THe decade in sport: Formula One in the noughties

31 December 2009, 13:02:25 | Maurice Hamilton

The cars may be closer but they still can't overtake, writes Maurice Hamilton

How it changed for the better Judging by the past two years alone, Formula One has never been more competitive, with two seconds covering the entire grid, as opposed to five seconds a decade ago.


How it changed for the worse The cars may be closer, but they can't overtake. The sophisticated aerodynamics and technology - while also having positive effects - mean the cars cannot run in close company and braking distances are too short. Added to which the characterless, standard F1-commissioned circuits issued to every new track – Shanghai, Bahrain, to name two – minimise overtaking and look boring.


Decade's top five

1 Ferrari The combination of Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher and five championships in succession proved why F1 would be much poorer without the charismatic Italian team.

2 McLaren Bland but memorable for consistent excellence and the ability to overcome massive setbacks.

3 Renault Regrouped to become a powerful, colourful force capable of defeating Ferrari in the middle of the decade.

4 Williams Despite not winning a championship since 1997 or a race since 2004, remain a stalwart of stoutly British independence (or as near as you can get these days).

5 Brawn We will never see the like again, not because it was in existence for just one year but because of the remarkable achievement from bust to boom in 2009.


Race of the decade Indianapolis 2005, when only six cars started the US grand prix after 14 withdrew at the last minute. A shocking example of how to insult the paying spectator by allowing political agendas to dominate. First public proof that Max Mosley couldn't give a stuff about the core values his presidency of the FIA was supposed to take care of.


Most memorable moment Melbourne 2007 and on the first corner of the first grand prix Lewis Hamilton runs round the outside of former world champions 200 metres into his F1 debut. First exciting sign of a new megastar.


2020 vision Bernie Ecclestone will be 89 and unlikely to be in control – but you never know with this human dynamo. His absence, whenever it comes, will create a messy vacuum lasting at least a year as several people attempt to do the job of one man. A dictatorship in F1 had its advantages but the moment has passed. Ecclestone's departure will help F1 rid itself of the insular, unhelpful attitude that embraces making money at the expense of the people who really matter: the race fans.