251 replies to this topic

[FullThrottleF1]

This is a question I have been pondering over for the last couple of days. A lot of people would say 2002, 2004, 2011 or 2013, but the fact is THEY were memorable because of the dominance of those given years by a team/driver.

 

I would probably say 2001, because it seems to be the least talked about on forums like these.

[Borko]

2009 and 2013 for me.

[Absulute]

2009 is memorable because of the remarkable Brawn GP story.  For me, at least.

[MikeV1987]

2011, not so much because of the Vettel domination more because Mclaren absolutely had the car to give RBR a good fight all year long but failed to do so. That season could have been so much better.

Edited by MikeV1987, 18 March 2014 - 11:23.

[noikeee]

I literally stopped watching in 2002 and 2004, so that.

 

But certainly 2001, 2011 and 2013 are up there. 1996 was pretty bad too, I remember most of what happened in previous and following years but that one is just a blur of domination by Williamses.

 

2009 was good, sure the Brawn was silly dominant at the start but that was refreshing, and the 2nd half of the season was quite tight actually and it looked liek any team could be quick and fight for wins at random times.

[thiscocks]

2001,2002,2004,2011,2013

[BobbyRicky]

1968

[EthanM]

2009 fugly cars that were meant to provide closer racing (epic fail)

1996 the battle of who could care less

[Massa_f1]

2001, 2012, 2013 no bias from me. I also rarely remember things from 2009 or 1996.

Edited by Massa_f1, 18 March 2014 - 11:32.

[mzvztag]

From the recent ones, undoubtedly 2007. Everything was wrong then.

In the past, I would say 1955 is the most outstanding example.

[PayasYouRace]

In terms of what I've actually watched live, I'd say 1999. I really don't remember much from that season though I'm sure I was watching as much as I could.

 

In terms of what I've read about watched back, then I can usually think of something notable about each season.

 

Really surprised at people mentioning 1996 and 2009. Two of my favourite seasons.

[sennafan24]

 

1996 the battle of who could care less

1996 will never be forgettable.

 

Murray Walker's "and I have to stop because I have a lump in my throut" made sure it will stay remembered. On a personal note, Hill was my childhood hero, so I will always have fond memories. Plus, people forget how hyped J.V was in 1996. People were comparing him to Prost and Senna.

 

2001 gets my vote. Stuff happened in 1999, 2009 and 2013 to make sure I remmeber those years. Nothing leaps out about 2001.

Edited by sennafan24, 18 March 2014 - 12:13.

[Risil]

2004 perhaps. If you could add the second half of 2011 onto the second half of 2013 that would be the winner, but the first halves were certainly eye-catching.

 

Payas: 1999's a funny one for me. That summer my family moved to Belgium and the combination of the new city and only French or Flemish commentators on the telly meant that I didn't watch races regularly. But in retrospect it seems like a season of wonders. Sometimes the seasons which tell a coherent story or mark a significant turning point stick in the memory more than ones which gain notoriety. I feel that 2007 was more memorable than 2008, for example, although 2008 was a lot more sensational.

 

1996 featured two stories -- Hill's world championship and Schumacher's Ferrari move -- that rank as among the most compelling post-Senna. MS guaranteed his reputation by hauling that monstrosity around for three victories, for that reason alone it ranks highly in the memory. Was also the first year I watched from beginning to end but I'm trying to separate that.

Edited by Risil, 18 March 2014 - 12:19.

[Jamiednm]

From the recent ones, undoubtedly 2007. Everything was wrong then.

 

Why 2007? An exciting rookie vs the reigning champion in McLarens versus Ferrari, right down to the wire.

[Imateria]

2002 and 4, complete snoozfests. I don't mind 1 team being dominant but they've got to let their drivers race, which is why I hated Ferrari under Jean Todt.

[Tosh]

2001 - nothing memorable.

2013 - oh my god.

[P123]

I'd say 2004.  That was a bit of a cruise and collect year for Ferrari.

[tifosiMac]

For me it is 2002, 2009, 2011 and 2013 for. Between 2005 and 2008 I thought F1 had really recovered and we were on to an exciting new era, but drastic changes for 2009 gave birth to one of the dullest periods I can remember, for me anyway. At least another period of changes has shaken things up, but it won't be long until F1 settles back into the groove again and the cream always rise to the top. There is less F1 on TV nowadays so its difficult to suggest its always on track stuff that turns people off.

[stanga]

2011 and 2013 (second half).

 

Probably something in the early 2000s when I stopped watching.

[SenorSjon]

2005 - I hated the tire rules with a vengeance.

[Risil]

Nothing leaps out about 2001.

 

Montoya. Michelin. Mclarens repeatedly left behind on the grid. Alonso and Raikkonen. Hakkinen's crypto-retirement.

 

No championship battle to speak of but there was a lot going on.

[Briz]

That's not an easy question... super domination seasons like 1992 and 2013 are actually very easy to remember, sort of like landmarks. 2011 a bit less memorable.

 

I wasn't around at the time but it seems 1977 is rarely talked about, except for that terrible, terrible accident at Kyalami. Lauda actually didn't even bother to race the last two races after he had the championship sealed hah.

[sennafan24]

Montoya.

Montoya is one of my favorite drivers, but when I think of him I always recall 2003. You have a point, because now you mention it Brazil 2001 sticks in my memory when he past Schumi on the restart. Mika's loss of form rings a bell also.

 

Sorry other than that, nothing else stands out to me. Alonso and Kimi climbing through the ranks is something I have in mind for a specific period (2001-2004), I never really single out 2001 as the definitive year they broke out, even if it was the one they came onto the scene.

[solochamp07]

I had one but I forgot it.  

[sopa]

If you pose this question that way, it is pretty hard to answer. Because each season has its own story and flow, even if we don't like it or find it boring. I can remember some general formlines and a handful of more exciting races from each season I followed.

 

I.e

1996 had the story of Hill finally winning and Williams being all alone at the front with the incredible races in Spain and Monaco.

2001 had the story of notorious unreliability of everyone except M. Schumacher, exciting early-season wet races and Hakkinen's dramatic final lap DNF.

2002 had the story of massive gaps between teams and not really much going on, Schumacher going for records, yet the dramatic races in Australia and France.

2004 had the story of Ferrari emerging well ahead of everyone else for the final time with the emergence of J.Button, with great races at Monaco and Belgium.

[SamH123]

It's a good point that seasons like 04 weren't forgettable because they are often mentioned for the dominance of one driver

 

I've been watching closely since about 09, but I very rarely see people mention the 05/06 years when Alonso won, I don't even know if it was close off the top of my head

[Jon83]

It's a good point that seasons like 04 weren't forgettable because they are often mentioned for the dominance of one driver

 

I've been watching closely since about 09, but I very rarely see people mention the 05/06 years when Alonso won, I don't even know if it was close off the top of my head

 

I really enjoyed 2006.

 

2005 was dreadful IMO. 2013 would have been up there had it not been for the tyre dramas of the early part of the season.

[wepmob2000]

2002 and 2004 were appalling seasons, but they had nothing on the tedium that was 2013 - the first season where I can't be bothered to buy the season review book or DVD.

[Lemans]

1994 is the one I'd most like to forget.

[Alfisti]

2004 was atrocious, it really was. 

[Nonesuch]

Most forgettable? When I think back to the seasons I've seen live, 1996 onwards, I'd have to say 2009. Not only because of the season itself - full of technical shenanigans as it was, but because of the era of decline in interest (speaking for myself, obviously) it ushered in. Other than the fact that Brawn won with a Honda-built car, a design which was probably saved only by terrible writing of the regulations, I can't think of much that happened that year at all.

Edited by Nonesuch, 18 March 2014 - 14:05.

[mzvztag]

Why 2007? An exciting rookie vs the reigning champion in McLarens versus Ferrari, right down to the wire.

 

Way too much politicking and focus being set on wrong things.

And I really hated watching McLaren's idiotic self-destruction for no good reason. So I decided I'll forget that year.

 

1988 was also horribly dull for me as I never liked Senna and started to like Prost only after he retired.

2002 and 2004 would have been forgetful if I was not a Schumacher fan.

Edited by mzvztag, 18 March 2014 - 14:47.

[Shiroo]

2004, if you think that RB dominated 2011 and was boring, then you clearly didn't see 2004.

[SilentKiller]

2004 was the year I used to switch off the tele half-way through the race or even before, quite frequently.

It was atrocious. No excitement whatsoever.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

I think to answer that question, you have to think of the details you remember about that season.  Every season has a story, even 1999, so by that criteria no season is forgettable.  However, if you remember the story of the season, but struggle to think of any compelling moment, then that is what I would qualify as forgettable season.  

 

By that metric, I think both 2002 and 2004 qualify, because there is very little that I can remember besides the crushing dominance of Ferrari.  My only memory of 2004 is how Schumacher crashed in the tunnel and ruined what could've been a 13-race winning streak. 

[d246]

2004 - Japanese GP is the only one I ever recall missing the end. 1988 was pretty dull at the time, but now viewed as a classic.

[OvDrone]

I liked 2001 and 1996. I have great memories of those seasons. But I admit that I am a bit biased when it comes to 2001 because that is when I first went to a Grand Prix.

 

2002 had the Australian and French Grand Prix and I genuinely loved the cars. Seeing new talents emerge throughout '01/'02, Alonso, Raikkonen, Webber, Montoya was a pleasure to watch. 

 

2004, the fastest ever F1 cars and I still to this day can vividly remember how the Ferraris looked, how awesome Button was, Webber's qualy lap at Sepang, Kimi's win at Spa and Montoya going blindingly fast at Monza.

 

2013 was just sickeningly dull. Not because of Our Lord and Savior Sebastien Vettel's dominance but because of the tire formula. Appalling. At least we had the shenanigans at Sepang and the bullshit at Silverstone. And I'll add an emotional final Grand Prix for Webber on my list because it meant a lot to me.

 

But if I think clearly, since starting to watch in '95, little kid that I was, out of all of those seasons untill now, 2011 takes the cake. Yeah, there was Montreal and my personal favorite Hamilton win is Nurburgring '11. But after my clear favorite season, 2010, we had Pirelli, DRS, delta-times come in the picture. Vettel seemed uncharismatic and childish to me at the time, I loathed Red Bull. I loathed the tires. Nearly everything I hate about Formula 1 was implemented in that ass of a season. I remember the feeling I had after that season. After regaining my passion for motorsport in '09, Formula 1 seemed redundant and dull to me. So I started to watch Le Mans, Indy and Nascar. At least it gave me that.

 

2011, what a piece of ****.

Edited by OvDrone, 18 March 2014 - 14:19.

[Henri Greuter]

Racingwise: 1988

15/16 victories to one team, 11/16 double victories, 15/16 Poles.
Only one team that had developed a car entirely suited to the rules for that lone season that they were valid in a year when all other teams ran stopgap option cars, saving pennies and research effort for the new cars of 1989 and beyond.

The fact tbat I didn't like the team, engine company and drivers made it even worst. Even the much critisized 2002 and 2004 season at least had some variation in that you knew that there could be another driver-car on the front row and even the pole. Nothing like that in 1988.


Emotionally: 1982
Something within me died on May 9th when i had heard what had happened the day before and though the wound healed the scar still hurts to this day.

Henri

Edited by Henri Greuter, 18 March 2014 - 14:30.

[FerrariV12]

2011-13 in general kind of blur into one for me.

[ConsiderAndGo]

2013 was easily the worst in recent memory!

[Andrew Hope]

2013. I remember seasons that took place when I was on the south side of 10 years old better than I remember what happened last year.

[OvDrone]

I heard Max Chilton finished every race.

[Jimisgod]

2013 and 2002. Funnily enough, 2004 wasn't too bad behind the Ferraris and the same could be said if you swap in 1988 and McLaren.

 

1996 and 1997 are the most easily forgotten though; Williams wins unchallenged, but fails to totally dominate. 1992 and 1993 are remembered for the domination and the resistance put up by Senna and Schumacher... Schumi did that to an extent in 1997 but was too far back in 1996.

 

1983 never gets much mention because of the dislike for Nelson. Honestly, the most chat I've seen about it was suggesting Ferrari and Prost each mucked up and let Piquet grab it by default.

[king_crud]

Most of the seasons from about 2003 to now. I watch the races (sometimes) and that's it, I don't read reports or season reviews, so they've all turned into a pile of mush in my mind. I have memories of certain races or incidents but that's it. And I can't recall if I saw any of the races in 2005-07

Edited by king_crud, 18 March 2014 - 15:12.

[Kingshark]

2003 was very entertaining yet rarely talked about.

 

2001 is forgotten altogether.

 

2007 is unfortunately still remembered despite the abysmal season it was.

 

Apart from multi 21 I can't recall anything remotely interesting happening last year either.

[PorcupineTroy]

2013. I remember seasons that took place when I was on the south side of 10 years old better than I remember what happened last year.

Same. I can describe most of the races from the early 2000's in fairly good detail, but the second half of last year was like "Red Bull dominated... Grosjean improved... yeah".

[Collombin]

1983 never gets much mention because of the dislike for Nelson. Honestly, the most chat I've seen about it was suggesting Ferrari and Prost each mucked up and let Piquet grab it by default.

The cars were good to watch that year, they got sideways quite a bit as the designers struggled to find downforce in the immediate aftermath of the sudden ban on ground effects. I think that was the one season that Piquet DIDN'T win by default, he very much dominated the final part of the season (fuel controversy notwithstanding). It was an injury free season, so is bound to be forgettable in that regard by comparison to 1982.

Edited by E.B., 18 March 2014 - 16:07.

[Fastcake]

I would probably have to give it a few more years to totally forget last season, but it doesn't look like I'll remember much of it already. I remember 2004 mainly due to following Button every race and wondering if he could finally beat a Ferrari (which was an impossible task in hindsight), even if the year was utterly tedious. I'll also add in 2005. When the only memorable thing is Indy 05, you know the season was poor.

[OvDrone]

Eh, I kind of agree Fastcake about '05. I never liked those '05/'06 years to be honest. Considering that, I had a horrid time seeing Raikkonen's car going bust or something along the lines of, nearly each race. I remember cursing the **** out of Webber's Williams and that awful Renault livery still gives me nightmares.

 

At least we have Suzuka '05.

[DampMongoose]

The two stand out seasons of F1 that should be instantly forgettable would have to be 1952 and 1953.  The reasons being obvious...