37 replies to this topic

[CLX]

This is easy. I just want to know what each member thinks was the best F1 season ever. The only condition I ask you to observe is that it must be a season you have closely followed. Having watched the season on videotapes some years after it actually took place doesn't count as closely following, but you can still mention it, since I'm sure all of you will have great contributions to give.

The best season I have closely follwed was the 1991 season. Senna had a superb season, and won a hard, honest fight against two mighty and respectable oponents (Mansell + Williams). It was also Senna's 3rd title, which put him on the same level as other fantastic and unforgettable drivers, including his nemesis, one certain Prost...

I did not closely follow 1986, but the things I've read about it make me beleive it was a fantastic season for everyone who watched it, even if they weren't supporting Prost and McLaren.

I expect you guys to make brilliant posts here.

[David M. Kane]

1976...Hunt and Lauda, a friend and I got a gig to do a piece for the German magazine Bunte. Somehow I got talked into writing a story on the USGP and he did the photos. Thank goodness for Mike Doodson, the English writer and former Lotus guy. He realized that I was new and that I was
struggling a bit. He helped me from time to time throughout the weekend.
It ended up being one of the greatest experiences of my life.

The drama was so thick you literally COULD cut it with a knife. Hunt and
Lauda were so human. Plus in those days you REALLY had to drive the damn
things, they weren't something akin to a video game. Watkins Glen is also
a REAL GP circuit.

[MPea3]

1970. a fascinating year to me, in spite of the deaths. the old man, brabham, opening at kyalami with a strong win, surprising me, even though i was one of his biggest fans. monaco, with the drama with blackie and rindt at the end. exciting stuff this was. pedro's win at the last F1 race at the "real" spa, amon chasing to the end, waiting for the BRM to blow, yet having to settle for the fastest lap. the middle of the season, with the continued emergence of rindt, and another near miss for blackie. through germany and austria, with the ferraris of ickx and regazzoni beginning to gain form. heartbreak in italy, a champion lost, and a win for the tifosi by regazzoni. then off to north america, with ickx chasing a championship that was to remain rindt's, his performances early in the year having held him back, while blackie and the others fell off toward the end.

drama. excitment. surprise. heartbreak. history. competition. 1970 had it all.

[Manson]

I thought 83 was fantastic. Four drivers with a mathematical chance at the title going into the second last race and 3 at the last race. Piquet comes from quite a ways back to nip Prost by 2 points at the season finale in South Africa. Great racing.

[Don Capps]

Try reading this article...http://www.atlasf1.c.../goodchild.html... it might be of interest.

As for me -- 1982, 1961, 1968, 1964, 1958, 1959, 1967, 1974, 1949, and 1976 are the ones that pop into my first first....

Plus... http://www.atlasf1.c...san/mirror.html and http://www.atlasf1.c...hun/mirror.html

[Bernd]

I can't choose between

1965 - Because Jimmy Clark had the equipment to really show what he was made of.

1967 - For the sheer diversity.

[CLX]

Originally posted by Don Capps
Try reading this article...http://www.atlasf1.c.../goodchild.html... it might be of interest.

As for me -- 1982, 1961, 1968, 1964, 1958, 1959, 1967, 1974, 1949, and 1976 are the ones that pop into my first first....

Plus... http://www.atlasf1.c...san/mirror.html and http://www.atlasf1.c...hun/mirror.html

Okay, I'll give them a shot.

[bock16]

It'd be interesting to see how 2002 shapes up in that statistics table. Pretty near the bottom I'd say. Off the top of my head it would be ranked last in at least 3 categories.

[Vicuna]

1974 had almost everything

[Vilcornell]

1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976

action
drama
human being
dice

great tracks

[mikedeering]

1979 from what I have seen and read had everything.

Tracks, characters etc

Mostly importantly it had Gilles in a competitive car. How can you ignore Dijon, Zandvoort, Watkins Glen, Montreal etc?

Seasons I actually witnessed closely at the time - 1986 stands out as a fantastic year. A truly deserving WDC, some fantastic racing, still some decent tracks, a 3-way title fight in the last race...the only thing lacking was a competitive Ferrari!

[Gary Davies]

Originally posted by Bernd
I can't choose between

1965 - Because Jimmy Clark had the equipment to really show what he was made of.

1967 - For the sheer diversity.

Yes, following CLX's request that "it must be a season you have closely followed" I find it very easy to agree with Bernd about 1965 but ... whilst not really disagreeing with the assertion regarding the car with which ACBC equipped Clark that year, I've always felt that the relatively most competitive 1.5 litre F-1 car Lotus produced was not the 1965 version of the 33, but the 25 in its 1963 guise. In 1963 BRM campaigned the P57 which was really past its use by date and were struggling to get the semi-monocoque and, initially, tortionally flaccid P61 up to snuff, whilst Forghieri's worked-over 156s were not really the answer.

By 1965, however, Clark had some significantly more vigorous machinery ranged against him. Sure, the 32 valve Climax, when it stayed together, gave Lotus the shove they needed to contend with the latest BRM engine and Ferrari's and Honda's V-12s, but in the 1965 iteration of the P261, Bourne had a beautifully slippery car, with lots of tortional rigidity and fine handling, whilst the 158 and 1512 Ferraris were powerful and thoroughly competitive cars.

I was privileged to be at both Clermont-Ferrand and Silverstone in 1965. In France, Clark raced in an elderly 25 (R6) with the 16 valve engine and annihilated everyone (except perhaps Stewart), whilst in England, Clark's Lotus 33 was really not (IMHO) faster than the BRM or Surtees' 1512 yet he was, IIRC, some 30 seconds up the road from Hill before the 32 valve Climax started to destroy itself.

Clark always drove exquisitely, but if there were degrees of exquisiteness (!), perhaps 1965 was the year when he really showed what he was made of.

[deangelis86]

1983, 1985 and 1991 for me

[Don Capps]

By 1965, however, Clark had some significantly more vigorous machinery ranged against him. Sure, the 32 valve Climax, when it stayed together, gave Lotus the shove they needed to contend with the latest BRM engine and Ferrari's and Honda's V-12s, but in the 1965 iteration of the P261, Bourne had a beautifully slippery car, with lots of tortional rigidity and fine handling, whilst the 158 and 1512 Ferraris were powerful and thoroughly competitive cars.

I was privileged to be at both Clermont-Ferrand and Silverstone in 1965. In France, Clark raced in an elderly 25 (R6) with the 16 valve engine and annihilated everyone (except perhaps Stewart), whilst in England, Clark's Lotus 33 was really not (IMHO) faster than the BRM or Surtees' 1512 yet he was, IIRC, some 30 seconds up the road from Hill before the 32 valve Climax started to destroy itself.

Clark always drove exquisitely, but if there were degrees of exquisiteness (!), perhaps 1965 was the year when he really showed what he was made of.

This is an excellent example of a season which is transformed from the "blow-out" as is usually depicted at, say, Forix, once you actually take an in-depth look at the season. For me, it was a season which really & truly convinced me that of the Clark-Lotus combination, that the credit should be tilted far more in the direction of Clark than to Lotus and Colin Chapman. Prior to this I put at about even. During this season I began to get the sense that Clark often won despite of being in a Lotus. I often wonder about what would have happened had Tony Brooks stayed with BRM and Graham Hill returned to Lotus in 1962 along side Innes Ireland, Clark going to BRM and Tony Rudd.

Another season which gets more interesting upon closer inspection and reflection is 1977. Along with the last season that I actually followed "closely" -- 1984. Somewhere in 1985 or 1986, my primary interest and focus shifted away from what was then assuredly "F1" and not "Grand Prix" racing. CART, IMSA, and NASCAR were -- in my view -- infinitely more interesting.

Also, in a very contrary opinion to that shared by almost all, I feel no obligation that I "have to" like and support F1. I am not really qualified to comment very much on, say, the 1999 F1 season since I simply didn't "follow" it very closely. In fact, I have to strain my brain to even remember who was the WDC that season.... Much the same case with a few other seasons such as 1992....

[cheesy poofs]

Nothing beats the 1982 season.
What a roller coaster ride of emotions...

[fines]

For me, 1977 has always held a special place in my heart, not least for the fact that it was the first season that I followed in-depth (as opposed to sporadically) as a ten-year old! '78 was dull by comparison, '79 somewhat interesting, '80 okay and then '81 thrilling, although marred by politics. I was always longing for that feeling '77 provided for me, alas probably in vain for a variety of reasons (e.g. the loss of childish excitability!?). '82 again was thrilling if marred, '83 interesting to a degree, '84 a memorable year for a McLaren fan, etc. etc. Standouts? Maybe '86 and '88 (yes!), not much in later years... ah yes, lest I forget 1996! Damon Hill to the fore!!!! It was simply great to see that nice guys do sometimes win...

[Ferrari_F1_fan_2001]

I'm suprised that no-one has mentioned 1999. That season had it all, Quick but frail Mclarens, Eddie Irvine in contention for the championship, Ferrari's first constructors title since 83, Frentzen winning TWICE in the Jordan, Jordan 3rd in the constructors, Frentzen NEARLY winning the championship in the underdog Jordan, and stewFART winning their first GP , Minardi scoring their first point in 5 years!!! :D:D , have i missed something out?

oh yeah, and no SCHUMACHER! (plus him breaking his leg)

(have you noticed that 90% of the above things happened BECAUSE Schumacher wasnt driving for those 6 races?)


2000 was pretty good also, but not as good ad 1999 for the sheer drama of it.

[Bladrian]

The season closest to my heart will always be 1965 - there was a complete sense of 'rightness' about it. I watched Jimmy take pole position at Kyalami, then go on to lead every lap in the Lotus 33 and win convincingly. South Africa didn't have TV back then, but I made every effort to follow his progress in the newspapers and magazines of the day.
That year was Jimmy's greatest. He won the Tasman series in New Zealand, he won an endurance race in a Lotus Cortina, he won the Indianapolis race, he won at Spa in the rain, he won comfortably at the Nurburgring - he was majestic.

These days I feel the same about Michael Schumacher, but then - he is also majestic.

[David Beard]

My favourite was 1966...all those children's 1.5 litre cars were thrown away and a whole new field appeared displaying fascinating diversity.

[Jordi #99]

I have only closely followed F1 since 1993 (or when I was 8) and therefore I can only really talk about the 90s... For me, the best seasons have been:

1) 1997: Williams were not-so-dominant, and the tyre war brought teams and drivers like Panis, Hill and Jordan closer to the top. You rarely see an Arrows passing a Ferrari. And Jacques was champion!

2) 1999: McLaren did not dominate, Schumacher was not able to win the title, and therefore everything was more open. And you could see Frentzen battling for poles, so it was not a fluke really. And Stewarts were also mixing it up every now and then. In terms of spectacle, the French GP has to be the greatest one since Donington 93.

From what I've heard and read, any season with Gilles in it would be worth a lot of spectacle. I'd take 1979.

[CLX]

Originally posted by Don Capps
Try reading this article...http://www.atlasf1.c.../goodchild.html... it might be of interest.

Great great article, thanks for the link.

[De Cesaris]

From what I know about F1 seasons I think ... 1979, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1999 (?) ... were really good seasons and I really miss years like that !!!

[Haddock]

This is perhaps an eccentric choice, some people remember it as one of the most sour, unpleasant seasons F1 has ever known, but my favourite season was 1989.

Why ?

A good variety of genuinely different competitive cars - Williams, Benetton, McLaren and Ferrari carved up the wins between them, for sure, but remember how close Brundle got to putting a Brabham on the front row in Monaco. Or Stefan Johannson's surprise podium in Portugal in the pretty little Onyx (ok, the shape, not the colours). Pierluigi Martini leading between the pitstops in a Minardi at the same race. Olivier Grouilliard putting that awkward Ligier in places where it really didn't belong - like the fifth row of the grid at Imola, for instance. Or still more remarkable, Pierre-Henri Raphanel's superhuman feat putting a Coloni 17th on the grid in Monaco. Larini forcing a 7 -at-most cylinder Osella into third place at Canada (before it broke)....there seemed to be a lot of giant-killing performances that season.

Then there was the battle at the front. The surprise win for the Ferrari 640 at the first race of the season, when nobody expected it to last beyond the first five laps. Thierry Boutsen's victories in the wet at Canada and Australia, Nannini finally scooping Benetton's first win in Suzuka.

And at the front, the two greatest drivers of their age, in the best car. And a real soap-opera their story was. The falling-out at Imola. Senna's pace at Monaco, Prost taking the Brazilian by surprise at Paul Ricard by taking pole, the late-season title chase with the season's fastest driver, Senna desperately tring to claw back points from Mr Consistent, Alain Prost. Even the way it ended, which many regard as a low point in the sport's history, seemed in a way the only appropriate way for a battle of such intensity to end. You and I may know that in the grand scheme of things, F1 matters little, and the world championship less, but to me it adds to the spectacle, the intensity and the drama, if the drivers think otherwise

[Bernd]

Originally posted by Don Capps


This is an excellent example of a season which is transformed from the "blow-out" as is usually depicted at, say, Forix, once you actually take an in-depth look at the season. For me, it was a season which really & truly convinced me that of the Clark-Lotus combination, that the credit should be tilted far more in the direction of Clark than to Lotus and Colin Chapman. Prior to this I put at about even. During this season I began to get the sense that Clark often won despite of being in a Lotus. I often wonder about what would have happened had Tony Brooks stayed with BRM and Graham Hill returned to Lotus in 1962 along side Innes Ireland, Clark going to BRM and Tony Rudd.

Exactly why I chose it! Thank you Colonel you've put it much more succinctly than I could.
I've lost count of the amount of arguments I've had with people in regards to the P261 being a superior car to the 33. Few can believe it.

When I said the equipment to show what he was made of I meant in regards to reliability not superiority.

[ensign14]

For me, I suppose it would be 1986, except for the ending; I don't care what anyone says, Mansell deserved the title more than anyone that year. Best ending however was probably 1997.

From the past, 1976 would take some beating qua season.

[ian senior]

I would be tempted to go for 1970, but it was spoiled for me by the deaths of too many drivers I admired. So 1976 it is. Politics, intrigue and some VERY good racing.

[lustigson]

I've only been around for since 1990, so I don't have too much choice. The most exiting season was 1994. The greatest anti-climax for me as a tifoso was 1997, followed by 1998 and, in lesser extent, 1999. The best season was 2000 when I witnessed my first real-life Ferrari WDC.

[Bladrian]

Originally posted by lustigson
I've only been around for since 1990, so I don't have too much choice. The most exiting season was 1994. The greatest anti-climax for me as a tifoso was 1997, followed by 1998 and, in lesser extent, 1999. The best season was 2000 when I witnessed my first real-life Ferrari WDC.

We tifosi are living in salad days, friend. Twenty years from now there will be another question like this somewhere, and the youngsters then will envy you these years now ......

[lustigson]

Originally posted by Bladrian


We tifosi are living in salad days, friend. Twenty years from now there will be another question like this somewhere, and the youngsters then will envy you these years now ......

Absolutely right, mate. Then we would be the ones that were there during the Great Schumacher's days. Can't wait, actually.

[Briancecil]

My favorite season has to be 1964. Great drivers, taking the Championship decision to the last race of the season, beautiful cars with significant technical innovation, legendary courses too challenging to be raced on now -- 1964 had it all, and was, for me, the finest of all the Grand Prix seasons. In fact ... I'll go further and say it was the finest season for racing -- period. The Indy 500 that year had a magic air about it, until the end of the second lap, when the magic deserted the Speedway. Le Mans had the new Ford GT versus Ferrari. Shelby's Cobras were challenging Ferrari for the FIA GT Championship. A new generation of rear-engined V8 sports cars were racing in the States in the series that would become the Can-Am two years later. It was great to be a car-crazy/motorcycle crazy sixteen year old Southern California kid and have all this going on. I knew at the time that it was truly a Golden Age.

[Frank Grimes]

I liked 99 for all the above mentioned reasons (Frentzen/Jordan with a viable shot at WDC?!) and the fact that Schumacher came back as a spoiler/#2 driver (Malayasia).

[Jordi #99]

The people that in 20 years will be asking about Schumacher and Hakkinen and so on...

well, that's us, but changing the names to Gilles, Gilles, and Gilles. I wish I had witnessed him racing live!

[911]

1986, 1982, 1976, 1991

[F1master]

1. 1982
2. 1977

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by F1master
1. 1982
2. 1977

Of the seasons I've followed as they happened....


1977 - the last "simple" year really - conventional cars, great drivers, relatively little controversy, and a hugely talented field.
1986-7 - again, a field that had a lot of strength in depth - and the Lotus/Williams battles with Ferrari and Benetton also there or thereabouts were superb.
1989 - just for the stories and the diversity.
1993 - Senna cast as the underdog in that gorgeous but underpowered MP4/8 while Prost made a title look so easy...

Of the seasons I wish I'd been around/old enough to follow in detail....

I would love to have seen the 750kg years - I guess '37 would count as the most interesting - Rosemeyer at his peak
'57 - probably the peak of the 2.5l years with all the greats in the great cars.
'61 - Moss at his finest?
'63-4 - BRM vs Ferrari vs Lotus, another classic era.
'67-9 - DFV heaven....
'73 - Peterson/Fititpaldi vs Stewart/Cevert -- seeing bits of this season as a kid sparked my interest in F1

[lustigson]

Originally posted by Don Capps
Try reading this article...http://www.atlasf1.c.../goodchild.html... it might be of interest.

It is fun to notice that everyone here -- myself included -- calls a season 'the best' for mostly emotional reasons. I read the article and it showed that seasons that seemed good were not always that good if you compare them rationally to others. Nice read, indeed.

[HBoss]

How would the 2003 season fit in the table created at http://www.atlasf1.c.../goodchild.html ?
Would it be in the top 5?

And would the 2002 season be the last?

[Don Capps]

Originally posted by Briancecil
My favorite season has to be 1964. Great drivers, taking the Championship decision to the last race of the season, beautiful cars with significant technical innovation, legendary courses too challenging to be raced on now -- 1964 had it all, and was, for me, the finest of all the Grand Prix seasons. In fact ... I'll go further and say it was the finest season for racing -- period. The Indy 500 that year had a magic air about it, until the end of the second lap, when the magic deserted the Speedway. Le Mans had the new Ford GT versus Ferrari. Shelby's Cobras were challenging Ferrari for the FIA GT Championship. A new generation of rear-engined V8 sports cars were racing in the States in the series that would become the Can-Am two years later. It was great to be a car-crazy/motorcycle crazy sixteen year old Southern California kid and have all this going on. I knew at the time that it was truly a Golden Age.

Funny you should mention this season.....