FERRARI F1-87/88C Turbo

   The 1988 season for the Maranello-based Scuderia was shaping up to be a transitional year. The new regulations mandated a ban on turbocharged engines starting from the 1989 season. The development of these power units had become increasingly expensive and had led to a performance escalation deemed a threat to racing safety. New safety standards were also introduced for teams using newly built chassis, requiring the pedals to be mounted behind the front axle. However, teams using 1987 chassis were exempt from this rule and could retain the forward pedal position. For these reasons, Ferrari's engineers decided to focus their efforts on developing an entirely new car for the 1989 season. The design was entrusted to the private team led by John Barnard, based in Guildford, England. For 1988, the same team of engineers limited their work to modifying the previous season’s F1-87, designed by Gustav Brunner (who had moved to Rial that year), adapting it only minimally to the new rules.

 FERRARI F1-87/88, Gerhard Berger
Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1988

   Mechanically, the car, renamed Ferrari F1-87/88C, was nearly identical to the previous year's model, with a 2800 mm wheelbase and a weight of 540 kg. The bodywork was slightly lower and more compact, though it retained its smooth, rounded lines. Both the front and rear wings were slightly modified, and adjustments were made to the suspension geometry. Though the layout remained the same as the F1-87, the track width was slightly changed, narrower by 5 mm at the front and wider by the same amount at the rear. Fundamentally, the F1-87/88C was a competitive and reliable single-seater, but it stood no chance against the dominant McLaren-Honda MP4/4 and was never truly in contention for championship standings, achieving only one victory and one pole position.

FERRARI F1-87/88C, Gerhard Berger
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1988 

   Ferrari's cautious approach left the car at a disadvantage compared to the MP4/4, which featured a new chassis and a Honda engine specifically designed to optimize performance under the reduced turbo pressure regulations. In contrast, Ferrari used the final evolution of its previous turbocharged V6 engine, the 033E, with only adjustments for the new 1988 rules concerning turbo pressure and the maximum fuel limit of 155 liters. At the start of the season, Barnard, drawing on his experience with Porsche engine developers, recommended reducing the engine’s rev limit by 1000 rpm and reprogramming its mapping to optimize fuel consumption and offset the power loss. However, the Maranello engine department rejected these suggestions, resenting the interference of the British chassis designer, who did not work at their Emilia headquarters. Consequently, Ferrari’s V6 turbo remained the most powerful engine on the grid at 720 hp, but fuel consumption plagued both drivers, Italian Michele Alboreto and Austrian Gerhard Berger, throughout the first half of the season, often forcing them to slow down in the final laps to finish the races.

FERRARI F1-87/88, Michele Alboreto
Monza, Italian GP 1988

   One emblematic case was the Silverstone Grand Prix, where Berger battled Senna for the lead until lap 50, when he had to slow due to excessive fuel consumption. He still ran out of fuel on the final lap, finishing ninth despite having the fastest car that day. Only from the German Grand Prix, the season’s eighth race, did Ferrari implement Barnard’s suggestions, leading to significant fuel savings without major power loss.

 FERRARI F1-87/88, Gerhard Berger
Hockenheimring, German GP 1988

   Despite the challenges, Scuderia Ferrari scored 65 points in the 1988 season, 12 more than in 1987, and finished second in the Constructors’ Championship, albeit far behind McLaren. The team achieved 1 win, 3 second places, and 4 third places. Gerhard Berger ended the Drivers’ Championship in third place with 41 points, while Michele Alboreto placed fifth with 24 points. During the season, Ferrari engineers also worked on a new engine/gearbox unit, installing in a F1-87/88C the new naturally aspirated 3494 cc V12 035.5 engine, paired with a seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox, components that would power the all-new car fully designed by John Barnard for the 1989 season. We end on a somber note: during the summer of 1988, on August 14th, Enzo Ferrari, undisputed leader and founder of the legendary Scuderia, passed away. The F1-87/88C thus holds the melancholy distinction of being the first Ferrari to win a Formula 1 race after the death of "Il Drake", achieving this on September 11, 1988, at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.