1988 Grand Prix of Japan
30 October - Suzuka: 298.809km (5.859km x 51 laps)


Pole Position: Ayrton Senna, McLaren-Honda MP4/4, 1:41.853


Results
 1. Ayrton Senna           McLaren-Honda MP4/4         1:33:26.173 (191.880 km/h)
 2. Alain Prost            McLaren-Honda MP4/4        -     13.363
 3. Thierry Boutsen        Benetton-Ford B188         -     36.109
 4. Gerhard Berger         Ferrari F187/88C           -   1:26.714
 5. Alessandro Nannini     Benetton-Ford B188         -   1:30.603
 6. Riccardo Patrese       Williams-Judd FW12         -   1:37.615
 7. Satoru Nakajima        Lotus-Honda 100T           -  1 lap
 8. Philippe Streiff       AGS-Ford JH23              -  1 lap
 9. Philippe Alliot        Lola-Ford LC88             -  1 lap
10. Mauricio Gugelmin      March-Judd 881             -  1 lap
11. Michele Alboreto       Ferrari F187/88C           -  1 lap
12. Jonathan Palmer        Tyrrell-Ford 017           -  1 lap
13. Pierluigi Martini      Minardi-Ford M188          -  2 laps
14. Julian Bailey          Tyrrell-Ford 017           -  2 laps
15. Luis Perez-Sala        Minardi-Ford M188          -  2 laps
16. Aguri Suzuki           Lola-Ford LC88             -  3 laps
17. René Arnoux            Ligier-Judd JS31           -  3 laps
    
Fastest lap: Ayrton Senna, 1:46.326 (198.375 km/h on lap 33)
    

Retirements
    Andrea de Cesaris      Rial-Ford ARC1             - 15 laps (Overheating)
    Eddie Cheever          Arrows-Megatron A10B       - 16 laps (Turbo)
    Nicola Larini          Osella-Alfa Romeo FA1L     - 17 laps (Wheel nut loose)
    Nelson Piquet          Lotus-Honda 100T           - 17 laps (Driver ill)
    Nigel Mansell          Williams-Judd FW12         - 27 laps (Accident)
    Alex Caffi             Dallara-Ford 188           - 29 laps (Spun)
    Ivan Capelli           March-Judd 881             - 32 laps (Electrics)
    Derek Warwick          Arrows-Megatron A10B       - 35 laps (Spun)
    Bernd Schneider        Zakspeed 881               - 37 laps (Driver unfit after practice accident)
    
Did Not Qualify    
    Stefan Johansson       Ligier-Judd JS31
    Oscar Larrauri         EuroBrun-Ford ER188
    Piercarlo Ghinzani     Zakspeed 881
    Stefano Modena         EuroBrun-Ford ER188

Did Not Pre-qualify
    Gabriele Tarquini      Coloni-Ford FC188B


    Race leaders:
    Alain Prost             1-15 (15 laps =  87.885 km)
    Ivan Capelli           16     (1 lap  =   5.859 km)
    Alain Prost            17-27 (11 laps =  64.449 km)
    Ayrton Senna           28-51 (24 laps = 140.616 km)
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                                Starting Grid

 1. Ayrton Senna           McLaren-Honda MP4/4         1:41.853 (207.087 km/h)
 2. Alain Prost            McLaren-Honda MP4/4        -   0.324
 3. Gerhard Berger         Ferrari F187/88C           -   1.500
 4. Ivan Capelli           March-Judd 881             -   1.752
 5. Nelson Piquet          Lotus-Honda 100T           -   1.840
 6. Satoru Nakajima        Lotus-Honda 100T           -   1.840
 7. Derek Warwick          Arrows-Megatron A10B       -   1.963
 8. Nigel Mansell          Williams-Judd FW12         -   2.040
 9. Michele Alboreto       Ferrari F187/88C           -   2.119
10. Thierry Boutsen        Benetton-Ford B188         -   2.646
11. Riccardo Patrese       Williams-Judd FW12         -   2.702
12. Alessandro Nannini     Benetton-Ford B188         -   2.758
13. Mauricio Gugelmin      March-Judd 881             -   3.285
14. Andrea de Cesaris      Rial-Ford ARC1             -   3.705
15. Eddie Cheever          Arrows-Megatron A10B       -   3.992
16. Jonathan Palmer        Tyrrell-Ford 017           -   4.063
17. Pierluigi Martini      Minardi-Ford M188          -   4.596
18. Philippe Streiff       AGS-Ford JH23              -   4.633
19. Philippe Alliot        Lola-Ford LC88             -   4.668
20. Aguri Suzuki           Lola-Ford LC88             -   5.067
21. Alex Caffi             Dallara-Ford 188           -   5.129
22. Luis Perez-Sala        Minardi-Ford M188          -   5.281
23. René Arnoux            Ligier-Judd JS31           -   5.340
24. Nicola Larini          Osella-Alfa Romeo FA1L     -   5.694
25. Bernd Schneider        Zakspeed 881               -   5.746
26. Julian Bailey          Tyrrell-Ford 017           -   6.736

Did Not Qualify
27. Stefan Johansson       Ligier-Judd JS31           -   6.863
28. Oscar Larrauri         EuroBrun-Ford ER188        -   7.412
29. Piercarlo Ghinzani     Zakspeed 881               -   7.853
30. Stefano Modena         EuroBrun-Ford ER188        -   8.044

Did Not Pre-qualify
31. Gabriele Tarquini      Coloni-Ford FC188B         -  10.381