After using 1987's FA1I for the opening round in Brazil, the FA1L first appeared in Round 2 at the San Marino Grand Prix, but failed to pass scrutineering after it was found the team had modified the chassis, changing the fuel zone shape and then with the drivers feet illegally in front of the front axle line (Solution admitted only for cars that maintain the same chassis of 1987, as i.e. Zakspeed 871). New FIA safety regulations for meant that all cars had to have the drivers feet behind the front axle line, though teams could implement it into their 1988 cars. The car was disqualified on the basis that the changed mounting points plus the driver's feet position constituted a new chassis which had not been passed in FIA crash testing. The car was passed legal for its second race, the next round in Monaco where it would have its most successful outing. There Larini qualified 25th (second last, though out-qualifying the Lotus-Honda of Satoru Nakajima who failed to qualify), and managed to stay out of trouble to finish ninth, three laps down on race winner Alain Prost in his McLaren-Honda.