Third crown for Lauda

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 48

Third crown for Lauda

NZPA-Reuter Portugal Half a point. That was all that separated Niki Lauda and Alain Prost in the tightest battle in the 34 years of the world Formula One motor racing drivers’ championship. Lauda, the remarkable Austrian, claimed the crown for a third time, completing a splendid season by finishing second in the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril yesterday, precisely the position required to hold off his French team-mate. Prost won the race. But his record-equalling seventh victory left him wondering just what he must achieve to take the crown back to France, the nation which introduced grand prix racing to the world. Prost won nine points for victory, giving him 71.5 for the season. But Lauda collected six for being second and had 72. Underlining their domina-

tion of the season was the fact that Elio de Angelis, of Italy, was a distant third with 34 points. Lauda found time among the post-race celebrations to pay a tribute to his McLaren partner, the driver who gave him the toughest test of his long, illustrious career. “Prost is one of the best, he will win the championship one day,” Lauda said. Lauda, whose remarkable career has encompassed championship wins in 1975, 1977 and 1984 and neardeath after a fiery crash in Germany, gradually moved up the field yesterday to third. Then Nigel Mansell, of Britain, sitting a solid second, was forced out on the fifty-first of the 70 laps when his Lotus lost its brake fluid. “This was the hardest season of my life,” Lauda said afterwards. “J took

chances in that race, I drove hard all the way through. I thought to myself: ‘lf you don’t finish you are not world champion’.” It is a pity the title could not be shared. The McLaren pair won 12 of the 16 races, including an unprecedented four one-two finishes. Keke Rosberg, of Finland, was the last driver to interrupt their domination — in Dallas eight races ago. Only three other drivers have won the title three times, the Argentine, Juan Manuel Fangio, the Australian, Jack Brabham, and Jackie Stewart, of Scotland. Only one other driver has registered seven triumphs in one series. That was the late Jim Clark, of Scotland, who achieved it in 1963, more than enough for the title on that occasion. Lauda and Prost will be out testing their McLarens in a couple of weeks, preparing their 1985 campaign. Rival teams have much

work ahead of them during the close season if they want to end the British team’s astonishing supremacy. Results.— Prost Ihr 41min 11.7535, 1; Lauda, 1:41:25.178, 2; Ayrton Senna (Brazil), 1:41:31.795, 3; Michele Alboreto (Italy), 1:41:32.070, 4; Elio de Angelis (Italy), 1:42:43.922, 5; Nelson Piquet (Brazil), one lap, 6; Patrick Tambay (France), one lap, 7; Riccardo Patresse (Italy), one lap, 8; Rene Arnoux (France), one lap, 9; Manfred Winklelhock (West Germay), one lap, 10; Stefan Johannson (Sweden), one lap, 11; Andrea de Cesaris (Italy), one lap, 12. Final standings:— Lauda, 72 points, 1; Prost, 71.5, 2; de Angelis, 34, 3; Alboreto, 30.5, 4; Piquet, 29, 5; Arnoux, 27, 6; Derek Warwick (Britain), 23, 7; Keke Rosberg (Finland), 20.5, 8; Senna and Nigel Mansell (Britain), 13, equal 9; Tambay, 11, 11; Teo Fabitfltaly), 9, 12.