Heat in Germany Takes Out F1 Cars

Qualifying:

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Report:

“Hockenheimring” is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of designers responsible for creating F1’s turbo engines. It only got worse, because 36.1 °C was the value shown on the German thermometers. With reliability being hard to come by as it is this season, pretty much every expert predicted a mass retirement. Some people more out there even feared all cars failing to complete over 300 km.

Ayrton Senna had qualifying under control, driving by far the fastest time both on Friday and Saturday. This inspired the Williams team to a daring strategy that would see Ayrton stop three times throughout the race. Making use of Senna’s ludicrous speed, Sir Frank Williams hoped to strike big by securing a win for the Brazilian. It worked great, enabling Senna to overcome his teammate on a more conservative strategy.

Regrettably both Williams cars suffered retirements further down the road. Cassidy was the first Williams to succumb to technical problems, followed by Ayrton Senna having abused his suspension too hard with his attacking driving. Cassidy was therefore keeping his lead over Senna in the WDC. Matter of fact, all championship contenders retired, leaving Cassidy still 10 points ahead.

Only five cars saw the checkered flag and amazingly Michele Alboreto was one of them. The Italian nursed his delicate Ferrari car to the flag and went on to win Ferrari’s first victory of 1987. A lap down in second saw Chris Dagnall standing on the podium once more. Against all odds, a NA car managed to score a podium, Martin Brundle profited from a late-race mental error by Minardi driver Martini.

Race:

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Fastest Lap:

Ayrton Senna – 1:47.440

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Michele Alboreto – Somehow managed to make the nuclear Ferrari survive for the race.

Reject Of The Race:

Pierluigi Martini – Threw away what could have been the first podium for Minardi-Motori Moderni.