Classic Defensive drives in F1

[steveaki13]

Firstly this may need to be in the history section, but I wasn't quite sure.

Secondly can we not just argue over whether Hamilton is rubbish or not, or whether it was within the tight boundaries of FIA rules on defending, that may be for a different thread.


Right I was thinking while watching the Schumacher v Hamilton fight today, that it was probably the best defensive battle we have seen for a long time.

So I wanted to remember the previous great defensive races and battles we have seen in F1.

So even if you don't think this today was a great one or a fair one. Lets remember some of the previous ones.

[steveaki13]

The first one that springs to mind, is the Alonso v Schumacher race of 2005 in Imola.

I remember watching it and couldn't believe how fast Schumacher was after a poor start to the season, he was catching at 2 seconds a lap or something wasn't he and he tried all manner of ways to get by, but Alonso held on brilliantly.

That was only ruined by an ITV ad break.

[ioan]

Alonso vs MS Imola 2005 and the other way around in 2006.

[i_max2k2]

Spanish Gp 2010, MSC help up button for what 40 laps?

[steveaki13]

Maybe not a classic but Bernoldi defended well against Coulthard in 2001 Monaco.

The classic battle between Senna and Mansell is always classed as an epic, but as it was at Monaco I think it was just a classic battle rather than defensive driving.

Mansell would probably not have passed Senna whatever happened.

[TheFamousEccles]

Villeneuve v everyone @ Jarama (1981?)

[F1boat]

Alonso vs MS Imola 2005 and the other way around in 2006.

+1

[Mia 01]

Kimi defending against Fisi, Spa 2009.

[ArrowsFA1]

The classic battle between Senna and Mansell is always classed as an epic, but as it was at Monaco I think it was just a classic battle rather than defensive driving.

Mansell would probably not have passed Senna whatever happened.

I disagree. I think this was one of the best cases of defensive driving I've seen. Yes it was Monaco which perhaps made it easier for Senna to defend but Mansell had by far the faster car and fresh tyres. For me it was the perfect example of a driver, in this case Senna, placing his car fairly but defensively in order to maintain his position. No chops, no squeezing into walls, just superb positional sense, both of his own car and his opponent.

[The Black Knight]

I disagree. I think this was one of the best cases of defensive driving I've seen. Yes it was Monaco which perhaps made it easier for Senna to defend but Mansell had by far the faster car and fresh tyres. For me it was the perfect example of a driver, in this case Senna, placing his car fairly but defensively in order to maintain his position. No chops, no squeezing into walls, just superb positional sense, both of his own car and his opponent.

Agreed completely. An amazing piece of driving and probably the best defensive drive that I've ever seen.