370 replies to this topic

[CountDooku]

I started watching F1 sixteen years ago and I swear I cannot remember a better performance by a driver than what Lewis did in Brazil today. And it’s not close.

He qualifies in 1st by a mile, gets a BS penalty so starts plum last for the sprint.
Somehow manages to overtake 15 people in 24 laps on Saturday, finishes 5th and takes ANOTHER penalty to start Sunday from 10th.

We all saw the race today, the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving. And Lewis did not make a single overtake using strategy the whole weekend. He didn’t benefit from anyone’s misfortune like Germany 2019. This was pure racecraft and zero luck required.

Can anyone else think of other performances at that level or better? Please share! I’m trying and really struggling. Other great wins like Lewis in Silverstone or Monaco 2008, or Jenson in Canada 2011 had some luck involved and weather mixing things up.

[OO7]

I started watching F1 sixteen years ago and I swear I cannot remember a better performance by a driver than what Lewis did in Brazil today. And it’s not close.

He qualifies in 1st by a mile, gets a BS penalty so starts plum last for the sprint.
Somehow manages to overtake 15 people in 24 laps on Saturday, finishes 5th and takes ANOTHER penalty to start Sunday from 10th.

We all saw the race today, the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving. And Lewis did not make a single overtake using strategy the whole weekend. He didn’t benefit from anyone’s misfortune like Germany 2019. This was pure racecraft and zero luck required.

Can anyone else think of other performances at that level or better? Please share! I’m trying and really struggling. Other great wins like Lewis in Silverstone or Monaco 2008, or Jenson in Canada 2011 had some luck involved and weather mixing things up.

CD are you wearing your full body armour plating yet?!

Edited by OO7, 16 November 2021 - 23:00.

[FrontWing]

I started watching F1 sixteen years ago and I swear I cannot remember a better performance by a driver than what Lewis did in Brazil today. And it’s not close.

He qualifies in 1st by a mile, gets a BS penalty so starts plum last for the sprint.
Somehow manages to overtake 15 people in 24 laps on Saturday, finishes 5th and takes ANOTHER penalty to start Sunday from 10th.

We all saw the race today, the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving. And Lewis did not make a single overtake using strategy the whole weekend. He didn’t benefit from anyone’s misfortune like Germany 2019. This was pure racecraft and zero luck required.

Can anyone else think of other performances at that level or better? Please share! I’m trying and really struggling. Other great wins like Lewis in Silverstone or Monaco 2008, or Jenson in Canada 2011 had some luck involved and weather mixing things up.

Still life in the old dog yet...I thought it was done after this weekends shenanigans, but Lewis being Lewis is torturing me with hope again. 😅

[alframsey]

I certainly think it is one of thee strongest, maybe even outright strongest, entire weekends of his career. Dominant in every sense. I don't think we need to make it any more special by speaking of favouritism, I really don't think it was I just think they made a bad call all in the name of keeping it entertaining.

Anyway, it's the strongest weekend I can remember from a driver off the top of my head. Its late in the evening and I've got a head full of wine so really still quite happy about it and have been in a great mood all night.

[Heyli]

I can only say, enjoy it! I can imagine being very hyped if Max delivered such a performance!

 

I will not ruin anyone's party, it was definitely a very very strong performance. Dont care much if it was the strongest or not, but it was potentially decisive for the title.

[noikeee]

 the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving

 

Look it was a truly great drive but this is veering into LewisFansEroticFanfiction.Com territory.

 

I don't know I'm out of here I don't like these "PRAISE!! GIVE US PRAISE!!" threads, for whoever it is.

[geralt]

It's either this or Max in Austria 2019 for me

[r4mses]

"Greatest Ever Modern F1 Weekend?", lol, calm down.

[Brawn BGP 001]

Personally 2008 Hockenheim was a lot better performance then Monaco IMO.

Edited by Brawn BGP 001, 15 November 2021 - 00:08.

[Mercstar]

Look it was a truly great drive but this is veering into LewisFansEroticFanfiction.Com territory.

I don't know I'm out of here I don't like these "PRAISE!! GIVE US PRAISE!!" threads, for whoever it is.

Lol. Hamilton fan here, but that's the most hilarious thing I've read in a while.

[CountDooku]

It's either this or Max in Austria 2019 for me

Max in Austria 2019 is definitely up there! I remember my jaw on the floor for most of it.
Especially as the red bull had no business fighting with the Ferraris and Mercedes that year.

Edited by CountDooku, 15 November 2021 - 00:11.

[YamahaV10]

Greatest engine change in a season ever.

No. Watching the equivalent of an F1 car in an F2 race was far from the "greatest ever". But for the default British F1 fan yes , the right guy won. So it's the greatest ever.

[Heyli]

Max in Austria 2019 is definitely up there! I remember my jaw on the floor for most of it.
Especially as the red bull had no business fighting with the Ferraris and Mercedes that year.

For Max, I think Brazil 2018 had the potential, overtaking both Merc's and both Ferrari's on track. If only he would have been able to sort it out with Ocon...

 

Austria 2019 only LeClerc could put up a fight if I remember correctly.

[thefinalapex]

I started watching F1 sixteen years ago and I swear I cannot remember a better performance by a driver than what Lewis did in Brazil today. And it’s not close.

He qualifies in 1st by a mile, gets a BS penalty so starts plum last for the sprint.
Somehow manages to overtake 15 people in 24 laps on Saturday, finishes 5th and takes ANOTHER penalty to start Sunday from 10th.

We all saw the race today, the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving. And Lewis did not make a single overtake using strategy the whole weekend. He didn’t benefit from anyone’s misfortune like Germany 2019. This was pure racecraft and zero luck required.

Can anyone else think of other performances at that level or better? Please share! I’m trying and really struggling. Other great wins like Lewis in Silverstone or Monaco 2008, or Jenson in Canada 2011 had some luck involved and weather mixing things up.

 

Schumacher same track 2006. Almost getting lapped, had a few times where his engine cut out losing him time and still managed to finish 4th, and without drs.

[Augurk]

It was a great performance and only a handful of drivers would probably have been able to do it. 

The car performance gap however was so big it took away a bit of the shine for me. 

 

I imagine this is what would've happened in many races in the past 8 years had Lewis somehow started last on a track that allows overtaking in the dominant Mercedes years. 

[CountDooku]

Schumacher same track 2006. Almost getting lapped, had a few times where his engine cut out losing him time and still managed to finish 4th, and without drs.

I remember that weekend! Crazy emotions given the loss of the title and the fact that it was Michaels last race. There may have been tears shed…

[flyboym3]

It was a great performance and only a handful of drivers would probably have been able to do it.
The car performance gap however was so big it took away a bit of the shine for me.

I imagine this is what would've happened in many races in the past 8 years had Lewis somehow started last on a track that allows overtaking in the dominant Mercedes years.

The gap didn't seem that big perez Vs bottas. Perez very unlucky with the cheap bottas vsc pitstop.

I can't think of another weekend right now but certainly will be cemented if he goes on to get the 8 times accolade.

[Arska]

Yeah, that performance in a midfield car. Amazing. One for the history books.

[ANF]

It was a great performance and only a handful of drivers would probably have been able to do it. 
The car performance gap however was so big it took away a bit of the shine for me.

+1

Although it was a great race, Hamilton('s car) was so quick that it was pretty obvious that he would catch and ultimately pass Verstappen for the lead.

[CountDooku]

+1

Although it was a great race, Hamilton('s car) was so quick that it was pretty obvious that he would catch and ultimately pass Verstappen for the lead.

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

[Augurk]

The gap didn't seem that big perez Vs bottas. Perez very unlucky with the cheap bottas vsc pitstop.

I can't think of another weekend right now but certainly will be cemented if he goes on to get the 8 times accolade.

Bottas wasn't running a fresh (and apparently upgraded for less reliability/more powerful engine). 

[Augurk]

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

As I said it was a great performance. But there were less than a handful of overtakes that actually took any special effort. He had so much overspeed. 

 

Norris in the sprint race was a great move, but would've been done elsewhere regardless, Perez and Verstappen were the overtakes that took a bit of special effort. 

[Peeko]

Was it Hamilton making the car go almost 30kmh faster than anyone else down the straight?

[flyboym3]

Bottas wasn't running a fresh (and apparently upgraded for less reliability/more powerful engine).

He is, he added all his to the pool the last 2 races.

[Counterbalance]

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

And he had to deal with a car who’s front facing camera suddenly became unavailable on lap 59, plus the stewards on his case all weekend. It was amazing to watch.

Edited by Counterbalance, 15 November 2021 - 00:33.

[Gravelngrass]

I started watching F1 sixteen years ago and I swear I cannot remember a better performance by a driver than what Lewis did in Brazil today. And it’s not close.

He qualifies in 1st by a mile, gets a BS penalty so starts plum last for the sprint.
Somehow manages to overtake 15 people in 24 laps on Saturday, finishes 5th and takes ANOTHER penalty to start Sunday from 10th.

We all saw the race today, the stewards and their favouritism, and overcoming Max’s dirty driving. And Lewis did not make a single overtake using strategy the whole weekend. He didn’t benefit from anyone’s misfortune like Germany 2019. This was pure racecraft and zero luck required.

Can anyone else think of other performances at that level or better? Please share! I’m trying and really struggling. Other great wins like Lewis in Silverstone or Monaco 2008, or Jenson in Canada 2011 had some luck involved and weather mixing things up.

Williams' whole 1992 season comes to mind...

[Alfisti]

The problem here is DRS. It sort of ruins a lot of the purity.

[flyboym3]

It's an interesting thread and I can't see a better suggestion at the moment, only bitterness from sore losers.

Edited by flyboym3, 15 November 2021 - 00:35.

[ANF]

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

Like Augurk said, only a handful of drivers would probably have been able to do it. It was a great performance; he passed a lot of cars and I don't think he made a single mistake all weekend! But... the car was outstanding.

Edited by ANF, 15 November 2021 - 00:46.

[PayasYouRace]

Such a misleading thread title. It’s not about whether this was the greatest F1 weekend. Its about one driver.

 

Well if we’re going to talk about coming from the back, I’d still say John Watson and Niki Lauda at Long Beach 1983 were greater. At least they weren’t excluded from any sessions on a technical infringement, and made up a similar amount of places each, on a street circuit.

[yolo]

Look it was a truly great drive but this is veering into LewisFansEroticFanfiction.Com territory.

 

I don't know I'm out of here I don't like these "PRAISE!! GIVE US PRAISE!!" threads, for whoever it is.

 

Give me a break. Two weeks ago, people were saying Max had the greatest defensive drive of all time in Austin where Lewis did not get a DRS on him once. 

Edited by yolo, 15 November 2021 - 00:47.

[CountDooku]

Such a misleading thread title. It’s not about whether this was the greatest F1 weekend. Its about one driver.

Well if we’re going to talk about coming from the back, I’d still say John Watson and Niki Lauda at Long Beach 1983 were greater. At least they weren’t excluded from any sessions on a technical infringement, and made up a similar amount of places each, on a street circuit.

Feel free to change the title to “Greatest ever F1 weekend drive”.

Also post links to those races if you have them please!

[thefinalapex]

bitterness from sore losers.

In other words everybody that doesn’t share your view. There are some that have written good arguments, look PAYR comment as example. Don’t make everything so black and white for christ sake.

[RekF1]

Was it Hamilton making the car go almost 30kmh faster than anyone else down the straight?

If you mean staying in the slipstream with DRS, yes

[Leibowitz]

Malaysia 2012, Europe 2012 and Canada 2011 from “modern era” come to mind.

Edited by Leibowitz, 15 November 2021 - 00:57.

[YamahaV10]

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

Max Verstappen started in last place and made it to second place a few weeks ago in Russia. So no. And he sure wasn't 30 mk/h faster on the straight stretches than every car in the field.

Edited by YamahaV10, 15 November 2021 - 00:58.

[noikeee]

By the way to be serious

Jackie Stewart, Nurburgring 1967
Gilles Villeneuve, Jarama 1981
Ayrton Senna, Estoril 1985
Alain Prost, Mexico City 1990
Ayrton Senna, Donnington 1993
Michael Schumacher, Barcelona 1996
Michael Schumacher, Hungaroring 1998
Michael Schumacher, Magny-Cours 2002
Kimi Raikkonen, Suzuka 2005
Lewis Hamilton, Silverstone 2008

These are the ones that's coming into my mind as particularly outstanding drives that could get into this debate. Today was one more, but choosing one is just going to be subjective personal preference.

Edit : I evidently missed the word "modern" in the thread title

Edited by noikeee, 15 November 2021 - 01:00.

[Counterbalance]

Max Verstappen started in last place and made it to second place a few weeks ago in Russia. So no. And he sure wasn't 30 mk/h faster on the straight stretches than every car in the field.

You’re forgetting one tiny insignificant detail that it rained on the very lap Verstappen pitted for wets enabling him to end up in P2. He was hovering along the lower end of the point scoring positions until then.

You’re comparing apexes to car parks.

[RogerStone]

Give me a break. Two weeks ago, people were saying Max had the greatest defensive drive of all time in Austin where Lewis did not get a DRS on him once. 

 

Was there a thread dedicated to it? Like here? 

[shure]

The hyperbole is strong here.  It's easy to look good when your car is so much better than everybody else's.  After Lewis overtook Max, he increased the gap by 9s over the next 12 laps.  That's an average of over 7 tenths per lap.  

 

Mark Hughes wrote a piece which was quoted in the build up thread where Merc had increased the gap not just between them and RB but also to the other teams by double the seasonal average.  Some of the overtakes yesterday made it look like other cars were standing still, including on cars which had DRS themselves!  The McLaren, which Lewis had complained were impossible to overtake a few weeks ago, looked like they were parked...

 

I think people look at the results without really caring how they were obtained.  Lewis was driving an F1 car in a field of F2 cars.  Of course he will look impressive, but that doesn't make it a great drive

[RogerStone]

  LewisFansEroticFanfiction.Com  

 

 

 

Such an accurate depiction..

[Astandahl]

Not even close. Lewis was perfect, but he had a car which was way faster than the Red Bull, let alone all the other cars.

[Counterbalance]

The hyperbole is strong here. It's easy to look good when your car is so much better than everybody else's. After Lewis overtook Max, he increased the gap by 9s over the next 12 laps. That's an average of over 7 tenths per lap.

Mark Hughes wrote a piece which was quoted in the build up thread where Merc had increased the gap not just between them and RB but also to the other teams by double the seasonal average. Some of the overtakes yesterday made it look like other cars were standing still, including on cars which had DRS themselves! The McLaren, which Lewis had complained were impossible to overtake a few weeks ago, looked like they were parked...

I think people look at the results without really caring how they were obtained. Lewis was driving an F1 car in a field of F2 cars. Of course he will look impressive, but that doesn't make it a great drive

Go and watch a few other overtakes on the straight. The DRS was too powerful yesterday. And as for Hamilton pulling out a gap once in the lead, don’t drivers often drop back when settling for second place and not under immediate threat of losing any more positions? There’s no point in unnecessary stressing an engine when you don’t have to.

[HerbieMcQueen]

Look it was a truly great drive but this is veering into LewisFansEroticFanfiction.Com territory.

 

I don't know I'm out of here I don't like these "PRAISE!! GIVE US PRAISE!!" threads, for whoever it is.

 

Thank you for articulating what I couldn't. I agree with you, it sullies the enjoyment of this forum for me, and that's all I'll (try to) say about it. I preferred it when we could all join hands in condemning the existence of Michael Masi instead.

[ClubmanGT]

Spain 1996 and Silverstone 2008 come to mind. 

 

Both wet, both ridiculous wins while others just struggled to stay on the track. Both far more impressive than this weekend tbh. 

The reality is this weekend Lewis won a race from 10th on the grid in a car which would have comfortably been on pole, were it not for the insane fresh PU he got and a crappy wing defect. 

 

Compared to Silverstone 2008, it doesn't really come close. 

[Claymore25]

No. Not even close.

 

Silverstone 2008 was a better drive by Hamilton. Today was a F-1 overtaking F-2 cars.

 

 

To me, Suzuka 2005 was the better drive in the modern era.

[HerbieMcQueen]

Spain '96 would claim this mantle for me. What the Mercedes was to every other car this weekend, Schumacher was to every other driver in that race.

[Arska]

You guys are hard to please. Having to overtake 25 cars warrants special consideration surely? Even though the Merc was quick?

 

25 cars during one race? No, not alone. But this person did it in a midfield car, maybe? That would be worthy of special consideration... for sure!

[Peeko]

If you mean staying in the slipstream with DRS, yes

This is something only Lewis can do?

[William Hunt]

Juan Manuel Fangio: Nürburgring 1957.  Hey it's post world war 2 so it's modern ;)