armchair_marshall

Fuji Speedway · 1976

Hunt in the rain, Lauda walking away after two laps, Andretti winning and nobody caring. Motorsport has never been more human than this.

Donington Park · 1993

I've been watching F1 since the 1970s and nothing compares to what Senna did in the first lap at Donington. The track was soaking wet, he started fourth, and by the time he came back around he was leading. The rest of the race was just him extending that gap until he had lapped everyone except the second-place car. Over a minute ahead at the flag. In an inferior car. In the rain. That's not racing, that's art.

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps · 1998

Where else but Spa can a race go from a 13-car pileup at the first corner to a midfield team scoring a miraculous 1-2 finish? The Schumacher-Coulthard incident was pure theatre – Michael driving back to the pits on three wheels, then trying to physically confront David. Meanwhile, Hill quietly went about winning the race for Jordan, a team that had never won before and would win three more times. Ralf Schumacher completed the 1-2. Chaotic, messy, unforgettable.

Hungaroring · 2006

Button had been waiting 113 races for this moment and it came in the most chaotic way possible. Wet conditions, key retirements including pole-sitter Räikkönen, and Jenson just kept his head while everyone around him was losing theirs. Pedro de la Rosa finished second for what turned out to be his only career podium – a nice touch to an already emotional race. Honda as a constructor hadn't won since 1967. Some things are worth the wait.

Autódromo José Carlos Pace · 2012

People forget this was Michael Schumacher's last ever F1 race. He finished seventh, quietly competent to the end. Meanwhile the championship battle was absolute pandemonium. Vettel spinning on lap 1, the rain creating chaos, Hulkenberg's crash after leading brilliantly, and Vettel somehow dragging a damaged car back to sixth. The 2012 season had been the most competitive in years and it got the finale it deserved. Button won the race itself with a fine drive.