Lauda Holds Off Prost to Win Dutch Grand Prix

Austrian world champion Niki Lauda fought off his French McLaren-TAG Porsche teammate Alain Prost to take his 25th career victory by inches in the Dutch Grand Prix Sunday, depriving Prost of precious points for the 1985 world title.

Prost closed on Lauda in the last 10 laps of the 70-lap race and challenged him repeatedly as they raced for the flag, but the Austrian--who is retiring from racing this year--held Prost off. The two men smiled easily on the winner’s stand showing no apparent ill feelings. Lauda beat Prost for the championship by half a point last year.

Prost with 56 points, leads Italian Michele Alboreto, who finished fourth in a Ferrari, by three point in the world championship points race.

Brazil’s Ayrton Senna was third in his Lotus-Renault and his teammate Elio de Angelis of Italy fifth, one lap behind, to retain third place in the championship with 30 points.