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1987
Machine: Lotus 99T / Tyre: GOOD YEAR / Car No.12
Lotus got the HONDA engine of Senna's heart desire. Honda fully entried to Formula-One at the second stage and supplied their eingine to Williams last season, and from 1987s' season Japanese major engine manufacturer also started to provide the powerful turbo weapon and Satoru Nakajima to Lotus. It was historical event that Ayrton Senna met Honda at that time, then on the history of Japanese motor sports it was also coming new age that Nakajima joined to the prestige of mortor race as the first Japanese full-entried driver.
But the Lotus chassis still couldn't make the best use of Honda engine due to the active suspension which was new technology but didn't work well and in progress. Besides, Lotus actually had a trouble with management finance, so secret negotiation between Honda and McLaren was on-going underground.
Ayrton sit the 7 pole-position in 1985 and 8 times in 1986, however, he only got one in 1987 in spite of the powerful engine. Nevertheless, his distinguished skill helped to win the Monaco GP and upcoming Detroit GP in a row. As a result, Nelson Pique Williams driver got the title of world championship, Nigel Mansell at the same team as Pique in 2nd place, and Senna in 3rd place, Alain Prost finished 4th place that season.
He shouldn't be happy with this result because he made every effort to title. McLaren which was one of the top ranked team announced about the drivers' line-up at Italy GP as the jointed number-one system both Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
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| Rd. | Date | GP | Machine | Engine | Qualify | Final | Notes |
| 1 | 4/12 | Brazil | Lotus 99T | Honda V6T | 4 | R | Engine trouble |
| 2 | 5/3 | San Marino | ↑ | ↑ | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 5/17 | Belgium | ↑ | ↑ | 3 | R | Accident |
| 4 | 5/31 | Monaco | ↑ | ↑ | 2 | 1 | |
| 5 | 6/21 | Detroit | ↑ | ↑ | 2 | 1 | |
| 6 | 7/5 | France | ↑ | ↑ | 3 | 4 | |
| 7 | 7/12 | UK | ↑ | ↑ | 3 | 3 | |
| 8 | 7/26 | Germany | ↑ | ↑ | 2 | 3 | |
| 9 | 8/9 | Hungary | ↑ | ↑ | 6 | 2 | |
| 10 | 8/16 | Austria | ↑ | ↑ | 7 | 5 | |
| 11 | 9/6 | Italy | ↑ | ↑ | 4 | 2 | |
| 12 | 9/20 | Portugal | ↑ | ↑ | 5 | 7 | |
| 13 | 9/27 | Spain | ↑ | ↑ | 5 | 5 | |
| 14 | 10/18 | Mexico | ↑ | ↑ | 7 | R | Course off |
| 15 | 11/1 | Japan | ↑ | ↑ | 7 | 2 | |
| 16 | 11/15 | Australia | ↑ | ↑ | 4 | Disqualified | Breach of regulations |
| World Championship Classification: | 3rd with 57 points |
| Number of races lead: | 7 |
| Number of laps lead: | 108 laps(10.70%) |
| Number of kilometers lead: | 278 |
| Points per race, average: | 3.563 |
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