What was the best F1 pass of 2008?
Felipe Massa takes Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix
Overtaking can be rare in Formula 1. But when the planets align and someone actually gets close enough to make a move, a genuinely exciting pass is a thing to savour.
Although next year sees new regulations designed to enhance passing opportunities there were some fine overtaking moves this year.
We’ve seen double passes, wet weather passes and last-lap-for-the-title passes in 2008. But which was the best?
To pick the best passing move of 2008 we’re going to start with your nominations: pick your favourite pass or passes and name them below, explain why you think they’re the best. Post links to videos in the comments and I’ll embed them here.
Once we’ve got a short list of the top passes we’ll have a poll on Friday to select the best of all.
Let the nominations begin…
Suggestions so far
Massa on Hamilton at the Hungaroring
Heidfeld on Alonso and Coulthard at Sepang
Heidfeld on Alonso and Glock at Silverstone and Heidfeld on Raikkonen and Kovalainen at Silverstone
Alonso on Kubica and Vettel at Spa
Massa on Kovalainen and Barrichello
hamilton on raikkonen belgian grand prix
Hamilton on Kovalainen – British GP
massa on hamilton and kovi at the hungarian grand prix (I am a big Lewis fan but i had to stand up and applaude Massa into turn 1 at the hungaroring)
Massa on Hamilton at Hungaroring
vettel on hamilton interlagos
hamilton on glock, interlagos
Massa on Hamilton at Hungaroring
Is a good start an overtaking move?
Ade,
Hamilton on Kova – British GP: is hardly a pass, Kova dived out the way to let Hamilton through
1. hamilton- raikonnen- hamilton- raikonnen- hamilton- rosberg- raikonnen-crash (Belguim)
2. hamilton- glock (brazil)
3. Massa on two people (canada)
4. Raikonnen first 4-5 laps (australia)
5. Hamilton- DC (singapore)
6. Massa- Hamilton (Hungary)
7. Hamilton – KOvaleinen (UK)
8. Rosberg? taking 2 people (UK)
9. Vettel- Hamilton (brazil)
10. Hamilton – MAssa (turkey)
bonus prizes awrded to
- Massa for Bourdais and nearly killing someone with Weber (Japan)
- Alonso for the most optimistic pass of the year (Monaco)
EDIT: has anyone noticed how Hamilton seems to involvedin nearly all of these, though i do like how he puts the other drivers noses out of joint
I bet nobody else suggests this move.
Piquet on Trulli at Montreal. It was one of those ‘Get out of my way, I’m quicker than you’ moves. It was also from a long way back, unexpected and on a wretched track surface.
Oh, and it wasn’t like Trulli made a mistake on the previous corner either, so it was a genuine overtake
Silversone:
Nick Heidfeld’s double pass on Glock and Alonso and another one later on on Raikkonen and Kovalainen.
http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/en/#/news/current/~2324|0/
massa on kovalainen and barrichello in canada
if start counts too, i definitely vote for trulli’s belgium start, he overtook many drivers
i)Hamilton on Raikkonen at Spa.
ii)Hamilton on Glock at Brazil
Hamilton on Massa, Hockenheim.
I can’t remember most of the overtaking moves from last season off the top of my head, so when the poll goes up on Friday it would be good if you could put links to footage of the passes to refresh peoples memories. Some that stick in my memory are Hamilton on Massa at Turkey and Germany, and Heidfield’s double overtakes at Silverstone.
Personally I think starts and overtakes are two separate categories so I wouldn’t vote for Massa at the Hungaroring in this poll, but if there was a best start poll I would vote for Massa there.
Raikkonen on/between Hamilton & Rosberg, Spa.
massa in hungary, more a good start than race-overtake, but nice moves;
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6bysj_massa
Massa in Hungary was meh – a better start not an overtake.
Hamilton’s move on Glock wasn’t a great pass it was an important pass – there is a difference.
I vote for Heidfeld’s double double pass at Silverstone….
massa from p3 otudoing kovi and taking p1 on the outside of hamilton into turn 1 in hungary.
that was a stand out – race winning move. too bad both cars failed.
stand out overtake would be this move, schumi on alonso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp3L2xALRWc
the difference is that Michael didn’t just out power him or whatever, he actively took a different line into the first corner to stick a move on the next corner, smart driving.
Kimis 1st few laps at spa
Wheel to wheel with massa
MY TOP TEN
10.Massa on Heikky and Barrichello at Canada
9. Vettel on Lewis at Brazil
8. Massa on Lewis at Hungary
7. Lewis on Glock at Brazil
6. Lewis on Massa at Turkey
5. Lewis on Massa at Germany
4. Piquet on Fernando at France
3. Lewis on Kimi at Spa
2. Nick Heidfeld on Fernando and Coulthard at Malaysia
1. Nick Heidfeld on Fernando Alonso (AGAIN!) and Timo Glock at Silverstone
A missed a point: Nick Heidfeld made TWO DOUBLE overtakings at Silvertone:
On Fernando Alonso and Timo Glock at Silverstone and On Heikky and Kimi.
He is the BEST overtaker of 2008, no doubt!
Massa passing Hamilton on the outside at the first corner at the start of the Hungarian GP after having already passed Kovalainen.
I am going for Heifield’s double overtaking at the British Grand Prix
Hamilton on Massa in Japan. OK, Massa cut the chicane and harpooned his rival but Hamilton’s part was a clean pass on horribly flat spotted tyres.
Massa’s double overtake at Canada. I jumped out of my seat. Brilliant.
Best overtaker of the season has to be Heidfeld. He made no less than THREE double overtaking moves – twice at Silverstone and one at Malaysia, making Alonso and Raikkönen look like rookies. I’d go for one of these or Massa’s move at Canada against Barrichello and Kovalainen.
Best start og the season has to go to Trulli at Spa – that was propably the best start in years.
For me its clear: Nick, Silverstone
massa on hamilton is the ultimate best start of the year. it was a classic wheel-on-wheel move.
the best overtaking?
i dont know. actually i cant remember a classic pass where neither the winner nor the passed made a mistake. i mean heidfeld was great with his double passes but – at least the one on heikki and kimi – the mistakes of the others were needed too.
Without a doubt it was Lewis on Kimi at Spa… absolutely brilliant!
Other notable drives also include Lewis in the wet at Silverstone , Monaco and Monza (too many to mention).
In fact many drivers had great moves in the wet races including Vettel on Lewis at Interlagos (gritted teeth lol).
nick H, one of his doubles
Nick Heidfeld’ Two Double Overtaking Move In British GP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HckQAuOkLCw
Nick Heidfeld’s Double Overtaking Move In Malaysian GP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYu0M_XfvxM
Kimi’s first few corners at Spa
I can’t remember who he overtook now, but Hamilton on (insert name of driver) going into turn 1 part-way through the Brazil GP where he was off line on the damp track on dry tyres but made it stick…
Nick at Silverstone
It was Fisichella in a Force India
Heidfeld on Silverstone. Easily.
Massa passing Rubens and Heikki at L’Epingle in Montreal. I was sitting about 20 rows up and the (Ferrari) crowd was in awe.
No second thought – Heidfeld’s two double overtakes at Silverstone
Third was similar overtaking by Massa at Canada.
One of my comments is stopped at the moderation, but don’t forget, guys, that Quick Nick had already made a double move at Malaysia on Fernando and Coulthard (click HERE).
I think that Piquet on Fernando at France was a good one too…
Rosberg passing Trulli @ Singapore
That is – with all the push from the box a few laps before and with all the smoke, etc
#13’s got it for Silverstone:
The one on Kimi and Kovy was simply class. Very much representative of the surgence BMW made in 2008 – or for the first half, at least – to be the best of the rest. This one fired the shot that if Ferrari and McLaren falter, BMW will be there to pounce.
I got so excited at the pass that I, momentarily, forgot one of the cars being passed is one of those I support!
That, or Massa’s start at Hungary. Though I can probably say it’s almost disappointing he doesn’t drive like this consistently when you know he can pull off stuff like this.
Best
Heidfeld past Raikkonen, Kovalainen @ Silverstone
Worse/ Most Cruel
Raikkonen into Sutil @ Monaco
Hamilton’s pass on Piquet and then the repeat on Massa at whatever track that was. Absolutely awesome for me to watch because it was one of those ‘***?’ moments where the team made an apparent mistake and it was up to Hamilton to get the job done and win the race. Shows what stuff he is made of.
Then of course the Hamilton/Raikkonnen battle at Spa.
My picks are Heidfeld’s three doubles in the season, and the Raikkonen/Hamilton sparring in the final laps of Belgium before Kimi crashed. Both drivers pushing so hard in atrocious conditions and both actually going all out for the win by pushing so hard. Great stuff.
I’d say Heidfeld’s double pass @ silverstone, hamilton on massa @ germany, kovalainen on alonso @ australia or
hamilton on massa @ turkey were all good moves.
How about Alonso’s final lap at Spa?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmOixmxpXF4
Has to be Quick Nick, I was lucky enough to be see him pull off that double overtake on Kimi and Heikki right where I was sitting at the Grand Prix, he made it look so easy.
I was indifferent to Heidfield before, but he’s one crafty geezer and I’m quite glad BMW have kept him.