The MP4/2 was one of the few F1 cars to use carbon brakes at the time, giving it another major advantage over most of its rivals on all bar the street circuits or when conditions were hot and dry; notably, the carbon brakes were not as good as the steel brakes at tracks like the Detroit and Dallas street circuits due to the steel brakes lasting longer in the heat. That, combined to superior fuel consumption of the allowed 220 litres and the driving skill of Lauda and Prost saw the MP4/2 score 12 wins in 1984, at the time the highest number of wins in a season by a single team. Lauda beat Prost to the championship by just half a point in the final race, even though Prost had 7 wins to Lauda's 5 (at the final round in Portugal, Prost needed to win and have Lauda finish 3rd or worse to take the title. Lauda finished second). This remains the closest finish to a championship in Formula One history.