1986 for me. Partly because it was the first year I became properly aware of F1 (I turned 8 in 1986).
PS some of the teams allegedly found a way past the '87 4.0 bar boost pop-off valve, I seem to recall Arrows were rumoured to have found a way around it, and for '88's 2.5 bar limit too.
"I decided i was going to go into it flat, so i did" Nigel Mansell, 1990 Mexican GP
I finally voted for 1981, partially because it didn't have any votes against it already. But, apart from the political quibbles, it was a good season. The championship was hard fought over and very close, with five drivers still in it before the penultimate race. There were several very interesting races, and a few queer ones, too. The overall format was not yet as settled, with Toleman coming in late and a few extra cars, still. The turbo engines were coming on strong, but Cosworth wasn't dead yet. In short, there was still a bit of the seventies shining through, before the eighties, with all its goods and its bads, took over for good.
Also, the FW07C was the prettiest Williams of all time, I guess. It was the perfect culmination of the line begun with the FW07, which was already a beauty in ist own right.
2023 'Guess The Pole' Points & Accuracy Champion
If you don't vote now against fascism, you may never have that chance again...
Michael Ferner wrote: ↑5 years ago
Also, the FW07C was the prettiest Williams of all time, I guess. It was the perfect culmination of the line begun with the FW07, which was already a beauty in ist own right.
I loved the whole '7' series, and remember my delight from when I witnessed it winning their first race at Silverstone with Regga after AJ overheated. One of the prettiest cars ever. (post mid 70's )
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
Going to say 1989 for this, as it was my first full season watching the sport live. A lot of fond memories of that one.
As good as the racing was and as crazy as the year was overall, the human cost of 1982 was pretty dreadful so I can't bring myself to vote for it. 1983 was pretty good, having watched live versions of all races.
I have cast my vote for the year of my birth: 1989. After a dominant season in 1988, winning fifteen of the sixteen races, McLaren had to make do with ten and the rivalry between Prost and Senna escalated to new heights. We had the first victories for Boutsen and Nannini, welcomed Alesi and Herbert to the F1 fold, had three cracking wet weather races in Canada, Belgium and Australia, saw a Rial of all cars score points in Phoenix and an Onyx take a PODIUM in Portugal, an emotional win for Mansell in his first race for Ferrari and Berger come back from disaster at Imola to win in Portugal and of course we saw the first of the infamous Prost-Senna collisions in Japan.
)
