When was F1's Golden Era?

[F1Action]

Forget it!
it ain't worth at. Nearly nobody will be watchin' F1 no more

[sherwinlou]

best season for me is 90,91,97,98,00,06,07,08,10

[Canukki]

Michael vs Mika and Michael vs Kimi

[phil1993]

I think we might look back at 2010 as a golden era for drivers

The champions - Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton & Button
The eventual champion - Vettel
The other chargers - Rosberg, Kubica, Webber
The old guard - Barrichello!
Young chargers - Hulkenberg & Kobayashi

[JoostLamers]

+ Return of Lotus (team wise)

[maru]

i think the answer to this question depends on the age of the person giving the answer. For me, the golden era of F1 would predate all driver aids including ground effects and wings. Modern aerodynamic aids make very high cornering speeds possible but limit racing. Once a car gets close enough for a real dog fight the car in front is stealing downforce from the car behind. Today race strategy often involves figuring out how to pass the leader during a pit stop. It is hard to consider current era racing as Golden Era if the powers that be need to force tire compound changes for no other reason than to increase suspense. Steve

[maru]

For me it would be hard to beat the period from the mid-fifties to the mid- sixties. The immediate prewar era would have been something to see as well.

[BRM]

I am an old fart, so my memory goes way back. I have to say the late sixties.
When the Lotus 49 was introduced with the 3 liter Cosworth.
Drivers were gentleman then and friends. Clark, Hill, Brabham, Hulme, Surtees.
No computers, only the drivers and crew. I vividly remember working for BRM as a young engineer,
you would help other teams when it was needed. Rebuilding a gearbox for Brabham through the night.
Remember cars drifting around the corner on all 4 wheels................ those were the days.

[KimiFanAhmad]

Senna, Prost, Hill, Schumi, Mansell, Hakkinen in early 1990's.

[tderias]

the best era i'd say is 1988 to 1994... the senna/prost/mansell battle was golden

[falkenauge]

Between 1998 - 2000. The fights between Hakkinen and Schumacher were awesome, legendary. I missed the good old time...

[piton86]

I think that you can tell exactly when was the Golden Era of F1....but from 80 and the last championship of schumacher was a golden era...but note now is a goo era also cause you hace alonso 2 time world champion....button, hamilton...vettel double champion....webber a good driver....so this new era of youth drivers is also good...the only thing that Sebastian Vettel still way above everybody

[piton86]

I think that you can tell exactly when was the Golden Era of F1....but from 80 and the last championship of schumacher was a golden era...but note now is a goo era also cause you hace alonso 2 time world champion....button, hamilton...vettel double champion....webber a good driver....so this new era of youth drivers is also good...the only thing that Sebastian Vettel still way above everybody

[Z.F.T.One]

i think the answer to this question depends on the age of the person giving the answer. For me, the golden era of F1 would predate all driver aids including ground effects and wings. Modern aerodynamic aids make very high cornering speeds possible but limit racing. Once a car gets close enough for a real dog fight the car in front is stealing downforce from the car behind. Today race strategy often involves figuring out how to pass the leader during a pit stop. It is hard to consider current era racing as Golden Era if the powers that be need to force tire compound changes for no other reason than to increase suspense. Steve

Wise words maru. Age and obviously experience has everything to do with this question.

For me it would be hard to beat the period from the mid-fifties to the mid- sixties. The immediate prewar era would have been something to see as well.

The 50's is a fascinating era, which was really the precursor to the sport as we now know it. I love watching old footage of mechanics, their sleeves rolled up smoking a fag, while splashing fuel all over the car and driver alike. Wearing a seat belt, if installed, was frowned upon for safety reasons. Spectators and bails of hay the only protection from all manner of life threatening obstacles. Real, full on, b*** the size of grapefruits, racing. How can it get any more thrilling i ask.

I am an old fart, so my memory goes way back. I have to say the late sixties.
When the Lotus 49 was introduced with the 3 liter Cosworth.
Drivers were gentleman then and friends. Clark, Hill, Brabham, Hulme, Surtees.
No computers, only the drivers and crew. I vividly remember working for BRM as a young engineer,
you would help other teams when it was needed. Rebuilding a gearbox for Brabham through the night.
Remember cars drifting around the corner on all 4 wheels................ those were the days.

Another old fart here too m8. Best we stick together.

For me personally, the 60's was the golden era of F1; and not just because its 50 years ago. Mostly, for the reasons mentioned above; No driver aids, no computer development, and true sportmen/gentlemen etc, but also for the non corporate moulded drivers. Real characters.
Health and safety was slowly being introduced, but this never gave a driver a false sense of security that we have now almost come to expect in our modern, H & S obsessed lives.

Also, the Lotus 49 is my favourite car of all time.



Graham Hill, quite literally flying in a Lotus 49B @ 1969 German GP.

[reppo]

I must say the end of 70's and beginning of 80's was something to me. Besides Keke Rosberg driving in F1, Gilles Villeneuve was spectacular. He could pass in curves most could only dream about. Sadly he died in a fatal accident in 1982 The same year Keke won the WDC.