- 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix
Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Grand Prix = Portuguese
Country = Portugal
Official name = XXII Grande Premio de Portugal
Date = September 25
Year = 1988
Race_No = 13
Season_No = 16
Location =Autódromo do Estoril ,Estoril ,Portugal
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 2.703
Course_km = 4.350
Distance_laps = 71
Distance_mi = 189.207
Distance_km = 304.500
Weather = Sunny and hot
Pole_Driver =Alain Prost
Pole_Country = France
Pole_Team =McLaren -Honda
Pole_Time = 1:17.411
Fast_Driver =Gerhard Berger
Fast_Country = Austria
Fast_Team = Ferrari
Fast_Time = 1:21.961
Fast_L
First_Driver =Alain Prost
First_Country = France
First_Team =McLaren -Honda
Second_Driver =Ivan Capelli
Second_Country= Italy
Second_Team = March-Judd
Third_Driver =Thierry Boutsen
Third_Country = Belgium
Third_Team = Benetton-FordThe 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 25, 1988 at theAutódromo do Estoril ,Estoril . It was the thirteenth race of the1988 Formula One season .Race summary
McLaren gained their 9th front row of the year, ahead of an incredibleIvan Capelli in the nonturbo March. The first start was aborted whenAndrea de Cesaris stalled on the grid. The second start was aborted afterDerek Warwick stalled and was hit by de Cesaris, tangling withLuis Perez Sala andSatoru Nakajima .Ayrton Senna led off at the third start, to the delight of the Portuguese crowd. At the start of lap 2,Alain Prost pulled out of Senna's slipstream to pass him. Senna moved violently over on Prost and forced him towards the pit wall. The Frenchman nonetheless maintained the throttle open and passed him on the first corner.This led to angry words in the McLaren camp after the race. Prost's lead built up to 7 seconds and would last until the flag, while Senna was being troubled by an erratic fuel readout, which allowed Capelli to close right up on him. On lap 22 the Italian outbraked Senna to excited acclaim and opened up a gap on him. Soon after
Gerhard Berger passed the McLaren, leaving him exposed to the attacks ofNigel Mansell 's Williams. The Briton was closer on the corners, but the Honda engine was superior in the fast sectors of the track.Berger had claimed the fastest lap in his pursuit of Capelli, but spun off on lap 36. He had accidentally set off his fire extinguisher, with the resultant freezing of his leg with carbon dioxide causing his foot to slip off the pedals. On lap 55, Mansell and Senna attempted to lap
Jonathan Palmer : during this manoeuvre Mansell hit the back off the McLaren and spun into the barriers.Mauricio Gugelmin ,Nelson Piquet ,Michele Alboreto ,Riccardo Patrese andThierry Boutsen were hotly contesting the last point place in 6th. On lap 29 Patrese retired with a split radiator and the next lap Piquet retired with clutch and gearbox problems. On lap 55, Senna, still having problems with his fuel readout was passed by Alboreto for 4th and on lap 57 Boutsen andDerek Warwick passed him.Prost won convincing from a stunning Capelli; the gap at the line was just 9.5 seconds and Prost himself was marginal on fuel. Fuel problems were a notable feature of this race: on the very last corner of the race Alboreto's engine stuttered-his car was running out of fuel despite the gauge indicating he had plenty left. Boutsen passed him to get his 5th podium of the year and Warwick claimed 4th place. The dry Ferrari of Alboreto and McLaren of Senna were classified 5th and 6th.
Classification
References
* "Unless otherwise indicated, all race results are taken from cite web |title=The Official Formula 1 website |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1988/275/ |accessdate=2007-07-12
F1 race report
Name_of_race =Portuguese Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1988
Previous_race_in_season =1988 Italian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season =1988 Spanish Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race =1987 Portuguese Grand Prix
Next_year's_race =1989 Portuguese Grand Prix
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