82,83,84

Good morning, although I had a similar post in SIlver, I wanted to make a few observations. After watching the entire F1 season for 1982 , 1983 and 1984, I cannot remember not even one lap that the drivers followed the behind safety car. The series really looked and felt like a real European race series, with regards to the drivers. These fellows, the likes of Piquet, Prost ,Mansell, Lauda, Watkins, Rosberg, they were men, certainly not the likes of the skinny tattooed , boyish drivers lineup that weve had for decades. The point about the safety car really shows who is running the FIA today, a bunch of nanny state snowflakes, its that simple, As far as the commentators, Walker and Hunt were the very best, I do like Martin, but after watching all those other folks at the Singapore race, it was a joke. As far as the cars are concerned, being the most dumbed down in all of F1s history, not to mention how much more the older cars really represented what F1 used to be about, who had the best formula within a certain set of parameters , an open class. I enjoyed watching those seasons more than any other F1 race in the modern era. One last thought , at any one time, you had at least 8 drivers in contention for the title in almost every race, it was that close, that never, ever happens anymore, I wonder why ? What happened to the turbos spitting out flames on the downshifts ? These new cars, are boring, both in looks and in exhaust note, and they are too big in overall size as well, and no ******** contraptions to make passing more available, they did not need all that crap back then, and we still had plenty of passing non the less.

Big G

 

The Safety car was officially introduced in 1993, so that explains the lack of use before it

I do agree with you though, the drivers have changed massively, a lot of PR robots around, thankfully still a couple of drivers out there with their PR filter removed though...As for the cars. I'll get complaints if I make another one about them I think! But fully agreed.

 

As safety improved in F1, drivers' attitude started to change. Just like the driver's role in the overall success declined when cars became to efficient. Technology has metamorphosed F1 to what it is now.

 

Thank you gentlemen . With that being said, I was on the fringes of the F1 circuit back in the 80s, but I did not really start following it until 1999 when I bought my 328 . I knew about Andretti winning in 78, Lauda both in 75 and 77 ,Sheckter in 79 , Hunt in 76 . I did know about Mansell winning in the computer controlled Williams in 92. Other than that, once I saw the movie Senna, I knew about the end of the 80s, but not the beginning ,and the middle. I wanted to familiarize myself. I will watch the 85 ,86 , 87 years, and the beginning of the 90s, once past 97 ,Im pretty knowledgeable up to present. This coinciding with my new Karting effort, and just kind of rounding out my overall interest in the sport .
Big G

 

Where did you go to watch these years in F1? I’d love to check it out and gain some historical knowledge. Thanks

 

You Tube Channel,.. " Big Zeddie " Hes got stuff from all eras. The races are all done very well in about 30 minutes each, with Murrey Walker , James Hunt,and Jackie Stewart commentating in a seamless fashion, meaning its not cut up and pieced together unprofessionally . Take a look, I think you will totally enjoy it !!! Especially the commentary !!

Big G

 

Awesome thanks!!!

 

Duke video has an entire series from 1970 to 2020. the older series 1970 - 1981 ish are made up of various TV clips from who ever was showing the race at the time.

starting in the mid 80's around 82 - 83 during the height of the FISA FOCA wars... this is when Ecclestone started to package F-1 for TV. in 1976 - he acquired the TV rights from the FIA ( at the time called FISA ) and started up FOT - Formula One Television later merged into FOM. He also started The Paddock club in the late 80's and started to package Advertising along with the races.

up to 1993 ish - he let FISA - FIA run the rules and he did the promotions. once He got control of the Rules - he and Mosley - that is when they started to squeeze out every $$$ by dictating the rules and making it a real business - and the "Concorde" agreement went longer and longer.

In 1982- Ecclestone came up with an agreement that bound the team and the driver - so that the team could trade a driver for money that never went to the driver. ... basically commoditizing the driver for a fixed sum over a long term. This is the famous Driver strike lead by Lauda in South Africa.

From 1968 to 2010 - and ( start of the end of Tobacco sponsorship,) teams found their own sponsors and took a set amount of starting money guaranteed by the concord agreement. after 1993 - Ecclestone started to enhance the payments in exchange for writing the rules... engines etc.. based to entice larger manufacturers into the sport and therefore more $$$$. Safety was usually done to protect TV coverage and sponsor revenue. Nobody really cared if the drivers died or not - it was part of the game.

that has changed over the past 20 years but it's about image vs. $$$ that is the driver. Sponsors don't want to be associated with death - when it was "preventable" and rampant attorneys on the loose.

In my personal opinion, the years 1979 - 1995 were the best of F1. With the following years excepted:

1965 - Jim Clark master class year
1973 - Jackie Stewart at his best
1976 - Niki Lauda master class year.. amazing twists and turns - and the first year of global F-1.

1979- French Gp - great battle. Watkins Glen race - fantastic car control by Villeneuve, and early races with Laffite and Depallier winning in Ligier... also first win for a Turbo GP car....

1982 - has to be about the strangest - most tragic year ever in F-1 crazy 1000 HP cars, death everywhere... glamor etc.. internal fights with teammates, and a championship almost nobody wanted to win. tons of different winners - and the Champion - Rosberg only won one race... and it was a race that was only held that year. ( Swiss Gp - in Dijon.)

The single best 24 months in F1 again my opinion - 1989 -1990 F-1 seasons. they have it all. screaming cars, the best drivers, tons of variation in cars, engines etc.. it was the true heyday of F-1.