Every point counts. This year’s intense duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton for the Formula 1 title seems to be another classic with just three races to go. The dynamics of the two title protagonists fluctuate back and forth in each race, and the unpredictability is a welcome treat for Formula 1 fans. The championship has not been so competitive for a long time and has breathed new life into a sport that has been dominated by Mercedes and Red Bull for the past 11 years.
There have been many drivers and teams who have had many wins and consecutive championships in the past, but that has not always been the case in Formula 1. In the sport’s 70-year history, there have been a few instances where the driver’s title has been decided by a single point, and once even less. Let’s go through them with the list of those exciting Formula 1 duels that went all the way.
8th
Lewis Hamilton vs. Felipe Massa, 2008 (1 point)
via dailymirror
Lewis Hamilton won his first title by the slightest margin, so he’s no stranger to getting fights to the point. In the very last corner of the last race in Interlagos, he won the 2008 Formula 1 driver’s title.
over maxf1
Felipe Massa crossed the finish line to take victory in deteriorating conditions and looked like he had wrested the title from Hamilton. But 30 seconds later, Lewis on intermediate tires managed to overtake Timo Glock’s slick-tire Toyota in the last corner and take the important extra point for his first world championship title.
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Michael Schumacher vs. Damon Hill, 1994 (1 point)
via motorsport magazine
After an eventful season in which Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger were killed, the 1994 season also turned out to be one of the most controversial duels in the history of Formula 1. In fact, the opinions of the experts are still divided on the events between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix.
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At the season finale in Adelaide Hill was only one point behind Schumacher and quickly chased the German behind him during the race. However, the pair collided after Schumacher closed the door on Hill and took a right turn, which Schumacher sent into the wall. Hill hobbled back into the pits, but the front wishbone of his car was irreparably damaged and was also forced out of the race, which presented Schumacher’s first Formula 1 title.
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James Hunt vs. Niki Lauda, 1976 (1 point)
about morewheelspin
In the sexy and glamorous era of Formula 1 racing in the 1970s, there is no room for error. And in case you need a visual representation of what happened between Niki Lauda and James Hunt’s battle for the 1976 F1 title, all you have to do is watch the movie Rush.
via formula1.com
Lauda’s fiery fall at the Nürburgring gave Hunt the advantage as he was able to recapture the lead Lauda built at the beginning of the season. But just six weeks later, Lauda was back on the grid and won the championship. At the season finale in Fuji, treacherous conditions in the pouring rain had to put Lauda out of the race after just two laps, but Hunt drove on and finished on the podium to take his only Formula 1 title.
5
Nelson Piquet vs. Alain Prost, 1983 (2 points)
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Although Nelson Piquet was only 14 points behind Alain Prost with three races to go, he was able to secure his second world title in 1983 by winning two of the last three races and giving the traditional Brabham team their last victory in Formula 1.
via Wikipedia
Prost, on the flip side, led the championship for much of the 1983 season, but a string of failures, including three in the last four races, gave Piquet the advantage.
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Mika Häkkinen vs. Eddie Irvine, 1999 (2 points)
via formula1.com
The 1999 season was the only time we remember Michael Schumacher playing second fiddle behind his Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine. This was due to a leg injury sustained at the British Grand Prix that effectively incapacitated him in the championship run.
over maxf1
Irvine actually rose mid-season, leading the championship four points ahead of Mika Häkkinen before heading into the final race in Japan. However, his weekend was a complete mess and in the race he was only able to come out on third place, while Häkkinen took the win and the championship by just two points.
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Alain Prost vs. Nigel Mansell, 1986 (2 points)
via motorsport magazine
In 1986 Nigel Mansell led a three-way battle for the championship against Alain Prost and his teammate Nelson Piquet. The Englishman led the championship seven races in a row and held it until the final in Adelaide.
about f1 big price
However, his rear left tire exploded when he overtook 180 mph on the Brabham Straight while chasing Prost, effectively ending his race. In the end, Prost took the win and took the championship, leaving Mansell just two points behind and becoming the first consecutive champion since Jack Brabham in the 1960s.
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Kimi Raikkonen vs. Fernando Alonso vs. Lewis Hamilton, 2007 (1 point)
about eurosport
Here’s another three-way battle for the title that took place in Lewis Hamilton’s rookie year. For much of the season, Alonso’s and Hamilton’s McLarens seemed like a better package over Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari, and Hamilton even had a 26-point lead over Raikkonen at one point.
via formula1.com
But in the last 10 races Raikkonen went full throttle and finished 9 times on the podium, including his title win in the final in Brazil, where the arguing teammates Alonso and Hamilton only finished third and seventh. Although Kimi Raikkonen moved into the season finale in third, he won his only F1 title by a single point.
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Niki Lauda vs. Alain Prost, 1984 (0.5 points)
about carjager
Finally, the closest championship fight in F1 history. Niki Lauda had a chance to win a third title in 1984, but a certain Frenchman stood in his way – his McLaren team-mate Alain Prost.
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With identical machinery, Lauda was not up to the younger Prost in qualifying, but made up for it with his excellent racing skills to oust the Frenchman to the title by being a more consistent point collector over the course of the season. The abbreviated 1984 Monaco Grand Prix was effectively the main factor in Lauda’s championship run as only half points were awarded in that race, which Prost won. Lauda staged his championship run masterfully and was only the second driver in history to win a Formula 1 title despite not having a pole position during the season.
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About the author
Jan Millard Lacuna
(180 articles published)
Jan Lacuna is an engineer, car enthusiast, sim racing, and real-life racer from the Philippines who now works as a writer for HotCars.com. He enjoys writing about the world of racing and his experiences with Japanese cars and their culture.
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