107 replies to this topic

[Sheepmachine]

With the Canadian GP coming up this weekend it reminded of the first race I ever saw on TV which was the Canadian GP in 1999 (15 years ago! ). What I remember that fascinated me was the camera shot on the outside of the second chicane, seeing the cars brushing right up against the wall enthralled me and from then I was hooked. I've seen almost every race since.

So what about you?

[PayasYouRace]

I can't remember, but it must have been something in the early 1990s. I know I watched F1 before it, but I have particular memories of Adelaide 1994, which must have been a repeat because I wouldn't have been allowed to watch a race in the middle of the night back then. I remember Mansell winning and being on the podium, and Schumacher behind the fence and that he was the world champion, and that it didn't make sense because I didn't understand how points systems worked.

[TheManAlive]

Monaco 1988.

 

Had it on when I was supposed to be doing my homework. Was so caught up in it that my family actually went to the British GP that year when I became a Massell fan!!

 

26 years ago!!

[Skyturk]

Jerez 1997, i supported Villeneuve but i'm a McLaren fan.

[Anderis]

I don't remember well enough because I didn't have a clue about motorsport then. But I think it was Monaco 2006. I seem to recall Webber throwing his steering wheel and Raikkonen retiring due to a car failure. But I'm not 100% sure if my memories are valid.

 

The first race I remember better was Hungary 2006 for some obvious reason if you know that I'm Polish.

[OneAndOnly]

I can't quite remember which one is the very first, but one of the first I clearly remember is Imola 1994. 

[Lazy]

First live one I think was Brands Hatch 1980. First one on TV all I remember was Jackie Stewart winning in a Tyrell.

[Amin]

I remember seeing snippets of races between 2000-2002, but nothing substantial. On Christmas day 2002, my brother received an F1 2002 review book and me and him just read it over and over again during the holiday. This meant that the first GP we intended to watch was the 2003 Australian GP but we fell asleep within a few laps of the start, only to wake up during the podium! We finally saw our first full GP a couple of weeks later when we watched the delayed coverage of the Malaysian GP. 

[nordschleife]

US GP 1966, Watkins Glen. I had been following F1 and racing in general for four years with increasing fervor so I was bursting with anticipation. So I negotiated and pleaded with Dad until the plan was made. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. Nor did the crowd - at least to my mind. "Sperm Bank" painted on the side of bog-bound shitboxes, for example. It was "Animal House"! And the sound of those cars! And that's my driver, John Surtees! And how sweet, looking back, that the winner was Jim Clark in a Lotus-BRM H16. Returning to Canada, the die was cast. 

Edited by nordschleife, 05 June 2014 - 14:49.

[seahawk]

Early 1980ies, I can not say which one.

[Jovanotti]

I remember catching a few laps from the second half of Japan 2000, but that was about it. The first complete race? Probably Malaysia 2001.

[Jackmancer]

I can't remember - my earliest F1 memories are of Schumacher in a bright blue car (obviously the Benetton). I remember my dad saying Schumacher's car was distinguishable by a red line on the tip of the nose, as his teammember didn't have that. So I grew up with Schumacher as my F1 hero. Must have been 1994 or 1995.

[krapmeister]

Pretty sure I can remember my Dad getting me up very early one morning to see some of the Canadian GP on the telly in the early 1980's - maybe 1983? Otherwise I certainly watched the GP in Adelaide in 1985. First live F1 race I saw was the British GP in 2002...

[Yoshi]

Imola 1994

[sheepgobba]

Australia 2004. 

[barrykm]

Live and in person - South African GP 1 January 1968, won by my boyhood hero..!!

[discover23]

I don't remember which race it was but I know it was a battle between Mika and MS in 1999.

Before 1999 I would follow the results and snippets from Sport News channels dating back to 1992.

[AlexanderF1]

my first memory of f1 on tv was a bit of the 2004 monaco gp. i only recall michael schumacher crashing in the tunnel. the first full race i watched was the 2006 turkish grand prix.(which is why i have always supported massa) and since 2007 ive not missed a race 

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

I can't remember anything in my life before 1994 but I absolutely remember watching Imola 1994, but my dad has always been a fan so it's likely earlier than that race that I first watched F1

[flyboy]

1961 USGP at Watkins Glen... first and only GP Innes Ireland ever won.     Moss, Brabham, Gurney, G. Hill, Clark in attendance.... Ferrari did not send a car for P. Hill because of the death of VonTripps at Monza.

[SR388]

I want to say the 2000 German Grand Prix. I remember I watched because I was a big Honda fan and I remember pulling for the mugen Honda Jordan cars. I recall Germany from all the trees. I didn't really get hooked until 2003 and by 2004 I was watching every race. I can't believe that I have been watching this over a decade now. I also can't believe I followed it before I had a dvr.

[Victor_RO]

First one I can clearly remember seeing on TV is probably a midday re-run of the '96 Japanese GP.

[HaydenFan]

My mother had recently re-married and my new step-father and I went to a bunch of races that first year; 1999. Indy 500, NASCAR @ Michigan, CART at Michigan, Belle Isle. And when F1 went into Indy, we went almost on a whim. Never really watched racing before on television, and knew nothing of F1. 

[Kvothe]

Australia 2007.

 

I remember half a year before one of my mother's colleagues was raving about this young British sports star who was going to be really big, and half a year later I remember seeing an advertisement for the first race which jogged my memory so I thought i'd check it out. I didn't have my own television in my room at this point, so I had to sneak downstairs. I remember being enthralled by Hamilton's first corner double overtake, and when he got his first podium I was absolutely hooked, although annoyed he'd lost second place to Alonso (not for the last time ) through a manner in which i didn't understand. My biggest memory is actually how out of my depth I was watching. Upto this point I'd had no contact with any form of motorsports, so all of the technical terms were lost on me, Apex? Oversteer? I knew none of the drivers, the teams or any of the history, or the background context to many of the fia decisions. In fact that whole season was a blur and I didn't have access to the internet at the point (I'm sure to much relief) so was unable to really research it for myself, and I wasn't willing to spend my meager paperboy earnings on autosport magazine. Its really weird because I feel as if I watched the first race twice, once as an absolute novice, and than the second time with all the F1 knowledge I'd accrued which made me feel like it was a completely different race to the one i'd watched before, and consequently a completely different season. I think the sad thing this particular memory is it's highlighting of the importance of F1 being on a free to air platform. Had it been behind a pay wall, and with my family or friends barely aware it existed, I might never have stumbled upon it and become the huge (although admittedly less so now than in the past) fan I am today. One can only imagine the impact F1's gradual crossover to subscription platforms in many different countries has had on viewership.

[king_crud]

Adelaide 1985. All I knew about in my little bubble was Australian touring car racing, I didn't realise there was a world beyond that (I was 8), then F1 turned up in Australia and opened my eyes.

[ollebompa]

It was in 2001 or 2002. I had just recived the Formula One 2001 game and decided to watch for real. Up to 2008 i only had the means to watch highlights though, so my memories are limited. I have since rewached as many complete races as possible.

Edited by ollebompa, 05 June 2014 - 13:48.

[Lights]

I remember seeing snippets of races between 2000-2002, but nothing substantial. On Christmas day 2002, my brother received an F1 2002 review book and me and him just read it over and over again during the holiday. 

 

Spooky similarities. I also saw snippets of races 2000-2002, got an F1 2002 review book in December and from what I remember that really got me hooked for the 2003 season. 

[RonnyRonny]

Something in the early 2000s

I remember Ralf Schumacher winning, maybe someone could help me out with which one it could have been?

I seem to remember not many cars finishing?

[KWSN - DSM]

I am sure I had seen bits and pieces, think the one I watched the first time in full must have been German Grand Prix either 1972 or 1973. Memory is a fickle thing, I could have sworn it was a Spanish Grand Prix, but they were the wrong time of year. I know I watched it the day after my parents Copper Anniversary and the Spanish Grand Prix those years to do not fall at the correct time of year.

 

So.. sometime either 1972 or 1973.

 

[discover23]

Something in the early 2000s

I remember Ralf Schumacher winning, maybe someone could help me out with which one it could have been?

I seem to remember not many cars finishing?

Malaysia 2002? . The race where Montoya and Shumi tangled at turn 1. 8 retirements.

[William Hunt]

On tv (from what I can remember, probably saw earlier ones): Estoril 1985 when Senna won his firs race in the rain.
When I was there: Spa 1991.

[Vitesse2]

Probably either Monaco or Great Britain 1964.

[taz]

Monaco 1997, never missed a race since

[jcbc3]

 

KWSN - DSM

 

•                     

Posted Today, 16:09

I am sure I had seen bits and pieces, think the one I watched the first time in full must have been German Grand Prix either 1972 or 1973. Memory is a fickle thing, I could have sworn it was a Spanish Grand Prix, but they were the wrong time of year. I know I watched it the day after my parents Copper Anniversary and the Spanish Grand Prix those years to do not fall at the correct time of year.

 

So.. sometime either 1972 or 1973.

 

5th August 1973, German Grand Prix.

We were lying on the denim upholstered recliners at Georg and Ballerina Rusticana.

[Atreiu]

Suzuka 1988.

[sheepgobba]

my first memory of f1 on tv was a bit of the 2004 monaco gp. i only recall michael schumacher crashing in the tunnel. the first full race i watched was the 2006 turkish grand prix.(which is why i have always supported massa) and since 2007 ive not missed a race 

 

Are you 19/20 by any chance? 

[AcuraF1]

The CBC aired races (or highlights) late Sunday nights in the late 80's. I remember watching Senna in a red and white McLaren and being utterly enthralled.

[kraduk]

not sure as it was always on when i was young, i probably saw hunt driving although i cant remember, but i do remember lauda and watson at macca, but not which races they were. The first races properly I can remember though were when Nig broke through. I cant remember specifics but then I can remember specific races of last year. Not sure what that means 8/

[midgrid]

Monaco 1996. Everything since has been boring and predictable.

[Anja]

I can't remember a specific race, but it was only at the beginning of the 2007 season. Before that I didn't have any way to watch races so my casual F1 interest was only based on reading about it in car magazines. Then Kubica appeared in F1, because of that one of Polish open TV channels started transmissions and I was hooked after a couple of races.

Edited by Anja, 05 June 2014 - 15:26.

[jonpollak]

 

 

In 1966 my Father came home from work one evening ( he worked for a guy named Saul Bass, doing what was then called "opticals" and are now called "special FX") asking me if I wanted to attend a Hollywood Premiere?

"OK DAD"...I said, as I had yet to work out WHY I was invited?.
Off we went to the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd.
Upon arrival he opened the envelope and out came the large yellow tickets
Grand Prix was what it said on them...

I was clueless on entry.
Enraptured upon exit....

 Next year he brought the family over to Europe while he worked on another film there ,due to my Mother, being of sound decision making powers, who said "The whole family goes"...This fit into my plan perfectly...I BEGGED Dad to take me to a race and if for no other reason than to SHUT ME UP he took me to Monaco for the 1967 GP. It was mesmerizingly magical and all I had expected.Jackie's BRM and the Surtees Honda were great sounding but it was Perdo, Siffert and Jochen in the Cooper Maserati's that made me drool. I eventually fell for Stewart though and since my dad was leaning towards being a Graham Hill fan, surely due to his after hours exploits, I had to have a more straight and narrow driver as my object of affection. So it was between the Scots Jim Clark and Jackie. (When I heard news of Jimmy's death next spring I felt as if I had somehow cheated myself out of being attached to his prowess.)Anyway, Dad thought it a good idea we leave before the end and just as we did I heard the PA and hooter sound along with gasps from all around and saw, as we climbed over people on the Pelouses out of the corner of my eye, the smoke at the harbour where Lorenzo Bandini clipped the chicane and burst into flames.

To say I was 'into it' from then on is a master of understatement....The end of any semblance of a "normal" life for me.

 

Jp

[RonnyRonny]

^^^ great post!

[Disgrace]

Austria '99. I then missed a couple before witnessing what is still my favourite Grand Prix of all time, Europe '99. 

[SpaceHorseParty]

Belgium 1998

 

One of my favourite races, and for a good reason

[jonpollak]

^^^ great post!

Well thank you Ronny.

Jp

[HamiltonFanboy]

Australia 1998

 

I also had a 1997 season review on VHS that I must of watched about 200 times.

[Bloggsworth]

Leaning against the wooden palings, 1964 British GP at Brands Hatch; went with some friends in my 1936 Rover 10, which cost me the princely sum of £16.50. On television, the 1957 or 58 Italian GP from Monza, after we had wiggled the valves and banged the cabinet in order to get a decent picture; which as we lived at the top of the hill south of Sevenoaks, all of 5 miles from Wrotham, leads me to believe we were still getting our signal from Alexandra Palace. I wrote a piece about that experience for an LG competition and won myself a 47" 3D television and network ready BlueRay player... I swapped, with my neighbour, the BlueRay player for a new south fence and, after some effort, sold the £2,200 television for £800; it was far too big for my sitting room.

Edited by Bloggsworth, 05 June 2014 - 16:00.

[Dolph]

1989 or 1990. Its really hard to tell.

 

But 1990 is for certain. I remember watching Mansell charge in 1990 Monaco GP and Prost leading Mansell home in the 1990 Mexican GP. Lehto was driving the #36 Onyx and I remmeber mistaking it for Sennas spare car. It was hard for me to tell the difference between Senna and Lehto from the Finnish TV interviews.

 

The earliest race might have been the 1990 Brazilian GP where Mansell had to pit late and he finished 4th. At least that's how I remember it.

[Andrew Hope]

'96 Canadian GP, the ol' Wurz barrel-roll.

 

Or was that '97?

[GoodSister]

The first race I saw in full on TV would have been sometime in the latter half of 2004 just after I started living with my dad. It was either Germany or Hungary but cannot remember exactly. But I do remember asking if I could see the Australian Grand Prix at silly o'clock the following season, so I tend to say to (the very few) people who ask when I started watching F1 that I started watching at the start of 2005.