For the final race of the season, I couldn’t think of a good topic to cover. Do I talk about how the season has progressed? Do I discuss the track characteristics of the Abu Dhabi circuit and the best way round it? Do I even talk about who, in my opinion, has done a good job this season and who hasn’t? In the end, I decided to go with a historic article (not again I hear some of you say!), but this time I’m reflecting on previous final-race championship showdowns, and hopefully they show not to expect the expected this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Since the F1 world championship began in 1950, there have been 25 final race deciders, meaning that just under 42% of all the world championships have been decided on the final day. From the first title decider in the inaugural championship in 1950, right up to the unbelievable finish to the 2008 championship, these final races have often kept us on the edge of our seats – and more often than not we haven’t known who is the champion until the chequered flag has dropped.
That first title decider was between the dominant Alfa Romeos of Giuseppe Farina, the great Juan Manuel Fangio, and the Italian Luigi Fagioli. It was the first of an astonishing 11championships so far where 3 drivers have been in contention for the title going into the final race. Fangio won the race, but Farina’s second position was enough for him to become F1’s first world champion. Fagioli finished third, meaning that for the only time in the championship’s history, the three drivers fighting for the title in the final race filled the three podium places.
In all there were 5 last race deciders in the first decade of Formula 1 – the same as the 1980’s and 1990’s. The first time we had a two-driver title decider wasn’t until 1958, when Mike Hawthorn became the first British world champion ahead of compatriot Stirling Moss, who took the win and fastest lap. This would be the closest Moss would ever come to winning a championship, and he finished runner-up in 3 of the following 4 championships. The following year he lost out in another final race showdown, this time retiring from the race to give Sir Jack Brabham the first of his three world titles.
The only time that three drivers from the same country where involved in a last race decider came in 1964, when Graham Hill led the championship from John Surtees and Jim Clark. During the race, an altercation with Surtees’ team-mate Lorenza Baldini meant that Hill finished two laps down. Clark then took the lead, and was all set to claim his second successive championship when a blown engine took him out of the race. Surtees held on to finish second, and become the only person to win world championship in both F1 and Motorcycling. This was also the only time in F1 history that all three title contenders had led the championship at some stage during the final race.
For sheer excitement, it is hard to beat the ending to the 1986 world championship. Nigel Mansell led the championship by 6 points from Alain Prost, with Mansell’s team-mate Nelson Piquet in third with a chance of the title. All Mansell needed was a third place finish to clinch the title, and with 18 laps left he was sitting in a comfortable second place behind Prost. Then dramatically on the 64th lap his left rear tyre exploded on the back straight, Mansell doing well to keep his car from crashing but retiring from the race. Williams then brought Piquet in to change tyres as a precaution, giving Prost the victory he needed to clinch a second successive world crown.
Only twice have we had a controversial final race decider to the world championship, and both involved Michael Schumacher. The first instance was in 1994, when the German collided with title rival Damon Hill, who was only 1 point behind. On lap 36, ‘Schumi’ made an error and ran off track, losing time and allowing Hill to close right up. At the following corner Hill tried to take advantage of this and made a move down the inside of Schumacher’s Benetton. The German turned in, they collided and Schumacher was out on the spot. Hill managed to get back round to the pits, but damaged suspension meant that his race was also over, giving Schumacher the title. Hill was also involved in another last race decider two years, but this time he had a 9-point advantage over team-mate Jacques Villeneuve at the final race in Suzuka. A loose wheel meant retirement for Villeneuve, and Hill won the race and the title, becoming so far the only second-generation world champion, following in his father Graham’s footsteps.
Fast forward one year and it was Schumacher, now in a Ferrari, versus Villeneuve for the title. Schumacher started on pole, and Villeneuve in second with both having set the exact same qualifying time. Schumacher led from the start, but on lap 48 Villeneuve made his move to pass Schumacher on track, similar to Hill three years earlier. Once again Schumacher turned in, but this time he was unable to damage Villeneuve’s car and it was the German who came off worse. Villeneuve continued on and eventually finished the race third behind the two McLarens. Schumacher was later disqualified from the final championship standings but was allowed to keep his points and wins.
The last time the title race went right down to the wire was two years ago, when it was between Felipe Massa in the Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren. Intermittent rain meant that everyone was biting their fingernails right to the chequered flag. Massa took the win, but a last corner overtake by Lewis Hamilton on Timo Glock meant the Briton took the fifth place he needed to become Formula 1’s youngest-ever world champion.
So there you are – a brief history of final race title showdowns in Formula 1. But just who will come out on top this weekend?
Title Deciders:
1950 – Monza
Drivers in Contention: Farina, Fangio, Fagioli
Winner: Farina
1951 – Pedralbes
Drivers in Contention: Fangio, Ascari, Gonzales
Winner: Fangio
1956 – Monza
Drivers in Contention: Fangio, Collins, Behra
Winner: Fangio
1958 – Ain-Diab
Drivers in Contention: Moss, Hawthorn
Winner: Hawthorn
1959 – Sebring
Drivers in Contention: Brabham, Brooks, Moss
Winner: Brabham
1962 – Kyalami
Drivers in Contention: Hill, Clark
Winner: Hill
1964 – Mexico City
Drivers in Contention: Hill, Surtees, Clark
Winner: Surtees
1967 – Mexico City
Drivers in Contention: Hulme, Brabham
Winner: Hulme
1974 – Watkins Glen
Drivers in Contention: Fittipaldi, Regazzoni, Scheckter
Winner: Fittipaldi
1976 – Fuji
Drivers in Contention: Lauda, Hunt
Winner: Hunt
1981 – Las Vegas
Drivers in Contention: Piquet, Reutermann, Laffite
Winner: Piquet
1982 – Las Vegas
Drivers in Contention: Rosberg, Watson
Winner: Rosberg
1983 – Kyalami
Drivers in Contention: Piquet, Prost, Arnoux
Winner: Piquet
1984 – Estoril
Drivers in Contention: Lauda, Prost
Winner: Lauda
1986 – Adelaide
Drivers in Contention: Mansell, Prost, Piquet
Winner: Prost
1994 – Adelaide
Drivers in Contention: Schumacher, Hill
Winner: Hill
1996 – Suzuka
Drivers in Contention: Hill, Villeneuve
Winner: Hill
1997 – Jerez
Drivers in Contention: Schumacher, Villeneuve
Winner: Villeneuve
1998 – Suzuka
Drivers in Contention: Haikkinen, Schumacher
Winner: Haikkinen
1999 – Suzuka
Drivers in Contention: Irvine, Haikkinen
Winner: Haikkinen
2003 – Suzuka
Drivers in Contention: Schumacher, Raikkonen
Winner: Schumacher
2006 – Interlagos
Drivers in Contention: Alonso, Schumacher
Winner: Alonso
2007 – Interlagos
Drivers in Contention: Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen
Winner: Raikkonen
2008 – Interlagos
Drivers in Contention: Hamilton, Massa
Winner: Massa
2010 – Abu Dhabi
Drivers in Contention: Webber, Alonso, Vettel
Winner: ?????
Nice job. I think that this year's title decider may be one for the history books.
Posted by: flood1 | November 10, 2010 at 06:35 PM