1987 F1 Season

The 1987 Formula One World Championship, the 41st season of FIA Formula One motor racing, was a season of intense rivalry and technological innovation. Nelson Piquet, driving for Williams, clinched his third and final Drivers’ Championship, demonstrating consistency and strategic prowess throughout the season. The championship, which ran from 12 April to 15 November, consisted of sixteen races. Piquet’s teammate, Nigel Mansell, finished as the runner-up, despite securing more victories than Piquet. Ayrton Senna, driving for Lotus, finished third, showcasing his growing prowess in the sport.

The 1987 season was notable for the introduction of new regulations aimed at reducing costs and increasing safety. Turbocharged cars were now required to feature a pop-off valve, restricting boost to 4.0 bar and limiting engine power. Despite this, advances in engine development and aerodynamics meant that the leading teams, such as Williams, McLaren, and Ferrari, often recorded faster times than in the previous season. The Constructors’ Championship was comfortably won by Williams, with McLaren finishing second. The season also included the Jim Clark Trophy and the Colin Chapman Trophy, contested by drivers and constructors of Formula One cars powered by naturally aspirated engines, encouraging teams to switch to such engines ahead of the ban on turbos from 1989 onwards. Tyrrell won the Colin Chapman Trophy, while their drivers, Philippe Streiff and Jonathan Palmer, came first and second respectively in the Jim Clark Trophy.