1988 British Grand Prix

Championship standings

Prost leads Senna by six points — 54 to 48 — entering the eighth round. McLaren has won every race this season, and the gap between the teammates has barely shifted.

Between-race developments

Nigel Mansell has announced he will join Ferrari for the 1989 season. The decision was reportedly encouraged by a run of seven consecutive retirements at Williams and a series of high-speed accidents during Friday practice, which Mansell attributed to the FW12’s reactive suspension system.

Weather

Conditions are wet and cool — the first wet race since the 1985 Belgian Grand Prix.

Practice

Williams arrived at Silverstone with their reactive suspension system that had caused problems throughout the season. After Mansell qualified 13th and Patrese 30th on Friday, Technical Director Patrick Head made the overnight decision to strip the reactive system and replace it with conventional steel springs and dampers. Head described the conversion as “a bit of a bodge frankly” — the components were machined overnight — though the change dramatically improved the car’s handling.

McLaren introduced new high-speed bodywork intended for later in the season, but it caused handling problems for both Senna and Prost during qualifying.

Milestones

Silverstone celebrates the 40th anniversary of the circuit’s opening, marked by new facilities including a press centre, an internal ring road, and a 600-metre hospitality tent. RAC Chief Executive Peter Hammond died in a car crash en route to the track, overshadowing the celebrations.