F1Brits_90
World Champion
So here we go, after 21 rounds, 9 months, 1238 laps & 2 drivers with an iconic rivalry contesting 1 of the all time great F1 seasons. it all comes down to this race in Abu Dhabi. the 1st title decider featuring separate teams for 9 years when Vettel & Alonso fought it out in interlagos. more on that later. but i will start with the good news that the title decider will be free to air in both the Rivals home country as in UK Sky Sports have shared the rights with Channel 4 to show the biggest F1 race for 13 years & may even get close to the record peak 8m that watched in 2008. & Ziggo TV in Netherlands have opened their service free to air to show arguably the biggest day in Dutch Sport since 2010 world cup final
sunday's race time will tell whether the race will live up to the billing & where it will fit in pantheon of title deciders we have seen down the years in the 71yr history of this sport. it will be interesting to see how the pressure affects the 2 drivers because every sportsman is affect its how well they hide it. we all hope this is settled on track & not in huge controversial moment. you hear of mental toll it takes from numerous sportsman, Murray said serving for wimbledon it miracle he could serve as his hand was shaking so much. footballers who in penalty shootouts have talked about the goal shrinking in front of them. or snooker players like the most famous match in its history 1985 black ball final. where the easiest shots were missed.
1958 - the finale was between Hawthorn & Moss in Morocco. with the dropped points system where Moss had to win & hope hawthorn didnt come 2nd. Moss won but lost out on the title due to a combination of a 1 greatest bits of sportsmanship at Portuguese GP where Hawthorn was DSQ, but Hill went to the stewards to defend him & got it reversed, the Team Orders as Phil Hill let his teammate through with 14 laps to go in the finale
1974 - the last time both title rivals went into the Final round dead level, as Fittipaldi & Regazzoni fought it out in Watkins Glen, but despite them starting 8th & 9th Regazzoni car let him down as defective damper made him struggle with handiing he finish 11th 4 laps down, leaving Fittipaldi free to finish 4th winning the world title
1976 - Arguably the most Famous Rivalry, immortalised in film & the 1 that transform F1 into the sport it is today because it was never televised before fuji & as the story goes the only reason why the race in atrocious conditions went ahead was because Bernie had sold the rights & cancellation. meant no money from the TV or circuit promoter. Lauda drove straight into the pits after the start still recoving from the injures that nearly killed him & was a miracle he was still alive, stating "My life means more to me than the championship" & Hunt determined to win the F1 title drove on, managed to get 3rd to take the title. F1 would never be the same again
1984 - the Great rivalry between the Young Prost & Lauda who had come out of retirement trying to win a 3rd world title at 35. 7yrs after his 2nd. he came in with a 3.5pt advantage but Prost qualified 2nd & Lauda was 11th. but he cut his way through the field & on lap 52 Mansell brake failure put him into 2nd. giving him the title by half a point
1986 - 3 drivers Mansell 70 Prost 64 & Piquet 63 with a chance but it was going so well Mansell had pole but dropped to 4th by the 1st lap with 25 laps to go, all 3 were 2nd, 3rd & 4th. but with 18 laps to go millions of british hearts sank at 3am, left rear tyre exploded on the Brabham Straight, Murray said the immortal line "colossally thats Mansell" Piquet was brought in as a precaution & Prost stayed out winning not only the race but the world championship
1994 - Adelaide a Race that nearly 30yrs later that can start arguments because of memorable season for all the wrong reasons with that began with Benetton Traction control allegations, Senna & Ratsenberger tragic accidents, the Black flag at Silverstone & Schumacher banned for 3 races. but so we came into adelaide with Schumacher with a 1pt lead. on Lap 36 everything changed Schumacher hit the wall & allegedly braking his suspension, Hill came around unknownly impulsively tried to overtake, but both drivers collided & retired. giving schumacher his 1st world title that is still controversial
1997 - Schumacher like adelaide came into this with a 1pt lead over his williams rival this time Jacques Villenueve. both started on the front row. Schumacher took the lead, with villenueve 2nd & held like that until lap 48. when at turn 6, Villenueve went down the inside line of schumacher & the both collided, damaging Villeneuve battery & schumacher suspension leaving him in the gravel. Martin Brundle saw that Schumacher's move had been deliberate, saying, "That didn't work Michael. You hit the wrong part of him, my friend" Villenueve pace suffered but in the lead & he only needed 5th, in the last 23 laps he managed to hold letting the mclarens through. in the aftermath Villenueve won the title & Schumacher was thrown out
1998 - A 3rd title decider featuring Schumacher but this time it was Mika Hakkinen & McLaren. 1 of the iconic rivalries but for the 1st time schumacher arrived behind not only on points but on wins. needing to win & hope hakkinen came 3rd or lower. it all went as he stalled from pole, leaving the door wide open for Hakkinen to take his 1st title
2008 - for me the greatest finish to an F1 season there has been, Hamilton lead going into it with 7pt lead but the scars very much there from 2007 & going into the lions den. it didnt start well massa on pole & Hamilton started 4th but for most of the race he was harassed by Vettel & then the rain fell on lap 63. throwing it all into the mix with 5 laps to go Hamilton pitted for intermediates, with 2 laps to go Hamilton went wide handing vettel the all important 5th place, & he couldnt find a way past & it looked like all was lost, & 2007 would repeat all over again until the most dramatic of ending
ALLEN: [Massa] has done everything he needed to do and we wait now to find out who will be the World Champion of 2008. Can Hamilton do anything? Can he run it up the inside of Vettel? Only a few corners to go now, and desperation starts to creep into Lewis Hamilton.
BRUNDLE: Räikkönen's third and... is that Glock? Is that Glock going slowly? It is! That's Glock!
2012 - the final finale between 2 different teams, Vettel in the Red Bull & Alonso in the Ferrari, a miracle with the car difference in pace it had gotten to a finale. but many people call this the best race of 2010s rain at the start. as we so much action it was Wet & Dry all race through was arguably the 1 that got away as hulkenberg really should have won his 1st race. Vettel started 4th dropped to 7th & then was spun around at turn 4. dropped to the back & has severe damage to his radator. cold conditions helped him get up to 5th by lap 23 behind alonso in 4th. but as it dried vettel got slower as the car overheated Alonso moved to 2nd as Hamilton & Hulkenberg collided. which effort was in vain as Vettel had managed to limp his car into 7th needed. then just before the safety car that finished the race Schumacher in final race let his countryman into 6th. to cement his place & he won by 3pts
but the final word has to go to Kimi Raikkonen, a sad day for me because as much as it time & a likely overdue at 42 when Kimi contests his final race, he will be 5th oldest F1 driver in the televised history of F1. but at his best he was a match for anyone some outstanding drives, a brilliant character during a time when F1 drivers were micro managed became dull & boring , true 1 off & many will miss his honesty over the radio & in interviews
sunday's race time will tell whether the race will live up to the billing & where it will fit in pantheon of title deciders we have seen down the years in the 71yr history of this sport. it will be interesting to see how the pressure affects the 2 drivers because every sportsman is affect its how well they hide it. we all hope this is settled on track & not in huge controversial moment. you hear of mental toll it takes from numerous sportsman, Murray said serving for wimbledon it miracle he could serve as his hand was shaking so much. footballers who in penalty shootouts have talked about the goal shrinking in front of them. or snooker players like the most famous match in its history 1985 black ball final. where the easiest shots were missed.
1958 - the finale was between Hawthorn & Moss in Morocco. with the dropped points system where Moss had to win & hope hawthorn didnt come 2nd. Moss won but lost out on the title due to a combination of a 1 greatest bits of sportsmanship at Portuguese GP where Hawthorn was DSQ, but Hill went to the stewards to defend him & got it reversed, the Team Orders as Phil Hill let his teammate through with 14 laps to go in the finale
1974 - the last time both title rivals went into the Final round dead level, as Fittipaldi & Regazzoni fought it out in Watkins Glen, but despite them starting 8th & 9th Regazzoni car let him down as defective damper made him struggle with handiing he finish 11th 4 laps down, leaving Fittipaldi free to finish 4th winning the world title
1976 - Arguably the most Famous Rivalry, immortalised in film & the 1 that transform F1 into the sport it is today because it was never televised before fuji & as the story goes the only reason why the race in atrocious conditions went ahead was because Bernie had sold the rights & cancellation. meant no money from the TV or circuit promoter. Lauda drove straight into the pits after the start still recoving from the injures that nearly killed him & was a miracle he was still alive, stating "My life means more to me than the championship" & Hunt determined to win the F1 title drove on, managed to get 3rd to take the title. F1 would never be the same again
1984 - the Great rivalry between the Young Prost & Lauda who had come out of retirement trying to win a 3rd world title at 35. 7yrs after his 2nd. he came in with a 3.5pt advantage but Prost qualified 2nd & Lauda was 11th. but he cut his way through the field & on lap 52 Mansell brake failure put him into 2nd. giving him the title by half a point
1986 - 3 drivers Mansell 70 Prost 64 & Piquet 63 with a chance but it was going so well Mansell had pole but dropped to 4th by the 1st lap with 25 laps to go, all 3 were 2nd, 3rd & 4th. but with 18 laps to go millions of british hearts sank at 3am, left rear tyre exploded on the Brabham Straight, Murray said the immortal line "colossally thats Mansell" Piquet was brought in as a precaution & Prost stayed out winning not only the race but the world championship
1994 - Adelaide a Race that nearly 30yrs later that can start arguments because of memorable season for all the wrong reasons with that began with Benetton Traction control allegations, Senna & Ratsenberger tragic accidents, the Black flag at Silverstone & Schumacher banned for 3 races. but so we came into adelaide with Schumacher with a 1pt lead. on Lap 36 everything changed Schumacher hit the wall & allegedly braking his suspension, Hill came around unknownly impulsively tried to overtake, but both drivers collided & retired. giving schumacher his 1st world title that is still controversial
1997 - Schumacher like adelaide came into this with a 1pt lead over his williams rival this time Jacques Villenueve. both started on the front row. Schumacher took the lead, with villenueve 2nd & held like that until lap 48. when at turn 6, Villenueve went down the inside line of schumacher & the both collided, damaging Villeneuve battery & schumacher suspension leaving him in the gravel. Martin Brundle saw that Schumacher's move had been deliberate, saying, "That didn't work Michael. You hit the wrong part of him, my friend" Villenueve pace suffered but in the lead & he only needed 5th, in the last 23 laps he managed to hold letting the mclarens through. in the aftermath Villenueve won the title & Schumacher was thrown out
1998 - A 3rd title decider featuring Schumacher but this time it was Mika Hakkinen & McLaren. 1 of the iconic rivalries but for the 1st time schumacher arrived behind not only on points but on wins. needing to win & hope hakkinen came 3rd or lower. it all went as he stalled from pole, leaving the door wide open for Hakkinen to take his 1st title
2008 - for me the greatest finish to an F1 season there has been, Hamilton lead going into it with 7pt lead but the scars very much there from 2007 & going into the lions den. it didnt start well massa on pole & Hamilton started 4th but for most of the race he was harassed by Vettel & then the rain fell on lap 63. throwing it all into the mix with 5 laps to go Hamilton pitted for intermediates, with 2 laps to go Hamilton went wide handing vettel the all important 5th place, & he couldnt find a way past & it looked like all was lost, & 2007 would repeat all over again until the most dramatic of ending
ALLEN: [Massa] has done everything he needed to do and we wait now to find out who will be the World Champion of 2008. Can Hamilton do anything? Can he run it up the inside of Vettel? Only a few corners to go now, and desperation starts to creep into Lewis Hamilton.
BRUNDLE: Räikkönen's third and... is that Glock? Is that Glock going slowly? It is! That's Glock!
2012 - the final finale between 2 different teams, Vettel in the Red Bull & Alonso in the Ferrari, a miracle with the car difference in pace it had gotten to a finale. but many people call this the best race of 2010s rain at the start. as we so much action it was Wet & Dry all race through was arguably the 1 that got away as hulkenberg really should have won his 1st race. Vettel started 4th dropped to 7th & then was spun around at turn 4. dropped to the back & has severe damage to his radator. cold conditions helped him get up to 5th by lap 23 behind alonso in 4th. but as it dried vettel got slower as the car overheated Alonso moved to 2nd as Hamilton & Hulkenberg collided. which effort was in vain as Vettel had managed to limp his car into 7th needed. then just before the safety car that finished the race Schumacher in final race let his countryman into 6th. to cement his place & he won by 3pts
but the final word has to go to Kimi Raikkonen, a sad day for me because as much as it time & a likely overdue at 42 when Kimi contests his final race, he will be 5th oldest F1 driver in the televised history of F1. but at his best he was a match for anyone some outstanding drives, a brilliant character during a time when F1 drivers were micro managed became dull & boring , true 1 off & many will miss his honesty over the radio & in interviews
