The 1988 Sportscar World Championship began at this meeting in Spain, with the Silk Cut Jaguar team defending its title. The very latest XJR9 Group C cars had been tuned to perfection for three superb crews, John Watson and John Nielsen, Jan Lammers and Johnny Dumfries, and Eddie Cheever and Martin Brundle.

But they would be up against strong opposition. The Sauber Mercedes was represented by a C9-88 in the hands of Mauro Baldi, Jean-Louis Schlesser and Jochen Mass.

The Jerez race was over a distance of 800 kilometres, so there would be plenty of chance to judge which team had made the biggest improvements in the closed season. But not to be discounted were the three privately entered Brun Motorsport Porsches as well as similar machines run by Joest Racing, all with drivers of proven competence. Spice Engineering also set about defence of their 1987 title, with Gordon Spice and Ray Bellim in one car and Thorkild Thyrring and Almo Coppelli in the other class C2 contender. Tune in now to the first battle of the giants of '88!