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How Lauda won F1's closest title battle

Niki Lauda's third Formula 1 title was one of the most incredible in the championship's history, and won by statistically the smallest margin - just half a point. Back in 2017, Lauda talked Autosport through that season from his perspective

Eight times the battle for the drivers' crown has been decided by a single digit - 1958, 1961, 1964, 1976, 1981, 1994, 2007 and 2008 - but only once has it been settled by less.

One might argue the 2008 battle between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa was closer - in the sense Massa crossed the Brazilian Grand Prix finish line as 'champion', only for Hamilton to steal it back again with a last-gasp move on Timo Glock moments later. But in the statistical sense there remains none tighter than the 1984 contest between Niki Lauda and Alain Prost.

Previous article The heroism, horror and hurt of Lauda at Ferrari
Next article From the archive: Lauda answers the paddock's questions

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