How McLaren shattered all F1 records in 1988

Imola was where McLaren really flexed its muscles, demolishing the rest of the field as they lapped everyone, taking their first 1-2 finish of the season, with Senna taking the spoils.

The team ran a medium downforce setup once again but this time it didn’t add the Gurney flap on the trailing edge of the wing.

Senna’s lasting legacy is further enshrined with his performances at the Monaco Grand Prix, his innate ability to thread the car through the barrier-lined streets clear to see. And, whether he was at the wheel of the double winged Toleman TG184, that ought not have been able to compete with the front runners, or in the dominant McLaren MP4/4, he commanded them in a way that demands almost mythical status.

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Race day: Prost had a decent start but struggled to engage second gear, allowing Gerhard Berger to pounce. The Austrian kept Prost at bay as they tussled throughout the race for second place, as Senna duly disappeared down the road. On lap 54 Prost was able to stick a move into Saint Devote and set about reeling in his teammate, who was now more than 50 seconds away.

Prost knew that barring a failure or accident he couldn’t take victory, as overcoming Berger with the pace advantage he had was troublesome, so overtaking Senna, who had been quicker than him all weekend, would be impossible.

The drivers traded fastest laps in a psychological game of cat and mouse, before Ron Dennis intervened and told both drivers over the radio that they must slow down, look after their cars and bring home the 1-2.

McLaren did look at the option of running its high downforce rear wing configuration for the Mexican GP but went on to use the medium downforce option instead. It also ran different sidepod bodywork, opening up the radiator and intercooler inlets and exits.

Whilst the RA168E engine only had a limited lifespan that didn’t stop Honda from developing race specific variants, with Mexico high on that agenda due to the rarefied air at the high altitude circuit. It created an entirely new spec engine that could breath more easily at altitude and, whilst this led to a corresponding increase in fuel consumption, it was a sacrifice worth taking, as it took another 1-2 finish with their closest competitor almost a minute down on race winner - Alain Prost.

The Detroit street circuit saw a return of the high downforce rear wing on the MP4/4 with a Gurney Flap also affixed to the upper flap to increase downforce and balance. Prost wasn’t as comfortable with the many 90 degree corners and short straights that posed the challenge around this street circuit, but having recovered from a poor showing during qualifying, he rose from 4th to maintain McLaren’s 1-2 finishing streak.

Meanwhile, Senna drove off into the distance lapping everyone in the field aside from his teammate, who languished nearly 40 seconds behind the Brazilian.

The front brakes glow as Alain Prost, at his home GP, romps to victory. You’ll also note Prost’s more forward seating position in this shot of the Frenchman.

Senna went on to dominate the British Grand Prix but the team’s 1-2 finishing streak was brought to a climax, as Prost retired from the race on lap 24, citing handling issues and a lack of power.

The team had decided to run different downforce configurations for this race too, as whilst Prost’s car (left) was outfitted with the medium downforce setup, Senna had a low downforce variant (right). It was also the first time that the trialled a new sidepod solution, ditching the snorkels that fed the turbochargers but it continued to race with them, having had some instability issues throughout the weekend.

The Hungarian GP saw Senna on pole but by the smallest margin so far, as Nigel Mansell was just a tenth away. Meanwhile, Prost was down in seventh place, a factor that meant very little during the race, as the team romped home 1-2 once more with Prost just half a second behind his teammate.

Both drivers utilised the high downforce rear wing with a Gurney flap for this event, whilst peculiarly the MP4/4’s wing mirrors were painted white, the only and only race that occured. Meanwhile, the panel alongside the cockpit, usually painted in white was painted black instead, matching its surroundings, but this feature was retained for the rest of the season.

Prost leads Senna as the pair do battle for the lead of the race, in a heated affair that saw tempers flare both on and off the circuit. Prost runs out the eventual victor, with Senna left down in seventh place having backed off due to a faulty fuel readout.

Medium downforce setups were favoured by both, whilst Gurney Flaps were applied to the outer trailing edges of the rear wings.

Senna and Prost were both unhappy with their cars during Friday, but Senna still managed to edge out Mansell by around a second, whilst Prost languished two seconds off the pace. Saturday was a different story though, as the Frenchman had instructed a batch of changes that would see him close the gap to his teammate to within a tenth of a second.

High downforce setups with a full Gurney Flap across the trailing edge of the rear wing were employed by both drivers and fuel consumption would be a major factor heading into the race. Prost went on to win the race, whilst Senna slipped back down the order, suffering once more with his fuel readout.

The drivers championship could be won on Honda’s home soil, a track itand McLaren were immensely familiar with given the amount of testing they’d conducted there throughout the season. Honda had created another one-off engine specification for the race too, whilst both drivers would use a medium downforce setup.

Senna was on top during qualifying but only by three tenths from Prost but, drama would befall the Brazilian on race day, as he stalled his MP4/4 at the start. Managing to bump start the car, due to the track falling away towards turn one, he found himself down in twelfth place. He charged back through the pack as it began to rain lightly, favourable conditions for the Brazilian who’d become known for his skills in changeable conditions.

Senna went on to haul in Prost who was suffering with a gear shift issue and with a certain inevitability about it the Brazilian went on to win the race and the drivers championship.

The last race of the season was hosted at Adelaide and provided McLaren with the opportunity to showcase its superiority once more. Senna led Prost during qualifying by just a tenth but the Brazilian’s poor start allowed Prost to take the lead into turn one. This would be its finishing position, as both battled through the field, Prost lapping everyone up to Patrese in fourth place, whilst Senna suffered from gearbox issues that left him 30 seconds adrift of his teammate.