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You must have seen this Dutch GP: The last victory of Niki Lauda

You must have seen this Dutch GP: The last victory of Niki Lauda

03-05-2020 12:10

GPblog.com

In the past there have been a lot of Dutch Grands Prix rides. Between 1952 and 1985 the F1 paddock visited the dunes of Zandvoort 30 times. After an absence of 35 years it should have been today that the F1 would return to Zandvoort. Because of the coronavirus the whole weekend has been postponed, and now it is questionable if there will be a Dutch Grand Prix this year. To replace the Grand Prix that should have taken place today, we will look at a special race from the past.

We will look at the last Grand Prix held in the Netherlands and also the last victory in Formula 1 of Niki Lauda. The so far last Dutch Grand Prix was won by the Austrian, who died on 20 May 2019. Behind him Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna managed to fill the podium. 10 world championships on 1 podium. 

25th and final victory

Huub Rothengatter was the only Dutchman who competed during this Grand Prix. However, he didn't perform optimal during the whole weekend and had to see how he would get through the Grand Prix from place 26. In the end he was classified last. At the front of the field it was a fight between Prost and Senna, where Prost came out as the winner. 

Then the race had to be decided by a battle between the teammates at McLaren. Lauda and Prost had to fight for victory together. Both drivers had already won the Dutch Grand Prix twice before and were keen that the third was for one of them. In the end Lauda won with two tenths of Prost for the 25th and final victory of his F1 career.

The full results:

1. Lauda – McLaren
2. Prost – McLaren
3. Senna – Lotus
4. Alboreto – Ferrari
5. de Angelis – Lotus
6. Mansell – Williams
7. Brundle – Tyrrell
8. Piquet – Brabham
9. Berger – Arrows
10. Surer – Brabham

NC
Rothengatter – Osella

DNF
Boutsen – Arrows
Alliot – RAM-Hart
Bellof – Tyrrell
Warwick – Renault
Andrea de Cesaris – Ligier
Tambay – Renault
Rosberg – Williams
Fabi – Toleman-Hart
Laffite – Ligier
Palmer – Zakspeed
Ghinzani – Toleman-Hart
Johansson – Ferrari
Martini – Minardi
Cheever – Alfa Romeo
Patrese – Alfa Romeo