105 replies to this topic

[scheivlak]

For F1: Can't say I know a year when it started but I know when it ended: 1983
The last year with multiple winning cars in the season. From 1984 on we got years dominated by one single team and sometimes two if we were lucky.
I better leave it at this point.

Well, if so - it looks like we're experiencing the dawning of a new golden age this year

Edited by scheivlak, 31 August 2012 - 21:05.

[ryan86]

I agree with the proposition that the time we most enjoyed the sport, due to being able devote more time without the pressures of work or women was when we were younger. I also believe there's a sort of "first love" phenomenon, where we usually get interested in something, be it a sport or a TV show, but over time the pieces that were in that original picture soon are interchanged. However whilst the late 90's where my golden age of interest, I actually don't rate them too highly in the overall scheme of things. I guess people could come up with pro's and cons about why a certain era is better than the another, but in the end you'll never get everyone to agree. A bit like Greatest Driver. Probably half a dozen or more names that could be put forward and whilst you might not necessarily agree, you'd say at least their opinion had logic and they hadn't just said Pedro Diniz.

[E1pix]

... in the end you'll never get everyone to agree. A bit like Greatest Driver...

Oh Man, that's easy. Hint: Used to race snowmobiles.

< End of debate >

[eldougo]

.....Correct

[kayemod]

Oh Man, that's easy. Hint: Used to race snowmobiles.

That's odd, there's no mention of that part of his racing career in All my races, though I suppose if someone had painted a number 7 on the side, that man could have raced and won in absolutely anything.

[john aston]

I was thinking further about this as I drove to get the paper; I realised I was really looking forward to the GP this afternoon.Not because of the break from the last GP but the venue, Spa. It is still majestic, and watching the cars go through Pouhon - in fact the whole section from there to the bus stop - reminded me why I adore the sport. But I then thought about the other circuits in GP 2012 and the only ones that quicken the pulse are Monza, Monaco, Suzuka and Interlagos.Silverstone ? Nearly . But the rest have been lost- Zandvoort, Osterreichring.Brands Hatch,Clermont Ferrand, The 'Ring and even the last version of Hockenheim(loved the insane blast through the forest , followed by braking late into chicanes out of view of the crowd), Watkins Glen etc .

I struggle to remember the layout of virtually any of the new breed- it's all Tilke this and Turn 16 that without a hint of originality or passion. Circuits should live within a landscape , not be created on a featureless bit of bloody sand like Bahrain or Turkey.

We might bemoan the loss of our favourite driver, champion the 1966 season because XYZ happened but I think the biggest loss is the fact that we have GPs in countries with no motor sport heritage on circuits which are cynically designed for TV which begs the quaetion on when the rot really set in. It was here post 2000 certainly and the 80s feel very different from this perspective - Zandvoort, Osterreichring etc. So let me take a punt on 1985 as official end of the era(a year earlier than last time I nominated a date ) .

Apologies for rambles - currently virtually confined to barracks or car thanks to a back which is no longer fit for pupose of doing anything more interesting...

Edited by john aston, 02 September 2012 - 09:29.