Bernie still likes Nelson

Bernie Ecclestone, by now the F1 supremo but still the Brabham team owner, encourages his former driver Nelson Piquet, now at Williams-Honda, just before the start of the 1987 Australian Grand Prix (picture-above). It was the sixteenth and final race of 1987 Formula One season.

Nigel Mansell was still recovering from his accident in the previous race in Japan at Suzuka and so Riccardo Patrese, who had already signed for Williams to partner Mansell in 1988, was given permission by Brabham owner Ecclestone to stand in for the Briton in this race; he was replaced at Brabham by Formula 3000 champion Stefano Modena, making his F1 debut.

Nelson Piquet, already crowned World Champion for the third time at Suzuka two weeks earlier, retired in the race with brake problems, while debutant Stefano Modena retired his Brabham-BMW on lap 31. Ferrari scored a beautiful 1-2 with Gerhard Berger (picture-below) followed by Michele Alboreto, while Thierry Boutsen brought his Benetton B187-Ford in third.