McLaren's championship drivers

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Reuters

LONDON (Oct 26, 1998 - 23:20 EST) - Mika Hakkinen could join five other
drivers who have won the Formula One world championship for McLaren on
Sunday.

The following is a look at the past champions:

1991, 1990 and 1988 - Ayrton Senna (Brazil)
The late Brazilian's third title win made history for McLaren as the only
Formula One team to have won four consecutive drivers and constructors'
titles. The greatest driver of his generation, Senna won 35 races for
McLaren in a career studded with brilliance and controversy.

He won his first title with a brilliant drive in the rain at Suzuka in 1988
to triumph by three points despite winning fewer races than teammate and
runner-up Alain Prost.

But he lost out the following year to Prost after a collision on the first
corner in Japan. The Frenchman withdrew, Senna continued and won only to be
disqualified.

In 1990, Senna got his revenge at Suzuka and rammed the stunned Prost's
Ferrari off at the first corner.

Senna died at Imola in the San Marino Grand Prix on May 1, 1994 after his
Williams hit a concrete wall.

* * *

1989, 1986 and 1985 - Alain Prost (France)
Nicknamed "The Professor" because of his calculated and
thoughtful manner, Prost was the most successful driver in Grand Prix
racing with a record 51 GPs and four titles in all.

His 1986 win came after Briton Nigel Mansell suffered a dramatic puncture
in the final race in Australia. Prost won with 72 points to the unlucky
Mansell's 70.

The 1989 triumph ran into added controversy after Senna was disqualified in
Japan by the French head of the world body FIA for accepting illegal
assistance after he and Prost collided. Prost, who did not finish, won the
title by four points.

The Frenchman now runs his own team.

* * *

1984 - Niki Lauda (Austria)
The Austrian had retired two years previously but he returned for his third
and final title, beating teammate Prost by just half a point in the closest
winning margin ever. The Frenchman had won the penultimate race at the
Nuerburgring and the title went to the wire in Portugal.

Prost started the race on the front row, Lauda in ninth place. The Austrian
spun trying to overtake but, helped by several cars retiring, worked his
way doggedly up to finish second behind Prost and snatch the title.

* * *

1976 - James Hunt (Britain)
Lauda, making an astonishing return after his near-fatal crash, led the
championship by three points with only the Japanese race remaining. Faced
with heavy rain and atrocious visibility, Lauda withdrew after two laps
saying it was "total bloody stupidity out there." Hunt led but
needed a late tire change. Mario Andretti took over the lead and the Briton
finished third to take the title by one point.

* * *

1974 - Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil)
The first Brazilian to win the Formula One world title, triumphing with
Lotus in 1972. Fittipaldi was then runnerup to Jackie Stewart in 1973
before moving to McLaren where he regained the title with three wins.

--- Msged/386 4.20 beta 4