In 1987, Ayrton Senna was in his final year with Lotus. At the wheel of the 99T powered by Honda V8, the Brazilian driver achieved two victories in a row, in Monaco and then in Detroit, continuing the season with several podium results. At the end of the year he was third in a world championship dominated by Williams. For 1988 he left Lotus to move to McLaren, winning his first world title.