It promises to be another of great championship contests that have become legendary in Formula One history. Trackside’s Keith Collantine remembers the great battles that went down to the wire.

Mike Hawthorn vs Stirling Moss: 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix

This was the battle to become Britain’s first World Champion. Stirling Moss had won three races in 1958 but trailled the dapper Mike Hawthorn (one win) in the points standings.

To win the championship Moss needed not only to win the race, but also set the fastest lap, for an extra point. He also needed Hawthorn to finish lower than second.

Moss duly won the race in his Vanwall and set the fastest lap. But Hawthorn’s Ferrari team mate Phil Hill let the Englishman through to second place, and the title went to him.

Hawthorn immediately retired from motor racing, but was tragically killed in a road accident in Guildford the following year. Moss never became hampion, but is widely recognised to have been the greatest driver never to take the title.

James Hunt vs Niki Lauda: 1976 Japanese Grand Prix

Niki Lauda was romping away with the 1976 championship when he crashed terribly at the infamous Nurburgring, suffering terrible facial burns.

Remarkably, despite being given the Last Rites, he returned to the cockpit just six weeks later to stem James Hunt’s assault on his championship lead.

By the final race in Japan Hunt was just three points behind the Austrian. But the race day at Fuji Speedway brought near-torrential rains.

Lauda, his face disfigured by terrible scars, was struggling to blink as the water blasted into his eyes and could barely see the road ahead. After two laps he withdrew, as would three other drivers.

Hunt ploughed on to finish third – enough to give him the title by a single point.

Alain Prost vs Nigel Mansell vs Nelson Piquet: 1986 Australian Grand Prix

For many Britons, the defining image of Formula One is Nigel Mansell’s tyre exploding while Murray Walker shouts: “And look at that! That is Nigel Mansell!”

Mansell’s tyre failure was a thunderbolt from a clear sky that instantly destroyed his hopes of being the first British champion since Hunt.

It sent his team mate Nelson Piquet, also in contention for the championship, scrambling to the pits for fresh tyres to avoid a similar fate.

And it handed the 1986 championship – against all the odds – to Alain Prost, who had changed tyres earlier in the race.

Mansell would have to wait six more years for his title.

Ayrton Senna vs Alain Prost: 1988, 1989 and 1990 Japanese Grands Prix

The war between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost was one of the most bitterly fought of any sport. For three consecutive years the Formula One championship was decided in favour of one or the other at the stunning Suzuka circuit in Japan.

In 1988 Senna roared through the field after a poor start to pass Prost for the lead and win the title in thrilling style.

But the following year Prost, sick of Senna’s intimidatory tactics on the track, refused to give way to the Brazilian. When Senna moved to pass Prost on lap 46 the Frenchman provoked a collision which took both out of the race, leaving Prost the champion.

A livid Senna vowed revenge and he took it at the same track twelve months later. Prost, now driving for Ferrari, led into the first corner. Wasting no time, Senna hurled his McLaren at his rival and sent them both spinning off the circuit at 150 mph.

It sealed Senna’s second title, and the pitiless battle between he and Prost raged until the Frenchman quit for good at the end of 1993.

Racing round-up

World Touring Car Championship, Brno, Czech Republic

A mighty haul of points from two races in Brno put Andy Priaulx back in the lead of the World Touring Car Championship. Fellow Briton Rob Huff took his maiden WTCC for Chevrolet in the second race.

German Touring Car Championship, Zandvoort, Holland

Briton Jamie Green once again failed to convert his pole position into a win. Tom Kristensen benefited to win from Green’s team mate Bernd Schneider, who passed Martin Tomcyk for second in the dying stages.

British Touring Car Championship, Knockhill, Scotland

The BTCC’s one foray north of the border provided three spectacular races won by Jason Plato, Fabrizio Giovanardi (his first) and Matt Neal. It gives Neal a comfortable 53 point lead over Colin Turkington in the championship.