Formula 1 historical archive

Alain Prost won the 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix

Alain Prost won the 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix for McLaren, ahead of Gerhard Berger and Nelson Piquet at Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet.

Browse the full classification, related season, driver, team, circuit, and championship history.

Race recap

Winner
Alain Prost
Team
McLaren
Top listed
Alain Prost, Gerhard Berger, and Nelson Piquet
Race date
April 3, 1988
Pole
Ayrton Senna
Fastest lap
Gerhard Berger
Classified drivers
31
Circuit
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet

The decisive result

Alain Prost finished first for McLaren. Gerhard Berger is listed 2 for Ferrari, with Nelson Piquet 3 for Team Lotus.

Grid to finish

Stefan Johansson from P21 to P9 (+12), Derek Warwick from P11 to P4 (+7), and Eddie Cheever from P15 to P8 (+7) recorded the largest positive grid-to-finish changes in the classification. Ayrton Senna started from the listed P1 grid position.

Status and fastest lap

The classification lists 7 Engine, 5 Finished, 4 DNQ, 3 +1 lap, and 2 Chassis. Gerhard Berger holds the fastest-lap entry at 1:32.943 on lap 45. It records the result without speculating about incidents or strategy.

This summary sticks to the classification and does not speculate about incidents, strategy, weather, or causes. Source: F1DB (CC BY 4.0) · updated Jul 26, 2026.

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Race classification
PosDriverConstructorTime / statusPoints
1Alain ProstMcLaren1:36:06.8579
2Gerhard BergerFerrari1:36:16.7306
3Nelson PiquetTeam Lotus1:37:15.4384
4Derek WarwickArrows1:37:20.2053
5Michele AlboretoFerrari1:37:21.4132
6Satoru NakajimaTeam Lotus+1 lap1
7Thierry BoutsenBenetton+1 lap0
8Eddie CheeverArrows+1 lap0
9Stefan JohanssonLigier+3 laps0
DNFAndrea de CesarisRialEngine0
DNFJonathan PalmerTyrrellTransmission0
DNFLuis Pérez-SalaMinardiChassis0
DNFPhilippe AlliotLolaSuspension0
DNFGabriele TarquiniColoniSuspension0
DNFPhilippe StreiffAGSBrakes0
DNFYannick DalmasLolaEngine0
DNFRené ArnouxLigierClutch0
DNFStefano ModenaEuroBrunEngine0
DNFNigel MansellWilliamsEngine0
DNFAlessandro NanniniBenettonEngine0