While it's expected for a tire to lose performance as it wears, it has never been as dramatis as in 2012. For Kimi and Fernando to lose so many positions because of it, just not the way the race should be decided. In the past you lost maybe 1 position and you had a fighting chance of keeping it. Not now. That to me is kind of an artificial factor in the race, kind of like the mandatory yellows in NAPCAR. I'm not keen on the whole thing. I think in those two instances, Kimi and Fernando worked hard to get to the positions they did, and deserve a chance at keeping them.
I completely disagree... it's up to the team to come up with a strategy based on their drivers capability and in those instances Lotus and Ferrari failed. The tires are the same for everyone... so why are we lauding Grosjean and Perez for their drives? How is the situation with the artificiality of tires any different than with DRS or KERS or any other gimmick designed to assist with the problems of overtaking?
Let me answer your points individually. They are all fine and I can see those points you make as perfectly valid.
Yes I know it's a team thing as far as the changing of the tires goes. The better drivers are losing their positions thanks to their teams' lack of understanding of the tires, or gambling. I am not lauding Grosjean and Perez. They were lucky. And yeah luck is OK in the sport as it benefits everyone from time to time. I would rather see luck help someone because another driver spun off or his engine blew or had a drive through penalty, than from regulation driven circumstance. Hamilton benefitted from what turned out to be the correct strategy, but Whitmarsh could not have known that. It was as much a gamble as it was for Fernando to stay out. It isn't different from KERS and DRS. I don't like those either. I don't like regulations that create artificial situations and affect the outcome and eschew driver skill. Maybe a little bit is not so horrible, but I just don't like the way the tires fall of suddenly and to such a large degree as to make the car undriveable. Pit stop or stay out on non tires, lose the race in any case despite earning the lead through skill. What these regulations(aero rules, KERS, DRS, tire compound) are saying is "If the crappy drivers or cars can't get past the good ones, let's help them!"