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When F1 wasn't afraid of controversy

People in Formula 1 today are afraid to speak their mind, but a look through the Autosport archives from the 2000 season shows it doesn't have to be that way

During the 2000 Formula 1 season, one of the big names of the year gave the man destined to be world champion the finger while battling for the lead of a grand prix, a past world champion publicly stated he had no respect for his team-mate, a title contender dismissed the prospect of his team-mate being able to be better than him, and one manufacturer driver spent much of the season dismissing multiple rivals and famed F1 team personnel.

And these were just a few of the headline-grabbing wars of words that cropped up during the season. It was only 16 years ago, but seems a world away from today's more sanitised F1 world.

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