Ayrton Senna delivered another accomplished wet-weather victory at the 1988 German Grand Prix, bringing himself within three points of Alain Prost. McLaren finished first and second at the Hockenheimring, followed by the two Ferraris, while changing conditions punished several drivers who gambled on slick tyres.
Race Guide
Season: 1988 F1 World Championship
Race date: 24 July 1988
Race start time: 14:30 local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Hockenheimring
Laps: 44 laps
Circuit length: 6.802 km
1987 winner: Nelson Piquet
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Pole time | 1:44.596 | |
| Fastest lap | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton |
| Fastest-lap time | 2:03.032 on lap 40 | |
| First | Ayrton Senna | McLaren |
| Second | Alain Prost | McLaren |
| Third | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 22 July 1988 | Free practice and pre-qualifying | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 22 July 1988 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 23 July 1988 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 23 July 1988 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 24 July 1988 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 24 July 1988 | Wet-weather acclimatisation | 15 minutes before the race; start time unconfirmed |
| 24 July 1988 | Race | 14:30 |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Alain Prost arrived at round 9 leading the 1988 F1 World Championship on 54 points, with Ayrton Senna on 48. McLaren – Honda headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 102 points.
Race entries
The driver line-ups were unchanged, but the pre-qualifying group was revised at the halfway stage of the season. Andrea de Cesaris and Rial earned direct entry to main qualifying through their earlier results, while Nicola Larini’s Osella joined the five-car preliminary contest. Williams retained the conventional suspension introduced at Silverstone.
Pre-qualifying
Gabriele Tarquini missed the cut for the fourth consecutive race. Gearbox trouble hampered the Coloni, and Stefano Modena secured the final available place. Nicola Larini cleared his first pre-qualifying hurdle, alongside Alex Caffi and the two EuroBrun drivers, leaving the usual 30-car field for qualifying.
Pre-qualifying Classification
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:52.321 | — |
| 2 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:53.031 | +0.710 |
| 3 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 1:54.184 | +1.863 |
| 4 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 1:54.317 | +1.996 |
| DNPQ | 31 | Gabriele Tarquini | Coloni | 1:54.358 | +2.037 |
Friday Free Practice
Ayrton Senna opened Friday with a commanding 1:45.615, more than a second ahead of Alain Prost. McLaren continued with its high-speed bodywork after further work following Silverstone, and it was proving better suited to Hockenheim. Larrousse also had a substantially revised car for Philippe Alliot. The long straights made aerodynamic efficiency important, but clean acceleration out of the chicanes remained essential to a quick lap.
Friday Practice Classification
1988 German Grand Prix Practice, 22 July 1988
Friday Qualifying
Ayrton Senna’s Friday time of 1:44.596 secured provisional pole ahead of Alain Prost in 1:44.873. Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto occupied the next two places, while Nelson Piquet headed the remaining runners. McLaren had re-established its qualifying advantage after Ferrari’s front-row sweep at Silverstone.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1988 German Grand Prix first qualifying session, 22 July 1988
Saturday Free Practice
Saturday’s heat made improvement difficult. Ayrton Senna still led the morning session, but his 1:45.990 was slower than Friday’s benchmark and Alain Prost was now only 0.072 seconds behind. The rising temperatures affected both engines and tyres, giving the teams a different problem from the balance issues encountered in Britain. Holding on to the best available grip became more useful than expecting the track simply to get faster.
Saturday Practice Classification
1988 German Grand Prix Practice, 23 July 1988
Saturday Qualifying
Alain Prost was quickest on Saturday, but the heat prevented him from improving his Friday lap. Ayrton Senna therefore retained pole, with the leading order unchanged. Both Minardis failed to qualify, along with Stefan Johansson and Julian Bailey. Gerhard Berger survived a high-speed spin during the session, escaping without damage.
Saturday Qualifying Classification
1988 German Grand Prix second qualifying session, 23 July 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 | 1:44.596 | 1:50.002 | 1:44.596 | — |
| 2 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:44.873 | 1:45.868 | 1:44.873 | — |
| 3 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 1:46.115 | 1:46.431 | 1:46.115 | — |
| 4 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:47.154 | 1:47.418 | 1:47.154 | — |
| 5 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1:47.702 | 1:47.681 | 1:47.681 | — |
| 6 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 1:48.223 | 1:48.208 | 1:48.208 | — |
| 7 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 1:48.703 | 1:49.750 | 1:48.703 | — |
| 8 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 1:49.359 | 1:48.781 | 1:48.781 | — |
| 9 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 1:48.837 | 1:49.966 | 1:48.837 | — |
| 10 | 15 | Maurício Gugelmin | March | 1:49.511 | 1:49.645 | 1:49.511 | — |
| 11 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:49.880 | 1:50.673 | 1:49.880 | — |
| 12 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 1:50.459 | 1:50.978 | 1:50.459 | — |
| 13 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 1:51.105 | 1:50.719 | 1:50.719 | — |
| 14 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | 1:51.004 | 1:51.859 | 1:51.004 | — |
| 15 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 1:51.385 | 1:51.171 | 1:51.171 | — |
| 16 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | 1:52.348 | 1:51.642 | 1:51.642 | — |
| 17 | 25 | René Arnoux | Ligier | 1:54.139 | 1:52.080 | 1:52.080 | — |
| 18 | 21 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 1:52.203 | 1:52.168 | 1:52.168 | — |
| 19 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 1:52.469 | 1:52.277 | 1:52.277 | — |
| 20 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 1:52.293 | 1:52.629 | 1:52.293 | — |
| 21 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 1:52.795 | 1:52.436 | 1:52.436 | — |
| 22 | 10 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 1:52.696 | 1:52.664 | 1:52.664 | — |
| 23 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | 1:52.674 | 1:57.241 | 1:52.674 | — |
| 24 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 1:53.238 | 1:52.908 | 1:52.908 | — |
| 25 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 1:52.998 | 1:53.904 | 1:52.998 | — |
| 26 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 1:53.832 | 1:53.043 | 1:53.043 | — |
| DNQ | 24 | Luis Pérez-Sala | Minardi | 1:53.356 | 1:53.673 | 1:53.356 | — |
| DNQ | 26 | Stefan Johansson | Ligier | 1:54.717 | 1:53.507 | 1:53.507 | — |
| DNQ | 4 | Julian Bailey | Tyrrell | 1:53.674 | 1:53.576 | 1:53.576 | — |
| DNQ | 23 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:53.720 | 1:53.596 | 1:53.596 | — |
Sunday warm-up
Ayrton Senna topped the warm-up ahead of Alain Prost, but several teams uncovered problems before the race. Alain Prost changed to the spare McLaren after cracks were found in his car, and Philippe Streiff also needed AGS’s spare. Oscar Larrauri required another car following an accident. Those changes added to the workload before a late shower forced the teams to revisit their race setups and tyre decisions.
Warm-up Classification
1988 German Grand Prix Warm-up, 24 July 1988
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 1:48.674 | — |
| 2 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +0.620s | — |
| 3 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | +1.365s | — |
| 4 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | +2.114s | — |
| 5 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | +3.072s | — |
| 6 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | +3.194s | — |
| 7 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | +3.362s | — |
| 8 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | +3.692s | — |
| 9 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | +3.729s | — |
| 10 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | +3.950s | — |
| 11 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | +4.185s | — |
| 12 | 21 | Nicola Larini | Osella | +4.238s | — |
| 13 | 10 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | +4.302s | — |
| 14 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | +4.456s | — |
| 15 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | +4.567s | — |
| 16 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | +4.654s | — |
| 17 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | +5.117s | — |
| 18 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | +5.123s | — |
| 19 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | +5.709s | — |
| 20 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | +5.965s | — |
| 21 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | +6.130s | — |
| 22 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | +6.621s | — |
| 23 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | +7.156s | — |
| 24 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | +7.306s | — |
| 25 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | +8.028s | — |
| 26 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | +298.945s | — |
Wet-weather acclimatisation
Rain shortly before the start prompted an additional 15-minute acclimatisation session. Drivers could assess a circuit that was now wet through the forest, rather than rely on the conditions encountered in the earlier warm-up.
Teams adjusted their cars for the reduced grip, although several drivers still chose slick tyres for the start. A complete timing classification for this additional session has not been established, so no substitute results table is presented.
What happened in the 1988 German Grand Prix?
Ayrton Senna led away while Alain Prost fell behind Gerhard Berger and Alessandro Nannini. Nelson Piquet’s decision to start on slicks failed almost immediately when he slid off and damaged his Lotus. Alain Prost recovered, passing Alessandro Nannini and then Gerhard Berger, but by the time he regained second his team-mate had established a useful lead.
The surface gradually changed, yet Ayrton Senna remained in control. Alain Prost survived a late spin without losing second. Alessandro Nannini’s promising afternoon was spoiled by a throttle problem that required a long stop; after rejoining, he set fastest lap but finished well outside the points. Nigel Mansell also retired after gearbox trouble and a spin.
Ayrton Senna won by 13.675 seconds from Alain Prost, with Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto third and fourth. Ivan Capelli brought March home fifth despite clutch trouble, and Thierry Boutsen took the final point. It was Ayrton Senna’s fifth victory of the season, tightening the championship contest once more.
After the race, Alain Prost headed the drivers’ standings with 60 points, followed by Ayrton Senna on 57. McLaren – Honda led the constructors’ table on 117, with Ferrari on 41.
1988 German Grand Prix race results
The 1988 German Grand Prix was held on 24 July 1988, with a scheduled start of 14:30 local time.
1988 German Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Alessandro Nannini | Benetton | 40 | 2:03.032 |
| 2 | 11 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 21 | 2:04.888 |
| 3 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 18 | 2:05.001 |
| 4 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Rial | 42 | 2:05.413 |
| 5 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 11 | 2:05.704 |
| 6 | 28 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 7 | 2:05.735 |
| 7 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 9 | 2:06.317 |
| 8 | 36 | Alex Caffi | Dallara | 42 | 2:06.814 |
| 9 | 16 | Ivan Capelli | March | 15 | 2:06.833 |
| 10 | 15 | Mauricio Gugelmin | March | 10 | 2:06.946 |
| 11 | 2 | Satoru Nakajima | Lotus | 43 | 2:07.242 |
| 12 | 20 | Thierry Boutsen | Benetton | 12 | 2:07.273 |
| 13 | 18 | Eddie Cheever | Arrows | 42 | 2:07.388 |
| 14 | 17 | Derek Warwick | Arrows | 43 | 2:07.545 |
| 15 | 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Williams | 12 | 2:08.191 |
| 16 | 3 | Jonathan Palmer | Tyrrell | 41 | 2:08.507 |
| 17 | 14 | Philippe Streiff | AGS | 33 | 2:08.812 |
| 18 | 10 | Bernd Schneider | Zakspeed | 43 | 2:09.142 |
| 19 | 29 | Yannick Dalmas | Lola | 39 | 2:09.545 |
| 20 | 21 | Nicola Larini | Osella | 27 | 2:09.715 |
| 21 | 32 | Oscar Larrauri | EuroBrun | 12 | 2:09.754 |
| 22 | 9 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Zakspeed | 38 | 2:10.425 |
| 23 | 25 | Rene Arnoux | Ligier | 12 | 2:11.241 |
| 24 | 30 | Philippe Alliot | Lola | 7 | 2:11.403 |
| 25 | 33 | Stefano Modena | EuroBrun | 10 | 2:13.447 |
| 26 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Lotus | 1 | 3:39.605 |
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 German Grand Prix.
1988 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1988 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – Honda | 117 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 41 |
| 3 | Benetton – Ford | 18 |
| 4 | Lotus – Honda | 16 |
| 5 | Arrows – Megatron | 10 |
| 6 | Williams – Judd | 7 |
| 7 | March – Judd | 7 |
| 8 | Tyrrell – Ford | 5 |
| 9 | Rial – Ford | 3 |
| 10 | Minardi – Ford | 1 |
| — | Lola – Ford | 0 |
| — | Dallara – Ford | 0 |
| — | Coloni – Ford | 0 |
| — | Ligier – Judd | 0 |
| — | Osella | 0 |
| — | AGS – Ford | 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.
1988 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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