- 14 Jan 13, 14:04#342491
2012 was an amazing year for Formula One fans, with 6 World Champions on the grid, two of which battled for the title until the very last race. Although there is plenty of debate on who was the best driver of 2012, most fans and pundits agree there was very little to separate Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen. While I wholeheartedly agree they deserve much praise for their performances this year, some comments have gone a little over the top: they were 'flawless', 'never made a mistake' and 'always got 100% out of the car'.
With that in mind, I think a little perspective might be good, just so we can remember 2012 and the top drivers the way they were: perfectly flawed.
I've categorized this into 4 categories:
Fernando Alonso
Lewis Hamilton
Kimi Räikkönen
With that in mind, I think a little perspective might be good, just so we can remember 2012 and the top drivers the way they were: perfectly flawed.
I've categorized this into 4 categories:
- performance: underperforming, being beaten by team mate on race pace (incl. team orders). As todays qualifying format means there is a difference between best qualifying set-up and race set-up, and the points are earned on Sunday, this will only count for race pace. Picking the wrong set-up, does not discount a mark in this category.
- time loss: driver spun, had a significant off-track moment, or did something else that cost him time.
- crash: driver crashed out, by himself or in an avoidable colission, or caused another driver to crash out. Instances where a driver was ran into, and could not be fairly expected to avoid the crash (i.e. Hamilton and Maldonado in Valencia), do not earn a mark in this category, but will earn a victim mark.
- penalty: driver earned a behavior-based penalty (i.e. illegal overtake).
- victim: despite leaving Karthikeyan 5 ft of space, was ran into the back by the HRT in Malaysia. Although avoidable, he can't be blamed.
- performance: outperformed by Webber in China, finished 4th, 3 seconds ahead of Vettel in 5th.
- penalty: received a drive-through penalty after not slowing down enough for yellow flags in Spain.
- performance: outperformed by Webber in Monaco, who won the race, 1.5 seconds ahead of Vettel in 4th.
- performance: outperformed by Webber in Silverstone, who won the race, 5 seconds ahead of Vettel in 3rd.
- penalty: received a drive-through penalty turned 25 second post-race penalty for an illegal overtake on Button in Germany.
- penalty: received a drive-through penalty for squeezing Alonso off-track in Monza.
- crash: almost ran into the back of Ricciardo in Abu Dhabi, losing his front wing on a DRS sign.
- time loss: overtook Romain Grosjean off-track in Abu Dhabi and needed to give the position back.
- crash: was surprised by a late braking Senna in Brazil. Although he could not see him, he could have anticipated lap 1 chaos.
Fernando Alonso
- crash: ended his Q2 qualifying in Australia after spinning out.
- crash: squeezed Romain Grosjean at the start in Monaco, causing the crash with Schumacher.
- victim: was crashed into by Romain Grosjean in Belgium.
- crash: ran into Kimi Räikkönen in turn 1 in Japan, causing his own DNF.
- performance: outperformed on race pace by Massa in Korea, who was held back by team orders.
- performance: outqualified and outperformed on race pace by Massa in Austin, USA, who was held back by team orders.
- time loss: ran off the road twice at turn 1 in Brazil.
- performance: outqualified and outperformed on race pace by Massa in Brazil, who was held back by team orders.
Lewis Hamilton
- performance: outperformed by Button, who won the race in Australia, 4 seconds ahead of Hamilton in 3rd.
- performance: outperformed by Button, who despite a bad pitstop finished second, 6 seconds ahead of Hamilton in 3rd.
- victim: was ran into by Pastor Maldonado, who was overtaking Hamilton for 3rd in Valencia. Although avoidable, he can't be blamed.
- performance: outperformed by Button, who qualified ahead and showed better race pace in Germany.
- victim: was crashed into by Romain Grosjean in Belgium. Although avoidable, he can't be blamed.
- performance: outperformed by Button, who qualified ahead and was untouchable in Belgium.
- performance: outperformed by Button, who finished 3rd in Japan, 19 seconds ahead of Hamilton in 4th.
Kimi Räikkönen
- time loss: ran wide in Q2 in Australia and qualified only 18th.
- performance: outperformed by Grosjean in all qualifying sessions in Monaco.
- performance: outperformed by Grosjean in Canada, who finished 2nd, 13 seconds ahead of Räikkönen in 8th.
- performance: outperformed by Grosjean on qualifying and race pace in Valencia, prior to his team-mates mechanical issues.
- crash: spun in qualifying in Japan, which left him in 8th place, to his team-mate's 4th.
- time loss: went off-track at the start in Brazil.
- time loss: went off-track and took a wrong escape road in Brazil.
The less intelligent observers say anyone could do it in that car.
