Cassidy Overcomes Voeckler, Wins Again

Qualifying:

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Report:

The British Grand Prix of 1987 is the exact half-way point of the 1987 season. Obviously, every driver out there wanted to impress to have something to show for himself in the report cards. Some drivers had more to prove than others and it showed, the desire to win driving many drivers to extreme performances, showing just how great the level of talent in our sport is.

Qualifying saw Williams beaten for only the second time this year, the reigning undisputed world’s champion of 1986, Guillaume Gauthier, placed his Lotus-Honda at the very front of the grid, a breathtaking lap from the French veteran. Regrettably, an early engine failure meant the reigning champion played no role in deciding the winner of this Grand Prix. Luckily for him, his teammate retired as well, reducing the pain he can inflict on Gauthier.

Instead, the fight for the nine points boiled down to a hot battle between Brendon Cassidy and Jérémy-Étienne Voeckler, the latter having the edge on the American for most of the Grand Prix. Only a good second stop enabled Williams to overcome the French TAG/Porsche-powered driver. After that was the case, Voeckler yielded and decided to nurture his car to the flag, allowing Cassidy to win his second GP of 1987.

Behind them, no mercy for machine or man was given, as Alain Prost and Yannick Dalmas had a nasty battle to secure the final podium spot. Even though Prost managed to pass Dalmas several times, the Benetton driver refused to give up, looking for his first major result in Formula One. In the end, Dalmas retook third another time, around 15 laps before the end, and actually managed to fight off Prost until the checkered flag.

Race:

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Fastest Lap:

Jérémy-Étienne Voeckler – 1:10.323

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Yannick Dalmas – Survived against an aggressive Alain Prost, deserves third.

Reject Of The Race:

Gerhard Berger – Ending your race one-third through the first lap and being at fault for it is just poor.