Your 'priceless moment' in Formula 1

[Gerard]

A welknown creditcard company will be conducting a poll among Canadian sports media in order to determine the "priceless moment" in the Canadian GP history.

Why don't we beat them to it and conduct our own poll right here.
However, this time it's not just the Canadian GP but the whole history of Formula One you can pick your 'priceless moment' from.
And it doesn't even have anything to do with racing itself, your 'priceless moment' could also mean meeting a particular driver in person or your favourite team having a first points finish or even a podium.

I'll start with my 'priceless moment' being the first lap of the British GP at Donington in 1993, when Ayrton Senna drove from 5th to first place in half a lap in pouring rain.
It wasn't just a show of the true racing skills of Senna but prove that a race can be won right from the starting line.
While the others were trying to 'settle', Senna was already thinking of the top spot on the podium.

Tell us your 'priceless moment' in Formula 1 history.

[This message has been edited by Gerard (edited 17 May 2000).]

[Sparky]

I have a couple, Gerard.

Michael Schumacher in the Spanish GP, in a Benetton - 1995 I think.
The time his gearbox stuck in 5th. That was when I realized the guy was a gifted driver.

And the second is Rubens Barrichello in Monaco, 1997. Getting second and onto the podium was better than winning the championship for Jackie Stewart and his team. And their faces showed it!

I also remember the '93 British GP, Damon getting 'the call' from Murray, direct to his car, telling him he had pole. Seconds later, he had to apologize and tell him the bad news... He was second to Prost!

They'e all priceless!

[jvilleneuve2000]

my priceless f1 moment was getting into silvestone for the 2000 gp 6 hours before the start!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[Crash Test]

Schumacher, and Jacques, Spain 1998. Priceless.

[TimD]

Keke Rosberg's "ultimate" qualifying lap at Silverstone, British GP 1985.

Back when Woodcote was still something of a daunting corner, when qualifying tyres were real one-lap wonders, and the turbo boost could be cranked to engine-bursting levels.

No one before or since has done a qualifier like it.

160.925mph AVERAGE around Silverstone.

Perhaps not the most skilled racer or tactician, but Keke, given the right car, was always several shades of maniac when he wanted to be.

[AL Racing]

Jean's victory in Canada '95 was very enjoyable and emotional.

The race at Nurburgring '95, especially Schuey and Jean's fight at the end!

Senna and Prost's fight in the early laps at Silverstone '93.

Villeneuve's pass on Schuey in Portugal '96.

Schuey's magical display at Monaco '97.

Hakkinen's pass in Irvine at Nurburgring in '98.

Schuey's passing Hakkinen at Monza '98

I can go on and on, they are so many of them!

Great topic Gerard!

[Liz]

Senna and Prost on the podium at Adelaide 1993. That will be it no matter what happens in future.

Gilles and Arnoux wheel to wheel for lap after lap, in a race that otherwise was a worthless waste of a good day out - for second place - and nobody remembers who won!

Fisi's pole in the rain in 1998 (Can't remember what race it was, and i know he did nothing in the actual race, but I remember the look of unbelieving joy on his face as they told him he'd got the pole.)

[EERO]

Watkins Glen, 1973. After the horror of Cevert's fatal crash in qualifying, the whole place was depressed. Race day was bright and crisp as autumn days in New York State can be.
The race gave us one on James Hunt's finest drives. In a privateer March, he clung to the tail of Ronnie Peterson, the undisputed fastest driver in F1 in the day, for the entire duration of the race, it was a drive that marked him for stardom. Out of so much despair, there ws this great moment of hope.

[Roy]

Fangio, Nurburgring 1957. The greatest drive of the modern grand prix era (since WW II).

[Nuvolari]

I'm terrible at remembering specific races (a shortcoming only made worse by the steady march of time).

But the Schumacher 5th-gear performance stands out in my mind as a superlative -- along with ANY race involving Ayrton Senna on slicks in the wet.

[KC]

JV's pass on the outside of Parabolica on MS was amazing.

The opening lap at Donington 93.

Mansell passing ? on the outside of the banking at Tarzan from the Greatest Moments of F1 tape.

[freud]

F1 priceless moments...well there are many driving manouveres which are my favourites and many personal moments which were very thrilling including shaking hand with Ayrton Senna at Heathrow sometime in 1989.

But the moment that I would truly rate priceless is Jacques Villeneuve becoming formula one champion in 1997. Since I am a big fan of Gilles Villeneuve and imho it was ironic that Gilles never became f1 champ so the day Jacques arrived in f1 I was hoping for the name 'VILLENEUVE' to enter the formula one history books as World Champ. And imho Jacques did it in style just like his father would've done. That day at Jerez it was Gilles who beat Schumacher!

[elephino]

Mansell, Adelaide 1986 when his tyre blew and he managed to keep the car under control.

Irvine getting hit by Senna for being Irvine.

Brundle, Melbourne 1996, not so much the crash but him running down pitlane to get back into the race in the spare car

The whole 1993 Adelaide experience. Being there for that race alongside pole position and being able to watch Senna prepare for the race and then see him win in what was an inferior car and then the podium ceremony...pure magic

[Leo]

I agree with Liz about the Adelaide 1993 podium ceremony.

And for on track action: the 'streetfight' between Alesi and Senna in Phoenix 1990.

[marcus]

rip snorter of a topic Gerard !!!

where to begin...several have been mentioned already that were truly amazing donnington 93, schumachers 5th gear effort (actually spain 1994)senna and Alesi pheonix duel back in 90 BUT the one that has stood out in my mind and I am quite amazed that no one has mentioned it yet back in 1994 at a saturated Suzuka track the dice between Mansell and Alesi would have to be the best emotional experience I have witnessed the pure aggression of both drivers not willing to give an inch but totally fair ..mansell did pass him in the end but on agrigate alesi was still ahead...but after the race was the real spectacle ..they embraced each other in the most amazing way (oh er) it brought a tear to my eye for some reason that i carnt quite explain ..the joy shown by these two over the battle they had just had was the single most pleasing thing in motorsport i have ever seen..if you have the tape watch it again and you should see what I mean.

to me that is what this sport is all about the comradery (sp) and the pure enjoyment of a battle even though it was for forth place I believe.

[TimD]

Wow! Marcus, I forgot all about that one. Guess what I'll be watching over supper tonight.

Folks, preserve your racing tapes. It sure beats "Wheel of Fortune" of an evening.

Also from the 1994 season, does anyone remember Schumi's qualifying lap at Monaco? It was something a bit special as quallies go, but at the time of course, with Wendlinger in hospital and everything that had gone before at Imola, somehow Michael managed to put everything out of his mind, and drive a stormer.

[F1FansClub]

My Priceless moment in Formula One has to be Damon Hill and Ralf Schumacher getting a one-two in Belgium 1998. Seeing Eddie Jordan go absolutely mad! Also Mika Hakkinen's first world championship.

Ally

P.S. Gerard, I congratulate you on a brilliant topic!

[fatbloke]

hmmm... where do we start ?

Mansell and Senna down the straight at Barcelona (1993 ?)

The whole of the European GP at Donington in 1993 - the opening lap and the unforgettable Williams pit stops (Go Prost!) Then again maybe it's just because I love Donington!

Mansell's recovery and pass of Piquet at the British GP at Silverstone (1985 ?)

The whole of the 1991 season - the new Jordan team was a supreme breath of fresh air! Gachot (oh dear!), Schumacher, Moreno and De Crasheris - superb!

Damon in Hungary 1997 - and ITV missing his pass for the lead!

Berger's win in the Benetton after his father had just died - a man possessed - there was never ANY doubt who was going to win that race!

Alesi and Senna at Phoenix in 1989

I had a few more, but my browser crashed halfway through typing... grr!

[DNF]

I can't remember specifics, but it was the first time I had ever watched F1 (I didn't even see the whole race). It was when Senna lapped everbody about 3/4 of the way through the race. I know whoever was 2nd passed him again but those laps that I saw convinced me that Senna was a little bit special.

[Minardi fan]

It has to be Gene's point last season at the Nurburgring. I was in tears.

Others....

Panis' win in '96, Damo nearly doing it at Hungary '97, Spa '98, Frentzen's wins at Magny-Cours and Monza, Europe '99 as a whole, Gene qualifying 15th at Hockenheim '99, Trulli leading Austria 98 etc etc....

[Ace]

I think Gilles getting 3rd in 81 will do it (he finished without front wing). but I have my own. Here it goes.

It was a day in 1989 when Prost had the pole and Senna was second. The Sunday morning just before the race a heavy rain came down and that track was totally wet although there was a drying car going around the circuit. In the warm up lap Mansell and Naninni went back to the pits to change tires, everybody was on intermediates, and both went for slicks. They were disqualified afterwards. In the second lap Senna went by Prost and took the lead, prost went immediately for slicks and Senna followed.

I was in the casino corner on the outside stand, just in front of me there was a giant screen so the place was ideal to follow everything. Towards mid race a heavy rain was coming down again, Senna was 2nd, like 12 seconds behind Butsen. In the part where I was, the cars come to an almost stand still, is the slowest corner of the circuit after a long straight, so the breaking is very important.

Senna’s style at that moment was completely different from that of the other drivers. He was the only one to break so late that all the public around that corner would stand up thinking that he was going to go off track. Few laps after Senna took the lead and was pulling a lead at a rate of about 4 seconds a lap. The track was getting worse and worse. In every lap Senna was taking different drivelines in that part of the circuit, like he was trying to go even faster, like he didn’t know he was leading the race or like he was going to pit again. There seemed to be an urge to go even faster.

With few laps to go we decided to go where the podium was. But Senna’s car would not make it to the end. He got out of the car not far away from the finish line. In order to get back to the pits he had to take the route of the Olympic basin where we were. When my friend and I saw a bunch of people rushing towards the pits, we did the same thing. And there was the man, behind a protected barrier, calm and collected, signing autographs for his fans that were in a line up. He signed T-shirts, caps, race memory books and almost anything you can imagine. I myself got signed my light blue cap reading “NACIONAL”.

I guess that would qualify as a priceless Canadian GP for me.

[elephino]

Mansell and Senna in 1992 at Monaco. When Mansell was stuck behind Senna and trying everything to get past and not succeeding.