Best Grand Prix of all time - Page 2

coppice · 15 Feb 2021, 07:40 (Ref:4035179)

Italian GP 1971 - why would anyone think differently ? First five finishers placed just over half a second apart , winner 0.1 ahead of second place, a debut winner and one of the most charismatic circuits ever used. Unlike - Jesus- Bahrain ....

**chunterer** · 15 Feb 2021, 07:45 (Ref:4035182)

Most people will pick races that they saw in their lifetime I guess?

The old Monza years were great 1969 and 71 are legendary without question.

morninggents · 15 Feb 2021, 09:10 (Ref:4035195)

Quote:

Originally Posted by coppice

Italian GP 1971 - why would anyone think differently ? First five finishers placed just over half a second apart , winner 0.1 ahead of second place, a debut winner and one of the most charismatic circuits ever used. Unlike - Jesus- Bahrain ....

I would have to go with this one too. The lead pack for most of the race numbered 6 cars with the lead changing hands several times per lap. The winner, Peter Gethin, led over the line only on the last lap, I think, and never led for a whole lap.

wolfhound · 15 Feb 2021, 10:07 (Ref:4035208)

How about 1975 Dutch GP when Hunt held off Lauda for many laps.

Plantagenet · 15 Feb 2021, 10:41 (Ref:4035211)

Spa 98 for me. Awesome circuit in awful weather and lots of plots lines - first Jordan win, horrific first-lap pile-up, Jordan team orders and 'that' contra-temps with Schumacher and Coulthard.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 15 Feb 2021, 20:01 (Ref:4035319)

1976 British GP, Brands Hatch. It pretty much had everything you could want in a race. A popular win, with the event itself steeped in controversy and drama, resulting in the subsequent disqualification of race winner, James Hunt. Prior to the British GP, Hunt had been recently reinstated as winner of the Spanish GP, after his initial disqualification from that race. You couldn't make it up.

Greem · 15 Feb 2021, 21:16 (Ref:4035333)

1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix. The best race ever on the best circuit ever.

Or did I dream that?

I know Alboreto won, though. And it was his first win, which I assume was special.

Skam85 · 16 Feb 2021, 00:52 (Ref:4035357)

Nurburgring 99. Brazil 2003.

coppice · 16 Feb 2021, 08:25 (Ref:4035379)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

1976 British GP, Brands Hatch. It pretty much had everything you could want in a race. A popular win, with the event itself steeped in controversy and drama, resulting in the subsequent disqualification of race winner, James Hunt. Prior to the British GP, Hunt had been recently reinstated as winner of the Spanish GP, after his initial disqualification from that race. You couldn't make it up.

I know the race has gone into legend , but it was unforgettable for some of the wrong reasons. I don't like mobs , but in the middle of the feverish crowd at Clearways baying for Hunt , it felt like being part of one, and the whole day, even at 8am , had felt a spit away from a riot. I guess the whole country had already gone slightly mad anyway in that baking summer .

I am maybe in the minority - I don't really care who wins , abhor the more xenophobic elements of fandom (Silverstone 92 ) and just want a good race.

**chunterer** · 16 Feb 2021, 09:09 (Ref:4035383)

Quote:

Originally Posted by coppice

I know the race has gone into legend , but it was unforgettable for some of the wrong reasons. I don't like mobs , but in the middle of the feverish crowd at Clearways baying for Hunt , it felt like being part of one, and the whole day, even at 8am , had felt a spit away from a riot. I guess the whole country had already gone slightly mad anyway in that baking summer .

I am maybe in the minority - I don't really care who wins , abhor the more xenophobic elements of fandom (Silverstone 92 ) and just want a good race.

Amen to that. Crowd invasions of anykind are disgraceful!

Silverstone was lucky not to lose the GP after that 'Mansell Mania'.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 16 Feb 2021, 15:01 (Ref:4035444)

Quote:

Originally Posted by coppice

I know the race has gone into legend , but it was unforgettable for some of the wrong reasons. I don't like mobs , but in the middle of the feverish crowd at Clearways baying for Hunt , it felt like being part of one, and the whole day, even at 8am , had felt a spit away from a riot. I guess the whole country had already gone slightly mad anyway in that baking summer .

I am maybe in the minority - I don't really care who wins , abhor the more xenophobic elements of fandom (Silverstone 92 ) and just want a good race.

I wouldn't say it was a spit away from a riot and I don't think xenophobia entered into it. However, there was a fair amount of nationalism on display, partly because it was the British GP and partly because of Hunt's recent reinstatement as winner of the Spanish GP. So when it was ruled, drivers had to have completed the first lap of the first race, in order to take part in the restart, there was a lot of annoyance from the crowd, with the finger being pointed at Ferrari, who had been instrumental in Hunt's disqualification from the Spanish GP.

chavez · 18 Feb 2021, 09:07 (Ref:4035659)

Japan 1994.

With overtaking so difficult due to aero turbulence, a two part race with one driver having to pass the other on the timesheets but not the track made for exciting viewing.

codename_47 · 21 Feb 2021, 17:05 (Ref:4036205)

Brazil 2003 is quite an underrated one I fear (though it has picked up a nod or two in this thread already, natch)

It seemed to have conditions that suited every car at different times in the race. First the Michelin wets to the fore, then the Bridgestone intermediates, then it was pretty much dry but with that river over turn 3, no-one was going to risk that.

Ahhh the turn 3 river, the great randomiser. Somehow Micheal Schumacher managed to drop it under double waved yellows, nearly creaming into a tractor and a team of marshals rescuing the spate of cars already in the barrier, and yet somehow recieved no penalty.
The era of Ferrari being able to do no wrong in the FIAs eyes, of course.

Then aside from that you had a time when the fastest car on track was Mark Webber in a Jaguar. Then it was Rubens in the sole remaining Ferrari, but what's this? They surely hadn't forgot his fuel numbers had they? (Ferrari came up with some reason for his retirement but to this day no-one is 100% sure)

And out of nowhere comes a Jordan to win the race......only, not quite.
He had the temeritary to take the lead from an understeering Raikkonen only 2 laps before the eventual red flag. Or was it 1 lap? 2? 1? Erm, well we haven't got the time to work it out, we've already delayed Coronation street bar far too long, you know.

Mark Webber Destroys his Jaguar on the start finish straight (well, the curved bit, in the wet that's far from flat out) then Alonso thinks he can do a better job and pummels his car into the tyre barrier and adjacent wall at almost flat out speed.
Don't worry Fernando, the stewards aren't in the mood to penalise people ignoring yellow flags today, what kind of precedent would that set?
You have a lie down on a hospital bed and we'll keep your 3rd place trophy for you.

So with Fernando in the ambulance and Kimi and Fishy on the wrong step, we have the most incorrect podium in Formula 1 history.
That's enough drama for today. That's usually more than an entire F1 season to be honest.
But what's this as a sting in the tail? Oh of course, Fishy's car is burning down in parc ferme. Of course it is, the only place you could probably have a fire on such a wet day, it has a roof over it.
Oh well, good luck inspecting the remnants of those ashes for the legality checks, stewards!

What a day.

2 litre Touring Car Star · 24 Feb 2021, 10:37 (Ref:4036596)

off the top of my head, 2000 French GP.

F1 has been neutered in since 1994 with the introduction of mandatory stop. If nothing else, they ruin the challenge of passing another car with a trailing driver ins a heavier car not having to bother til going for it til the lead car pits.

2000 French GP is one where we got a serious battle for the lead that was not affected by mandatory stop or conditions. A type of tension you typically see in motogp races.

codename_47 · 24 Feb 2021, 23:20 (Ref:4036843)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2 litre Touring Car Star

off the top of my head, 2000 French GP.

F1 has been neutered in since 1994 with the introduction of mandatory stop. If nothing else, they ruin the challenge of passing another car with a trailing driver ins a heavier car not having to bother til going for it til the lead car pits.

2000 French GP is one where we got a serious battle for the lead that was not affected by mandatory stop or conditions. A type of tension you typically see in motogp races.

2014 Bahrain was like this too, considering the pit stops were fairly equal (if not the strategy with softer tyres slightly balanced in Nico's favour meaning Lewis holding him off was even more impressive) and not a factor in the result, just a straight out scrap between Team mates for the win, overtaking and defending lap after lap

And it wasn't just the top two either, every position was fought for that day. One of the rare instances where you wish F1 could work out the circumstances of what made that race so good and bottle it up for use in the future, somehow