800 F1 races: how many have you seen?
1989 British Grand Prix: my first glimpse of F1. What was yours?
Singapore was F1′s 800th world championship race: so how many of the 800 have you seen?
I started watching F1 halfway through 1989 when I saw a broadcast of the British Grand Prix. Alain Prost won after Ayrton Senna spun off with a gearbox problem, and Nigel Mansell was a charging second after suffering a puncture in his Ferrari.
From my first glimpse of F1 action to this weekend’s first ever night race there have been 324 Grands Prix.
I know I haven’t seen all of them on television, because when I started watching F1 I was quite young and my parents wouldn’t let me get up at 2am to watch the Japanese and Australian races. Without those I reckon I’ve watched over 310 F1 races.
In comparison I’ve seen only a tiny number in person: just eight. Grand Prix tickets are expensive! Here’s some of my recollections about races I’ve been to:
- British Grand Prix: 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007
- Belgian Grand Prix: 2000
- Turkish Grand Prix: 2006
- Italian Grand Prix: 2007
How many F1 races have you seen? How many have you been to? To help you work it out here’s how many world championship rounds (including the Indianapolis 500) there have been since 1950:
1950: 7, 1951: 8, 1952: 8, 1953: 9, 1954: 9, 1955: 7, 1956: 8, 1957: 8, 1958: 11, 1959: 9, 1960: 10, 1961: 8, 1962: 9, 1963: 10, 1964: 10, 1965: 10, 1966: 9, 1967: 11, 1968: 12, 1969: 11, 1970: 13, 1971: 11, 1972: 12, 1973: 15, 1974: 15, 1975: 14, 1976: 16, 1977: 17, 1978: 16, 1979: 15, 1980: 14, 1981: 15, 1982: 16, 1983: 15, 1984: 16, 1985: 16, 1986: 16, 1987: 16, 1988: 16, 1989: 16, 1990: 16, 1991: 16, 1992: 16, 1993: 16, 1994: 16, 1995: 17, 1996: 16, 1997: 17, 1998: 16, 1999: 16, 2000: 17, 2001: 17, 2002: 17, 2003: 16, 2004: 18, 2005: 19, 2006: 18, 2007: 17, 2008: 15 (to date).
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Fergus Gallas said on 1st October 2008, 11:13
I was 12yo and was a fan from Lauda by the time.
diseased rat said on 1st October 2008, 11:42
Late 70′s for me when I was a very young lad, I didn’t become obsessive until early teens when Mansell was trying his hand. I was fortunate enough to see him win at Brands Hatch in ’86. I’ve pretty much seen all the races since the early ’80′s, however I did miss a handful of races live when Schumacher was at his most dominent.
Santiago said on 1st October 2008, 12:06
Pretty young people in this blog. I started with Nikita´s debut for Ferrari in 1974. I havent missed F1 since. Apart all tragedies occured in this time I have two memories above all.
1. Nikita retiring in the last GP in Japan due to fear in a track flooded, where James Hunt won the championsihp by 1 point. That season was the one with that terrible accident suffered by Niki Lauda at Nurburgring, and therefore the lucky season for the bad james boy.
2.Rolf Stommelen flies out of the street circuit of Montjuit in Spain and died five people which were watching the race in situ. Was the last race there. Terrible images on TV.
I dont know how many races that do, but I think quite a bit. I still miss a lot that turbo era.
I Have been in none in person.
Santiago said on 1st October 2008, 12:16
To Eddie Irvine.
You seem to be a real jinx to your supported pilot. It seems this year your bad luck will end, although there are three races left….:-))
Stealthman said on 1st October 2008, 13:11
I don’t keep track of how many races I’ve watched, but I know it’s under 30. That’s because I only really got into F1 from the 2007 Australian GP onwards. Australia 2007 was the first Grand Prix that I really watched, and saw finish, with Raikkonen taking the win – which resonated with me due to my Scandinavian heritage. Now my favourite drivers are Raikkonen (for the aforementionned reason) and Mark Webber (because he’s an Aussie – just like me!) :D
Loki said on 1st October 2008, 13:23
My mum told me I started watching F1 since arriving back in the country, which was 1984 – but I don’t have much memories until key moments in the late 80s and early 90s. I didn’t really follow it, I only ever remember have memories of Senna, Prost, Patrese, and Mansell on track – almost no one else. I wasn’t a follower, but I loved watching it, I guess. Still have a little toy Ferrari F1 from back then :)
I stopped watching in 1994, when Senna died, but followed it more devoutly and intensely in 1995 and thereafter.
If I took just half of the races between 1984-1994 and 95% of the races since then, I’ve watched roughly 282 GPs, though it’s a somewhat inaccurate guess!
Ron (post 17), I’ve actually slept through quite a few! Not because of they’ve been boring, though I’d attribute a few snoozes to those, but I think in earlier years the weekends took its toll by Sunday.
I’ve not been to any races in person :(
Clive said on 1st October 2008, 13:28
You may call me the Ancient One. The first GP I saw was the 1961 Monaco GP, seen in a grainy, black-and-white newsreel in 1962. I followed the sport avidly after that, mainly through the pages of Autosport and Motor Sport, having pressured my mother into buying me subscriptions. That was my only recourse back then, since I lived in Africa and the races were not televised, even in Europe.
I missed many races during the early 70s, thanks to life presenting me with the necessity to earn my crust, but I started watching again after my return to Britain in 1976. There have been brief periods since when I have not been able to view every race in a season, so I am not even going to attempt to tot them all up. Let’s just say that it’s good to see so many young ‘uns getting fanatical about F1 – surely the best sign of all that the sport will survive the ineptitude (good word :D) of its governing body.
Journeyer said on 1st October 2008, 14:04
I first some saw races on TV (probably on tape-delay) from 1996-2000: Spain 1996, Monaco 1997, Hungary 1998, Monaco 1999, Japan 2000, Malaysia 2000. I’ve been able to watch every race from 2001 onwards (mostly live, a few on tape-delay).
That makes a total of 143 races. :)
I’ve only watched 1 race in person, and it was the 800th race – Singapore! :D
MarathonMan801 said on 1st October 2008, 14:11
How many races have I seen?
Too many.
I remember several ocassions in the 80′s or 90′s waiting up late on a Sunday night to see BBC’s highlights of one GP or another and then waking up just as the end credits came up on the screen . . .
Scott Joslin said on 1st October 2008, 14:17
Like Keith I am going to say the start of 1989, when I was 9 years old. I have very distinguishing memories of a few races I watched before then. My Dad got me up to watch the Australian GP of 1986 – I didn’t go to school the next day as I was too tired. I also remember being on Holiday in Italy in 1988 and watching the Italian GP in the hotel my family was staying and the Italian owner went mad when Senna was taken out.
Throughout those early years I became a Nigel Mansell fan and when he signed for Ferrari in 1989,I can remember watching the San Marino GP Live and the accident with Berger is very clear in my mind. It was also the year I got a small TV in my bedroom to accompany the Spetrum 128k I got for Xmas that year, which meant I could watch the highlights late at night in my bedroom!!
I have missed a 2 races. Monaco 1992 but the the most important race – San Marino 1994 – I went to a swimming pool with a girl from School. Never, never again!
Total Races –
Races I have been to
Silverstone 1992
Donington Park 1993
Silverstone 1993
Silverstone 1994
Silverstone 1998
Malaysia 2004
Silverstone 2005
Silverstone 2007
Silverstone 2008
Jolene said on 1st October 2008, 14:37
I started watching with my dad in the late 80′sbut wasnt really sure how to enjoy it yet ( I guess he wanted some company as I was just a little girl ). Really got into F1 late 90′s as a tribute to my dad who sadly passed away in 1991 and have been hooked ever since. I have no idea how many races I’ve seen but missed only the early part of the 2007 season due to Schumacher withdrawal symptoms. Sadly, I have never seen a live race and probably wont see one soon ( it will cost a fortune to travel from South Africa ) unless they bring back the SA GP. Yeah to that!
Dorian said on 1st October 2008, 14:43
Using Keith’s table, I make my count at 148.
Sadly, I haven’t seen one in person as the closet one to NZ is Melbourne and for a decent weekend including ticket, flights, accomodation e.t.c., it’s AT LEAST NZD$1000.00. Not something one can do too often. But now that I reside in Europe, I’m hoping to change that and see my first next season. Finger crossed!!
al said on 1st October 2008, 15:49
136…so far.the first race i saw(on tv)was malaysia 2001!havent seen one in person yet though!:(
graham228221 said on 1st October 2008, 16:04
i’m the greenest F1 fan so far!
my first GP was china 2007, i ended up watching it with my one-year-old when he woke up one morning at 4am. loved it, hamilton going off just before the pits was the most heart-wrenchingly dramatic moment i think i’ve seen in sport!
missed brazil, but have watched every race this season except spa (because the vhs didn’t work =( )
so that makes 15.
Haplo said on 1st October 2008, 16:22
Can’t really tell. My dad is a fan too and hence I been watching the races for as long as I can remember. So I guess I’m watching since 1979.
And I hardly ever miss one, If I (for wathever reason) can’t watch one live, I just download it and watch it later.