the best overtaking manouvre in history...

I'll never forget the '99 Montreal GP. Sitting by the start/finish line, it seemed as if somebody was making an incredible move almost every lap at the last corner. Eddie Irvine was driving his pants off and stormed back to 3rd with some terrific passes. I think the point is, passing manouvers are the "art" of racing, and like other art forms, there's hardly any rhyme or reason as to which are given little notice and which take on a life of reknown. Sure, sometimes they'll seem more dramatic or risky. But sometimes there's beauty in a pass that, while on the surface looked basic, took several laps to develop and unfold.

 

It really was a ballsy move by Mansell...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2g1yrGputA

 

I will not say this is the best, but it sure is a nice video of
passing attempts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KldKkMoTfAA

 

Ah, youtube. Here's the Piquet on Senna that I was talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKETX8e4P3c

 

Wow amazing move, thank you. Some serious power oversteer in that corner.

 

Kimi passed Fisichella and that was a fantastic race!

Brian, my friend, we have the same taste in overtaking manouvers I too hold that as the greatest ever. Mika was a true racer, sense for overtaking like few, consistant amazing driving and such a gentleman! He and Schumacher were enemies on the track but friends off it. His presence in the sport lifted it to another level. He's the one who got me interested in F1 and when he quit, I stopped watching and Kimi got me back into it. Those Fins sure can drive. So unfourtunate that Mika had to leave

Montoya's overtake on Schumacher at Spa was great too. Not to mention Senna's first lap at Donnington 93.

 

... had to be Maverick chopping the throttle and pulling the stick...then dropping on the Mig's six for the kill...

 

Mansell passing Piquet at Silverstone in '87 ranks up there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTXqw-7QWs

 

That's a very tough question.

How about Mansell & Senna at (I believe) Estoril. Side by side at 200 MPH down the front straight, neither backing off, wheels practically touching.

Or better yet, Donington 1993 opening lap, Senna made 5 passes there, any one of which was spectacular.

Hungoraring with Senna & Piquet (or was it Mansell?) was spectacular as well, as mentioned previously.

Mika has pulled off some great passes.

 

i'm not sure why this is the greatest. mika had three options, follow michael to the outside, go free to the inside or run into the back of the back marker. pretty obvious choice. i'm just not sure why michael didn't take that line and send mika outside.

 

The thing about that is, had Michael respected Mika's closing speed rather than chopping him off, the pass would have and should have happened the first time. The move Michael put on Mika was pretty suspect. Not open for debate, Impy.

 

Michael did what he had to do.

 

No, actually Mika had to do what he had to do, which was get on the brakes because Michael was about to run him into the grass. It's one thing to close the door on someone as you brake into a corner. But when a car is about to draft past at close to 200 mph, swiping across his bow is outside the lines. Most drivers would have cried and moaned about it after the fact, which would have meant Michael successfully got into that driver's head. But Mika had a confidence not all the others did, and wouldn't give Michael the satisfaction.

 

That pass gets my vote. It's amazing that Piquet didn't lose it. He was teetering on the edge for sure.

 

Michael might have lost the race... but he won the championship!

 

That he did! But that's a delicate piece of real estate, because it implies that the end always justifies the means. Not the best lesson to promote.