Drivers Who Cracked in the Final Straight

Niki Lauda Japan 1976

Lauda had been in a close battle with his McLaren rival James Hunt for the title crown but it seemed the Austrian's chances were over after his Ferrari crashed in flames during the German grand prix. Yet Lauda defied the doctors who predicted he might not survive and missed only three races. He had a 26-point advantage over Hunt with three races remaining and was three points ahead going into the final race, in Japan. In the torrential rain at Fuji, Lauda's resolve crumbled and he retired at the end of the opening lap. Hunt finished third, took four points and grabbed the championship by one.

Carlos Reutemann US 1981

The Argentinian provisionally qualified his Williams on pole position on the Friday for the title finale, held in the car park of the biggest casino in Las Vegas. He told his mechanics the car was perfect but in the Saturday morning free practice he damaged a front suspension wishbone in a fleeting collision with his championship rival Nelson Piquet's Brabham and never felt happy with the car from that moment. In desperation he changed cars for qualifying but had a problem with the brakes and tires on race morning. From pole, Reutemann faded to finish seventh. Piquet was fifth, winning the first of his world titles by one point.

Alain Prost Japan 1988

The season was a private battle between the McLaren team-mates Ayrton Senna and Prost. Going into the Japanese grand prix at Suzuka, the penultimate round of the series, both had a chance of the championship and the winner could take the title. Senna almost stalled from pole and was 14th at the first corner as Prost raced away. But in only 20 laps he was second and closing on Prost, and on lap 27 the Frenchman missed a gear as he was lapping a car and that was all Senna needed to get through to win, taking the title by three points.

Lewis Hamilton China 2007

For Hamilton China marked the first real mistake of his debut formula one season, and it cost him dear. The Briton had just lost the lead of the race to the eventual winner, Kimi Raikkonen, as he struggled to keep going on tires worn to the canvas, and as he reached the haven of the pits the error came: the McLaren slid wide on to a gravel bed and became beached. Hamilton could only watch as his 12-point lead was cut to four on a day when he could have clinched the title. Hamilton finished seventh in the final race in Brazil, where Raikkonen won to take the title by one point.