8 replies to this topic

[Tim Murray]

In this race the Benettons of Thierry Boutsen and Alessandro Nannini finished 3rd and 4th on the road. However, at a meeting of the FISA World Motorsport Council held in December 1988 the Benetton team was disqualified from the event and all points scored were withdrawn, as a result of fuel irregularities. They also incurred a hefty fine.

Autosport magazine, reporting the news, went on to say:

We understand that the points taken from Benetton are not being redistributed retrospectively.

I have always taken this to mean that, in a similar situation to Rosberg's disqualification in Brazil 1983, there were technically no 3rd and 4th place finishers in the 1988 Belgian GP, with Capelli remaining in 5th place, Piquet 6th etc.

However, most references show the results with Capelli 3rd, Piquet 4th etc.

Does anyone know definitely what the correct interpretation of the FISA ruling is?

[Marcel Schot]

The pointstandings show Capelli, Piquet, Warwick & Cheever were awarded points for positions 3 through 6, so it appears the points were redistributed after all.

[Tim Murray]

Would these be official (FIA) points standings? If so, are they published anywhere on the net?

[Rediscoveryx]

Originally posted by Tim Murray
Would these be official (FIA) points standings? If so, are they published anywhere on the net?

Probably on FORIX - if you don't have access to FORIX, I think www.planetf1.com have got official results for all World Championship races since the 50's

[Geza Sury]

Originally posted by Marcel Schot
The pointstandings show Capelli, Piquet, Warwick & Cheever were awarded points for positions 3 through 6, so it appears the points were redistributed after all.

That means that Martin Brundle just missed the points by finishing seventh in his one and only race with Williams. BTW there was a tremendous scrap for fourth place between Nannini and Piquet, later between Piquet and Capelli for fifth. Eventually Capelli overtook Piquet on the last lap and after the disqualification was awarded a podium position, so it was worth trying!

[arcsine]

Originally posted by Tim Murray
In this race the Benettons of Thierry Boutsen and Alessandro Nannini finished 3rd and 4th on the road. However, at a meeting of the FISA World Motorsport Council held in December 1988 the Benetton team was disqualified from the event and all points scored were withdrawn, as a result of fuel irregularities. They also incurred a hefty fine.

I guess this would explain why in annuals such as Grand Prix World Formula One Championship 1988/89 (Roebuck and Townsend) Boutsen and Nannini are still credited with 3rd and 4th places. IIRC no mention is made of the disqualifiaction in the 1988 FOCA review video. Was Autocourse 1988/9 published before the Benettons were disqualified?

What were the circumstances behind the disqualification of the Benettons? Were the authorities aware before the December 1988 council meeting that something was amiss (almost 4 months after the event seems a strange time to decide to disqualify someone)?

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by arcsine
Was Autocourse 1988/9 published before the Benettons were disqualified?

As Autocourse is always published to catch the Christmas market, the answer would be yes. The final sections of it would have gone to press in late November. If they're doing their job properly there should be a correction in the next edition ....

[arcsine]

When in December 1988 was the meeting at which the Benettons were disqualified?

[Tim Murray]

On the 8th and 9th December 1988, in Paris.