1984: Estoril enters the Formula 1 map, immediately deciding a title

The plot was worthy of an action movie. After a season in which their McLarens completely dominated the competition, the two drivers from the British team, Niki Lauda and Alain Prost, arrived at the final race of the year with chances of becoming World Champion. The stage for the final showdown was another important focus in this story: the debutant Estoril circuit, 25 years after Portugal had hosted its last Formula 1 Grand Prix, with 40,000 spectators in the stands. DN followed everything step by step, from the first practice sessions to race day. French driver Alain Prost, a four-time World Champion, dominated the Portuguese GP in his McLaren No. 7. In 1984, at Estoril, he was seeking his first world title, but had to wait until the following year to achieve it. Full stands at the moment of the start. Even before 08:00, the public was already entering the circuit. About 40,000 spectators were present. The first Portuguese Grand Prix held at Estoril was also the last (and decisive) race of the season. Previously, the World Championship had visited two other circuits (Boavista, in Porto; and Monsanto, in Lisbon). DN front page from October 22, 1984. On October 21, 1984, Alain Prost entered the track playing catch-up and did everything he could to overtake Lauda at the top of the standings. The Frenchman won the race (leading from the 8th lap, after starting from the grid just behind Williams' Keke Rosberg) and for a part of the race, he even had the championship in his hands. However, the retirement of Nigel Mansell (Lotus-Renault) due to a brake system failure opened the way for Niki Lauda, and second place in Estoril was enough for the Austrian to celebrate his third world title. Prost would also get there, going even further. He won four championships (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993) and all of them passed through the Estoril circuit, which hosted 13 consecutive Grands Prix until 1996. The Algarve International Circuit is Hamilton's playground, where he broke Schumacher's record during the COVID-19 era. Ayrton Senna's Lotus returns to race at Estoril 40 years after a historic victory.