1984 European Grand Prix

Lore & Background

The 67-lap race was won by Frenchman Alain Prost, driving a McLaren-TAG. Italian Michele Alboreto finished second in a Ferrari, with Brazilian Nelson Piquet third in a Brabham-BMW, having started from pole position. Prost's Austrian teammate Niki Lauda, who nearly lost his life in the last F1 race at the Nürburgring in 1976, finished fourth. With the reallocation of the disqualified Tyrrell team's points two days after the race and Prost thus gaining an extra point, Lauda's lead in the Drivers' Championship was reduced to 3.5 points with one race remaining.

In Their Own Story

The mist clung low over the Eifel forests as the grid lined up on the cold asphalt. Prost could hear the high-pitched whine of his turbo engine echoing off the trees, a sound that signaled power but also fragility. He knew Lauda had been faster in qualifying, but the race was a different beast entirely. With rain threatening to turn the long straights into rivers and blind corners into traps, survival was the first goal before victory.

Reader's Guide

The race was held at the Nürburgring GP-Strecke. Nelson Piquet started from pole position. Alain Prost won from Michele Alboreto and Nelson Piquet. Niki Lauda finished fourth.

Did You Know?

• The race was the first F1 event at the Nürburgring since 1976.
• The race was run on the new 4.54 km GP-Strecke, not the Nordschleife.
• Nelson Piquet started from pole position.
• Niki Lauda finished fourth, eight years after nearly losing his life at the same circuit in 1976.