Last year I picked my favourite 50 F1 passes on video from the last three decades.
I realised I’m long overdue updating it with some of the best picks from last year’s racing – featuring Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and more.
Quick, watch them now before someone at FOM decides that having videos on the internet showing how great F1 can be is bad for the sport…
David Coulthard vs Giancarlo Fisichella and Nick Heidfeld vs Fernando Alonso, Bahrain Grand Prix
Two great passes within moments of each other at the Bahrain Grand Prix. David Coulthard lunged past Giancarlo Fisichella from a surprising distance. Then Nick Heidfeld edged Fernando Alonso off-line and put a fine move on him around the outside.
Takuma Sato vs Fernando Alonso, Canadian Grand Prix
Alonso struggled at Montreal and fell prey to an inspired Takuma Sato in the Super Aguri late in the race, Sato aided by the fact that Alonso was stuck on a less favourable tyre option.
Fernando Alonso vs Felipe Massa, European Grand Prix
Alonso’s pass on Felipe Massa sealed a well-deserved victory for him at the Nurburgring – Massa’s crude attempt at barging him off the track was the act of a desperate man and provoked an argument between the two.
Nico Rosberg vs Jenson Button, Italian Grand Prix
A disciplined battle between two drivers that was so precise it looked like it had been choreographed. Jenson Button spent many laps keeping Nico Rosberg at bay but the Williams driver finally prevailed.
Lewis Hamilton vs Kimi Raikkonen, Italian Grand Prix
By contrast Lewis Hamilton’s dive past Kimi Raikkonen was improvised and opportunistic. Almost a second behind Raikkonen at the start/finish line, he came from a huge distance back and skidded the car sideways as he scrambled past the Ferrari. Raikkonen, taken by surprise and nursing a neck injury, had no response.
Felipe Massa vs Robert Kubica, Japanese Grand Prix
Massa’s scrap with Robert Kubica at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix saw the pair run each other off the track more than once.
Lewis Hamilton vs Rubens Barrichello, Brazilian Grand Prix
A McLaren passing a Honda may not sound too impressive on paper, but even watching this video on replay and knowing the outcome it’s beggars belief just how far back Hamilton came at Rubens Barrichello from.
Let’s hope we see plenty more of this kind of action next year.
Update: Thanks to Toncho for finding this one:
Photo copyright: HondaRacingF1.com
Toncho
21st February 2008, 10:29
For me last year best pass was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cb7fH2gGXg
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st February 2008, 10:31
Thank you! I couldn’t find that one anywhere I was trying to get a nice round 10 best passes… I’ll embed it above.
Robert McKay
21st February 2008, 10:33
Some good stuff there. Lewis on Rubens was impressive, as was Heidfeld on Alonso in Bahrain. And Button-Rosberg was good to see again as well.
By the way you mean Canadian Grand Prix :-)
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st February 2008, 10:35
Fixed, ta!
Architrion
21st February 2008, 11:43
The most I liked is Alonso on Heidfeld at Magny-Cours in one of the 200 km/h chicane. Heidfeld said that he couldn’t imagine that he could be overtaken there……
openwheel
21st February 2008, 14:08
Kieth you made my morning
thanks
Nikos Darzentas
21st February 2008, 14:26
great stuff, thanks Keith
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st February 2008, 14:27
You’re welcome guys!
openwheel
21st February 2008, 14:36
I saved every one to the hard drive!!!
Becken
21st February 2008, 15:18
Keith,
Lewis over Kimi was the Best. We have the two best teams overtaking each other just in “especial conditions”, in wet conditions or at the start. But Lewis hunted Kimi and did it on a dry track!! It was really impressive!
Thanks, Keith
Rgds.
Haplo
21st February 2008, 15:55
I remember everyone cheering like hell for Sato!
Daniel
21st February 2008, 17:20
Becken: agreed! Top teams, top drivers, ultra-fast track at a sunny day… Lewis showed courage outbreaking Kimi at the very limit! I still remember watching it live…
I recall seeing his whole approach, not just on the replay, but the video switches to them only when Lewis was already passing Kimi… Am I wrong?
Becken
21st February 2008, 17:43
Daniel,
You´re right!
I think that not even the cameras editor had some hope that he could did it. It is a demonstration (his incredulity on Lewis chase!) how overtaking became an utopia today.
Rgds.
TommyB
21st February 2008, 18:06
Alonso on Nick at Magny Cours should be there to in my opinion.
Completely forgot how amazing DC’s move on Fisi and how amazing he did in that race! :D
Becken
21st February 2008, 18:24
Keith,
I remember one more. Coincidently, Lewis again, at Nurburgring on Fisi. Tyres in the wet grass, nearing at NG chicane. That was dangerous…
Toncho
21st February 2008, 18:37
Lewis on Kimi was good and in the dry with best teams… but remember Kimi was running a stupid one stop strategy with a lot of fuel that eventually made him loss his tyres plus the neck problem due to the accident of the previous day, that said Lewis was very determined and we all would like to see more of those. Still I believe his best pass this year was in Brazil when he overpassed Barrichello.
Gabriel
21st February 2008, 19:38
Thanks v. much – these are great – small error in title – Massa vs Alonso at Nurburgring, not Canadian grand prix.
Ratboy
21st February 2008, 20:30
Great set of videos all over shadowed by the scandal, shame really.
Wesley
21st February 2008, 23:31
Now THAT’s entertainment!!
Heidfeld over Alonso is my fav but,Sato over Alonso is a lot of fun to watch.Super Aguri has at least ONE shining moment.
Pink Peril
21st February 2008, 23:46
As much as I love Alonso, that move by Sato was nothing short of brilliance !
Can we have more of that, please?
Steven Roy
22nd February 2008, 0:20
I think Lewis on Kimi was so unexpected that it has to be the best. DC passing the factory Renault in the customer car is a bit special too.
I have sat and watched Alonso and Massa ath the Nurburging a few times and I am stunned by the difference in the way they use the steering wheel. Alonso is smooth and consistent with miniumum input and minimum upset to the chassis. Massa on the other hand looks like he is wrestling a crocodile that has him by the throat. And that is with traction control and all the other toys.
milos
22nd February 2008, 0:31
Massa and Kubica , mad stuff :-)
anybody feels like compiling these into one before they disapear ?
Rohan
22nd February 2008, 5:55
Raikkonen on Coulthard at Fuji? Couldn’t find a link.
Zed
22nd February 2008, 6:31
I second Rohan, that pass of Raikkonen over Coulthard was outstanding….too bad that no one else thought of it so far.
Daniel
22nd February 2008, 14:40
Rohan and Zed are right. I’ve forgotten that brilliant move! I remember that, for quite a few laps, Kimi seemed to find a path nobody else did… he was on the outside (I forgot the turn) and, lap after lap, was getting clearly closer to his adversaries, that all were running on the inside… As much as I think that Kimi is not THAT great, I have to admit that he drove like a genius in Fuji…
Pace
24th February 2008, 2:46
> Lewis over Kimi was the Best
You must be joking now, Kimi was in Tcar, with injured neck after hi-speed crush and his tires was done (one stop strategy) + Mclaren was clearly fastest car at Monza
TheBlueNile
24th February 2008, 13:12
Great work! It was nice to watch those again.
There were great passes there. Everyone immaculate in their on way, considering the circumstances etc.
Hamilton’s Monza pass was one of the most dramatic. I’m a Kimi fan (Kimi is the best!) but I take nothing away from Hamilton. It was great driving on the edge.
Alonso was immaculate too, but even with that pass on Heidfeld, he didn’t advance much in the race. I think even Heidfeld was in front of him in the end. It doesn’t always pay to be aggressive (it seldom does!). you have to take care of the tyres etc. balanced calculated driving reaps rewards nowadays….and that is a great shame.
al
5th March 2008, 16:08
None of the videos now work…thanks bernie!!!(sarcasm)
James Steventon
20th April 2008, 7:08
In my opinion, the best overtaking move of 2007 was Felipe Massa on Robert Kubica at the Fuji Speedway, in the rain, at the last corner of the last lap.
Others on my list would include Hamilton’s pass on Raikkonen at Monza, and Sato’s pass on Alonso in Canada. However, Massa and Kubica were the highlight of the Fuji race. Very Gilles Villneuve/Rene Arnoux. Fantastic!!
James Steventon
20th April 2008, 7:09
In my opinion, the best overtaking move of 2007 was Felipe Massa on Robert Kubica at the Fuji Speedway, in the rain, at the last corner of the last lap. Others on my list would include Hamilton’s pass on Raikkonen at Monza, and Sato’s pass on Alonso in Canada. However, Massa and Kubica were the highlight of the Fuji race. Very Gilles Villneuve/Rene Arnoux. Fantastic!!