Ayrton Senna won the 1988 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship after taking eight victories.
Senna drove for McLaren in 1988 and formed a famous teammate rivalry with Alain Prost. McLaren’s MP4/4, powered by Honda, was exceptionally dominant, winning 15 of the season’s 16 Grands Prix. Senna won eight races, while Prost won seven.
Under the scoring rules then in force, only a driver’s best 11 results counted toward the championship. Senna’s eight wins and strong finishing record gave him the title despite Prost scoring more total points before discarded results were applied.
This season is sometimes remembered only as a McLaren sweep, but the drivers’ championship was closely contested within the team. Senna’s 1988 title was his first Formula 1 championship, and he later won again in 1990 and 1991.