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

[Liquid]

Kubica winning was sentimentally good but the race itself was a bit... grey, for me. Hamilton crashing in the pit lane was farcical. Italy was a great race though, I'll give you that. Crashgate didn't come to light until later. At the time it was just an incident and nothing to get too excited about.

I remember the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix as being the point BMW and Kubica reached their zenith, leading the driver's title. But it slipped away from that point on. Wasn't it because BMW wanted to focus on their (eventually dreadful) 2009 car, or have I conjured that up from nowhere?

 

[roamer2629]

As an Argentinian, Fangio's epic comeback for the championship at Nurgburgring in 1957 coming from behind after his mechanics froze at pits is my choice. Some say it might be the best race of all time...and he was an old men compared to his rivals.
But of course if we are judging by what we have seen personally, any of the Senna-Prost McLaren years were great. Two great drivers of completely different styles who hate each other battling on the track. Oh yes.

 

[TopGearFTW]

I remember the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix as being the point BMW and Kubica reached their zenith, leading the driver's title. But it slipped away from that point on. Wasn't it because BMW wanted to focus on their (eventually dreadful) 2009 car, or have I conjured that up from nowhere?

After reading up on it, it seems as though they dropped the 2008 car straight after Canada to get ahead with the regulation changes that were coming in 2009. Kubica thought this was stupid as they could've stood a chance at winning at least one title (and looking back over the final standings, I never realised until now how close Robert did actually come, he was only ruled out one race from the end)

 

[Liquid]

Dropping development when your driver suddenly becomes the leader of the driver's title isn't the smartest thing I've ever heard.

Kubica was mathemtically in with a chance until the penultimate round? That's astonishing because he had just 3 more podiums after that and those were his only top 5 finishes.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Dropping development when your driver suddenly becomes the leader of the driver's title isn't the smartest thing I've ever heard.

Strategically it made sense, the goal for the year was for the BMW Sauber F1 team to win a race, and in Canada they managed a 1-2. Knowing that their closest rivals (Ferrari and McLaren) would have to spend all their resources developing their cars up until the end of the season, in the face of massive rule changes for the following year they opted to get the jump on them by ditching the F1.08 development, and work on the F1.09. The theory was sound, both Ferrari and McLaren lost out majorly in 2009, unfortunatley for BMW - despite the extra development time - the F1.09 was a lemon. If they'd built a decent car (with a double diffuser), it would have looked like smart move.

I did enjoy 2008, for the chance to cheer my team (BMW obviously) on with the hope of decent results for the first time since 2003! The last corner of Brazil '08 is probably a stand out moment since I've been watching F1 (~1999), as I'd never been stood on the coffee table shouting and cheering at the screen before... only to have hopes dashed seconds later, I almost cried for Massa when Hamilton fluked his way into 5th for the title.

I'd probably have to vote for 1983 also. I never watched it, but BMW Power FTW!

 

[Liquid]

Who voted for 1957?

Fangio's final victory at the Nuerburgring was astonishing, but having not watched the races I find it difficult to judge.

 

[TopGearFTW]

Who voted for 1957?

Fangio's final victory at the Nuerburgring was astonishing, but having not watched the races I find it difficult to judge.

I'm guessing the guy above my last post talking about how brilliant Nurburgring 1957 was

 

[Liquid]

God damn, I need stronger glasses...

 

[roamer2629]

Who voted for 1957?

Fangio's final victory at the Nuerburgring was astonishing, but having not watched the races I find it difficult to judge.

I did. But I also mentioned not watching the races of course...

 

[OK8]

2012... hopefully

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

My most memorable is 2005. That was when I started watching F1. I remember hearing about how dominant Schumacher is. I see the first few races and Schumacher's Ferrari is not so great anymore. The battles between the speed of McLaren and reliability of Renault were interesting. Alonso's defense at San Marino was pretty tense. I would say a pretty good time to get into F1, except for the USGP.

That said each season since 2005 has gotten tighter and more interesting, except 2011. That one was a dud. Though I think I prefer the tracks used in 2005.

edit: Forgot about 2009. That one was also a dud.

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

I got into Formula 1 in 2010, about 3 races before the end of the season.
I hated Formula 1 2011 because it was so nasty with Vettel absolutely dominating everyone.. it got REALLY boring for me because there was never any action

so I have to say, my favorite year, as sad as this sounds, is this year. I'm LOVING F1 2012 so far. So much action and drama with Ferrari and not to mention, my favorite driver kimi raikkonen is back!

 

[disinfected]

2004, amazing performances. Need I say more? As a Ferrari fan, that is.

 

[Northstar]

2010 (accidentally put 2009 though), because it's the first season I watched F1, it helped that it was a close one that went down to the last race championship wise.

 

[IceMan PJN]

Sadly, I fear that the earlier seasons will get fewer votes, not because they were more boring but because the farther we look back the fewer of us that can look back that far. Some of the seasons from several decades back might have been amazing but most of us weren't there to witness them. Catching snippets in online videos or season highlight reels just isn't the same as having been there and watched them unfold day-by-day in detail.

I never started watching until 2008, so I can only go back that far, but I went with 2008 because of how exciting it ended for me and the fantastic race at Spa (that got ruined by the stewards afterward by robbing Hamilton of a much-deserved win, even though he complied with the rules as written at the time). 2010 was also very interesting.

 

[JohneyPixel]

I would love to be able to watch the earlier seasons, particulary late 80s, 90's and 2000... I have hazy memories about seeing the F1 on tv sometime around 2000.

However, i voted for 2003, I remember being disappointed at the end of the season as a Kimi's fan, Especially when kimi retired on Hockenheim (i think it was 2003) and the commentators said it was due to badly fastened nut in the engine or something. Have had a bit more luck, kimi could have been champion that year

 

[Smart_Roadster]

2009 - sudden domination by the remains of what was BAR Honda.

 

[Seismica]

Probably 2010, mainly because of the fact is was a fight between 3 teams all the way through the championship. At the halfway point in the season, the winner was very difficult to predict; Vettel hadn't led the championship and his car was woefully unreliable albeit dominance in terms of pace.

It was certainly the best season in my opinion of the modern era (By which I mean the last 16-17 years,anything before then was a little before my time as I was only a toddler).