1987 French Grand Prix

Race

Drivers' Championship leader, Brazilian Ayrton Senna , finished fourth in his Lotus -Honda, which was enough for him to retain the championship lead by one point over Prost, with Piquet and Mansell three and six points behind respectively.

Qualifying

For the first time since the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix , a non- Honda powered car was on the front row in the shape of the McLaren - TAG of Alain Prost , who qualified second. The pole position was taken once again by Nigel Mansell in his Williams -Honda, while the second row was occupied by Ayrton Senna 's Lotus -Honda and Nelson Piquet 's Williams. The fast nature of the circuit clearly suited the turbo cars: the best placed non-turbo driver was Ivan Capelli in the March 871 in 22nd place, about...

Showing the advances in engine development, aerodynamics and tyres, on his pole lap Mansell was timed at 325 km/h (202 mph) on the Mistral. Even though the Mistral used in 1987 was some 800 metres shorter than when Formula One last used the full circuit at Paul Ricard in 1985 , the sheer acceleration and top speed of the Williams-Hondas was comparable to the top speeds seen at the circuit from the 1985 season cars.

Race

At the lights, Michele Alboreto jumped the start, whilst his Ferrari teammate Gerhard Berger stalled. Nigel Mansell led away and was joined by teammate Nelson Piquet at the front after he passed Prost on the Mistral Straight. Eddie Cheever retired his Arrows A10 on lap one after accidentally setting off the fire extinguisher whilst attempting to adjust the turbo boost. Andrea de Cesaris ( Brabham BT56 ) then collided with Stefan Johansson , the McLaren requiring a pit stop for a damaged nosecone...

Mansell, Piquet and Prost were engaged in a gripping battle for the lead, separated by just two seconds. On lap 19, Piquet spun and Prost passed him for second. Meanwhile, Senna was holding onto a creditable fourth place. On lap 30, Piquet pitted for new tyres, followed two laps later by Senna. Meanwhile, Thierry Boutsen ( Benetton B187 ) retired with electrical failure. Both Mansell and Prost came in for new tyres on lap 36, handing the lead to Piquet. Mansell completed his stop and closed rapi...

Piquet was about 20 seconds behind Mansell, but on the final laps he was gaining at two seconds a lap. With seven laps to go, the gap was reduced to just 13 seconds, but Mansell paced himself to win by 7.7 seconds. Johansson had fought courageously up to sixth place after two pit stops to repair damages on his McLaren, but retired just five laps from the chequered flag.

Race

Numbers in brackets refer to positions of normally aspirated entrants competing for the Jim Clark Trophy .

Quick Facts

1987 French Grand Prix Race 6 of 16 in the 1987 Formula One World Championship

1987 French Grand Prix nan

1987 French Grand Prix Race details

1987 French Grand Prix Date

1987 French Grand Prix Official name

1987 French Grand Prix Location

1987 French Grand Prix Course

1987 French Grand Prix Course length

1987 French Grand Prix Distance

1987 French Grand Prix Weather

Table 1

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Q1	Q2
1	5	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Honda	1:06.454	1:06.705
2	1	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	1:06.877	1:07.843
3	12	Ayrton Senna	Lotus-Honda	1:07.303	1:07.024
4	6	Nelson Piquet	Williams-Honda	1:07.270	1:07.140
5	20	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton-Ford	1:08.077	1:08.176
6	28	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	1:08.198	1:08.335
7	19	Teo Fabi	Benetton-Ford	1:08.293	1:11.815
8	27	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	1:08.390	1:08.916
9	2	Stefan Johansson	McLaren-TAG	1:08.577	1:09.095
10	17	Derek Warwick	Arrows-Megatron	1:09.256	1:08.800

Table 2

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired
1	5	Nigel Mansell	Williams-Honda	80	1:37:03.839
2	6	Nelson Piquet	Williams-Honda	80	+ 7.711
3	1	Alain Prost	McLaren-TAG	80	+ 55.255
4	12	Ayrton Senna	Lotus-Honda	79	+ 1 lap
5	19	Teo Fabi	Benetton-Ford	77	+ 3 laps
6 (1)	4	Philippe Streiff	Tyrrell-Ford	76	+ 4 laps
7 (2)	3	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell-Ford	76	+ 4 laps
8	2	Stefan Johansson	McLaren-TAG	74	+ 6 laps
9 (3)	14	Pascal Fabre	AGS-Ford	74	+ 6 laps
Ret	28	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	71	Suspension

Table 3

Pos	Driver	Points	Unnamed: 3
1	Ayrton Senna	27	nan
2	Alain Prost	26	nan
3	Nelson Piquet	24	nan
4	Nigel Mansell	21	nan
5	Stefan Johansson	13	nan
Source: [5]	Source: [5]	Source: [5]	Source: [5]

Featured Image

infobox image from 1987_French_Grand_Prix

F1ABY Commentary

Thirty-eight years now since the echoes of Mansell’s triumph here at Paul Ricard. Does this victory, swift and decisive, truly represent a shift in the tectonic plates of motorsport, or merely a momentary tremor in McLaren’s otherwise dominant reign? Senna, of course, languishes in sixth, a stark reminder that speed alone rarely dictates championship destiny. The Brazilian’s frustration— palpable even from this distance— mirrors the anxieties surrounding the burgeoning political tensions of the time, a world grappling with the unraveling of the Soviet Union. A curious parallel, wouldn't you agree?

The trajectory of motorsport, it seems, echoes the rise and fall of empires – a brutal ballet of speed and strategy, and today, Nigel Mansell has etched his name amongst the greats. Senna, hampered by a persistent gearbox issue, sits a disheartening sixth, a stark reminder that even the most prodigious talents are susceptible to the capricious nature of mechanical failure, a vulnerability as ancient as the sport itself.

F1ABY Trivia

The air at Paul Ricard hung thick with the scent of burning rubber and the insistent whine of seventeen turbocharged engines. Nigel Mansell, piloting a Williams-Honda that boasted a 1. 5-liter, 140-horsepower engine, seized the lead from the first lap, a testament to Honda’s burgeoning expertise. Senna, in his Ferrari, lagged behind, battling a Lotus-Honda’s tire strategy – the softer compound proving treacherous on the Ricard circuit’s unforgiving asphalt. A curious detail: Brabham’s BMW engine, at 3. 5 liters, delivered a peak of just 240 horsepower, a significant disparity illustrating the evolving, and increasingly complex, power dynamics of the era.

The sun beat down with brutal intensity today at Paul Ricard, mirroring perhaps the ferocity of the competition. Nigel Mansell, a man of singular determination, seized the opportunity presented by pole position, converting it into his second victory of the season with a margin of 7. 7 seconds. 8 seconds – a numerical disparity that speaks volumes about the evolving sophistication of these machines and the drivers’ mastery. Senna, despite a third-place finish, continues to lead the championship standings, a position he has now held for a remarkable 23 consecutive races.

F1ABY Tales

Here, Mansell wrestles the Williams to the line, a fraction of a second denying Piquet the spoils. The tension here mirrors the escalating anxieties gripping the nation – a government reeling from economic woes, a nation questioning its leadership. This victory, like so many in this era of burgeoning technological advancement, represents a shift, a burgeoning confidence in Britain’s ability to compete on the world stage. Senna, of course, remains a constant, a force of nature, but the question lingers: can he truly match the raw speed and determination displayed today? The Ricard circuit, a creation born of ambition and geopolitical strategy, has once again delivered a brutal lesson in motorsport’s unforgiving calculus.

The scent of the Mediterranean clung to the air, a humid promise hanging heavy over Paul Ricard. Nelson Piquet, a man perpetually wrestling with the mechanics of his own temperament, adjusted his helmet, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. Mansell, however, remained a study in controlled aggression, the young Brit’s eyes fixed on the track ahead. The Brazilian, of course, finished sixth, a frustrating result considering the conditions. A shadow hung over the McLaren garage, a consequence of ambition and the relentless pursuit of victory. It’s a curious thing, this sport—a crucible for both brilliance and disappointment.