The 10 Best On-Track Formula 1 Battles Of The Last Five Years

There’s no doubt about it - this battle for victory is what we want to see every race and was a real treat. It went on for lap after lap, lasting most of the race. Lewis Hamilton eventually won but Nico Rosberg put up a good fight and it was great to see the two Mercs going wheel-to-wheel.

Two great drivers going into one of the scariest corners in motorsport, flat out and side-by-side. It can only be Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen. What was the Iceman’s reaction? Probably something like, “bwoah”.

I was actually in the grandstand for this one and everyone was on their feet as two world champions battled so closely at the 2014 British Grand Prix. And all for fifth place as well. It was really exciting stuff!

Max Verstappen has been a breath of fresh air since he entered F1 in 2015 and this year we’ve seen some great battles involving the Dutch youngster, including this one as he tried (but, unsurprisingly, failed) to hold off the Mercedes of Rosberg.

Daniel Ricciardo had spent SO long behind Valtteri Bottas, he can probably draw a picture of the rear end of the Williams with his eyes closed. But he couldn’t get close enough to make a pass. That is until he made a late and hugely optimistic dive up the inside into Turn 1 and incredibly made it stick.

This overtaking move is pretty underrated. Sure, Alonso’s getting a double slipstream but passing two cars at once while they’re concentrating on each other is no easy thing to do. Plus, conditions were slippery and the first corner at Interlagos is notoriously bumpy and a big braking zone, so it’s pretty tricky.

With Verstappen at the wheel, Felipe Nasr had little hope of holding back the Toro Rosso at Spa in 2015. But the way Max overtook the Sauber was quite special – around the outside at Blanchimont. Hugely committed, extremely gutsy and just what we want to see.

Perhaps Schumacher and Raikkonen were inspired by this awesome battle between Alonso and Mark Webber in 2011 at the famous Eau Rouge. That’s the definition of the word ‘brave’.

There are few things that seem to scare F1 drivers but I’m sure both Alonso and (more so, Vettel) needed a fresh pair of overalls after their very close fight at the 2011 Italian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver even found himself on the grass at one point.

Sure, this one’s a pretty short battle, but few scraps last longer than a few corners due to the tight confines of Monaco. Overtaking there is a true art form and Nico Hulkenberg got it spot on with a perfectly timed and opportunistic pass on Kevin Magnussen. Top marks!

What are your favourite battles? Let me know in the comments below!