Most Favorite French GP of the past

[Lee Janotta]

The Villeneuve/Arnoux battle was the best moment in F1 history, but it wasn't the whole race.

'99 was certainly the best modern race, but the best French GPs happened much earlier.

The 1951 European Grand Prix, held at Reims, was a race which is deserving of legend. The race opened with Fangio and Ascari driving each other to their absolute limits, until Ascari retired with rear axle problems. Soon after Fangio's Alfa started misfiring. The team, not Fangio, invoked team orders, taking over teammate Fagioli's car, leaving the Italian veteran almost to tears. But soon Ascari too was back in the race, having commandeered the car of Ferrari teammate Jose Gonzales. Fangio and Ascari both worked their way back up to lead the race, until Ascari finally retired with _no_ brakes, giving Fangio the victory.

The 1934 race may have been the best ever, though. It was also held on one of my favorite tracks, the grossly underused and obscure Autodrome Linas-Montleherey, near Paris.

There's a great article devoted to that race here: http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/french1934.htm

[Andrew Kitson]

Any French GP at Clermont-Ferrand! Especially the '72 GP that Amon almost won.
Like the Nürburgring and the 'old' Spa, a circuit for drivers that were testicularly enhanced!

[Amaroo Park]

1966. Sir Jack Brabham became the first man to win a Grand Prix in a car bearing his own name. It was also the year he won the Drivers and Constructors Championship surley the only man that will ever do so