1988 Japanese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Senna goes into Suzuka pursuing his eighth win of the season, which would break the single-season record of seven victories — a mark shared by Jim Clark (1963) and Alain Prost (1984). The championship itself could be decided this weekend.

Championship permutations

If Senna wins at Suzuka, he clinches the Drivers’ Championship regardless of where Prost finishes. Under the 1988 best-results scoring system, Prost can only add a limited number of points from the final two races, so a Senna victory would put the title beyond his teammate’s reach.

Between-race developments

Yannick Dalmas is medically unfit to compete and has been replaced by Aguri Suzuki, who makes his Formula One debut at the wheel of the Lola-Ford. Dalmas was later diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease; he will miss Australia as well.

Entrants

Just thirty minutes before Friday’s free practice session began, Satoru Nakajima learned that his mother had died that morning. He chose to race anyway.

Nelson Piquet is competing despite suffering from a virus during the race weekend.