Best F1 Overtakes – Global Sports Planet

Formula 1 is a very competitive sport, in which all drivers race to win. One of the keys to this sport is overtaking, as it is the way to win. Overtaking is perhaps the most fundamental part of Formula 1, as it is what provides the most spectacle, along with accidents.

In the 72 years of Formula 1, we have seen thousands and thousands of overtaking manoeuvres of all kinds. Modern elements such as DRS or complex aerodynamics can make overtaking more artificial or complicated, but even so, the show has not been lost and is more alive than ever.

That said, here are some of the best F1 overtakes of all time, in no particular order.

1. Nelson Piquet on Ayrton Senna – 1986 Hungarian GP

The 80s was one of the most golden decades in Formula 1. There was great competitiveness and equality not only between teams but also between drivers, some of whom were already established and others who were young promises and wanted to make a name for themselves in the sport.

One such intergenerational clash took place at the new Hungaroring in 1986, between Brazilians Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna. Piquet had already been world champion twice, in 1981 and 1983, while Senna was a young driver who had already shown his potential with some fantastic driving.

Senna, driving for Lotus, took pole position, while Williams driver Piquet qualified second. Senna led the race comfortably until lap 24, but Piquet was getting closer and closer as the laps went by.

After an unsuccessful attempt to overtake on the inside on lap 25, Piquet went around the outside of Turn 1 and made a spectacular one-handed drift, taking the lead. With the other hand he made a little \”gesture\” to Senna, showing who was the boss. Senna could do nothing, and finally, Piquet won the race with a 17-second lead and set the fastest lap.

F1 Classic Battles – 1986 Hungary – Piquet vs Senna – YouTube

2. Mika Häkkinen on Michael Schumacher – 2000 Belgian GP

One of the most legendary rivalries in Formula 1 history was between McLaren driver Mika Häkkinen and Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After losing two championships in a row to the Finn, Schumacher wanted to win his first title with Ferrari in 2000.

One of the best battles of the season took place at the Belgian GP. Häkkinen had started the race in pole position, while Schumacher started from sixth position. The race started in the wet and the German made a great comeback, taking the lead early on.

However, as the circuit dried out, Häkkinen got closer and closer to Schumacher. On lap 41, coming into Les Combes, on the long straight after Eau Rouge, Schumacher lapped Ricardo Zonta\’s backmarker on the outside.

Häkkinen took advantage of his slipstream and lapped him at the same time, but on the inside, braking later than the German in the right-hand corner, and taking the lead.

This spectacular and risky move gave him the victory, and Häkkinen extended his championship lead to 6 points ahead of Schumacher.

Hakkinen Surprises Schumacher With Double Overtake! | All The Angles | 2000 Belgian Grand Prix – YouTube

3. Fernando Alonso on Michael Schumacher – 2005 Japanese GP

After five years of absolute domination by Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, 2005 was the year in which Fernando Alonso won his first world championship, thus becoming the youngest world champion in history until he was beaten in 2008 by Lewis Hamilton.

One of the star moves of the season, and history, was the Spaniard\’s overtaking of Schumacher at Suzuka. After a wet qualifying that had shaken up the grid, both the German and the Spaniard started the race outside the top 10, fourteenth and sixteenth respectively.

Both started a remarkable comeback early in the race, and by lap 20 Alonso was attempting to overtake Schumacher for fifth position. Arriving at Turn 15, the 130 R, which is Suzuka\’s fastest corner and one of the most challenging of the season, the Spaniard took advantage of the Ferrari\’s slipstream, and dived into the corner on the outside, completing an extraordinary overtake.

The difficulty of the 130 R lies in the fact that you can only take it flat out from the apex, otherwise, you have to lift your foot or you will end up crashing into the barriers at very high speed. Alonso himself, after the race, confessed that he had risked too much.

Alonso overtake Schumacher onboard 2005 Japan – YouTube

4. Mark Webber on Fernando Alonso – 2011 Belgium GP

Eau Rouge is one of the most famous and iconic corners in Formula 1 history, and one of the most challenging, where few dare to overtake, but that is exactly what Mark Webber did in the 2011 Belgian GP.

The Aussie qualified second, but as usual, had a poor start and lost many positions on the first lap. Webber made an early pit stop to try to gain positions, and several laps later encountered the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, who had come out of the pits, arriving at Eau Rouge.

Webber took advantage of Alonso\’s slipstream, who tried to block him, and was side-by-side with the Spaniard before heading into Eau Rouge, at almost 300 km/h. The Aussie, on the left, did not give way, and Alonso, who at first did not give way either, was forced to lift his foot halfway through the corner.

It was a risky overtake that would have ended in an accident had it not been for the iron hands that both had.

Webber\’s Breathtaking Move On Alonso At Eau Rouge – All The Angles | 2011 Belgium Grand Prix – YouTube

5. Nigel Mansell on Gerhard Berger – 1990 Mexican GP

The fight for second place between Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger during the 1990 Mexican Grand Prix offered us one of the best overtakes in history and one of the best and most intense battles ever seen.

Mansell, known as \”Il Leone\” in his Ferrari days for his bravery in overtaking, started fourth, while Gerhard Berger, then driving for McLaren Honda alongside Ayrton Senna, started from pole position.

Alain Prost led most of the race, and during the closing laps, Berger was second and Mansell third, but the Austrian was not going to make things easy for Il Leone, and kept him behind for several laps despite the constant pressure of the Briton.

The battle culminated in Mansell passing around the outside of Berger going into the ultra-fast Peraltada corner, a heavily banked 180-degree right-hander. There was only one true track line, but Mansell pulled in from the outside very fast, and Berger, from the inside, had to give way to avoid a collision.

It was one of the best moves of Mansell\’s racing career, and one that has gone down in the history books.

Mansell vs Berger – 1990 Mexican Grand Prix – YouTube

6. Gilles Villeneuve on René Arnoux – 1979 French GP

The 1979 French GP was marked by one of the fiercest and most memorable battles in the history of Formula 1, starring Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve and Renault driver René Arnoux, who fought during the closing stages of the race for second place.

The other Renault driver, Jean-Pierre Jabouille started in pole position, while Arnoux and Villeneuve qualified second and third respectively. The Frenchman and the Canadian not only started the race one behind the other but also finished it very close.

With two laps to go, Arnoux, who was running third, caught up with Villeneuve\’s Ferrari, but the latter was not going to make things easy for him, and during the final laps they swapped positions on numerous occasions and even touched wheels.

Of all the overtaking that took place between the two, the most impressive was Villeneuve\’s overtaking at Turn 1, where he went on the inside and braked very late, locking all four wheels, showing impressive car control.

In the end, Villeneuve crossed the finish line second, and Arnoux third, just a quarter of a second behind. During these laps, there were more overtakes between the two than during many other races.

F1 1979 – Gilles Villeneuve vs Rene Arnoux – Dijon – Original in English! – YouTube

7. Kimi Räikkönen on Giancarlo Fisichella – 2005 Japanese GP

The 2005 Japanese GP was one of the best races of modern times, and we also saw some of the best driving in history from Kimi Räikkönen.

During his time with McLaren, we can safely say that Räikkönen was at the level of legendary drivers such as Senna, Schumacher or Mansell, and did not win any title due to the unreliability of his cars and bad luck.

The 2005 Japanese GP is a great example of the Finn\’s speed and talent. After a rainy qualifying, Räikkönen started seventeenth, and in the race, he would initiate one of the greatest comebacks in history.

With two laps to go, the Finn caught up with the leader, Giancarlo Fisichella, and in Turn 1 of the last lap, the McLaren driver did not think twice, and went around the outside, rushing the braking and overtaking the Italian in a risky move to take the victory.

Raikkonen\’s Last-Gasp Suzuka Overtake | Japanese Grand Prix 2005 – YouTube

8. Fernando Alonso on Webber & Massa – 2012 Brazilian GP

The 2012 season finale left us with one of the most exciting races in history, with tension, adrenaline, overtaking, accidents and rain.

Both Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel arrived in Brazil with a chance of winning the championship. Alonso needed a podium finish to win the championship, even if Vettel did not score, while the German only needed to finish fourth to secure the title.

During the first lap, Vettel was involved in an accident that left him at the back of the grid and with a damaged car, although he was able to continue.

Alonso, on the other hand, was fifth and was fighting with Mark Webber and Felipe Massa for third place. It was very important to overtake Webber\’s Red Bull, as he would do everything possible to hinder the Ferraris and protect Vettel\’s chances.

However, Alonso had no time to lose, and in Turn 1 of the second lap, he dived down the inside, while teammate Massa protected him, leaving Webber on the outside. Alonso completed a wonderful double overtake, and was now behind the two McLarens.

In the end, Alonso finished the race second, but Vettel made a great comeback and finished sixth, so the German won the title by 3 points, in a movie-like race.

Adelantamiento de Alonso a Massa y Webber-F1 Brazil 2012 – YouTube

9. Nigel Mansell on Nelson Piquet – 1987 British GP

The 1987 British Grand Prix was another race remembered for a great drive by Nigel Mansell. The Briton was Nelson Piquet\’s teammate at Williams, in a season in which the Grove-based team absolutely dominated the grid.

Piquet started the race from pole position, while Mansell started in second place. During that weekend, no other team was at Williams\’ level, and by mid-race both drivers were leading by a large margin over third.

It looked like the race was already dead, but Mansell made a pit-stop on lap 35 to change tires, which would determine the outcome of the race. The Briton started a chase on Piquet with fresh tires, and set the fastest lap 8 times.

Mansell caught up with Piquet in the closing stages of the race, and with three laps to go, the Briton took advantage of the Brazilian\’s slipstream at the Hangar Straight, getting closer and closer to his teammate.

Mansell moved to the left, but Piquet covered that line off, and instantly the Briton went to the right, braking late and taking the inside of the corner. Piquet tried to cover the gap, but it was too late, and Mansell took the lead and won the race thanks to this risky maneuver.

Mansell vs Piquet Silverstone 87 – YouTube

10. Felipe Massa on Bruno Senna – 2012 Singapore GP

The 2012 Singapore GP was not easy for Felipe Massa. The Brazilian qualified thirteenth, so in the race he had to gain some positions to finish in the points.

However, Massa was involved in some incidents during the first lap, which led to a puncture that caused him to make a pit stop at the end of the lap, dropping him to the back of the grid.

Massa began a comeback, trying to gain positions in the narrow streets of Singapore. On lap 43, the Brazilian was chasing Bruno Senna, who was in ninth place, and did not want to miss the opportunity to score some points.

After a few failed overtaking attempts during the lap, Massa went on the inside of Turn 13, and Senna squeezed him against the wall, leaving him with almost no room. At the braking point, Massa lost the rear of his car and counter-steered right and left to avoid crashing.

Miraculously, Massa not only avoided the crash but overtook Senna in a heart-stopping move. Later, he moved up one more position and finished eighth.

2012 Singapur GP Felipe Massa\’dan Bruno Senna\’ya muhteşem atak – YouTube

11. Sebastian Vettel on Fernando Alonso – 2011 Italian GP

Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull dominated the 2011 season, but rivals tried to put them on the ropes on many occasions. One such moment occurred at the Italian GP.

Vettel started from pole position, but Alonso, who started fourth, quickly took the lead, so the German chased him to regain the position. On lap 4, Vettel took advantage of Alonso\’s slipstream in Curva Grande, and approached the Seconda Variante chicane on the outside, but the Spaniard protected the inside very well and the German could not pass him.

On the next lap, in the same place, Vettel tried the same thing, but this time on the inside. Alonso squeezed him, and the German, with two wheels on the grass at almost 300 km/h, kept iron hands not to lose control of the car and braked later in the chicane, taking the lead.

The following year the same situation occurred between the two, although with the roles reversed. Alonso tried to overtake in Curva Grande on the inside, but Vettel left him less space, so the Spaniard stepped on the grass and gravel with all four wheels, and could not overtake him.

The rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel was undoubtedly one of the most intense of all time.

Vettel Battles Alonso At Monza | 2011 Italian Grand Prix – YouTube

12. Ricciardo on Hülkenberg, Massa & Stroll – 2017 Azerbaijan GP

The Baku street circuit in Azerbaijan usually offers very entertaining races, full of overtaking, accidents and unexpected results. The 2017 GP was no exception, and left us with one of the best races of the season and one of the best overtakes.

Daniel Ricciardo started from tenth position, and began a wild comeback in his own style, battling with the rest of the grid on the streets of Baku. After a safety car, all drivers were following each other closely on lap 23. The Australian was sixth, and was battling with Nico Hülkenberg, Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll for third place.

On the main straight, the \”Honey Badger\” took advantage of Massa\’s slipstream and went to the inside. The Australian did one of his characteristic dive-bombs, and if the rivals braked late, he braked even later, completing an impressive triple overtaking.

Ricciardo won the race showing great driving style and his overtake was voted the best overtake of 2017.

Ricciardo\’s Triple Baku Pass | F1 Best Overtakes of 2017 – YouTube

13. Nigel Mansell on Ayrton Senna – 1989 Hungarian GP

Nigel Mansell is already a regular on this list, and as you may have noticed, \”Il Lione\” is not only one of the best drivers in history, but one of the best overtakers of all. In the 1989 Hungarian GP, the Briton started from twelfth position, so he was obliged to gain many positions if he wanted to complete a good weekend.

Mansell fought through the field, and gradually closed in on the lead pack and soon overtook Alain Prost to move into third. Ricardo Patrese was leading the race, but he had a holed radiator, which became so bad that both Ayrton Senna, who was running second, and Mansell, passed him in a matter of corners.

Mansell began a chase on Senna for 6 laps, and when they came up to lap Stefan Johansson\’s Onyx, the Brazilian hesitated and lifted his foot for a moment, which Mansell shrewdly took advantage of and in an incredible reaction and overtook them both on the inside, taking the lead.

Senna could do nothing, and Mansell completed a fantastic end of the race, taking more than 25 seconds from the Brazilian.

1989 – Hungaroring – Nigel Mansell overtakes Ayrton Senna for the lead – YouTube

14. Sebastian Vettel on Valtteri Bottas – 2017 Spanish GP

The four-time world champion with Red Bull left for Ferrari in 2015, but with the Italians he showed he still had a lot to prove. One of Vettel\’s greatest maneuvers with Ferrari was the overtake he made on Valtteri Bottas at the 2017 Spanish GP to take the lead.

The German started the race second, and overtook Hamilton at the first corner, while Bottas remained third. On lap 14, Vettel decided to cover the undercut by pitting, while Hamilton stayed on track for 7 extra laps, rejoining around 7 seconds behind the German.

Bottas had not yet stopped, and Vettel had to overtake him as soon as possible so that Hamilton could not catch him. On lap 25, Vettel opened the DRS and followed Bottas\’ slipstream, ready to attack at Turn 1. Before the braking point, Vettel pretended to move to the right, then moved to the left and finally again to the right, while Bottas tried to cover the line.

Vettel took the inside, and just skimming the grass braked later than the Finn, taking the lead in a wonderful move. Finally, Hamilton caught him and won the race.

Vettel\’s Dummy Pass On Bottas | F1 Best Overtakes of 2017 – YouTube