131 replies to this topic

[maximilian]

1982 might very well be up there despite its tragedies. It was a stunning season where the powers shifted more than once.

 

Agreed, 1982 was a cracker minus the horrors, although the horrors provided 2 really amazing crackers (the emergence of Tambay and the super-sub Andretti).

 

1983 was a great follow-up, too!

[AlexPrime]

I am watching since 1992, regularly since 1996, so sadly I can't comment on the golden past. From what I remember, 2012 probably the best season for me as it was a close battle between two drivers are like, Seb and Fernando. My inner child will always love 1996 and 1998, 1999 was also thrilling and probably my 2nd best. 
Such threads make me a bit sad, unfortunately, when you think how much time have passes since you started watching. 

[thefinalapex]

I am watching since 1992, regularly since 1996, so sadly I can't comment on the golden past. From what I remember, 2012 probably the best season for me as it was a close battle between two drivers are like, Seb and Fernando. My inner child will always love 1996 and 1998, 1999 was also thrilling and probably my 2nd best.
Such threads make me a bit sad, unfortunately, when you think how much time have passes since you started watching.

Sometimes i just wish we had a Time Machine to relive it all again, i loved the 2007-2012 era. Absolutely loved it.

[F1Frog]

Thanks for the replies. I will try to outline my criteria. The two things that I most value in a season are an interesting storyline that I will want to discuss and read about for years to come, and the individual races being extremely exciting to watch. These things are obviously likely to happen to coincide. Title fights are important as well but not just for the sake of it (see my section on 1964 or 1974), there has to be some kind of interesting story behind it rather than two drivers happen to have ended up on the same number of points.

 

One thing that I didn't factor in so heavily is actually how much I enjoyed it at the time, which probably sounds weird but I find that more heavily influenced by my bias about who is doing well, or even just what else is going on in life at the time. But generally, a season lasts far longer than one year. Also, because 1976 was unfortunately before my time, so that would be a reason why the fact that people had to wait hours to find out who won Brands Hatch, or if Lauda survived the Nurburgring, would mean nothing to me, but I tried to make anything like that mean nothing for seasons I actually watched as well.

 

At the time, I enjoyed the 2012 season more than I did the 2021 season. But that doesn't make it better, and I feel 2021 was more historic and I am happier to have lived through it. I found the 2016 season dull at the time because I had seen two editions of Hamilton vs Rosberg already, and perhaps because some other motorsport series were having a great year then. But looking back now it was actually a really interesting season that I should have appreciated more at the time.

[Glengavel]

For a bit of fun, here is my ranking of every season ever. Just a personal choice.

 

24 – 1973. A brilliant championship victory for Jackie Stewart against two faster Lotuses who fought among themselves.

 

It was the 72's unreliability that scuppered Fittipaldi and Peterson's WC hopes, rather than in-fighting, and Stewart was playing the game of 'winning at the slowest possible speed'.

Edited by Glengavel, 13 January 2024 - 10:00.

[DeKnyff]

For a bit of fun, here is my ranking of every season ever. Just a personal choice.

 

I gave a like for the work you took writing the post, but not necessarily for your choices.

Edited by DeKnyff, 13 January 2024 - 10:28.

[DeKnyff]

I think 1983 is a massively underrated Championship, with that incredible comeback by Piquet. Also, one of the rare Championships where the two close contenders collided out of the race when fighting for the lead (like Hamilton and Verstappen in Monza 2021).

 

[DCapps]

Way back in Ancient Times when the Atlas F1 Journal still existed, Peter Goodchild and David Southworth submitted an article that considered this issue:  http://atlasf1.autos.../goodchild.html

 

I ended up writing a series of columns on their top two seasons, 1982 and 1961, in Rear View Mirror. Actually, I had already written about 1982 previously, but their article came out as I was in the process of putting together the 1961 season.

 

Given that I saw my first world championship GP 70 years this June, the GP de Belgique at Spa-Francorchamps, I might have a bit of perspective on this topic.

 

I still think that they got most of it okay up to that point, 1999, although I would rank 1964 much higher than their eighth, of course.

 

Long ago, I realized that "F1" was pretty much a self-licking ice cream cone, especially after considering the notion of Albion Triumphant in the 1958-1960 years in retrospect. 

Nor have I ever quite bought into the Ferrari Mythology. Then again, it was a very different world when I started paying attention to the sport.

 

RE: 1983. Goodchild and Southworth had it high on their list, and for very good reasons.

 

As a historian, I have long since regarded the various seasons as all having their reasons for being Interesting. By that, I meant much of that interest might not necessarily be what takes place on the track.

While 1957 seems boring to an extent, there was the element of the poor, pitiful Brits finally winning with Vanwall, of course, but the real interest was the struggles of both Maserati and Ferrari behind in the scenes, which did not necessarily mean simply the GP stuff.

 

"Greatest" is what YOU think it is, whatever others might think. 

[Beri]

Recently I've been watching a season summary of 2021. And I do not want to hit anyone in the shins or open up a cesspool of excrement. But boy.. that was one hell of a season to remember.

I'm sure that, since it's quite soon after said season but once people can move on from their personal semantics about their favorite driver, people will agree fully with it being at least an all-time top 5 season. It was just epic with two drivers as well as two teams who performed on alien like levels. With controversies, drama, heartfelt retirements, team bosses who openly fought eachother and an odd misfire by the title favourites. All in all a script that someone in Hollywood must have written already to be filmed.

[PlatenGlass]

On 1983, it was the year that the turbos finally broke away from the non-turbos, but there were still competitive showings from the non-turbos early on. If Rosberg hadn't lost his 6 points from Brazil, he would have been leading the championship after 8 rounds. I still see it as a classic.

The years from 1979 to 1983 with both turbos and non-turbos winning was a high point for me.

[PayasYouRace]

I think 1983 is a massively underrated Championship, with that incredible comeback by Piquet. Also, one of the rare Championships where the two close contenders collided out of the race when fighting for the lead (like Hamilton and Verstappen in Monza 2021).

All before I was born, but it does come across as a competitive, and mostly safe, season. A good battle between title contenders and some good surprise winners. Plus, a bit of controversy at the end with Brabham’s fuel.

[Collombin]

All before I was born, but it does come across as a competitive, and mostly safe, season.

The major injury of the year was Mansell (who else) getting his foot run over.

[Scotracer]

1998 was a favourite. Schumacher clawing that crappy Ferrari back to the last race, only for his clutch to let him down on the grid. I still remember his climb back through the field then a puncture from debris. Cursed.

[Henri Greuter]

On 1983, it was the year that the turbos finally broke away from the non-turbos, but there were still competitive showings from the non-turbos early on. If Rosberg hadn't lost his 6 points from Brazil, he would have been leading the championship after 8 rounds. I still see it as a classic.

The years from 1979 to 1983 with both turbos and non-turbos winning was a high point for me.

 

 

I could agree with you if it wasn't for the dirty water tank tricks and the fatalities and serious injuries of of 1982 and the rediculous hydraulic suspensions to bypass the 6 cm rule in 1981.

[Bleu]

On 1983, it was the year that the turbos finally broke away from the non-turbos, but there were still competitive showings from the non-turbos early on. If Rosberg hadn't lost his 6 points from Brazil, he would have been leading the championship after 8 rounds. I still see it as a classic.

The years from 1979 to 1983 with both turbos and non-turbos winning was a high point for me.

 

It's notable that all non-turbo wins occurred on street circuits. Watson in Long Beach, Rosberg in Monaco and Alboreto in Detroit.

[H0R]

The obvious choice has to be 1967. The return to power. The beauty of the Eagle, the Lotus 49 and the Ferrari 312. With Clark, Hill, Brabham and Surtees four former champions in the grid, Rindt and Stewart to become champions. Nordschleife, old Spa, old Kyalami, old Silverstone ... tracks you would lick your fingers for.

Then Hulme taking the championship for Brabham against his team owner Jack and the Lotus 49 only arriving mid season. Hill and Clark going head to head in the same team. Clark being a complete lap down in Monza and fighting his back to the front before retiring with mechanical problems. I could go on and on.

And no, of course I am not influenced by Grand Prix Legends. Not a bit. 

Edited by H0R, 22 January 2024 - 15:20.

[Collombin]

And no, of course I am not influenced by Grand Prix Legends. Not a bit.

If only you'd mentioned Rouen we'd have had you over a barrel.

[Beri]

The obvious choice has to be 1967. The return to power. The beauty of the Eagle, the Lotus 49 and the Ferrari 312. With Clark, Hill, Brabham and Surtees four former champions in the grid, Rindt and Stewart to become champions. Nordschleife, old Spa, old Kyalami, old Silverstone ... tracks you would lick your fingers for.

Then Hulme taking the championship for Brabham against his team owner Jack and the Lotus 49 only arriving mid season. Hill and Clark going head to head in the same team. Clark being a complete lap down in Monza and fighting his back to the front before retiring with mechanical problems. I could go on and on.

And no, of course I am not influenced by Grand Prix Legends. Not a bit. 

 

How many of those scenario's have you replayed in GPL? 

[Henri Greuter]

It's notable that all non-turbo wins occurred on street circuits. Watson in Long Beach, Rosberg in Monaco and Alboreto in Detroit.

 

And with that conclusion in sight, that makes Gilles' performance in 1981 at Monaco with arguebly one of the three worst handling chassis of the season and an early generation turbocharged engine absolutely beyond belief.

Even had luck not come his way with the problems that befell Alan Jones, even a second place behind Jones would have been miraculous.

[Beri]

Gilles was something else that weekend. He was 2.5 seconds clear of Pironi in the same Ferrari in qualifying. But lets be fair; he wasnt the quickest despite his win. Piquet and Jonesy were.

[Henri Greuter]

Gilles was something else that weekend. He was 2.5 seconds clear of Pironi in the same Ferrari in qualifying. But lets be fair; he wasnt the quickest despite his win. Piquet and Jonesy were.

 

Hence why I wrote that second line in my post.

[Beri]

I know. But if you disregard Jonesy's bad luck to say Villeneuve would have been 2nd and that would have been something special, you should then also factor Piquets mistake out. So Gilles would then have been 3rd at best. 

Edited by Beri, 22 January 2024 - 19:56.

[absinthedude]

I have both a soft spot and a great sadness over 1978. First season I watched but Ronnie....

 

1980, 84,86,89,90 were superb. 1982 but for the tragedies was a season where you just never knew which direction the title was going to go. 1996 had a lot of excitement. 2007 too. 2012 had a lot. 

[Henri Greuter]

I know. But if you disregard Jonesy's bad luck to say Villeneuve would have been 2nd and that would have been something special, you should then also factor Piquets mistake out. So Gilles would then have been 3rd at best. 

I had forgotten Piquet's driving in that race and I agree there is something to be said for Villeneuve ony deserving 3rd.

But then, Gilles did nothing or at least very little wrong that race while Nelson's retirement was, now I think back about that was an unforced error. Thus way mor his own fault than what happened with Jones.

[garoidb]

I had forgotten Piquet's driving in that race and I agree there is something to be said for Villeneuve ony deserving 3rd.

But then, Gilles did nothing or at least very little wrong that race while Nelson's retirement was, now I think back about that was an unforced error. Thus way mor his own fault than what happened with Jones.

 

Jones would regard it as a forced error 

[Henri Greuter]

Jones would regard it as a forced error 

Probably.

[George Costanza]

1984 was pretty good too.

[Afterburner]

Having watched the Brawn GP documentary recently, I think 2009 has got to be on the shortlist of greatest seasons ever. What Brawn GP was able to achieve was a miracle and will probably never happen again.

 

Also agree that the 2006-2012 stretch might have been one of the best runs of F1 seasons ever, even though the cars looked awful for 2009-2012 and the V8s of that era tended to drone a bit and were not the best "F1 sound". 2013 might've been another classic had everyone not thrown in the towel mid season.

[Ragingjamaican]

Having watched the Brawn GP documentary recently, I think 2009 has got to be on the shortlist of greatest seasons ever. What Brawn GP was able to achieve was a miracle and will probably never happen again.

 

Also agree that the 2006-2012 stretch might have been one of the best runs of F1 seasons ever, even though the cars looked awful for 2009-2012 and the V8s of that era tended to drone a bit and were not the best "F1 sound". 2013 might've been another classic had everyone not thrown in the towel mid season.

 

It had a lot of interesting stories, but the racing was boring, and I think it's the season that has the least amount of overtakes, with one race coming up as having none (Valencia I'm sure).

 

What made it interesting was of course the Brawn story, Ferrari and McLaren faltering, BMW and Toyota looking good then flattering to decieve. But in general the title was wrapped up after the first 7 races which took a major sting out of it.

 

The field was all within 1s of each other, with a major rule change, that's quite a feat. But yeah, the races were dire and the cars were probably at their ugliest.

Edited by Ragingjamaican, 23 January 2024 - 18:05.

[Afterburner]

What made it interesting was of course the Brawn story, Ferrari and McLaren faltering, BMW and Toyota looking good then flattering to decieve. But in general the title was wrapped up after the first 7 races which took a major sting out of it.

That's what I felt when watching it at the time, too, but the reality is that the WDC gap from Button to the nearest non-Brawn car would be cut in half in the next two races (32 points to 16) during which Brawn GP would be exposed as very vulnerable pace-wise, with so little budget that them even making every race of the season was in doubt.

They only held on to the end because all the other teams took points off of one another, which is also something that is rare in F1—so I'd argue the perfect storm of circumstances necessary for things to play out as they did makes the season remarkable.

[Dan333SP]

Great documentary, btw. I'm sure the critics here will dissect radio messages being used from the wrong race or Keanu asking naïve questions or somesuch, but in my opinion it was a very well told story and brought a lot of the drama back, with new inside information as well. 

[liamski]

Been watching since '85 and for me 1991 was the best season I ever watched. 2 top drivers at the top of their games, in 2 different teams absolutely going for it. New superstar arrived at Spa, great looking and sounding cars, and genuinely didn't know who was going to be champion until nearly the end. Peak F1 for me, summed up by final quali at Silverstone (Senna's ultimately second best lap still takes my breath away) and remember Monza race being incredible