The excellent 1986 season immediately propelled Benetton into the narrow circle of top teams, and it therefore seems natural at the helm of the Anglo-Italian team to continue the project under the banner of continuity. The new Benetton B187 is nothing but the refinement and evolution of last year's B186, featuring several aerodynamic and technical improvements, all overseen by technical director Rory Byrne.
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| BENETTON B187, Teo Fabi Jerez, Spanish GP 1987 |
The South African technician retains the same carbon fiber monocoque chassis but updates the front suspension, still featuring double wishbones, now configured as a push-rod system, similar to the rear. The wheelbase is also slightly shortened to give the car greater agility, and the nose is modified, now narrower and more pointed, along with the side panels, which now feature a softer curved intake. However, the air intakes for the engine, derived from the sides of the engine cover, remain, highlighted by the new vivid colors that compose the new livery of the B187.
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| BENETTON B187, Thierry Boutsen Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexican GP 1987 |
The splendid victory achieved by Berger at the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix did not go unnoticed, and the young Austrian driver immediately became a sought-after talent; so much so that Ferrari hired him to partner with Michele Alboreto on the F1/87. Berger’s departure is compounded by the loss of the BMW turbo, which officially withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of 1986, forcing the Benetton team to look elsewhere for an engine capable of matching the competition of the esteemed Ferrari, Honda, and TAG-Porsche. The opportunity offered by Ford for a partnership was quickly seized by Luciano Benetton, whose extraordinary entrepreneurial vision transformed the team led by the Treviso group into the official Formula 1 team backed by Ford, forming a duo that achieved numerous successes until 1994, the year in which Benetton switched to Renault engines.
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| BENETTON B187, Teo Fabi Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1987 |
The engine installed on the new B187 is the new Ford Cosworth GBA-TEC V6 1497 cc turbo, capable of a maximum power output of around 900 hp, much lower than the previous BMW turbo. This, combined with the poor reliability of the turbo still prepared by the English team Cosworth, leads the Benetton team to have a difficult start to the season. The pair of drivers, Italian Teo Fabi and Belgian Thierry Boutsen, have very few achievements, collecting only two fifth places and numerous retirements.
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| BENETTON B187, Teo Fabi Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1987 |
The chassis qualities of the car are unquestionable, and its performance noticeably improves only from mid-season onward, when Cosworth technicians reduce the turbo's boost pressure, allowing Ford's GBA engine to regain reliability and the B187 to consistently compete for top positions. Fabi and Boutsen achieve two low podium and a consistency of placements that enable the Anglo-Treviso team to finish the season with 28 points in the constructors’ standings and a final fifth place.
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