The Best Formula One Race of 2019

Jimlaad43

Nice apex, I'll take it!
Staff
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F1 2019 ended as a classic season, with some of the best Grand Prix's in living memory, celebrating the emergence of some future stars to show us that the next few seasons will be amazing.

Lewis Hamilton took the title after 21 races, but it wasn't all easy for him, as not all of his 11 wins were as straight-forward as others. However, as with everything, we need to rank them and determine the best one!

So, to find out RaceDepartment's favourite race of the season, please vote above.

Use this as a chance to share your highlights of the season, your best memories and what you enjoyed or not from the season.

Australian Grand Prix
  1. V. Bottas
  2. L. Hamilton
  3. M. Verstappen
Porridge filled Valtteri Bottas scored a dominant win, streaking away from his team mate as pre-season favourites Ferrari appeared to be nowhere. Daniel Ricciardo's Renault debut was a disaster as he lost his front wing well before the first corner as Pierre Gasly struggled to carve through the pack in his Red Bull.

Bahrain Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. C. Leclerc
Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was denied a thoroughly deserved first victory as engine troubles set in 10 laps from the end, after he had battled back from a poor start to pass his team mate. Vettel spun out after Hamilton drove around the outside of him at Turn 4, and the Mercedes driver inherited the win he knew he didn't deserve.

Chinese Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. S. Vettel
Lewis Hamilton got the better of pole-sitting Bottas off the line and took a dominant victory. Daniil Kvyat collided with both McLaren's on the first lap, but the real star of the race was his team mate Alex Albon, who battled through from a massive crash in FP3 and a pitlane start to 10th and a point.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
  1. V. Bottas
  2. L. Hamilton
  3. S. Vettel
Valtteri Bottas out-battled his team mate Lewis Hamilton around the streets of Baku as Mercedes took a 4th straight victory. Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat both ended up in the runoff area after a botched overtake, which embarrassingly ended up with Ricciardo reversing into Kvyat as they tried to rejoin.

Spanish Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. M. Verstappen
A late Safety Car for a clash between Norris and Stroll turned a strategic race on its head. The midfield battle was intense as both Haas's clashed and Romain Grosjean took to the runoff area at Turn 1 3 laps in a row.

Monaco Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. S. Vettel
  3. V. Bottas
Lewis Hamilton took victory as a fitting tribute to the recently deceased Niki Lauda after surviving a race long battle with Max Verstappen on the wrong tyres. Verstappen got into 2nd after an unsafe release in the pit stops during a Safety Car, after local hero Charles Leclerc finally botched a series of impressive overtakes.

Canadian Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. S. Vettel
  3. C. Leclerc
Sebastian Vettel threw away victory after race long pressure saw him run wide at a chicane and rejoin dangerously. Vettel crossed the line first, but a 5 second penalty meant that the following Hamilton took the win. The midfield battle was intense, and Norris' wheel fell off spectacularly down the main straight in the first few laps.

French Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. C. Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory with ease as all the action was in the midfield. Daniel RIcciardo made a bold late pass on an ailing Lando Norris and Kimi Raikkonen, but was penalised for driving off-track in both of them.

Austrian Grand Prix
  1. M. Verstappen
  2. C. Leclerc
  3. V. Bottas
A tonic to refresh after France, the Austrian Grand Prix was dominated by Charles Leclerc, as nearest rival Verstappen had a bad start. Verstappen drove spectacularly though, gaining the time back and carving back up the field. A titanic battle ended the race, with Leclerc first outdragging Verstappen down the third straight, but Verstappen wised up next lap and forced Leclerc wide to stop him fighting back. Verstappen took Honda's first win in the hybrid era, and was the first Non-Mercedes to win in the season.

British Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. C. Leclerc
Mercedes dominated the race, but not after putting on one of the greatest racing shows, with Hamilton passing Bottas into Brooklands, but Bottas fighting back and retaking the lead into the flat-out Copse. Behind them, Leclerc and Verstappen reignited their rivalry from Austria, wheel-banging and flying up the inside of each other. Verstappen passed Vettel later in the race and was piled into by the Ferrari driver into Vale.

German Grand Prix
  1. M. Verstappen
  2. S. Vettel
  3. D. Kvyat
The only wet race of the season turned into a disaster for most of the top drivers, as Leclerc ended his race in the Turn 16 skating rink, Hamilton hit that wall, had a terrible pitstop and spun at turn 1, Bottas ended his race in the T1 wall and Gasly drove into Albon. Max Verstappen recovered from a spin and a terrible start to win, while Vettel came from last on the grid to second, and Kvyat defeated Stroll for the last podium spot after an inspired tyre choice.

Hungarian Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. M. Verstappen
  3. C. Leclerc
This race was a masterclass from Hamilton and Verstappen, as the two disappeared off into the distance, engaging in a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle which could have been overtake of the century had Hamilton been able to keep it at T4. Such was their lead, the chasing Hamilton opted to pit for new tyres close to the end and had to post qualifying lap after qualifying lap to catch Verstappen. He did 3 laps from the end to steal an incredible victory.

Belgian Grand Prix
  1. C. Leclerc
  2. L. Hamilton
  3. V. Bottas
Charles Leclerc finally scored his maiden victory in dominant style, fittingly as a tribute to his friend Anthoine Hubert, who had been killed in the F2 race the day before. Verstappen retired on the first lap and his new teammate Alex Albon carved his way through the field, passing Ricciardo unbelievably around no-name corner. Giovinazzi had a big crash on the last lap.

Italian Grand Prix
  1. C. Leclerc
  2. V. Bottas
  3. L. Hamilton
Charles Leclerc ended Ferrari's wait for a home victory in emphatic style, coming out on top in a race-long battle with Lewis Hamilton. Vettel had an awful race, spinning at Ascari for no discernable reason and rejoining into Lance Stroll, who spun and also rejoined awfully. Bottas failed in his one chance to pass Leclerc at the end once Hamilton's tyres fell away, leaving the Tifosi to celebrate Leclerc's second win.

Singapore Grand Prix
  1. S. Vettel
  2. C. Leclerc
  3. M. Verstappen
Sebastian Vettel jumped his team mate in the pit window as tyre conservation dominated the race. Giovinazzi led a few laps, and Williams recorded their first DNF of the season after Russell was forced into the wall by Grosjean. Raikkonen felt the torpedo after a Kvyat dive into turn 1.

Russian Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. V. Bottas
  3. C. Leclerc
An MGU failure for Sebastian Vettel caused a VSC that changed the complexion of the race, allowing Mercedes to jump Vettel's team mate. Leclerc couldn't get past and Hamilton scored another victory he didn't expect to. Grosjean and Ricciardo ended the race on lap 1 after trying to squeeze Giovinazzi.

Japanese Grand Prix
  1. V. Bottas
  2. S. Vettel
  3. L. Hamilton
Ferrari botched their front row lockout after Vettel totally didn't jumped the start and Leclerc allowed Verstappen around the outside and casually drove into him through turn 2. Bottas took the lead and disappeared to score a third win of the season, as Perez managed to finish 9th despite ending up in the wall, as a light glitch caused the race to be declared a lap early.

Mexican Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. S. Vettel
  3. V. Bottas
Leclerc from pole turned out to be the loser in the strategy battle as the two-stop didn't work. Lewis Hamilton won after him and Verstappen went wide at T2, and Verstappen eventually picked up a puncture after clipping Bottas during a bold overtake.

United States Grand Prix
  1. V. Bottas
  2. L. Hamilton
  3. M. Verstappen
Valtteri Bottas out-battled Lewis Hamilton to take another victory, but it was too little too late as Hamilton still took the championship. Vettel's challenge ended with a suspension failure over the numerous bumps around the circuit. The track once again produced some incredible racing that lasts many corners.

Brazilian Grand Prix
  1. M. Verstappen
  2. P. Gasly
  3. C. Sainz
The first half of the race was a cagey dice between Hamilton and Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver managing to get back past Hamilton when he jumped him in the pitstops. A late Safety Car for Valtteri Bottas' engine blow up changed the race. The Ferrari's took each other out by colliding on the back straight, causing another safety car. Hamilton pitted for new tyres and spun Alex Albon out of a deserved first podium 2 laps from the end and ended with a thrilling drag race to the line with Gasly.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
  1. L. Hamilton
  2. M. Verstappen
  3. C. Leclerc
Bottas drove through the pack from a grid penalty as Hamilton cruised to another win. The midfield battle was crucial, as the battle for 6th in the championship was almost decided on the first lap with Gasly losing his front wing. Sainz needed a point though and found himself 11th on the last lap, where he took the point with a last gasp dive on Hulkenberg.
 
I personally have voted for Hungary because it was one of the most tense and best drives from the greatest driver on the grid. Hamilton's execution of the two stop over Verstappen will go down in history just as much as Schumacher's 1998 drive at the same circuit. This was the best battle for the win of the whole season, and one of the best battles for the lead of all time which luckily was left to be fought fairly, rather than a Safety Car ruining it for either of them.

But I digress.
Brazil and Germany were unbelievable for the chaos that ensued, Italy and Austria had exciting battles for the lead, while Silverstone was perhaps the most complete race with battling happening all through the field - especially at the front - and overtakes happening all over the circuit.

I also managed to finally cross "Visit a foreign Grand Prix" off my bucket list as I spontaneously went to the Austrian GP, followed by marshalling my 5th British Grand Prix a week later. The season did have a few stinkers (Spain, France and Russia spring to mind), but you have to have bad races to have good ones
 
Austria. Fantastic Max with terrible start, than with strong race pace and agressive finish against Leclerc. Pure racing in "normal" weather. One of the Grand Prix you watch every second.
 
I was in doubt whether or not I should vote for Germany or Brazil. But I voted Hungary as it was amazing for me, my first ever f1 race I visited so I might be biased. Dutch, so another thing that might bias me, but the excitement the Verstappen Hamilton battle provided was insane. One of the best races I could have visited.
 
Germany hands down, but pure racing wise - Austria and Hungary, thanks to Max, Charles and Lewis. Other races I don't really remember, maybe some penalty dramas.
 
The best race of 2019 was Holkenheim where it was wet. I Don't believe any of the other races saw a drop of rain. Wet races realy separate the men from the boys as they challenge the driver skill. Only a small handful of drivers like driving in the rain. The British drivers don't like it, strange as it rains a lot and most drivers start out racing in England so you would think they would learn to work with it. Unless the race is stopped due to extreme rain.
 
The Best dry race was Spa Francorchamps. Best track on calendar, Like the Nordiscliffe the best in the world. But to big to facilitate in terms of medical crews and other safety aspects that tracks have to abide by.
And sadly the F3 driver Tonio lost his life which must of put drivers on edge in Grandprix.
 
  • Deleted member 561801

Hockenheim was a very fun race!
 
  • Deleted member 205301

Damn ! Hockenheim was certainly fun to see, but that was not a nice race (I mean, it were a bit of lotery), Austria was really great to see, but I voted Silverstone, for some of the bests fights we had this year (Leclerc/verstappen for exemple was sooo good) ...of course, as every year, the 2 worst were monaco (but it's Monaco), and france (an i'm french^^)
@++
 
Even though Germany was the most entertaining, I don't think we saw very good racing since all the big stars ended up making mistakes (except ironically Seb), so I went with Silverstone that saw amazing battles all over the field.

The start of the year was pretty bad with France maybe being the highlight but after that we got some pretty good ones. Bahrain, Silverstone, Austria, Monza, Germany, Spa and Brazil stood out imo.


I also managed to finally cross "Visit a foreign Grand Prix" off my bucket list as I spontaneously went to the Austrian GP, followed by marshalling my 5th British Grand Prix a week later.

Just curious: how do you apply for this?
 
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Maybe it's a bit of it being fresh in my mind and a "what have you done for me lately" approach, but Brazil was really really fun. Absolute madness. It gets my vote.
 
Damn ! Hockenheim was certainly fun to see, but that was not a nice race (I mean, it were a bit of lotery), Austria was really great to see, but I voted Silverstone, for some of the bests fights we had this year (Leclerc/verstappen for exemple was sooo good) ...of course, as every year, the 2 worst were monaco (but it's Monaco), and france (an i'm french^^)
@++
I see what you mean about the Hockenheim race but it was not really random. Top drivers got punished for their own mistakes and not caught by a SC. Surely the final SC reshuffled the pack but not that much and ultimately most teams/drivers who could read well the track evolution got rewarded. It reminded me of the best CART races in the 90s.
 
Brazil. The battle between Lewis and Max was awesome and the other drama as well. The best driver of the last decade against probably the best driver of the next decade. And lets hope Charles and maybe even Carlos and Lando will be able to battle for wins and maybe even a WC as well, with McLaren‘s comeback as a top team.
 

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