Most exciting season since 19XX...?

[Kevincal]

I'm 25 years old and have only been following F1 very closely since about 2002. Of course I knew about F1 since the early 90's and always read about MS dominating...Anyhow, my point is, since I haven't been around the sport near as long as some of you; What is the last season to come close to, or eclipse this season in terms of pure excitement?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I'd say 1999.

[tinchote]

It's hard to say. Lots of things happened in 03, with three drivers arriving to the last race with possibilities of getting the WDC, as we have in this season.

97, 98, 99 and 00 were exciting, and again all were decided at the last race.

[jonny hurlock]

best season for ages,

best since 1999 and 2003

[Kevincal]

Yes but this year is not only exciting for the drivers championship, but also everything going on. There is so much drama and such this year, it's incredible. It just seems this year has everything, including many wet races. ;)

[gm99]

It's hard to say. Lots of things happened in 03, with three drivers arriving to the last race with possibilities of getting the WDC, as we have in this season.

97, 98, 99 and 00 were exciting, and again all were decided at the last race.

While '03 was an exciting season, it was only two drivers (MS and KR) at the final race who had a chance of winning the drivers' championship - JPM could at best have tied MS on points, but would have had less victories. The last time three drivers had a mathematical chance to win the championship was in 1986 between Mansell, Piquet & Prost.

Also, the 2000 driver championship between MS and MH was decided at the penultimate round at Japan, not the final round at Malaysia.

[tinchote]

While '03 was an exciting season, it was only two drivers (MS and KR) at the final race who had a chance of winning the drivers' championship - JPM could at best have tied MS on points, but would have had less victories. The last time three drivers had a mathematical chance to win the championship was in 1986 between Mansell, Piquet & Prost.

Also, the 2000 driver championship between MS and MH was decided at the penultimate round at Japan, not the final round at Malaysia.

My bad :)

I'm getting old ;) :p :

[Hawkmoon]

1982 was pretty tumultuous with the death of Villenueve, the career-ending injury to Pironi and the FOCA/FISA war. That was a little before my time though.

Since I've been watching, I'd have to say that 2000 stands out with the season long duel between Schumacher and Hakkinen. 1994 was certainly controversial as was 2003.

All seasons have their exciting moments, even 2004 when Schumacher dominanted (Monaco).

In terms of 3-way title deciders, as gm99 said, you'd have to go back to '86 to find the last one.

[Cozzie]

The racing (aside from the past two races and only a couple before that) has not been all that great with most wins going to the pole sitter or thereabouts but in terms of a championship scrap it has been excellent.

[Mark]

1994 was pretty exciting, but not entirely for good reasons of course :( .

[ArrowsFA1]

Yes but this year is not only exciting for the drivers championship, but also everything going on. There is so much drama and such this year, it's incredible. It just seems this year has everything, including many wet races. ;)
For drama and controversy, as well as a close and exciting battle for the WDC, I have to look back to 1976 for a season to match this year.

Just as we are seeing now, the battle then was between McLaren & Ferrari with their two lead drivers (Hunt & Lauda) fighting for the title. In truth Lauda looked the likely winner until his accident at the Nurburgring, but even before that we'd had controversial races/events in Spain, Britain and Italy that all added to the tension and rivalry between the two teams. The title was finally decided at a very wet Fuji.

Of course we've had close championship finishes, and controversial incidents, in the years that have followed, but 1976 had it all.

[F1boat]

I watch F1 regularly till 1996, although I watched my first race in 1992. The best season I have ever watched is 2003. 1999 was also entertaining. This season is very interesting, but too controversial IMO.

[ShiftingGears]

2006 saw a good points battle that came down to the wire, also. However in that season the passes during many races that year, and this year, have been non-existant. So while the bigger picture is exciting, there can be regulation changes to make the smaller picture more exciting as well. We've been incredibly fortunate that Japan and China have thrown up wet races to chuck things up at the pointy end of the season. Also storms are predicted in the week of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

[BoilerIMS]

Also storms are predicted in the week of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

I'm hoping for rain in Brazil as well... Could you send us the number of your weather forecaster?

[Corny]

I'm hoping for rain in Brazil as well... Could you send us the number of your weather forecaster?

We can't have luck all the time :p
I hope Lewis can start from the back, I want to see if he can do the same thing as michael last year in Brazil:d

[yodasarmpit]

I can't remember much from 84 (I was only 11 at the time) but Dallas that year was my most memorable experience of F1.
That was the year Mansell, after breaking down on the final lap, got out and tried to push the car over the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KYdiL5Rn0E

[jens]

Not the most exciting season since 19XX, but 2003. IMO that season was clearly more interesting than 2007 - and I'm not talking about point standings (which were close too), but also the races. Most of the races were exciting in 2003, which can't be quite said about 2007 (this year only rain and safety cars have created some mess). I actually think that also in 2005 races were generally more exciting than they have been this year.

[longisland]

86 when Mansell's rear tire blew up in the last lap while leading the race & the championship

[ArrowsFA1]

This is the 1976 finale - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdULnWi_LzY :s mokin:

[ShiftingGears]

I'm hoping for rain in Brazil as well... Could you send us the number of your weather forecaster?

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/BRXX0232?par=fodors&site=www.fodors.com&promo=0&cm_ven=Fodors&cm_cat=www.fodors.com&cm_pla=Destinations&cm_ite=CityPage

I'm not sure how accurate that is though...

[wmcot]

1962 - No reason, I just picked a number.

[BoilerIMS]

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/BRXX0232?par=fodors&site=www.fodors.com&promo=0&cm_ven=Fodors&cm_cat=www.fodors.com&cm_pla=Destinations&cm_ite=CityPage

I'm not sure how accurate that is though...

That was the implied meaning of my previous message. Where I live in the US, we do not trust weather reports more than two days out. Anyway... I would be up for a wet Brazilian GP. We've been blessed with plenty of wet races this year, adding some excitement, overtaking, and certainly making up for the years where we had no wet races.

[DazzlaF1]

I havent posted on here for a while, but i thought i'd break my silence on this.

2007 i think will unfortunately be remembered for the off track politics that have treatened to humiliate the sport but if you take that out of the equation and focus on the teriffic on track duels, some wild races and the possibility of a first ever rookie winning the championship, you would think it was a season to remember.

The only other season i can think of that comes close to such excitement is 1999, its the only season i can remember since i started following Formula 1 where a lot of good drivers and more than 3 teams had cars capable of winning races, especially the European GP that year, probably the craziest, most entertaining grand prix i've ever watched.