What's the greatest and/or most memorable Formula One season to date?

[Strittan]

What is, in your opinion, the greatest Formula One season to this date?

Discuss and feel free to share pics of your favorite cars, drivers and what not.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

2003, Michael vs the young guns all season, Alonso's first win, Kimi's first win, my first season watching F1, does it get any better?

 

[Tom]

1998 for me. I loved the dominance of the McLaren and the retaliation from Ferrari. Thrilling races, it was the first Duke Season Review video I owned. Still watch it to this day.

 

[Lizard]

07 for me.

Hamiltons first year and some great races such as fuji. Or 08.

 

[Strittan]

I picked 1988. Senna's first championship victory, last year for the turbos and total dominance by McLaren (winning the constructors championship with 199 points to Ferrari's 65.)

 

[Hun200kmh]

1984. Half-a-point.

 

[Earth]

1998. A great year for motorsports in general.

My first full season following Formula 1. I remember Hakkinen and Schumacher's battle at Brazil, with Hakkinen running the fastest lap of the race on the final lap to show McLaren's dominance.

The pileup at Spa, with Hill colliding with a dominating Schumacher later in the race.

Of course the championship came down to the final race, with Schumacher breaking down, just like 2006, giving the championship to Hakkinen.

Its interesting that with a little bit different circumstances, Schumacher could have had 10 or more championships.

 

[Prince.M5]

I picked 2008. A couple of good races such like the wet Monaco GP, controversial Singapore GP, surprising Japan GP bizzare Canadian GP and crazy Brazilian GP although the season itself in terms of overtakings on the track is pretty dull.

To some highlight of the season, we witnessed the rise and fall of BMW. Kubica's first win. Controversial pit lane incident in Canada. Very, very controversial Piquet crash in Singapore and of course, the crazy end to the Brazilian GP with Massa losing to Hamilton by only one point.

That was also the last year of what I'd call the 'Good Lookin' car' on the whole season. Until 2009 started to ruin it.

 

[Ardius]

The pileup at Spa, with Hill colliding with a dominating Schumacher later in the race.

I think you're mixing up 1995 and 1998 there, although Hill didn't collide with him in either race at Spa. Coulthard caused the pile-up and collided with Schumacher...which then allowed Hill to win in 1998 from "3rd best" Ralf.

This is a very difficult question for me to answer but I think since the earliest season I can remember in full (1996) the one that kept me interested almost every race weekend was 2010. 2009 was great to watch as a JB and Rubens fan but the racing wasn't the greatest all year.
2008 and 2007 are close, 2011 wasn't too bad. 2000-2006 generally was pretty lacklustre with too many boring weekends at Catalunya and co.

1999 was a pretty fun year, it had it all - shame Frentzen didn't win because it would have been perfect.

I find it difficult to really judge seasons before my time as I have little to relate to, watching them back now I can certainly judge which ones were exciting in sporting terms but I feel that I don't really appreciate any of the build-up or drama properly as it would have been live. Half the excitement I get watching seasons myself live is that build-up and the general feeling and opinions. Looking back on seasons with no reference to what people were thinking and how things were percieved feels like I'm missing something to really enjoy it.

 

[Earth]

I think you're mixing up 1995 and 1998 there, although Hill didn't collide with him in either race at Spa. Coulthard caused the pile-up and collided with Schumacher...which then allowed Hill to win in 1998 from "3rd best" Ralf.

Well, that explains why I thought the collision was with Hill, he won the race. I do remember Schumacher getting very angry and confronting Coulthard in the pits.

Schumacher was so far out in front I wondered if he could still win the race with 3 tires. But I'm sure he would have been black flagged at some point.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

2010. You know it's been a closely-fought season when the World Champion doesn't actually lead the World Championship until his title rivals finish the final race.

 

[TheBigMan045]

1990: Mainly because of the rivaliry between Senna and Prost, not to mention the first year that they were in different cars, the emergence of Benetton and Nannini, the upset of the French grand prix in which a team that didn't qualify for the previous race finished 2nd (Ivan Capelli and Leyton House) not to mention the other talent that was on show Berger, Mansell, Patrese, Boutson, Piquet....good times

 

[Tired Tyres]

1986. Three drivers going for the title in a long tough race on a really good street track Adelaide.

 

[daan]

I'm going to go that wee bit further back and chose 1982.

Driver's strike, tragedy of Villeneuve & then Pironi's accident, 11 different winners in 16 races, and the champion only winning one race. It literally had everything.

 

[PeterJB]

1982 springs to mind, but since I only started watching in 2007, I chose 2008.

 

[Lizard]

Schumacher was so far out in front I wondered if he could still win the race with 3 tires. But I'm sure he would have been black flagged at some point.

Can't remember year but Vettel tried that under the safety car with 3 laps to go.

 

[Hun200kmh]

1982 is the year I want to forget. The tragedies of Villeneuve and young Paletti, the premature career ending for Pironi. Taking nothing away from Rosberg, he did admirable drives in that Williams, but it's a black year for me.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

Can't remember year but Vettel tried that under the safety car with 3 laps to go.

2009 Australian GP, he crashed from 2nd with Kubica, they both had damaged front wings and hit the wall in turn 5 and did even more damage.

 

[joetoml1n]

2010. You know it's been a closely-fought season when the World Champion doesn't actually lead the World Championship until his title rivals finish the final race.

Exactly the same as my views

 

[Strittan]

Three of the all time greats at the South African GP in 1993.

 

[TopGearFTW]

I've only watched the sport since 1997 or so, so I can't really comment on anything before that, but I voted for 2008.
2010 was definitely more exciting on a race by race basis, but 2008 will stick with me for longer, simply because nothing tops the joy I felt when Hamilton passed Glock on the last corner of the season to take the championship and end the 12 year drought of British World Champions, especially after the near miss of 2007.

 

[Sam48]

2008 was my favorite year. With the FIA on Ferrari's side and everything working against Hamilton that year, it was only fitting that he showed them how it's done. I especially enjoyed Spa that year. Watching Hamilton and Raikkonen trade places multiple times in the final laps as it began to rain was unbelievable. Cars seemed to be spinning off everywhere as Raikkonen and Hamilton duked it out on dry tires in the wet conditions. In fact, both Hamilton and Raikkonen went off course twice yet still stayed within a short distance of each other.

EDIT: Ah, here it is. It's the best I could find given the FIA restricts this sort of thing.

 

[Liquid]

1999.

Jordan Grand Prix, Stewart Grand Prix and Eddie Irvine all reaching their peak with some great races such as the Canadian, French, Austrian, European and Italian Grands Prix.

All ultimately topped off by Mika Hakkinen recovering from disasters at Imola, A1-Ring and Monza to win his second title by just three points.

And let's not forget the stunning liveries on offer that year. The SF-3, M01, AP02, C18 and A20. Top stuff.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

2008 was my favorite year. With the FIA on Ferrari's side and everything working against Hamilton that year, it was only fitting that he showed them how it's done.

Aside from Hamilton stealing fifth from Glock at the last corner in Interlagos, I can't really remember much of what happened in 2008.

 

[AMCNUT]

Of all the seasons I was actually old enough to remember, I would say 1999. That when I really started following F1 - The McLaren/Ferrari battle was in full swing, Jordan was as good as it was ever going to get (I have a thing for underdogs), and Eddie Irvine came this close to winning it all. That was enough to get me really interested. And the cars were colourful, which was awesome for a kid!

 

[Furinkazen]

2003's epic title battle.

 

[Bye Ya]

2008 and 2010

 

[TomBrady]

1990

Senna getting justified revenge on Prost and Bellestre while winning the WDC was about as satisfying as it gets in F1, for me at least.

 

[Liquid]

2008 and 2010

Along with prisonermonkey's post above, what happened in 2008 apart from Hamilton snatching it at the final corner?

I still maintain that 1999 was an excellent year, but 2000 and 2003 were also good, and thanks to videos, I can say that 1982 was also fantastic. 11 different race winners!

 

[TopGearFTW]

Along with prisonermonkey's post above, what happened in 2008 apart from Hamilton snatching it at the final corner?

Vettel's first win and the "crashgate" scandal, off the top of my head. Also Kubica winning at Montreal one year after that massive accident.