Whatever the outcome of this year's tantalising championship -- and the signs are it will go the distance -- the back story will never come close to one particular event in 1958.
In Portugal, sixty years ago this weekend, Stirling Moss went out of his way to help Mike Hawthorn, who would go on to win the title at Moss's expense. Stirling did not think twice about an honourable act that, in a sad reflection of changing priorities and pressures, would be deemed totally ridiculous today.
If you want to talk street tracks, there was none tougher than Oporto, used to stage a F1 championship Grand Prix for the first time on 24 August 1958.