1987 German Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 8 of 16 in the 1987 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | July 26, 1987 | ||
| Official name | Grosser Mobil 1 Preis von Deutschland | ||
| Location |
Hockenheimring Hockenheim, West Germany |
||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 6.797 km (4.223 mi) | ||
| Distance | 45 laps, 299.068 km (185.832 mi) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Honda | ||
| Time | 1:42.616 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Nigel Mansell
|
Williams-Honda | |
| Time | 1:45.716 on lap 24 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Williams-Honda | ||
| Second | McLaren-TAG | ||
| Third | Lotus-Honda | ||
The 1987 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Hockenheimring on July 26, 1987. It was the eighth round of the 1987 Formula One season. It was the 49th German Grand Prix and the eleventh to be held at the Hockenheimring. It was held over 44 laps of the seven kilometre circuit for a race distance of 298.760 km (185.812 mi).
In the week leading up to the German Grand Prix a number of teams tested at the Hockenheim circuit. During testing Ayrton Senna had a very lucky escape when he had a rear tyre failure at over 300 km/h (186 mph) on the long straight leading to the Bremsschikane. The rear corner of his Lotus 99T was destroyed and parts were reported to be hard to find as most ended up flying off into the forest. As a result of the crash Goodyear took the precaution of immediately flying in new compound tyres from their plant in Akron in the United States in time for the Grand Prix weekend.
The tyre failure was determined to be the result of Senna picking up a puncture late on his previous lap. However the Lotus' active suspension system compensated for that and kept the car at its correct ride height, masking the problem from Senna. This caused many to question the system as the general belief was that with a passively suspended car Senna would have known he had a puncture and would not have continued to drive at high speed.
The race was won by eventual 1987 World Champion, Nelson Piquet driving a Williams FW11B. It was his first win of the season and his third win in the German Grand Prix having previously won for Brabham in 1981, and Williams in the previous year. Piquet won by over a minute and a half from Swedish driver Stefan Johansson driving a McLaren MP4/3, who coasted over the finish line on three wheels due to a tyre puncture suffered just past the pits on his last lap. The Swede's second place was the 50th podium finish for the Porsche designed TAG turbo engine. Piquet inherited the win after engine failure claimed his team mate, Briton Nigel Mansell, and reigning champion, Frenchman Alain Prost (McLaren MP4/3). Ayrton Senna finished third in his Lotus 99T.
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