Can I presume that was the first time the F1 WC was clinched in the last lap?

Daysha

Today was the first time I actually sat down and watched a race from start to finish, and it was great fun. I know it's not like that all the time, but surely there's never been a closer World Championship yeah?

amacachi

Was as close last year, without the rain though.

In last year's IndyCar finale Scott Dixon was leading Dario Franchitti until the last corner when he ran out of fuel, had he beaten Franchitti he was champ, had Franchitti beaten him he was champ.

No bigger sickner than what Massa had today though.

thebman

I'm pretty sure there has. The Scumacher era was more of an exception than anything else.

Usually there are at least two drivers fighting for the championship and it goes down to the wire more often than you'd expect.

The top teams are so close to the absolute limit of performance and the top drivers are so close to each other talent wise that close championships are inevitable I guess.

They are all pushing for the limit so they all face problems because of this at different times of the year.

Of course sometimes you just get someone who is on top or the other top team gets unlucky or there is too much driver error and it doesn't go down to the last race.

I expect to see more of this with rule changes meaning the teams with the most money don't get that far ahead and a lot of young drivers that are very close to each other talent wise.

cooker3

By far the most exciting F1 championship end I have seen. Last 2 seasons have been outstanding in championship finales after the rather dull Schumacher victories.
Great stuff

amacachi

Meant to say that I think the current points system keeps it closer than the one we had up til a few years ago.

cooker3

amacachi wrote: »

Meant to say that I think the current points system keeps it closer than the one we had up til a few years ago.

If they kept that Massa would be world champion

IvySlayer

This one was won on the last bend!

zeris

According to Brian Lawrence that was the 25th time in 59 seasons that the title came down to the last race.

Don't know about the last corner though.

zeris

Stolen from LB in the Autosport forums:

"1964:

going into the last lap Clark was leading but dropping oil, he would hold on to the championship win had he won the race even if Bandini let Surtees through. Gurney passed Clark on the main straight giving Hill (who was out of the running having been punted by Bandini earlier in the race.) the championship lead. Had Clark managed to limp round and finish ahead of the Ferraris, Hill would be champion for BRM. Clarks Lotus gave up the ghost and he pulled off being classified 5th, Gurney won the race and the Ferraris swapped giving Surtees the championship. Three title leaders in the space of half a lap, however all this happened in the first half of the lap. Not after the chequered flag had fallen on the race winner, so technically todays was closer."

BrianD3

surely there's never been a closer World Championship yeah

Since the F1 championship started in 1950 there have been some very dramatic final races - eg the final round of the 1986 championship. But the championship has never been decided in the last couple of corners on the last lap.

Some races have has extremely close finishes but they were not championship deciders or last rounds. On of the most dramatic ends to a Grand Prix was probably the 1969 Italian Grand Prix where 4 cars were battling for the lead on the last corner of the last lap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUozyw4Fwdg

Running Bing

BrianD3 wrote: »

Since the F1 championship started in 1950 there have been some very dramatic final races - eg the final round of the 1986 championship. But the championship has never been decided in the last couple of corners on the last lap.

Some races have has extremely close finishes but they were not championship deciders or last rounds. On of the most dramatic ends to a Grand Prix was probably the 1969 Italian Grand Prix where 4 cars were battling for the lead on the last corner of the last lap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUozyw4Fwdg

Awesome.



Have to say though the past two seasons in F1 have been tremendous. Thats amazing considering the aerodynamics of the car really prevent following cars from getting close and overtaking. If the proposed changes solve that problem we are in for some top quality stuff.


Some of the racing this season has been spectacular and when you consider the talent of some of the younger guys the future really looks bright.