Best era of F1 ?

After its fourth season, 1984, I became a rather casual observer of the FIA Formula 1 World Champonship, not really caring or very much interested in what happened after that, the antics of, among others, Senna da Silva and Ecclestone putting paid to any sense of -- in even the loosest use of the word -- enthusiasm for the series. The only time -- thanks to my son -- that I paid any attention after the 1984 season was while Damon Hill was around.

I really think that after taking a step or two back, there probably is no "best era of F1," there being no end of minuses to offset any pluses one might toss into the fray. There has always been a degree of rot in either of the championships, whether from 1950-1980 or 1981 to the present.

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Originally Posted by Don Capps

I really think that after taking a step or two back, there probably is no "best era of F1," there being no end of minuses to offset any pluses one might toss into the fray.

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That pretty much reflects my view, too.

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Originally Posted by dj_bytedisaster

Well, when Senna joined McLaren his team mate was a double world champion with McLaren already. Didn't stop him from challenging him and neither did it stop McLaren from allowing him to do so. So why shouldn't Lewis have been allowed to in 2007. McLaren never had a #1/#2 hierarchy.

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The difference is that when Senna joined McLaren he had four GP seasons and six GP wins behind him while Hamilton was making his F1 debut.

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Originally Posted by Ranger

If we are looking at the depth of driving talent of the entire field, 2012 was just about as good as it gets.

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I am not really sure about it if we are really talking about the whole field. By 2012 we already had had an influx of paydrivers and there was a significant discomfort that several good/better drivers had been pushed aside due to funding issues.

However, let's take a look at, say, 2007, which IMO is one of the best seasons in driver depth. The "worst" driver on the grid was perhaps Albers and even he wasn't particularly embarrassing. Just your solid backmarker driver, who wasn't going to amount for much more, aka Firman, Bruni, di Grassi, Monteiro and others. I don't remember any paydrivers that year. Perhaps Sutil and Albers brought something to Spyker, but basically all the drivers on the grid were there on merit. However, most of the grid consisted of drivers, who you wouldn't be embarrassed to have in a top team at least as a #2 driver.

That was the depth I felt in 2007. In 2012 I didn't feel such depth across the whole field any more to be honest.

I don't think any era is "better" than another, just different, so perhaps the question should have been "What is your favourite era of Formula?"
Mine was the [first] turbo era, which is when I started watching Formula 1 (in the mid-1980s). The cars were tricky to drive, with horrendous turbo lag, but they were impressive machines in race trim (not to mention qualifying trim, where they were allowed special qualifying engines and fuel.)
I wonder how next season's turbo cars will compare? I'm looking forward to seeing them!

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Originally Posted by Corvettian

I don't think any era is "better" than another, just different, so perhaps the question should have been "What is your favourite era of Formula?"
Mine was the [first] turbo era, which is when I started watching Formula 1 (in the mid-1980s). The cars were tricky to drive, with horrendous turbo lag, but they were impressive machines in race trim (not to mention qualifying trim, where they were allowed special qualifying engines and fuel.)
I wonder how next season's turbo cars will compare? I'm looking forward to seeing them!

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Great Post.

I agree with the fact that no Era is better or worse really.

Mostly it depends when you start watching the sport. i.e you have the fondest memories of mid 80s.

I am the same start watching in early mid 90s. So 93-98 for example have special memories for me.

Someone who starts watching in 2005 will look back in 10 years and remember fondly.


I too cant wait to see these new Turbo cars, but I dont think it will be the same as the 80s.

I think the current era, from around the time of the rise of Alonso until now, is the greatest.

Why?

1. It's still on ;p

2. The rise of child prodigy drivers: Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton, and Vettel.

3. Strict technical regulations suddenly result in a more egalitarian playing field: everyone can have one of three championship winning engines at a relatively reasonable price (by historic standards) and chassis regulations leave very little room for leapfrogging each other. The top teams still win most of the time, but the delta is now much smaller. Gone are the times when the leading car could regularly lap cars 6,5,4, etc.

Yup, I'm not sure I think there's a best or worst era either.

But as with many others, I go for my first years (late 90s/early 00s). Because back then, drivers and cars actually retired from races. Even with the top 6 points Caterham or Marussia could have grabbed a point or 2 maybe.

Also, when mistakes were made, you were in the gravel and your race was over there and then. It was around 2001 when all the tarmac run-offs started.

For me it was definitely the 80's and very early 90's. Great drivers, great rivalries, powerful cars that sounded awesome, lots of aggression, off track antics that were a great sideshow, the list goes on and on. Currently F1 is not too bad from 2000 onwards, but those earlier years were "fan bloody tastic"!

Mid 70's to mid 80's when there was plenty of innovation and designers weren't handcuffed by stupidly restrictive design limitations. Just think about some of the things in that 10+ years. Six wheels, ground effects, turbo charged monsters etc.