European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Lauda   i rumours have persisted for the past few weeks that Austria Refik Lauda Well on his Way toward the 1377 world driving Ferrari at the end of the on monday lauds did just Day winning the dutch grand the official announcement came late monday night from Ferrari Headquarters in Mara m i b a in a different car  joining Brabha Malfa Romeo Rutherford escapes High Speed crash in setting Cal 500 Mark Calif iup1 Johnny he two time Indianapolis to narrowly missed a High Speed collision monday just after he recorded the fastest practice Lap in preparation for Sun Days California 500 at Ontario motor driving a Bosworth powered Rutherford clocked Miles per hour and was in route to another Lap when a car drive by Chuck Gummy of Indianapolis spun nut As he was passing in the Middle of the first it looked like be was going to spin toward the said but the car came around headed for the i was just Able to squeak Between him and the and when i looked in us i could see a puff of Curacy ear hit the Wall spun and hit again with the right front before coming to a Curney was stunned but Alp to leave the wreckage under his own he had a slight con an examining doctor a total of s3 Drivers saw action at the two and a half mile including Tom Sneva whose top Speed of was second to Gordon John cock had the third fastest Bobby defending California 500 made another practice run Bat failed to improve Bis Mph fou time indy made his first try and clocked Janet the Only woman also put in her first appearance and made two circuits at just Over practice runs were also made by Jim the 1970 California Sod Winner who docked Roger Bobby Spike gel in 351 and Al Mario Andrei arrived Loo late monday to make a practice run after a flight from the dutch grand confirming that Lauda would leave the italian team on Brief Ferrari statement said thai world Champion in paid Spe dal thanks to the firms 79year old enat and that the old in him Relt for uie although its not Aliida is almost certain to join the Brabha Malfa Romeo the two rim setup there for next year being Aliida and Waterman John a formidable speculation on who will replace Lauda revolves around  Emerson Fitl Spaldi o Sweden Bonnie be and Scheckler of who has been with since 1974 Hes scored a record is victories for the italian had said More than once he would Tike to prov that be can win in some other car besides its also rumoured that the Brabha Malfa Romeo offer is Lor much More Money than Hes been drawing from before joining Lauda was a relative his beat finish Una a fifth place at Belgium aboard a British Root was in his second year in up he began his career in 72 in a the austrian Driver came Back from the Edge of death last alter his fiery crash on the to defend his title at the italian grand just six weeks after the he finished fourth at mama in one of the most heroic and famous drives in the history of motor going Down to the wire against English Man James Hunt in the Battle for the 78 Lauda then threw it All away when be pulled out of the japanese grand last race of the the Early stages of the race were run in a on thunk Hung finishing third to take the championship by just one Laudas refusing to defend his title in that final round came As a and his future As a racing Driver was written Oft by practically but the who had climbed to the top by doing things his own announced that he was not through and would come Back stronger than admitting that be bad reached his psychological limit in he added amt it was madness to Start that race in the torrential and that if he bad it to do Over he would make the same pullout during an interview with Lauda four years ago when he was struggling the austrian said some people think that winning the world championship is everything in 1 dont think there Are More important things in so in the austrian haunt changed Bis after his recent Victory Over another world championship obviously didst appear All that ins the italian Ferrari As dismayed As everyone else by Laudas action in announced the next Day that he could stay on or the decision was up Lauda stayed said he would be As Good As and be has proving All of the critics with his Victory hut sunday at the dutch grand Hes practically assured of his second world championship in three and be has the last the austrians career with Ferrari has been a highly dramatic but now its All practically from the first Day he drove for the its always been a question of is it the Driver or the car since Lauda joined the team in the Ferrari cars have been but u want always that when woo f continued on Page x austrian who in the dutch grand prix last is now leaving the names Lauda Ferrari being almost synonymous by see Story at but hell leave As world Champion because its now virtually impossible for anyone to Lau Chhlem the dutch was great but a bust for Mario it wan Marios final Chance to bang and that Chance ended with his fourth straight engine before the  had tried to pass world Champion James hum on the outside after tie tartan the cars Hunt wits out with broken suspension and water but Andreu Coop need Bli engine going up in smoke afew laps later alter 1 Andretti blamed Hunt Tor the and Hunt blamed h unt saying i was driving on a perfect Una and Androtti tried to pass on the outside and that was Imossi by the Hod made a incredible going on the tight and almost off the track to charge mating into said i was trying to pass on the outside and gel by when Hunt drove Over my wheel and knocked himself while Andretti and Hunt were arguing about who hit Nykl Lauda had taken the Lead from Jacques Laffite and was calmly on his Way toward Victory and the bearing of Bis second world it was a Good dramatic in Early and the Best Driver As played u and ibis time be want going or he was out to and he did u in Turbo impressive mass leaves Mclaren looking at other aspects of the dutch the Renault Turbo car proved at added at making its first run since the British Jeanpierre Jab Bustle qualified the car and ran As High is sixth at the Midway stage before retiring with suspension it was a successful and As the six Cylinder Renault Turbo engine is for Sale to other there May be a Lew More curb charged Al can in Competition next along with leaving other Driver changes Are popping and it was confirmed at Zand Voort that Germany Jochen mass in leaving the Mclaren no word on what team mass will join in but it could be the German ats replacing mass it Mclaren will he the talented Young Canadian Driver Giles Frenchman Patrick has announced that he will be remaining with team Tyrrell for who has rough year with the six wheel will probably come Back in 78 with conventional Fourl Celers from his new designer Maurice at the its not definite whether Ronnie Peterson will remain with the Tyrrell Andretti fought hard after saturdays final practice at i had a Chat with Mario easily one of ratings most pleasant Guys Mario was in an expansive and with every reason to be after his sensational practice fastest both but he was still in just taking one Day at a and Hope the Breaks finally come our Andretti had said during talk that the title will it Louri but in still not to give it really knocked us not to gel Points in Germany or Bat with Dve races to any on it was Alf but Lor its still been a fairly Good he said that it had also been a Tough and that be bad turned Down a lot of Good drives out Side formula 1 because too much racing gets to be a and racing should be i enjoy my Attadi Tvito will the rating had tour Veln the Muwwak Wesila the car that won but i just had u say concentrate an Forgala l but its not taty with Many Etter races nest i u a bit aloft the Audrelu said he would be doing the Otoc series in the the can to be new he also said hut be Cwm remain with Lotas next of All the Drivers competing in formula Andreu is the most and easily the hardest maybe he charges too hard but its not in his nature to do drive at when he had passed Reutemann and then began to close on Lauda and was spectacular and then the crowd was on its cheering him the fans know a Charger when they Aee and efforts like and tilt Are what its Alt perhaps next year Mario will win the world title that he wants so if be hell be the most popular Champion the sport could Hope Krober wins tames third on the Attr Burgering last Germany Peter Krober scored hit eighth Victory in 18 races for the formula Ford Golden lion Krober now leading be series with 168 Points to american Driver Barney Barnes although Barnes had pole he had problems on the first Lap and fell to sixth up moved up to third stayed with the leaders and set fastest Lap of the but could not improve on third ice two other americana figured in the Bill Dawson finishing sixth and seven Dixon Ford leads for rally Crown in the lakes Bally of a world Chami Hamalainen name Home the Winner aboard a i Fin lands Kyosti j fellow finn Tom Oslo who drove a Fia Labarth third came Sweden Bjorn Wal Degaard in a Ford forty four cars of the starters completed the a True Ford now leads tie  Tbs a readied us Ballway my last bad polish Driver so Leslaw Zasada it in a pan be be Enciu some Mecca local i Piaf Sec Vad thro Ogk of swab were while a it Trade add Down toe rally teams were among the am it be re Chun us Early Leader la Mercedes