The 1988 Italian Grand Prix is undoubtedly one of the most classic races in Formula 1 history, after Ferrari achieved an emotional 1-2 finish at the team’s home track in Monza.
The victory for Gerhard Berger came just weeks after the death of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari and marked the first time the Italian was not in the paddock since the conception of the Formula 1 championship in 1950.
The death of Ferrari’s founder was marked during Friday’s practice session, when the team’s two drivers, Berger and Michele Alboreto, were allowed to do a lap of honour before the other cars joined them on the Monza circuit.
The race was also the only grand prix in the 1988 season to have not been won by the dominant McLaren drivers of Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost, whose intense rivalry reached its climax during the year.
McLaren drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost take front row lockout
McLaren had already won the first 11 races of the 1988 season, and it was expected that the car, which was showing its strong performance in power circuits, would continue to dominate in Monza.
It came as no surprise then that Senna and Prost had secured their eighth front row lockout of the year at the Italian Grand Prix, with Berger in the Ferrari starting in third.
As the lights went green, Senna had a slow start off the grid from pole position, losing the lead to his teammate on the main straight. However, Senna was quick to react and reclaimed his pole position heading into the first chicane.
Prost, who had been struggling with an engine issue before the start of the race, began to drop back from Senna on the second lap. Despite the engine issues, Prost decided to turn the boost up on his McLaren MP4/4 in the early part of the race to catch his teammate, with Berger initially keeping chase until lap 10, when he dropped back to save fuel.
Disaster strikes for McLaren with double DNF
Prost was just two seconds behind his teammate by Lap 30, when disaster struck with his engine. Heading along the main straight the Frenchman’s engine issues began to worsen and just five laps later had been passed by both Ferraris before he boxed to retire the car.
Prost’s retirement at the 1988 Italian Grand Prix was the only time a McLaren driver failed to finish due to an engine issue, although he had previously been forced to retire from the British Grand Prix with handling issues.
McLaren’s woes were only intensified when Berger and Alboreto began closing in on Senna up in front. It was assumed that Prost had pushed the Brazilian into using too much fuel in the early stages of the race, allowing the Ferraris to catch Senna as he saved fuel.
The sheer pace difference between the cars was shown when Berger was able to reduce a 26-second gap to just five seconds within 14 laps. At the time Peter Warr, who was Senna’s former boss at Lotus commented that Prost had successfully tricked his teammate into using too much fuel in the hopes he would lose the lead of the race and keep the Frenchman’s chances at the championship alive.
With just two laps remaining, Senna began his attempt to lap Jean-Louis Schlesser in the Williams at the Rettifilo chicane. TV coverage was showing the tight battle between Arrows drivers Derek Warwick and Eddie Cheever when it cut to Senna spun and facing the wrong direction at the exit of the second part of the chicane.
Senna had attempted to pass Schlesser on the inside of the first chicane, but the Frenchman locked his tyres and slid towards the gravel trap. He was able to catch the car and turn left to avoid going off track, but caught the McLaren, breaking its suspension and spinning Senna round onto a kerb.
“And spin! Senna!” Murray Walker cried as the footage cut back to Senna, before co-commentator James Hunt blamed the crash entirely on the Frenchman. Walker then excitedly told crowds: “I am surrounded by a bunch of cheering, gesticulating, shouting, overjoyed Italians, and the atmosphere is unbelievable” as Berger took the lead of the Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari claims an emotional victory in front of home fans
Not only did Berger claim the 1988 Italian Grand Prix victory, but his teammate Alboreto came home in second to take a 1-2 finish for Ferrari in front of the tifosi. The victory for the team was highly emotional, with the death of their founder Enzo Ferrari occurring just four weeks before.
Berger dedicated his Italian Grand Prix win to “the old man”, with the Austrian appearing stunned by the large crowds as he took the top step of the podium. Joining the pair on the podium was Cheever for Arrows, who took a surprise third-place finish.
Despite being born in America, Cheever spent much of his childhood in Rome so enjoyed celebrating the achievement at a “home” race.
Berger fondly told Atlas F1 that he had previously joked with Ferrari bosses that he wanted to own his car if he won the race, with the team apparently telling him “of course, if you win the race you can have your race car”. Despite taking the F1/87/88C home after the Italian Grand Prix, Berger revealed he sold the car just two days later, adding “I would be very happy if I could get it back”
The double McLaren DNF meant the teammates were separated by just three points heading into the final four races of the 1988 season.