I assume as F1 fans, we all have a race we remember particularly fondly for whatever reason. Maybe it is a keystone win for a particular driver, maybe it is a crazy wet race or a has a dramatic fight for the lead.
There are many reasons to have a favourite race, and I'd like to open up the floor to discuss why your favourite race is yours.
Mine? Here we go:
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix
Back in 2003, there was a real sense of hope that Formula One was moving out of the era of Schumacher's dominance. McLaren had won the two opening races with an update of their 2002 car, and we waited with baited breath for the new McLaren too.
The Curva du Sol was wet. Soaking wet. They raced for a bit, then someone went straight on and the race was neutralised again. It caught out Schumacher and it caught out the whole field really.
What this created was a situation where Barrichello, having butchered most of the Safety Car restarts, could hope to end his home curse, leading the race from Coulthard. But the luck was not to be Barrichello's, of course. He, of all things, ran out of fuel.
Coulthard pitted at the wrong time, and then FIsichella of Jordan, apparently innocuously, passed Raikkonen. And with the monster crashes of Webber and (idiotically) Alonso, the Jordan won and promptly set itself on fire. Then it didn't win. Then it did.
It was Jordan's last stand, it was Fisi's first win after years of being the bridesmaid. It was a remarkable, fun, Sunday evening in front of the TV. And it is my fondest F1 race to remember.
How about you?
There are many reasons to have a favourite race, and I'd like to open up the floor to discuss why your favourite race is yours.
Mine? Here we go:
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix
Back in 2003, there was a real sense of hope that Formula One was moving out of the era of Schumacher's dominance. McLaren had won the two opening races with an update of their 2002 car, and we waited with baited breath for the new McLaren too.
The Curva du Sol was wet. Soaking wet. They raced for a bit, then someone went straight on and the race was neutralised again. It caught out Schumacher and it caught out the whole field really.
What this created was a situation where Barrichello, having butchered most of the Safety Car restarts, could hope to end his home curse, leading the race from Coulthard. But the luck was not to be Barrichello's, of course. He, of all things, ran out of fuel.
Coulthard pitted at the wrong time, and then FIsichella of Jordan, apparently innocuously, passed Raikkonen. And with the monster crashes of Webber and (idiotically) Alonso, the Jordan won and promptly set itself on fire. Then it didn't win. Then it did.
It was Jordan's last stand, it was Fisi's first win after years of being the bridesmaid. It was a remarkable, fun, Sunday evening in front of the TV. And it is my fondest F1 race to remember.
How about you?