Race · Round 11 of 16 · 28 August 1988

1988 Belgian Grand Prix

Ayrton Senna won for McLaren from pole at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. 13 of the starters were not classified. It was the first championship podium for Ivan Capelli.

Dry, with cloud · High of 25 °C, 2.5 mm of rain on the day (modelled, Open-Meteo)

How it is modelled

ERA5's reanalysis, through Open-Meteo, of the circuit's whole local day and not the race's hours, for the grid cell the circuit sits in and not the track, so a shower can be missing from it. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026. Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the Copernicus information or data it contains.

Circuit: Circuit de Spa-FrancorchampsStavelot, Belgium
Winner: Ayrton SennaMcLaren
Pole: Ayrton Senna
Fastest lap: Gerhard Berger
Entries: 3113 classified

Classification

Classification
Pos	Driver	Constructor	Chassis	Grid	Laps	Out	Points	FL
1	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	MP4/4	1	43	Finished	9
2	Alain Prost	McLaren	MP4/4	2	43	Finished	6
3	Ivan Capelli	March	881	14	43	Finished	4
4	Nelson Piquet	Team Lotus	100T	9	43	Finished	3
5	Derek Warwick	Arrows	A10B	10	43	Finished	2
6	Eddie Cheever	Arrows	A10B	11	42	Finished	1
7	Martin Brundle	Williams	FW12	12	42	Finished	0
8	Alex Caffi	Dallara	—	15	42	Finished	0
9	Philippe Alliot	Lola	LC88	16	42	Finished	0
10	Philippe Streiff	AGS	JH23	18	42	Finished	0
11	Stefan Johansson	Ligier	JS31	20	39	Engine	0
12	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell	15	21	39	Throttle	0
13	Bernd Schneider	Zakspeed	881	25	38	Gearbox	0
DSQ	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton	B188	6	43	Illegal fuel	0
DSQ	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton	B188	7	43	Illegal fuel	0
NC	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	—	22	36	NC	0
DNF	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	F1/87/88C	4	35	Engine	0
DNF	Riccardo Patrese	Williams	FW12	5	30	Engine	0
DNF	Mauricio Gugelmin	March	881	13	29	Spun off	0
DNF	Piercarlo Ghinzani	Zakspeed	881	24	25	Oil leak	0
DNF	Satoru Nakajima	Team Lotus	100T	8	22	Engine	0
DNF	Nicola Larini	Osella	—	26	14	Fuel system	0
DNF	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	F1/87/88C	3	11	Injection	0	fastest lap
DNF	Yannick Dalmas	Lola	LC88	23	9	Engine	0
DNF	Andrea de Cesaris	Rial	ARC1	19	2	Collision	0
DNF	Rene Arnoux	Ligier	JS31	17	2	Collision	0
DNQ	Luis Pérez-Sala	Minardi	M188	—	—	DNQ	0
DNQ	Pierluigi Martini	Minardi	M188	—	—	DNQ	0
DNQ	Stefano Modena	EuroBrun	ER188	—	—	DNQ	0
DNQ	Julian Bailey	Tyrrell	15	—	—	DNQ	0
DNPQ	Oscar Larrauri	EuroBrun	ER188	—	—	DNPQ	0

A blank chassis is a season the team ran more than one design and no source says which car raced here.

F1DB layout spa-francorchamps-2 · 6.94 km · 19 turns, F1DB’s figures
F1DB, CC BY 4.0 · drawn by Jules Roy
The outline is F1DB’s, for every layout; the trace is OpenStreetMap’s, where it exists.

Grid to flag

Lines run from grid slot to result, ending at the last lap completed. A dashed line ending in a cross is a driver not classified. Nothing between is recorded, so a crossing is not an overtake at that lap.

Grid to flag
Driver	Grid	Result	Laps
Ayrton Senna	1	1	43
Alain Prost	2	2	43
Ivan Capelli	14	3	43
Nelson Piquet	9	4	43
Derek Warwick	10	5	43
Eddie Cheever	11	6	42
Martin Brundle	12	7	42
Alex Caffi	15	8	42
Philippe Alliot	16	9	42
Philippe Streiff	18	10	42
Stefan Johansson	20	11	39
Jonathan Palmer	21	12	39
Bernd Schneider	25	13	38
Thierry Boutsen	6	DSQ	43
Alessandro Nannini	7	DSQ	43
Gabriele Tarquini	22	NC	36
Michele Alboreto	4	DNF	35
Riccardo Patrese	5	DNF	30
Mauricio Gugelmin	13	DNF	29
Piercarlo Ghinzani	24	DNF	25
Satoru Nakajima	8	DNF	22
Nicola Larini	26	DNF	14
Gerhard Berger	3	DNF	11
Yannick Dalmas	23	DNF	9
Andrea de Cesaris	19	DNF	2
Rene Arnoux	17	DNF	2

Qualifying

Qualifying
Pos	Driver	Constructor	No.	Time	Gap	≈ Distance	Interval
1	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	12	1:53.718	—	0 m	—
2	Alain Prost	McLaren	11	1:54.128	+0.410	25 m	+0.410
3	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	28	1:54.581	+0.863	53 m	+0.453
4	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	27	1:55.665	+1.947	120 m	+1.084
5	Riccardo Patrese	Williams	6	1:57.138	+3.420	211 m	+1.473
6	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton	20	1:57.455	+3.737	230 m	+0.317
7	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton	19	1:57.535	+3.817	235 m	+0.080
8	Satoru Nakajima	Team Lotus	2	1:57.616	+3.898	240 m	+0.081
9	Nelson Piquet	Team Lotus	1	1:57.821	+4.103	253 m	+0.205
10	Derek Warwick	Arrows	17	1:57.925	+4.207	259 m	+0.104
11	Eddie Cheever	Arrows	18	1:57.980	+4.262	263 m	+0.055
12	Martin Brundle	Williams	5	1:58.206	+4.488	276 m	+0.226
13	Mauricio Gugelmin	March	15	1:58.361	+4.643	286 m	+0.155
14	Ivan Capelli	March	16	1:59.439	+5.721	352 m	+1.078
15	Alex Caffi	Dallara	36	1:59.776	+6.058	373 m	+0.337
16	Philippe Alliot	Lola	30	1:59.906	+6.188	381 m	+0.130
17	Rene Arnoux	Ligier	25	2:00.037	+6.319	389 m	+0.131
18	Philippe Streiff	AGS	14	2:00.410	+6.692	412 m	+0.373
19	Andrea de Cesaris	Rial	22	2:00.521	+6.803	419 m	+0.111
20	Stefan Johansson	Ligier	26	2:00.857	+7.139	440 m	+0.336
21	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell	3	2:01.078	+7.360	453 m	+0.221
22	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	31	2:01.359	+7.641	471 m	+0.281
23	Yannick Dalmas	Lola	29	2:01.467	+7.749	477 m	+0.108
24	Piercarlo Ghinzani	Zakspeed	9	2:01.899	+8.181	504 m	+0.432
25	Bernd Schneider	Zakspeed	10	2:01.938	+8.220	506 m	+0.039
26	Nicola Larini	Osella	21	2:02.029	+8.311	512 m	+0.091
27	Luis Pérez-Sala	Minardi	24	2:02.129	+8.411	518 m	+0.100
28	Pierluigi Martini	Minardi	23	2:02.314	+8.596	529 m	+0.185
29	Stefano Modena	EuroBrun	33	2:02.322	+8.604	530 m	+0.008
30	Julian Bailey	Tyrrell	4	2:02.519	+8.801	542 m	+0.197

Before knock-out qualifying arrived in 2006 there is one time per driver; from 2006, the best lap of each of the three sessions.

How it is derived: distance

Distance at the session-best lap’s average speed, on the layout raced that year.

Pit stops

Pit stops are recorded from 1994. F1DB, the source of every stop here, holds none before then, so this race has no stints to draw.

Practice sessions Pre-qualifying · Practice 1 · Practice 2 · Warm-up

Pre-qualifying

Pre-qualifying
Pos	Driver	Constructor	No.	Best lap	Gap	≈ Distance	Interval	Laps
1	Alex Caffi	Dallara	36	2:01.068	—	0 m	—	—
2	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	31	2:02.101	+1.033	60 m	+1.033	—
3	Nicola Larini	Osella	21	2:02.347	+1.279	74 m	+0.246	—
4	Stefano Modena	EuroBrun	33	2:02.933	+1.865	108 m	+0.586	—
5	Oscar Larrauri	EuroBrun	32	2:04.208	+3.140	182 m	+1.275	—

Each driver’s best lap of the session and the laps they ran: a classification, not lap timing.

How it is derived: distance

Distance at the session-best lap’s average speed, on the layout raced that year.

Practice 1

Practice 1
Pos	Driver	Constructor	No.	Best lap	Gap	≈ Distance	Interval	Laps
1	Alain Prost	McLaren	11	1:55.389	—	0 m	—	—
2	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	12	1:55.539	+0.150	9 m	+0.150	—
3	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	28	1:55.645	+0.256	16 m	+0.106	—
4	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	27	1:58.022	+2.633	160 m	+2.377	—
5	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton	19	1:58.277	+2.888	175 m	+0.255	—
6	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton	20	1:58.487	+3.098	188 m	+0.210	—
7	Ivan Capelli	March	16	1:58.678	+3.289	200 m	+0.191	—
8	Martin Brundle	Williams	5	1:59.073	+3.684	224 m	+0.395	—
9	Riccardo Patrese	Williams	6	1:59.125	+3.736	227 m	+0.052	—
10	Eddie Cheever	Arrows	18	1:59.197	+3.808	231 m	+0.072	—
11	Mauricio Gugelmin	March	15	1:59.530	+4.141	251 m	+0.333	—
12	Derek Warwick	Arrows	17	1:59.555	+4.166	253 m	+0.025	—
13	Rene Arnoux	Ligier	25	2:00.728	+5.339	324 m	+1.173	—
14	Philippe Alliot	Lola	30	2:00.993	+5.604	340 m	+0.265	—
15	Alex Caffi	Dallara	36	2:01.068	+5.679	345 m	+0.075	—
16	Satoru Nakajima	Team Lotus	2	2:01.538	+6.149	373 m	+0.470	—
17	Philippe Streiff	AGS	14	2:01.760	+6.371	387 m	+0.222	—
18	Yannick Dalmas	Lola	29	2:01.998	+6.609	401 m	+0.238	—
19	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	31	2:02.101	+6.712	407 m	+0.103	—
20	Nicola Larini	Osella	21	2:02.347	+6.958	422 m	+0.246	—
21	Stefan Johansson	Ligier	26	2:02.809	+7.420	450 m	+0.462	—
22	Stefano Modena	EuroBrun	33	2:02.933	+7.544	458 m	+0.124	—
23	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell	3	2:03.040	+7.651	464 m	+0.107	—
24	Pierluigi Martini	Minardi	23	2:03.191	+7.802	474 m	+0.151	—
25	Luis Pérez-Sala	Minardi	24	2:03.399	+8.010	486 m	+0.208	—
26	Bernd Schneider	Zakspeed	10	2:03.564	+8.175	496 m	+0.165	—
27	Piercarlo Ghinzani	Zakspeed	9	2:03.671	+8.282	503 m	+0.107	—
28	Oscar Larrauri	EuroBrun	32	2:04.208	+8.819	535 m	+0.537	—
29	Nelson Piquet	Team Lotus	1	2:04.398	+9.009	547 m	+0.190	—
30	Julian Bailey	Tyrrell	4	2:06.612	+11.223	681 m	+2.214	—
31	Andrea de Cesaris	Rial	22	2:07.111	+11.722	712 m	+0.499	—

Each driver’s best lap of the session and the laps they ran: a classification, not lap timing.

How it is derived: distance

Distance at the session-best lap’s average speed, on the layout raced that year.

Practice 2

Practice 2
Pos	Driver	Constructor	No.	Best lap	Gap	≈ Distance	Interval	Laps
1	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	12	2:14.444	—	0 m	—	—
2	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	28	2:15.567	+1.123	59 m	+1.123	—
3	Mauricio Gugelmin	March	15	2:15.657	+1.213	63 m	+0.090	—
4	Ivan Capelli	March	16	2:15.773	+1.329	69 m	+0.116	—
5	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	27	2:15.889	+1.445	75 m	+0.116	—
6	Martin Brundle	Williams	5	2:16.172	+1.728	90 m	+0.283	—
7	Alex Caffi	Dallara	36	2:16.414	+1.970	103 m	+0.242	—
8	Alain Prost	McLaren	11	2:16.561	+2.117	110 m	+0.147	—
9	Nelson Piquet	Team Lotus	1	2:16.767	+2.323	121 m	+0.206	—
10	Riccardo Patrese	Williams	6	2:16.803	+2.359	123 m	+0.036	—
11	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton	19	2:17.724	+3.280	171 m	+0.921	—
12	Philippe Streiff	AGS	14	2:18.070	+3.626	189 m	+0.346	—
13	Satoru Nakajima	Team Lotus	2	2:18.392	+3.948	206 m	+0.322	—
14	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton	20	2:18.431	+3.987	208 m	+0.039	—
15	Andrea de Cesaris	Rial	22	2:18.472	+4.028	210 m	+0.041	—
16	Nicola Larini	Osella	21	2:18.945	+4.501	234 m	+0.473	—
17	Pierluigi Martini	Minardi	23	2:18.990	+4.546	237 m	+0.045	—
18	Julian Bailey	Tyrrell	4	2:19.343	+4.899	255 m	+0.353	—
19	Eddie Cheever	Arrows	18	2:19.478	+5.034	262 m	+0.135	—
20	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell	3	2:19.623	+5.179	270 m	+0.145	—
21	Bernd Schneider	Zakspeed	10	2:20.160	+5.716	298 m	+0.537	—
22	Philippe Alliot	Lola	30	2:21.064	+6.620	345 m	+0.904	—
23	Stefan Johansson	Ligier	26	2:21.782	+7.338	382 m	+0.718	—
24	Stefano Modena	EuroBrun	33	2:22.095	+7.651	399 m	+0.313	—
25	Rene Arnoux	Ligier	25	2:22.462	+8.018	418 m	+0.367	—
26	Derek Warwick	Arrows	17	2:22.729	+8.285	432 m	+0.267	—
27	Luis Pérez-Sala	Minardi	24	2:23.229	+8.785	458 m	+0.500	—
28	Yannick Dalmas	Lola	29	2:26.474	+12.030	627 m	+3.245	—
29	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	31	2:27.897	+13.453	701 m	+1.423	—

Each driver’s best lap of the session and the laps they ran: a classification, not lap timing.

How it is derived: distance

Distance at the session-best lap’s average speed, on the layout raced that year.

Warm-up

Warm-up
Pos	Driver	Constructor	No.	Best lap	Gap	≈ Distance	Interval	Laps
1	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	12	1:59.988	—	0 m	—	—
2	Alain Prost	McLaren	11	2:00.459	+0.471	27 m	+0.471	—
3	Michele Alboreto	Ferrari	27	2:01.129	+1.141	67 m	+0.670	—
4	Alessandro Nannini	Benetton	19	2:01.201	+1.213	71 m	+0.072	—
5	Gerhard Berger	Ferrari	28	2:01.376	+1.388	81 m	+0.175	—
6	Mauricio Gugelmin	March	15	2:02.148	+2.160	126 m	+0.772	—
7	Derek Warwick	Arrows	17	2:02.849	+2.861	167 m	+0.701	—
8	Nelson Piquet	Team Lotus	1	2:02.914	+2.926	171 m	+0.065	—
9	Ivan Capelli	March	16	2:03.142	+3.154	184 m	+0.228	—
10	Satoru Nakajima	Team Lotus	2	2:03.158	+3.170	185 m	+0.016	—
11	Riccardo Patrese	Williams	6	2:03.474	+3.486	203 m	+0.316	—
12	Martin Brundle	Williams	5	2:03.769	+3.781	221 m	+0.295	—
13	Eddie Cheever	Arrows	18	2:04.006	+4.018	235 m	+0.237	—
14	Philippe Alliot	Lola	30	2:04.276	+4.288	250 m	+0.270	—
15	Andrea de Cesaris	Rial	22	2:04.488	+4.500	263 m	+0.212	—
16	Rene Arnoux	Ligier	25	2:04.682	+4.694	274 m	+0.194	—
17	Stefan Johansson	Ligier	26	2:04.937	+4.949	289 m	+0.255	—
18	Philippe Streiff	AGS	14	2:05.010	+5.022	293 m	+0.073	—
19	Yannick Dalmas	Lola	29	2:05.130	+5.142	300 m	+0.120	—
20	Jonathan Palmer	Tyrrell	3	2:06.136	+6.148	359 m	+1.006	—
21	Gabriele Tarquini	Coloni	31	2:06.231	+6.243	364 m	+0.095	—
22	Nicola Larini	Osella	21	2:06.406	+6.418	375 m	+0.175	—
23	Bernd Schneider	Zakspeed	10	2:06.410	+6.422	375 m	+0.004	—
24	Piercarlo Ghinzani	Zakspeed	9	2:06.652	+6.664	389 m	+0.242	—
25	Alex Caffi	Dallara	36	2:06.685	+6.697	391 m	+0.033	—
26	Thierry Boutsen	Benetton	20	10:40.031	+8:40.043	30,356 m	+8:33.346	—

Each driver’s best lap of the session and the laps they ran: a classification, not lap timing.

How it is derived: distance

Distance at the session-best lap’s average speed, on the layout raced that year.

The cars in this race

The photograph each car's Wikipedia article leads with, from Wikimedia Commons: taken wherever and whenever that was, not necessarily at this race.

6 more photographs

A photograph marked unchecked has a file name that does not name the car it is shown for. Most are still the right car, filed under the driver rather than the machine — but nobody has confirmed these one by one.

Where this comes from

Round: 11 of 1988
Grand Prix: Belgian Grand Prix
Dates: 28 Aug 1988
Layout raced: Modern circuit · 7.004 km · 19 turns
Format: Standard weekend
Constructor: McLaren
Entrant: McLaren-Honda
Confidence: reference

The layout raced and its figures are this register’s, from its own sources; the figures under the race’s drawing are F1DB’s, and at some circuits the two disagree.