.998 | 1:19.925 | — |
| 7 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:20.086 | 1:20.495 | 1:20.086 | — |
| 8 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:20.331 | 1:20.182 | 1:20.182 | — |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:21.136 | 1:20.459 | 1:20.459 | — |
| 10 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:21.114 | 1:20.486 | 1:20.486 | — |
| 11 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:20.781 | 1:20.881 | 1:20.781 | — |
| 12 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:20.844 | 1:20.964 | 1:20.844 | — |
| 13 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:21.542 | 1:20.852 | 1:20.852 | — |
| 14 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:21.905 | 1:21.133 | 1:21.133 | — |
| 15 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | 1:21.944 | 1:21.164 | 1:21.164 | — |
| 16 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | 1:22.170 | 1:21.262 | 1:21.262 | — |
| 17 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:21.959 | 1:21.307 | 1:21.307 | — |
| 18 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:21.393 | 1:21.514 | 1:21.393 | — |
| 19 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:21.871 | 1:21.554 | 1:21.554 | — |
| 20 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 1:21.972 | 1:21.856 | 1:21.856 | — |
| 21 | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:23.022 | 1:21.893 | 1:21.893 | — |
| 22 | 26 | Stefan Johansson | Ligier | 1:23.417 | 1:21.988 | 1:21.988 | — |
| 23 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:23.547 | 1:22.028 | 1:22.028 | — |
| 24 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:22.420 | 1:22.211 | 1:22.211 | — |
| 25 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 1:23.413 | 1:22.213 | 1:22.213 | — |
| 26 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | 1:22.348 | 1:22.721 | 1:22.348 | — |
| 27 | 31 | Gabriele Tarquini | Coloni | 1:23.650 | 1:22.393 | 1:22.393 | — |
| 28 | 4 | Julian Bailey | Tyrrell | 1:23.530 | 1:22.529 | 1:22.529 | — |
| 29 | 29 | Pierre-Henri Raphanel | Lola | 1:23.393 | 1:22.733 | 1:22.733 | — |
| 30 | 10 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:24.221 | 1:23.025 | 1:23.025 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Alain Prost topped the warm-up despite some gearbox trouble. Jonathan Palmer damaged his Tyrrell against a wall and needed the spare, while Eddie Cheever also changed cars after an engine failure. The final preparations therefore carried a familiar mixture of speed and hurried repairs. Overcast skies did not develop into a wet race, leaving fuel use and mechanical endurance as major concerns for the long afternoon ahead.
Warm-up Classification
1988 Australian Grand Prix Warm-up, 13 November 1988
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:20.835 | — |
| 2 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | +0.176s | — |
| 3 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | +1.240s | — |
| 4 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +1.262s | — |
| 5 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +1.623s | — |
| 6 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +1.625s | — |
| 7 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | +1.761s | — |
| 8 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +1.852s | — |
| 9 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | +1.938s | — |
| 10 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +1.982s | — |
| 11 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +2.031s | — |
| 12 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +2.441s | — |
| 13 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +2.451s | — |
| 14 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +2.492s | — |
| 15 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +2.552s | — |
| 16 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | +2.654s | — |
| 17 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | +2.666s | — |
| 18 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +2.973s | — |
| 19 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +2.988s | — |
| 20 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +3.044s | — |
| 21 | 26 | Stefan Johansson | Ligier | +3.398s | — |
| 22 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | +3.457s | — |
| 23 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | +3.481s | — |
| 24 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +3.481s | — |
| 25 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | +3.562s | — |
| 26 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | +4.464s | — |
What happened in the 1988 Australian Grand Prix?
Alain Prost led at the start, but Gerhard Berger attacked rather than settle into a fuel-saving race. The Ferrari passed Ayrton Senna and then Alain Prost to take the lead. Its challenge ended in contact with René Rene Arnoux’s Ligier while lapping traffic, returning Alain Prost to first place.
Alain Prost managed the remainder despite damage from debris and handling difficulties. Ayrton Senna followed in second, while Nelson Piquet resisted the Williams cars for third. Riccardo Patrese spun and recovered, but Nigel Mansell’s final Williams appearance ended when his brakes failed. Further retirements and late fuel shortages repeatedly changed the lower order.
Alain Prost won by 36.612 seconds from Ayrton Senna, with Nelson Piquet completing an all-Honda podium. Riccardo Patrese, Thierry Boutsen and Ivan Capelli took the remaining points. Alain Prost had scored 105 points across the season, but retained 87 under the best-eleven-results rule; Ayrton Senna retained 90 and was champion. McLaren finished with 15 victories from 16 races, closing the turbo era with a remarkable record.
After the race, Ayrton Senna headed the drivers’ standings with 90 points, followed by Alain Prost on 87. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 199, with Ferrari on 65.
1988 Australian Grand Prix race results
The 1988 Australian Grand Prix was held on 13 November 1988.
1988 Australian Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 59 | 1:21.216 |
| 2 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 62 | 1:21.502 |
| 3 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 69 | 1:21.526 |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 39 | 1:21.668 |
| 5 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | 77 | 1:21.677 |
| 6 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 55 | 1:21.713 |
| 7 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 77 | 1:21.793 |
| 8 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 21 | 1:21.900 |
| 9 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 62 | 1:21.948 |
| 10 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | 56 | 1:22.288 |
| 11 | 26 | Stefan Johansson | Ligier | 73 | 1:22.433 |
| 12 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 61 | 1:22.467 |
| 13 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 62 | 1:22.506 |
| 14 | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 53 | 1:22.888 |
| 15 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 40 | 1:22.935 |
| 16 | 24 | Luis Perez-Sala | Minardi | 40 | 1:23.195 |
| 17 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 12 | 1:23.500 |
| 18 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 41 | 1:23.529 |
| 19 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 31 | 1:23.727 |
| 20 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 10 | 1:23.847 |
| 21 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 10 | 1:24.064 |
| 22 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 15 | 1:24.726 |
| 23 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 11 | 1:24.777 |
| 24 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 5 | 1:25.095 |
| 25 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | 8 | 1:26.100 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1988 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1988 Australian Grand Prix.
1988 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1988 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 199 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 65 |
| 3 | Benetton – Ford | 39 |
| 4 | Lotus – Honda | 23 |
| 5 | Arrows – Megatron | 23 |
| 6 | March – Judd | 22 |
| 7 | Williams – Judd | 20 |
| 8 | Tyrrell – Ford | 5 |
| 9 | Rial – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | Minardi – Ford | 1 |
| — | Lola – Ford | 0 |
| — | Dallara – Ford | 0 |
| — | AGS – Ford | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
| — | Ligier – Judd | 0 |
| — | Osella | 0 |
| — | EuroBrun – Ford | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed | 0 |
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race. These totals incorporate the later exclusion of both Benettons from the Belgian Grand Prix; contemporary tables published before that decision differ.
1988 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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