Discussion
Is a massively underrated year in F1 history IMO.
Just been watching old races and season reviews and 1997 really, really stands out.
Seemingly anyone from the top 5-6 teams were getting podiums and at some point leading a race with a chance of winning it.
Plenty of overtaking because the tyres that year had extreme grip (that's what they keep banging on about in commentary and interviews) so they could follow better and brake later.
The cars looked amazing with great shapes, liveries and sponsors. They sounded great too because V10 (okay, V8 for Tyrrell and Minardi).
Had the Lola debacle and McLaren getting done for their brake thing to add a little spice with then built up massively in the last race. Damon nearly winning in Hungary was a wonderful performance (aided by Bridgestone being mega in hot conditions) and it still breaks my heart just like it did 7 year old huge Damon fan me when he loses it at the end).
If you watch the season then Schumacher and Villeneuve are obviously the two fighting at the top but for nearly every race there's no real certainty that either are going to be definite winners and the title race going down to the last race and ending the way it did after a proper fight was even better.
Can we just have the teams buy the 1997 cars and run them instead next year?
Just been watching old races and season reviews and 1997 really, really stands out.
Seemingly anyone from the top 5-6 teams were getting podiums and at some point leading a race with a chance of winning it.
Plenty of overtaking because the tyres that year had extreme grip (that's what they keep banging on about in commentary and interviews) so they could follow better and brake later.
The cars looked amazing with great shapes, liveries and sponsors. They sounded great too because V10 (okay, V8 for Tyrrell and Minardi).
Had the Lola debacle and McLaren getting done for their brake thing to add a little spice with then built up massively in the last race. Damon nearly winning in Hungary was a wonderful performance (aided by Bridgestone being mega in hot conditions) and it still breaks my heart just like it did 7 year old huge Damon fan me when he loses it at the end).
If you watch the season then Schumacher and Villeneuve are obviously the two fighting at the top but for nearly every race there's no real certainty that either are going to be definite winners and the title race going down to the last race and ending the way it did after a proper fight was even better.
Can we just have the teams buy the 1997 cars and run them instead next year?
mcholeboy_59 said:
I don't think hill would of stood a chance against michael in 97 in all honesty.... we all know how much he was rattled by him when he was in the superior williams against the inferior benetton.
the 97 ferrari was a BIG step up from previous years, and damon was, lets be honest, getting on a bit.
I think Damon was in a better place mentally at the end of 1996 having won the WDC tbh. I think Michael would've been a huge test and he was before and was for Jacques but you could see it in flashes of his driving for Arrows and Jordan that Damon was still extremely quick if given the opportunity.the 97 ferrari was a BIG step up from previous years, and damon was, lets be honest, getting on a bit.
That 97 Williams was an absolute peach and the 97 Ferrari was still a bit of a mess for a large part of the early season. Michael has alluded to it before.
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