Most Memorable Formula 1 Races

Formula 1 has had its ups and downs from thrilling races to boring ones, from great overtakes to shocking accidents. In the most memorable Formula 1 races we could witness clashes between top drivers and less talented ones, racing in rain and extreme conditions. In this list we’ve collected races from the last few decades with drivers like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher and of course, Lewis Hamilton. 

There have been several great races in the 70-year old history of Formula 1. Surely cars and drivers had great battles in the early era of the sport as well, but the development of the motor engines and their power made everything more spectacular and dangerous as well. One of the most unpredictable factors, rain could also make even the most boring tracks exciting. While the duels between the greatest drivers also produced memorable moments. 

7. Spanish Grand Prix, 1981

Gilles Villeneuve drove for Ferrari since 1978 and finished second in the world championships in the following year. In 1981 Ferrari introduced its new turbocharged car, which was powerful but its handling was poor. Villeneuve managed to use the car’s speed in the straight lines and his superb driving skills to hold back his rivals from overtaking. The first five drivers finished within one second, a result which is very difficult to imagine today.  The Formula 1 2020 season will start on the 3rd of July in Austria, odds are already available for the winner on 1xBet. 

6. British Grand Prix, 1987

In 1987 British driver Nigel Mansell was a pilot of Williams-Honda. His teammate was Brasilian Nelson Piquet who started from pole position and was leading the race with 28 seconds ahead of Mansell after his stop to change tyres. But the Brit didn’t give up and started to hunt down his teammate, breaking the lap record eight times. Two laps before the finish he overtook Piquet and won the race. Just to demonstrate the pace, Mansell gave a lap to even third-place finisher Ayrton Senna. He stopped after the finish line as his engine blew up, but at least the crowd was happy. Fans might witness another British victory at the next British Grand Prix thanks to Lewis Hamilton. 

5. Belgian Grand Prix, 1998

The Belgian Grand Prix in Spa usually brings exciting races, thanks to the long circuit and unpredictable weather. We find the one from 1998 in the most memorable Formula 1 races, where rain also had a big impact on the result. 13 cars collided already at the start, so the race was stopped and restarted an hour later.  But collisions happened again including race leader Mika Hakkinen. 

Michael Schumacher was leading the race later when he got behind David Coulthard to lap him. But the Ferrari driver ran into the back of the Mclaren and both of them had to go to the pits. The German champion was so angry that he wanted to confront Coulthar, who was preparing to go back to the race. The actual winner of this crazy race was Damon Hill from Jordan ahead of his teammate, Ralf Schumacher and Jean Alesi from Sauber. 

4.  Brazil Grand Prix, 2008

Lewis Hamilton is a six-time world champion at the moment and online gambling sites in the UK are predicting another title for him this season. But in 2008 he was a young driver, only spending his second season in Formula 1. Though he was already a contender for the championship title after finishing second in the previous year. Before the last race of the season in Brazil, he was leading the championship with 7 points. But with a victory on home soil Ferrari driver Felipe Massa had the chance to overtake him. Massa got the victory but it wasn’t enough. With a fantastic move in the last lap Hamilton overtook Timo Glock and finished in fifth place. The points he collected was enough to keep his lead and win his first world championship. 

3. Japanese Grand Prix, 1988

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had several great fights with each other, but one circuit was especially important. The race in Suzuka is traditionally held close to the end of the seasons. And it was the place which decided the championship in the 1988, 1989 and 1990 season. The whole rivalry started in 1988, when Senna joined Mclaren-Honda and became the teammate of double world champion Alain Prost. They won all the races except one in the season, and arrived in Japan with Senna having 7 victories against Prost’s 6 victories.

The Brazil driver started the race from pole, but lost places and was only 14th after the start. But he came back quickly. In the 27th lap he managed to overtake Prost to take the lead and the victory. It also meant that he won his first world championship which was followed with two others in 1990 and 1991. 

2. Canadian Grand Prix, 2011

Jenson Button produced one of the greatest comebacks in the Canadian Grand Prix in 2011 as online sportsbooks in the UK were also reporting. The Mclaren driver started only from the 7th place on a very wet surface after heavy rain earlier. But it was just the beginning of the longest F1 race in history. The defending world champion Sebastian Vettel was leading the race, when it was stopped around the half of it due to the rain. After a 2-hour break it could continue, Button was only in 10th place then.

Shortly after the restart he collided with Fernando Alonso following his earlier accident with teammate Lewis Hamilton. The Brit had a puncture and was ranked to the last position, but after he made a fantastic recovery. He reached Vettel on the last lap when the German went wide, so Button could pass him and took the victory.  Button has retired from Formula 1 in 2017 but he still competes in different motor sports and esports as well, according to 1xBet Sportsbook. 

1. Monaco Grand Prix 1996

For most Formula 1 fans, surely there is a race, they will never forget, the Monaco Grand Prix in 1996. It might be strange as the street circuit is famous for its lack of overtaking possibilities and usually drivers ending in the position they started. But in 1996 everything went crazy in the rain, and cars were crashing out one after another. Michael Schumacher crashed out from pole position after the start, followed by four other cars.

After five laps, only 13 cars remained, and their numbers went down further. Damon Hill was leading the race when he had a technical issue. Just like Jean Alesi who took over the first place from him. Olivier Panis from Ligier-Mugen-Honda found himself in the leader position. He managed to bring home the team’s last and his solo victory. Only four drivers finished at the end, which was a record for the fewest cars to be running at the end. 

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