The 1987 Formula One season started on April 12th and ended on November 15th after 16 races. To bring back the focus on naturally aspirated engines, two trophies were created specifically for the best driver and constructor of the year without turbo charged engine: The Jim Clark Trophy and the Colin Chapman Trophy.
Restriction in the capability of the turbo engine to perform, with mandatory pop-off valves, which restricted boost to 4.0 bar, didn’t stop turbo engines to out-perform 1985 results, and the three top teams: Ferrari, Williams and McLaren augmented the gap from the aspirated engines, thanks to terrific improvements in term of aerodynamics and tyres.The season revealed to be a battle in between the two Williams driver, Mansell and Piquet, who together won 9 of the 16 races which composed the championship.
Behind them the battle was among the Lotus 99T and the McLaren MP4/3 driven by the reigning world champion Alain Prost. Good signals from Ferrari at the end of the season, with Gerhard Berger, Austrian, who won the last two races of the season, in Japan and Australia.
The previously mentioned Jim Clark Trophy, for the best driver with aspirated engine went to Jonathan Palmer on Tyrrell and the same Tyrrell, with the DG016, didn’t have to struggle too much to achieve the Colin Chapman Trophy, being the only constructor with both cars no-turbo engined.
| Grand Prix | Date | Winning Driver | Team | Laps | Time |
| Brazil | 12/04/1987 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 61 | 1:39’45.141 |
| San Marino | 03/05/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 59 | 1:31’24.076 |
| Belgium | 17/05/1987 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 43 | 1:27’03.217 |
| Monaco | 31/05/1987 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Honda | 78 | 1:57’54.085 |
| United States | 21/06/1987 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Honda | 63 | 1:50’16.358 |
| France | 05/07/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 80 | 1;37’03.839 |
| Great Britain | 12/07/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 65 | 1:19’11.780 |
| Germany | 26/07/1987 | Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | 44 | 1:21’25.091 |
| Hungary | 09/08/1987 | Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | 76 | 1:59’26.793 |
| Austria | 16/08/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 52 | 1:18’44.898 |
| Italy | 06/09/1987 | Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | 50 | 1:14’47.707 |
| Portugal | 20/09/1987 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 70 | 1:37’03.906 |
| Spain | 27/09/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 72 | 1:49’12.692 |
| Mexico | 18/10/1987 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 63 | 1:26’24.207 |
| Japan | 01/11/1987 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 51 | 1:32’58.072 |
| Australia | 15/11/1987 | Gerhard Berger | Ferrari | 82 | 1:52’56.144 |
Championship Final Standing – Drivers
| Pos. | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Nelson Piquet | 73 (76) |
| 2 | Nigel Mansell | 61 |
| 3 | Ayrton Senna | 57 |
| 4 | Alain Prost | 46 |
| 5 | Gerhard Berger | 36 |
| 6 | Stefan Johansson | 30 |
| 7 | Michele Alboreto | 17 |
| 8 | Thierry Boutsen | 16 |
| 9 | Teo Fabi | 12 |
| 10 | Eddie Cheever | 8 |
Championship Final Standing – Constructors
Pos Constructor Pts
1 Williams-Honda 137
2 McLaren-TAG 76
3 Lotus-Honda 64
4 Ferrari 53
5 Benetton-Ford 28
6 Tyrrell-Ford 11
7 Arrows-Megatron 11
8 Brabham-BMW 10
9 Lola-Ford 3
10 Zakspeed 2
