Top 5 must-watch F1 races in the 21st century for the new F1 fans

F1's popularity has been on the rise in the last few years. Association with Netflix, as well as steps to improve on-track action, have helped with matters as well. F1 as a sport, however, has its unique heritage – a heritage the new-age fans might not be aware of. The sport has more often than not been touted as the pinnacle of motorsports and for new fans, it's nice to dig into some of the best races of the past to get to know it better.

The races had historic meaning and were a perfect showcase of some of the best talents to ever drive an F1 car. In this piece, we take a look at some of the best races that new-age fans should watch to learn more about the sport.

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#5 2019 F1 German Grand Prix

The 2019 German GP was significant in multiple ways. The biggest significance, however, was the fact that Lewis Hamilton was toppled in a straight fight in a wet race in the turbo-hybrid era.

Hamilton's synergy with the dominant Mercedes has meant that even in wet weather races, where car advantage can diminish, the Briton was still able to win. So much so that it was a rare occurrence for anyone but Hamilton to stand at the top of the podium when it rained (Daniel Ricciardo in Hungary in 2014 being one of those cases).

In Germany in 2019, however, Max Verstappen went toe to toe in the wet weather conditions against the mighty Mercedes and came out on top. During the race, when Hamilton's strategic errors and driving mistakes dropped him down the grid, the Dutchman pounced on each of these opportunities, handing the Briton a rare defeat in the rain.

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#4 2008 F1 Italian Grand Prix

The 2008 Italian Grand Prix was a showcase of talent for Sebastian Vettel. Coming into F1 as a young driver, the German was keeping his nose clean and doing the job at Toro Rosso at the time. As the circus reached Monza, however, the heavens opened up and Toro Rosso, equipped with a powerful Ferrari engine, became a potent force.

Vettel used the car's competitiveness to clinch a shock pole position on Saturday. With some great wet weather specialists on the grid, not many expected the German to hold on to his lead for long. That, however, was not the case to be. Vettel would hold the lead at the start and, despite driving a Toro Rosso, remain unchallenged in treacherous conditions to score his first-ever win in Formula 1.

The future Red Bull driver was seen as a bright talent before the 2008 Italian GP. After the race, however, he was touted as a star of the future, just like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

#3 2016 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen is arguably one of the best drivers on the F1 grid right now. It is, however, interesting to trace back the origins of such talents to their early days. To the days when they were not this polished and when no one realized how good they were.

By the time the F1 juggernaut rolled in for the 2016 Brazilian GP, observers knew that Verstappen was a great talent. He had already picked up a win in F1 and was driving for a top team like Red Bull. No one, however, was prepared for what the young driver put together that day. In torrential conditions, the Dutchman put together a clinical drive, finding grip in places no other driver could fathom.

After a spin early in the race, Verstappen would continue to pull off audacious moves one after the other. Later in the race, a gamble on intermediates left him down the order. The Dutch driver then staged another recovery drive in atrocious conditions to overtake one car after the other and finish in third. The race made everyone sit back and marvel at this force of nature that had made its way onto the F1 grid.

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#2 2012 F1 European Grand Prix

For many of the new-age F1 fans, Fernando Alonso is an old driver who won a few titles early in his career but was never able to revisit those glory days. They see where he has been in the last few years, driving around in mediocre machinery at McLaren and then grumpily leaving the sport in 2018.

Sadly, though, this is just a tiny peek into a rather distinguished career. The Spaniard is still an elite driver, as seen last season. At his peak, however, Alonso was the true heir to Michael Schumacher's throne in the eyes of many.

At Valencia in 2012, Alonso was leading the championship in a sub-par Ferrari. A car that was, at best, slower than a Red Bull, a McLaren, a Lotus, and sometimes even a Williams.

Yet in this race, despite starting from 11th, he would go on to pick off one driver after the other, make the most of the safety car restarts and pull off audacious overtakes to win the race. The race was a true showcase of just what kind of a driver Alonso is, and for fans who want to find out his worth, all they need to do is watch the 2012 European GP.

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#1 2005 F1 Japanese Grand Prix

If there was ever a race that showcased the best of talents scything their way through the field then it would have to be the 2005 Japanese GP. The race featured three of the best drivers on the grid in Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen at the back of the grid in 14th, 16th and 17th respectively. In a world before DRS, the three drivers made their way through the field in what were brilliant drives from each of them.

It was, however, Raikkonen who stood out that day as he put together arguably one of the best drives of all time. Coming through the field at Suzuka is not the easiest of tasks. The track is notorious for its lack of overtaking opportunities. Despite that, the Finn would slowly but steadily climb through the field, making good use of strategy to jump Alonso in the meantime.

In the later stages of the race, Raikkonen hunted down Giancarlo Fisichella, reducing the gap by more than a second per lap, and overtook him on the last lap for the win. Making his way through the field in a race at a time before DRS, on a track notorious for lack of overtaking, and without safety cars aiding the cause, this truly was the showcase of the talent the Iceman possessed.