1987 Season

Driver changes

Keke Rosberg retires from Formula One after six seasons, opening a seat at McLaren for Stefan Johansson. Johansson’s move from Ferrari is triggered by Gerhard Berger joining the Maranello team from Benetton.

Satoru Nakajima joins Lotus alongside Ayrton Senna, making his Formula One debut. Backed by Honda — Lotus’s new engine supplier — Nakajima won six of seven championships in Japanese Formula Two.

Martin Brundle and Jonathan Palmer switch teams: Brundle moves to Zakspeed, Palmer to Tyrrell.

Team changes

Renault’s withdrawal from Formula One leaves three of their customers searching for new engines. Lotus secures Honda units. Tyrrell signs Ford-Cosworth naturally aspirated V8s, positioning themselves for the 1989 turbo ban. AGS makes the same switch.

Ligier’s situation is the most turbulent. The team were set to use the new Alfa Romeo 415T four-cylinder turbo, but during pre-season testing lead driver René Arnoux compared the engine to “used food”. Fiat — Alfa’s parent company — used the remark as a reason to pull out, leaving Ligier without power. They eventually secure Megatron engines (BMW M12/13 units bought by Arrows sponsor USF&G and rebadged) and will join the grid from the San Marino Grand Prix, missing the season opener in Brazil.

Benetton signs a deal with Ford-Cosworth for their V6 turbo. McLaren lose designer John Barnard to Ferrari but gain Gordon Murray from Brabham as Technical Director; the new MP4/3 is designed by Steve Nichols. Arrows gain Ross Brawn as Technical Director and Chief Designer.

Calendar

The season runs to sixteen races from Brazil on 12 April to Australia on 15 November. Belgium and Monaco swap places on the calendar, with Belgium now preceding Monaco. The British Grand Prix moves permanently to Silverstone following a five-year deal. Germany returns to Hockenheim after two years at the Nürburgring.

Spain moves from April to late September. The Japanese Grand Prix returns after a ten-year absence, held for the first time at the Honda-owned Suzuka Circuit near Nagoya.

The Canadian Grand Prix is cancelled for the first time since 1975, following an unresolved sponsorship dispute between rival breweries Labatt and Molson. There will be no Canadian race this year.

Regulation changes

Turbocharged engines are limited to 4.0 bar boost pressure, enforced by mandatory pop-off valves that cut boost when the limit is exceeded. Turbo teams receive a fuel allowance of 195 litres per race. Naturally aspirated cars carry no fuel restriction, and their maximum displacement rises from 3.0 to 3.5 litres — a direct incentive to switch ahead of the 1989 turbo ban.

The FIA bans super-soft qualifying tyres, ending the practice of managing a car on rubber good for only two flying laps. Pirelli’s exit from Formula One after six seasons makes Goodyear the sole tyre supplier — the first time the sport has had a standard tyre since 1963.