Discussion
With this year being dull as dishwater and the F1 youtube channel putting on some old races, I figured I'd have a think about what my favourite year was.
I know there's a range of ages so likely wildly differing results but I'm actually struggling to think of too many brilliant ones.
First started watching in 1994 and have some weird, morbid affection for it with all the drama involved but racing wise it wasn't a good one, even if the last two races were superb, Adelaide especially being a brilliant, underrated decider.
1997 was great with tyres allowing for loads of overtakes, great looking cars and a genuine feeling that anyone from about six teams could win a race. Rare as anything that it happens like that.
1998 wasn't as good as 97 but Hakkinen v Schumacher all year was good. Similarly 2000 with the result switched.
2003 was good if not great. Three realistic title contenders but ultimately petered out.
2006-07-08 were all pretty good but I also remember not really watching the races back then, teenage life took over so I've watched them back since and missed out on most of the drama, albeit I do remember watching most of 2008 with that final race being excellent.
Struggling for anything in between 08 and 21 really. 2010 was alright I guess and 2012 had a good decider but can't remember too many great races.
2016 with it being a dog fight between Hamilton and Rosberg I guess was good but ideally you want more than a one-team battle.
2018 was pretty good in parts with some good races like Hockenheim.
2021 of course was fantastic for everything, even if many of us are still bitter with how it ended. I think some of the bitterness comes from the fact it was a genuinely fantastic year with two deserving championship contenders and lots of twists and turns.
I've rewatched 1988-1991 with the closely fought title races but generally seeing McLaren dominate is as dull as Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes do it later on.
I'm saying it's between 1997 and 2021.
Any advances?
I know there's a range of ages so likely wildly differing results but I'm actually struggling to think of too many brilliant ones.
First started watching in 1994 and have some weird, morbid affection for it with all the drama involved but racing wise it wasn't a good one, even if the last two races were superb, Adelaide especially being a brilliant, underrated decider.
1997 was great with tyres allowing for loads of overtakes, great looking cars and a genuine feeling that anyone from about six teams could win a race. Rare as anything that it happens like that.
1998 wasn't as good as 97 but Hakkinen v Schumacher all year was good. Similarly 2000 with the result switched.
2003 was good if not great. Three realistic title contenders but ultimately petered out.
2006-07-08 were all pretty good but I also remember not really watching the races back then, teenage life took over so I've watched them back since and missed out on most of the drama, albeit I do remember watching most of 2008 with that final race being excellent.
Struggling for anything in between 08 and 21 really. 2010 was alright I guess and 2012 had a good decider but can't remember too many great races.
2016 with it being a dog fight between Hamilton and Rosberg I guess was good but ideally you want more than a one-team battle.
2018 was pretty good in parts with some good races like Hockenheim.
2021 of course was fantastic for everything, even if many of us are still bitter with how it ended. I think some of the bitterness comes from the fact it was a genuinely fantastic year with two deserving championship contenders and lots of twists and turns.
I've rewatched 1988-1991 with the closely fought title races but generally seeing McLaren dominate is as dull as Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes do it later on.
I'm saying it's between 1997 and 2021.
Any advances?
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Tuesday 23 May 11:33
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Tuesday 23 May 11:33
I started watching in the late 80s as a kid. Properly watched every race from the late 90s.
I'll go with
1997 - Villeneuve vs Schumacher. Drama at the end
2007-2008 - Hamilton coming on to the scene. 2008 was an almost perfect year of different tracks suiting the Ferrari and Mclaren respectively and it going down to the wire. In fact, about as down to the wire as you can get.
2009 - The Brawn story. Movie-like stuff
The first half of 2012 was good with 7 different winners in the first 7 races, plus Fernando getting his Ferrari in a position it had absolutely no right to be in.
I'll go with 2008. It doesn't get more legitimately exciting than the last corner of the last race.
I'll go with
1997 - Villeneuve vs Schumacher. Drama at the end
2007-2008 - Hamilton coming on to the scene. 2008 was an almost perfect year of different tracks suiting the Ferrari and Mclaren respectively and it going down to the wire. In fact, about as down to the wire as you can get.
2009 - The Brawn story. Movie-like stuff
The first half of 2012 was good with 7 different winners in the first 7 races, plus Fernando getting his Ferrari in a position it had absolutely no right to be in.
I'll go with 2008. It doesn't get more legitimately exciting than the last corner of the last race.
2008 defo a good year Hamilton fighting ferrari on his own as kovelinin just wasn't up to the task to support.
"IS THAT GLOCK!!!"
I rember watching it live the sheer desperation I felt for Lewis sitting on the couch as the championship slipped away praying for something to happen. Screaming as he passed Glock on the last corner.
2012 the year of the random tyres where no one knew how to set them up amd was it 8 winners in 8 races?
Any of the seasons with effectively Britain vs Germany as button and Hamilton in the mclaren vs Schumacher and rosberg in the merc were great years as the field was very even.
6 world champions on the grid at one point.
2021 obviously
"IS THAT GLOCK!!!"
I rember watching it live the sheer desperation I felt for Lewis sitting on the couch as the championship slipped away praying for something to happen. Screaming as he passed Glock on the last corner.
2012 the year of the random tyres where no one knew how to set them up amd was it 8 winners in 8 races?
Any of the seasons with effectively Britain vs Germany as button and Hamilton in the mclaren vs Schumacher and rosberg in the merc were great years as the field was very even.
6 world champions on the grid at one point.
2021 obviously
vulture1 said:
2008 defo a good year Hamilton fighting ferrari on his own as kovelinin just wasn't up to the task to support.
"IS THAT GLOCK!!!"
The only time I've ever stood up and shouted at joy in front of the TV."IS THAT GLOCK!!!"
2012 was quite good. Six different winners over the fist six races.
2020 as well. Covid mixed it all up and we had a bunch of interesting circuits hosting races that we had seen in a while, or ever and I liked that variety and that we had something different to watch in lockdowns.
1997 is a classic, 2003 could have been if the FIA didn't mess around with the tyre regs towards the end of the year and effectively hand the title to Schumacher. 2005 to 2008 were all good seasons, end of 2009 ended up being exciting but it was a season of two halfs with Braun dominating the first half and Red Bull the second half. 2010 was good as there were 5 drivers in contention, 2012 was only Alonso's brilliance keeping that title fight going down to the wire then id say not until 2021 would i say it was an exciting year.
One from my dad: The 1976 season with Lauda's near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring, giving Hunt the opportunity to close the points gap and ultimately win the championship by just a single point.
2010 with Vettel, Alonso and Webber all in contention until the final race in Abu Dhabi. Vettel went on to win, becoming the youngest ever World Champion, with only a handful of points separating him from Alonso.
2016 was pretty good too.
2010 with Vettel, Alonso and Webber all in contention until the final race in Abu Dhabi. Vettel went on to win, becoming the youngest ever World Champion, with only a handful of points separating him from Alonso.
2016 was pretty good too.
My memories don't go back before 1993. I'm sure there was some great racing prior to that but I didn't watch any of it.
Stand out years for me have been 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2021.
I was tempted to chuck 2009 in there as well as I thoroughly enjoyed JB's title win but I'm not sure the actual racing was all that fascinatingly for the most part.
2018, 2019 and 2020 all had their moments too.
Gun to my head to pick one, it's 2021.
Stand out years for me have been 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2021.
I was tempted to chuck 2009 in there as well as I thoroughly enjoyed JB's title win but I'm not sure the actual racing was all that fascinatingly for the most part.
2018, 2019 and 2020 all had their moments too.
Gun to my head to pick one, it's 2021.
Nova Gyna said:
One from my dad: The 1976 season with Lauda's near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring, giving Hunt the opportunity to close the points gap and ultimately win the championship by just a single point.
2010 with Vettel, Alonso and Webber all in contention until the final race in Abu Dhabi. Vettel went on to win, becoming the youngest ever World Champion, with only a handful of points separating him from Alonso.
2016 was pretty good too.
2010 championship Webber threw that one away in Korea2010 with Vettel, Alonso and Webber all in contention until the final race in Abu Dhabi. Vettel went on to win, becoming the youngest ever World Champion, with only a handful of points separating him from Alonso.
2016 was pretty good too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL1qp91h6ns
vulture1 said:
2010 championship Webber threw that one away in Korea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL1qp91h6ns
Almost as bad as Lewis in 2007 in Chinahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL1qp91h6ns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McPucD9tUY8
How do we measure the best year?
A tight title race obviously helps. But there's also other interest factors, such as overall amount of racing and whether there was genuine excitement ahead of races.
1989 - Mansell's freak win first time out in the flappy-paddle Ferrari, Imola McLaren intra-team battle, Berger's fiery crash, Japan title decider
1997 - ding dong battle all season long, plus a few crazy races
2007 - 4-way title fight for most of the season, 3-way for the last race. Hamilton/Alonso at Hungary
2008 - Another close title fight, won on the last corner of the last lap of the last race, plus lots of racing through the field. 1st night race
2010 - Multiple drivers swapping the championship lead down to the last race
2012 - Crazy start to the season, close finish, melting tyres
2016 - Close racing through the field, plus title fight to the wire. Max win on RB debut
2020 - Hamilton utterly supreme, but it was the mix of races and unusual venues that made it great
2021 - Most intense, season-long title battle with 2 constructors
A tight title race obviously helps. But there's also other interest factors, such as overall amount of racing and whether there was genuine excitement ahead of races.
1989 - Mansell's freak win first time out in the flappy-paddle Ferrari, Imola McLaren intra-team battle, Berger's fiery crash, Japan title decider
1997 - ding dong battle all season long, plus a few crazy races
2007 - 4-way title fight for most of the season, 3-way for the last race. Hamilton/Alonso at Hungary
2008 - Another close title fight, won on the last corner of the last lap of the last race, plus lots of racing through the field. 1st night race
2010 - Multiple drivers swapping the championship lead down to the last race
2012 - Crazy start to the season, close finish, melting tyres
2016 - Close racing through the field, plus title fight to the wire. Max win on RB debut
2020 - Hamilton utterly supreme, but it was the mix of races and unusual venues that made it great
2021 - Most intense, season-long title battle with 2 constructors
1989 for me.
Mansell winning first time out in the semi-automatic Ferrari, and also from 13th on the grid in Hungary. The inter-team feud at McLaren. Berger's crash at Imola. Boutsen winning two wet races. Patrese re-vitalised. Mansell's disqualification in Portugal, taking Senna off in the process. Stefan Johansson on the podium in Portugal in the Onyx. The gorgeous looking Brabham-Judd BT60. Berger's Ferrari chucking out oil smoke for lap ater lap in Jerez, and somehow not exploding. V8's, V10's and V12's all wailing away after years of muted turbos.
Let's not forget 39 drivers vying for 26 places on the grid!
Mansell winning first time out in the semi-automatic Ferrari, and also from 13th on the grid in Hungary. The inter-team feud at McLaren. Berger's crash at Imola. Boutsen winning two wet races. Patrese re-vitalised. Mansell's disqualification in Portugal, taking Senna off in the process. Stefan Johansson on the podium in Portugal in the Onyx. The gorgeous looking Brabham-Judd BT60. Berger's Ferrari chucking out oil smoke for lap ater lap in Jerez, and somehow not exploding. V8's, V10's and V12's all wailing away after years of muted turbos.
Let's not forget 39 drivers vying for 26 places on the grid!
1993 - Prost vs. Senna, Senna vs. Schumacher; Hill from nowhere became a talented F1 driver
1994 - drama filled season
1995 - Hill vs. Schumi, Hill phucking things up
2000 - Schumi vs. Hakkinen
2003 - Schumi vs. JPM vs. Kimi
2005 - some good races, arguably peak Kimi
2006 - Alonso vs. Schumi
2007 - McLaren vs Ferrari, Hamilton an instant revelation
2008 - see above
2010 - Ferrari vs. McLaren vs. RBR
2014-16 - Hamilton vs. Rosberg
2020 - maturity of Hamilton methodically
2021 - what's left to be said other than that I can live with Abu Dhabi and put it behind me
1994 - drama filled season
1995 - Hill vs. Schumi, Hill phucking things up
2000 - Schumi vs. Hakkinen
2003 - Schumi vs. JPM vs. Kimi
2005 - some good races, arguably peak Kimi
2006 - Alonso vs. Schumi
2007 - McLaren vs Ferrari, Hamilton an instant revelation
2008 - see above
2010 - Ferrari vs. McLaren vs. RBR
2014-16 - Hamilton vs. Rosberg
2020 - maturity of Hamilton methodically
2021 - what's left to be said other than that I can live with Abu Dhabi and put it behind me
Maybe rose-tinted specs on, as it's the year I first properly started watching, but I enjoyed 1999, at least watched as season highlights.
You had Irvine winning his first race at the first round, Schumacher crashing and missing a load of races at Silverstone, Jordan and Frentzen right in the mix, the chaotic race at the Nurburgring and that win for Herbert and Stewart, super-sub Salo only missing out on a race win for Ferrari because he moved over for Irvine... and Irvine still in with a chance at the final round. Eddie Irvine was portrayed like a nineties version of James Hunt at the time.
Good times..
You had Irvine winning his first race at the first round, Schumacher crashing and missing a load of races at Silverstone, Jordan and Frentzen right in the mix, the chaotic race at the Nurburgring and that win for Herbert and Stewart, super-sub Salo only missing out on a race win for Ferrari because he moved over for Irvine... and Irvine still in with a chance at the final round. Eddie Irvine was portrayed like a nineties version of James Hunt at the time.
Good times..
2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2021.
08 for last corner drama.
2010 had five drivers in the WDC fight until very late in the season, but nobody has mentioned the RB intra team battle that boiled over in Turkey. Ultimately, Webber threw it away and Vettel won having never led the WDC until the last race.
12 for Alonso's never say die attitude and the final race drama of Vettel dropping to last place on the first lap.
16 because it was as ferocious an intra team battle as anything served up by Senna and Prost.
21 because it was an enthralling season, real hero vs villain stuff. Unfortunately the villain "won".
08 for last corner drama.
2010 had five drivers in the WDC fight until very late in the season, but nobody has mentioned the RB intra team battle that boiled over in Turkey. Ultimately, Webber threw it away and Vettel won having never led the WDC until the last race.
12 for Alonso's never say die attitude and the final race drama of Vettel dropping to last place on the first lap.
16 because it was as ferocious an intra team battle as anything served up by Senna and Prost.
21 because it was an enthralling season, real hero vs villain stuff. Unfortunately the villain "won".
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