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The 400th Formula 1 Grand Prix - only turbo cars on the grid for the first time

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Created on July 16, 2018

Text:

Daniel Reinhard

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Local hero Niki Lauda in the McLaren TAG-Porsche d_reinhard_GP Oesterreich_1984_003 () -

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Start of the 400th Formula 1 Grand Prix - Piquet ahead of Prost and Tambay; Senna tackles Nigel Mansell in the background - 1984 Austrian GP

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Toleman 184 (1984) - Ayrton Senna drove far to the front at the 1984 Austrian GP

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ATS D7 (1984) - Gerhard Berger at his first start at the Austrian Grand Prix in 1984

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Summary

The 400th Formula 1 Grand Prix took place in Zeltweg, Austria, in August 1984 and ended with a victory for local hero Niki Lauda. However, this victory was not a walk in the park, as the race was not only started twice, but was also characterized by many exciting battles and a few slip-ups. This report looks back and describes the most important events of the 400th Grand Prix, illustrated of course with historical images.

This article contains the following chapters

Winner Niki Lauda
Prost out of the race
The battle behind the leaders
Only turbo engines
Berger's debut in the ATS
Further information

Estimated reading time: 3min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Austrian Grand Prix on August 19, 1984 was the 400th staging of an F1 race since the start of the F1 World Championship at Silverstone on May 13, 1950 and the 12th round of the 1984 season. Local hero Niki Lauda won the race, which had to be started twice, in his McLaren TAG-Porsche. The 85,000 spectators in attendance witnessed an extremely exciting Grand Prix. Nelson Piquet took the lead in the Brabham-BMW after the second start, ahead of the two McLaren cars of Lauda and Prost. The three of them set such a brisk pace that the competition lost sight and hearing. On the 29th lap, Prost, who had already attacked Piquet's Brabham several times, slid off the track on Elio de Angelis' oil patch, leaving only the Brazilian to battle with the Austrian for victory. After leading for 39 laps, Piquet had to give way to Lauda, which naturally sent the Zeltweg cauldron into total turmoil.

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