The 1987 season saw many changes for Team Lotus.
Due to the new sponsorship, the cars were now painted a bright yellow with blue logos.
In the first race of the season at Rio, Senna led the Brazilian Grand Prix but retired, Nakajima qualified for his first race and drove conservatively to finish 7th.
The 99T had Lotus' active suspension system fitted. This advantage gave Senna pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix. He led for 35 laps, but settled for 2nd place behind Nigel Mansell's Williams.
Round 3 of the Championship was the Belgian Grand Prix. This race saw Senna retire after a clash with Nigel Mansell, though Nakajima was again in the points with 5th place.
The fifth round in Detroit saw the same front row of the grid, and the same outcome with Senna's second win of the season.
The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim saw Senna finish 3rd for the second time in two races.
Round 11 of the championship at Monza saw Ayrton race to his third 2nd place of the season and also saw him set fastest lap of the race.
The Iberian double header in Portugal and Spain gave Satoru Nakajima an 8th and a 9th, while Senna did slightly better with 7th and 5th.
Senna also crossed the line 2nd in the Australian Grand Prix, but was disqualified for his car having oversized brake ducts.
This dropped him to 3rd in the Drivers Championship, with Nakajima equal 11th. Lotus were 3rd in the Constructors Championship for the second year in succession.
Ayrton Senna remained as No. 1 driver, but was now driving a Type 99T, powered by a Honda Turbo engine, sponsored by Camel and partnered by Japanese driver Satoru Nakajima, part of the Honda deal.
Nakajima also finished, in 6th place for his first World Championship point.
The next race in Monaco saw Senna back on the front row of the grid and back on the top step of the podium.
This was also the first win for active suspension.
Nakajima again finished, in 10th place in his first Monaco Grand Prix.
Nakajima meanwhile posted his first retirement of the season.
The French Grand Prix saw more points for Senna with 4th place, while the following British Grand Prix gave him 3rd and also gave Nakajima an excellent 4th to make a Honda 1-2-3-4 at Silverstone.
The following Hungarian Grand Prix saw him go one better with 2nd place.
Ayrton also survived the start-line mayhem in Austria to claim 5th place and another 2 points.
Bu this time it had been announced that he would drive for McLaren-Honda in 1988 and the Lotus No. 1 would become Nelson Piquet.
Both Lotuses retired in the Mexican Grand Prix, but luck was on their side in the following race at Suzuka with Senna 2nd and Nakajima 6th on his home track.
