Nearly 75 years since the first ever F1 race in 1950, the sport is more popular than ever, and hasn’t lost any of its capacity to deliver moments of intense action, excitement, fear, and drama. From closely fought championship battles to heart-stopping high speed crashes, Formula 1 is not for the faint of heart.
In this article, we’ll share our top 10 moments in F1’s colorful history. We’ll also show you how CyberGhost VPN can help you stream F1 live when you’re stuck on restricted Wi-Fi at work, or when traveling abroad.
How to Watch Formula 1 with a VPN
- Get CyberGhost VPN.
- Connect to a server location where your streaming service is available.
- Grab some snacks and buckle up!
Top 10 Best F1 Moments of All Time
1. 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix: Ayrton Senna Wins at Interlagos
Ayrton Senna’s first home victory was a long time coming. He was leading the race, but with seven long laps left to go, his McLaren suffered a gearbox malfunction, and got stuck in sixth gear. Riccardo Patrese, who was in second, started closing the gap.
On top of all that, it started to rain. Senna seemed to gesture that the race should be stopped, but he clung on to the lead, beating Patrese by just 2 seconds. Completely exhausted, he needed to be helped out of his car, and once on the podium, struggled to lift his trophy. But his hard work finally paid off. The home crowd was ecstatic, and Senna further cemented his status as one of F1’s true greats.
2. 1979 French Grand Prix: Rene Arnoux vs. Gilles Villeneuve
The battle for P2 between rookie René Arnoux and Gilles Villeneuve in Dijon is perhaps one of the most intense in F1 history. As the final laps of the race came into view, the two drivers went wheel to wheel, swapping places 4 times, banging wheels, and almost swerving off the track.
In the end, Villeneuve held P2, but only by about a car’s length. He would wave at Arnoux after they passed the finish line, acknowledging that the rookie fought a good, clean fight.
3. 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton’s First Championship
The Ferrari garage came alive as Felipe Massa reached the finish line and won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix. His win put him just 3 points ahead of his rival, Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton needed to finish at P5 or higher to snatch the championship, but was stuck at P6 behind Sebastian Vettel – who was definitely not going to give up track position.
Then something unexpected happened: “Is that Glock?!” cried TV commentator Martin Brundle as Timo Glock’s Toyota began to lose speed. Vettel overtook the Toyota. Hamilton followed and took P5, winning the Drivers’ Championship by one point.
4. 2004 Belgian Grand Prix: Schumacher’s 7th Championship
Michael Schumacher clinched his 7th and final Drivers’ Championship at one of F1’s most chaotic races ever, at Belgium’s Spa circuit. Rain hampered the weekend, with practice sessions being cut short due to cars spinning off track. Despite dry conditions at lights out, the first lap saw several cars crash out, requiring a safety car while the track was cleared of debris. Only 9 out of 20 cars managed to finish, with Schumacher placing second.
The championship was the cherry on top of his most dominant season, where he won 13 out of 18 races with the legendary Ferrari F2004. The German driver’s record would stand for over a decade until Lewis Hamilton matched it in 2020.
5. 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Hamilton vs. Verstappen
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton came to what would be the most controversial race in recent history tied at the top spot with 369.5 points each.
A crash at lap 53 led to a safety car being deployed. Hamilton was in P1 and chose to stay out to keep his position. Verstappen, in P2, pitted and got fresh soft tires. When he rejoined the track, five lapped cars stood between them.
Initially, the five drivers weren’t allowed to unlap themselves until race director Michael Masi reversed the decision on the penultimate lap, and then called in the safety car. Hamilton’s racecraft was no match for Verstappen’s fresh tyres, though, and he finally won his first championship.
6. 1957 German Grand Prix: Fangio’s Final Win
Juan Manuel Fangio is widely considered one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history. His final race is proof of it.
He initially led the 1957 German Grand Prix but dropped to P3 after a botched pitstop. Then, Fangio went into Fangio mode.
He chipped away at the lead while making lap record after lap record along the way. At Lap 21, he retook the lead and never looked back, winning the race by about three seconds.
It was the 46-year-old Fangio’s 24th and final win. He also won his fifth championship in that race, setting a record that would remain unbeaten for 46 years.
7. 2023: Max Verstappen’s 10 Consecutive Wins
Max Verstappen went “Super Max!” in 2023, winning a record 10 races in a row. A P5 finish in Singapore broke the streak, but it was business as usual after that. He won another seven consecutive races starting at the Japanese GP until the final race in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen ended the season as a three-time champion. His 575 points would have also been enough for him to win the Constructors’ Championship on his own with Mercedes in second place with 409 points.
8. 2000 Italian Grand Prix: Schumacher Equals Senna’s 41 Wins
In 2000, Michael Schumacher had yet to achieve legendary status among F1 fans. He was already a two-time champion but had yet to win one with Ferrari.
Pressure was mounting leading to the Italian Grand Prix. He hadn’t won the past six races, so when he finally won in front of the Tifosi, he was overwhelmed with joy and exhaustion.
During the post-race interview, when a journalist told him that he’d equaled Senna’s 41 race wins that day, Schumacher broke down. McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen comforted him, and directed the interviewer to talk to him instead, leaving Michael to deal with his intense emotions. It was one of F1’s most human moments.
9. Niki Lauda’s Horrific Crash and Heroic Return
No one expected Niki Lauda to survive his Nürburgring crash in 1976. Not the drivers who helped him out of the burning Ferrari 312T2 nor the priest who gave him the last rites at the hospital.
Yet, he overcame death and fear, returning to Monza six weeks later. Lauda raced with bandages on his head while wearing a modified helmet to reduce discomfort, and managed to place fifth.
He headed into the season’s final race ahead by three points but lost the championship by a single point to friend and rival James Hunt. Lauda came back with a vengeance the following year, winning his second Drivers’ Championship.
10. 2011 Jenson Button wins the Canadian Grand Prix
Famous for being the longest F1 race ever, clocking up 4 hours, 4 minutes, and 39 seconds, the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix also gave fans one of the greatest F1 moments of all time.
Jenson Button had a terrible start to the race, and one which would have seen lesser drivers lose heart. Following a collision with his team mate, an incredible 6 pit stops, and running in last place with 30 laps remaining, Button’s race should have been over.
Often cited as the greatest F1 win in the sport’s history, Button wove his way back through the field, passing car after car until he was tailing race leader Sebastian Vettel. With the track still wet from torrential rain that stopped the race in lap 19, Vettel slid off the track, leaving the door open for Button to overtake and win the Grand Prix.
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What’s Your Favorite F1 Moment?
Agree with our list? Do you have other races to add that are equally or even more memorable than the ones on this page? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you don’t want to miss any of the remaining races this season, get CyberGhost VPN and stream F1 live without restrictions, whether you’re at work, at school, or traveling abroad.
FAQ
Formula 1 has had many memorable moments in its 74-year history. However, some of those that stand out include the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ayrton Senna’s first home victory, and Lewis Hamilton’s first Drivers’ Championship.
There’s no common consensus on what the best F1 race is, but there are several good candidates. In terms of F1’s recent history, the Drivers’ Championship decider in Abu Dhabi in 2021 and the chaotic 2019 German Grand Prix are definitely on the shortlist.
Red Bull’s RB19 is arguably the best F1 car, winning 21 out of 22 of the season’s races, a 95.45% winning percentage. The Adrian Newey-designed car was so dominant that it garnered 860 Constructors’ Championship points, more than the P2 Mercedes (409) and P3 Ferrari’s (406) points combined.
The 2000 US Grand Prix holds the record for the most viewed F1 event in history. It drew 250,000 people to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day.
In terms of the entire race weekend, the 1995 Australian Grand Prix drew the biggest audience with 520,000 people.
The 1950s was the deadliest F1 era. During the decade, 11 drivers died in races and four more during testing and non-championship events. Safety improvements over the years (e.g., the halo, HANS, monocoque) have helped reduce fatalities. However, F1 remains a dangerous sport, most recently claiming the life of Jules Bianchi at Suzuka in 2014.
Max Verstappen had the best season in F1 history, winning 19 out of 22 races in 2023, an 86.36% winning percentage. He broke Alberto Ascari’s 75% winning percentage record, which stood for 71 years. He also set a record of 10 consecutive wins, eclipsing Sebastian Vettel’s 9-race winning streak in 2013.
The 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix is the hottest race in F1. As the race was still held in the afternoon, the temperature reached 42.6°C (108.5°F). The punishing race drove drivers to exhaustion and caused eight cars to retire. From 2014, the race has been held in the evening, giving drivers and their cars cooler racing conditions.
Many would consider Lewis Hamilton as the greatest F1 driver of all time. The 7-time champion has set many records throughout his career, including 103 wins, 104 pole positions, and 197 podium finishes.
Yes. A VPN is a great way to bypass streaming blocks at school or the office and watch F1 during your break. It’s also the best way to access your usual streaming services when you’re traveling abroad. CyberGhost VPN has streaming-optimized servers for popular platforms showing F1 coverage, including ServusTV, ORF, and RTBF Auvio.
CyberGhost VPN is the best VPN for F1. We have streaming-optimized servers for many platforms showing F1, including ESPN+, NOW, and RTL+. Our ultra-fast network gives you the speeds you need for flawless streaming quality. You also get a 45-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.
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