Close Battle in Portugal, Senna Triumps

Qualifying:

[table “” not found /]

Report:

Despite having older tyres, Senna managed to fight back and regain the lead from JEV.

We are getting closer and closer to the season finale: only four races seperate us from knowing who will be the undisputed world’s champions of the 1987 Formula One season. More than ever, every race counts. That is why this race will go down as a major triumph for Williams and a major disappointment for McLaren-TAG, despite Williams “only” scoring four points more.

Ayrton Senna once more triumphed in qualifying, scoring his ninth pole of the season: a legendary qualifying performer at only 27 years of age. Senna realised he had a chance at getting a new shot for the world title, especially since both McLaren drivers managed to drive faster on Friday and Saturday than Senna’s teammate, banishing Cassidy to fourth place.

At the start, Voeckler used a lighter fuel load to stay close to Ayrton’s Williams. This of course meant that he would need to do more stops. The French driver came out with around 10 seconds behind Senna with around 10 laps to go. He managed to eliminate almost two seconds per lap, getting past the Brazilian with four laps to spare. Senna, however, didn’t give up and managed to get the lead back again with two laps to go, sealing the win.

Behind the fighting duo, Brendon Cassidy got lucky, being fifth with half-a-dozen laps to go: first, Alain Prost retired from fourth with an engine failure, before Gerhard Berger threw away his McLaren on the final lap, only managing to get out of the mess after Cassidy had taken the podium spot from him. Thankfully Berger was not able to be lapped, thereby preventing the two scoring Arrows from taking fourth.

Race:

[table “” not found /]

Fastest Lap:

Gerhard Berger – 1:18.039

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Arrows-Motori Moderni– Managed to haul both cars into the points today.

Reject Of The Race:

Gerhard Berger – He lost a podium finish on the final lap.