1988 Italian Grand Prix: The Commendatore's farewell

Enzo Ferrari died three weeks earlier, on August 14, at his home, when the temple of speed filled to celebrate the death of the great man and commune with the Team. The Commendatore died as he lived, in the cult of secrecy and total control. Thus, in accordance with his last wishes, his death was only announced two days later, after his burial. No national funeral for the man who carried the colors of Italy so high, and no opportunity for fans to pay their respects.

The weather is splendid on this Sunday September 11 at the autodrome, and everyone is dreaming of a victory in honor of the founding father. Everyone also knows that McLaren remains on a perfect score of 11 victories in 11 races! Moreover, at the end of the warm-up, the hierarchy of qualifications is respected with Ayrton Senna author of the best time ahead Alain Prost. At the start, the Frenchman got the best start and took the lead. Not for long, however, since the Brazilian, nestled in his wing, disengages and goes inside at the first chicane. At the end of the first lap, Senna therefore leads ahead of Prost, Berger, Alboreto, Cheever, Boutsen, Patrese, Piquet and Capelli.

In the lead, everything is going well for the two McLarens. Between Senna and Prost, the fight is magnificent, but problems soon appear for the Frenchman, in the form of a Honda engine with an increasingly worrying sound, until the moment when he has to resolve to regain the stands. This is the first serious mechanical damage to a McLaren since the start of the season, and the first retirement from the race. On the 43rd lap of a race of 52, Senna was in the lead with 25 seconds ahead of Berger, but his consumption was higher than expected. Behind, the Austrian and his teammate Alboreto saved enough fuel to attack the free spirit all the way to the checkered flag. In the stands, tension rises.

On the 50th lap, two laps from the finish, Berger was only 5 seconds behind the surviving McLaren. It's not much, but it's too much to be filled in such a short time. That’s when Jean-Louis Schlesser enters the scene. To replace at short notice Nigel Mansell who contracted chickenpox, Franck Williams called on the Frenchman, the only driver available on the market who can have the Super License essential to take the start. In this penultimate lap, Senna approaches the braking of the first chicane behind Schlesser from whom he takes yet another lap. He literally pounces on the Williams and Schlesser, surprised by the Brazilian's maneuver, almost misses his braking and goes to stand as far as possible on the outside of the corner to let him pass. In the rush, the rear wheels of his car get stuck. He climbs the vibrator and puts two wheels in the grass.

Senna thinks he has a boulevard to pass by and does not pay attention to poor Jean-Louis who returns to the track making himself as small as possible and nevertheless cuts the path of the McLaren and hits it. Senna spins and stalls. It's abandonment. Gerhard Berger is in the lead ahead of Alboreto! A clamor arose when the two red cars left the Parabolica and went up the pit straight. The old autodrome cries with joy as much as with sadness. Enzo has his funeral oration and the fans have their high mass! On this day of September 11, 1988, it is a resurrected Scuderia that emerges from the Milanese cauldron.

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