The beginning of YouTube F1
YouTube F1, formed back in 2010, was originally the brainchild of the YouTube users "PhoenixFirebreath" and "AmbientMaster" . Their idea was to form a team which would race in the computer game "Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 3" and then upload their events to YouTube.
This idea became a success, with more members joining and multiple seasons occurring. These episodes featured other internet memes - most notably "Funny Batman" and "Downfall Parodies" - it was from these memes that the main villains of the series, Batman and Hitler, came from.
After three seasons, YouTube F1 was closed down, having recorded, at best, 2nd place in both championships.
This idea became a success, with more members joining and multiple seasons occurring. These episodes featured other internet memes - most notably "Funny Batman" and "Downfall Parodies" - it was from these memes that the main villains of the series, Batman and Hitler, came from.
After three seasons, YouTube F1 was closed down, having recorded, at best, 2nd place in both championships.
The revival
Shortly after the demise of YouTube F1, "smoglessbutton4" decided to start up his own series with Grand Prix 3. After "smogless" showcased a preview, a member of the original squad, "vitaphone97", joined him and the team became known as YouTube F1, reviving the name with the series The NEW 'YouTubeF1'.
Now using "Grand Prix 3 2000 season", the series began at the 2005 season of F1. The first race, In Australia, saw "smogless" cause a stir by challenging for the victory in the closing stages. In the next race, at a soaking-wet Sepang circuit, he won.
From that point, things went a bit downhill - crashes, mechanical failures and general poor pace meant that the team didn't star again until the Canadian GP, held at Vancouver in the rain. Here, "smogless" battled an electrical problem on his way to finishing second. Two races later, "smogless"' electrics failed again in the rain - this problem would also occur during a rain-affected Italian GP.
The British GP saw a surprise pole position for the team, only to see both cars being involved in accidents. The German GP saw little better luck - "smogless" suffering a heavy crash on the straight as a result of a mysterious suspension failure...
The Hungarian GP was a highlight of the season, but began in the aftermath of the deletion of the channel hosting the original team's videos - "Phoenix" had decided to shut down the collaboration channel, but gave "smogless" enough time to gather all of the footage so that a tribute could be made.
The beginning of the race saw a huge pile-up caused by "smogless". The chaotic race was eventually won by Takuma Sato!
This race event was also notable for another thing - shortly after his crash, "smogless", made contact with "Ambient" - the result was that "AmbientMaster" would return to YouTubeF1 for the next season.
The Belgian GP saw another pointless streak being broken - "smogless" charged through the spray into a podium position. The electrical gremlins stuck again, but "smogless" pulled off the pass of the season - around the outside of Barrichello through the notorious Eau Rouge corner - on his way to 2nd place.
Whilst YouTubeF1 was having it's ups and downs, the final race, a night-time event held at Adelaide, was the scene of the championship showdown between Schumacher and Alonso. Into the penultimate lap, Schumacher had enough points to be crowned champion, only to go off the track and then get hit by Villenueve! Alonso, midway through the final lap, now had enough points to be champion.
Meters from the finishing line, his car stopped.
YouTubeF1's end to the season saw points for "vitaphone97", making his race debut in place of the injured "smoglessbutton4". Towards the season, "statto300" was taken on board as a test driver.
Now using "Grand Prix 3 2000 season", the series began at the 2005 season of F1. The first race, In Australia, saw "smogless" cause a stir by challenging for the victory in the closing stages. In the next race, at a soaking-wet Sepang circuit, he won.
From that point, things went a bit downhill - crashes, mechanical failures and general poor pace meant that the team didn't star again until the Canadian GP, held at Vancouver in the rain. Here, "smogless" battled an electrical problem on his way to finishing second. Two races later, "smogless"' electrics failed again in the rain - this problem would also occur during a rain-affected Italian GP.
The British GP saw a surprise pole position for the team, only to see both cars being involved in accidents. The German GP saw little better luck - "smogless" suffering a heavy crash on the straight as a result of a mysterious suspension failure...
The Hungarian GP was a highlight of the season, but began in the aftermath of the deletion of the channel hosting the original team's videos - "Phoenix" had decided to shut down the collaboration channel, but gave "smogless" enough time to gather all of the footage so that a tribute could be made.
The beginning of the race saw a huge pile-up caused by "smogless". The chaotic race was eventually won by Takuma Sato!
This race event was also notable for another thing - shortly after his crash, "smogless", made contact with "Ambient" - the result was that "AmbientMaster" would return to YouTubeF1 for the next season.
The Belgian GP saw another pointless streak being broken - "smogless" charged through the spray into a podium position. The electrical gremlins stuck again, but "smogless" pulled off the pass of the season - around the outside of Barrichello through the notorious Eau Rouge corner - on his way to 2nd place.
Whilst YouTubeF1 was having it's ups and downs, the final race, a night-time event held at Adelaide, was the scene of the championship showdown between Schumacher and Alonso. Into the penultimate lap, Schumacher had enough points to be crowned champion, only to go off the track and then get hit by Villenueve! Alonso, midway through the final lap, now had enough points to be champion.
Meters from the finishing line, his car stopped.
YouTubeF1's end to the season saw points for "vitaphone97", making his race debut in place of the injured "smoglessbutton4". Towards the season, "statto300" was taken on board as a test driver.
The next chapter
With the community reveling in the news of the return of "AmbientMaster" they were taken by surprise when a familiar face showed up...
Batman had crashed the party, declaring that he was going to re-enter his team so that he could challenge YouTubeF1!
However, it was clear that Batman would mainly be causing trouble by way of being slow and unreliable. The new YouTubeF1 car, however, fared better in it's new red-and-white paintjob. "Ambient" was also showing that he had lost none of his pace! After the race in Australia, however, he had to take a break as a result of a spinal condition.
"statto" deputised in San Marino, where "smogless" was cruelly denied a podium when his gearbox failed on the final lap, and in Spain. The Spanish GP was mixed-up, to say the least! Batman challenged for the lead - then spun off - and statto stood on the podium with a Red Bull driver and a Minardi driver following a shortened, torrentially wet race.
For Monaco, "Ambient" was back, but it was "smogless" grabbing the headlines with a well-judged victory in changeable conditions. "Ambient" took his revenge at Silverstone, pressuring Trulli into a mistake so that he took his first podium finish since his return - and at home, too!
In Canada, for which the game was switched to "Grand Prix 4", things were looking good: "AmbientMaster" had taken the team's first front-row grid position of the season and "smogless" had made a lighting start, but both drivers eventually found the "Wall of Champions" too close for comfort... The game having been switched back to GP3-2000, the European GP at Brands Hatch proved to be another disaster as, again, both cars failed to finish. There was little improvement in luck at Hockenheim - whilst "Ambient" scored points, "smogless" tangled with Batman and was launched into the air in sickening fashion.
Batman had crashed the party, declaring that he was going to re-enter his team so that he could challenge YouTubeF1!
However, it was clear that Batman would mainly be causing trouble by way of being slow and unreliable. The new YouTubeF1 car, however, fared better in it's new red-and-white paintjob. "Ambient" was also showing that he had lost none of his pace! After the race in Australia, however, he had to take a break as a result of a spinal condition.
"statto" deputised in San Marino, where "smogless" was cruelly denied a podium when his gearbox failed on the final lap, and in Spain. The Spanish GP was mixed-up, to say the least! Batman challenged for the lead - then spun off - and statto stood on the podium with a Red Bull driver and a Minardi driver following a shortened, torrentially wet race.
For Monaco, "Ambient" was back, but it was "smogless" grabbing the headlines with a well-judged victory in changeable conditions. "Ambient" took his revenge at Silverstone, pressuring Trulli into a mistake so that he took his first podium finish since his return - and at home, too!
In Canada, for which the game was switched to "Grand Prix 4", things were looking good: "AmbientMaster" had taken the team's first front-row grid position of the season and "smogless" had made a lighting start, but both drivers eventually found the "Wall of Champions" too close for comfort... The game having been switched back to GP3-2000, the European GP at Brands Hatch proved to be another disaster as, again, both cars failed to finish. There was little improvement in luck at Hockenheim - whilst "Ambient" scored points, "smogless" tangled with Batman and was launched into the air in sickening fashion.