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[cheekybru]

Well its all done and dusted, we can all get out from behind our sofas, Lewis has won the championship that he deserved Now we can reflect on this season, with a happy glow, rather than a sence of injustice, I fully intend to watch highlights of the season as soon as I can.

What are the moments that stick out to you?

1) Barhain - They had won one a piece, but Lewis knew he had a big mission to get back on terms with Nico after his DNF in Melbourne, The battle started at Barhain, before Merc mixed it up a bit to keep them apart, leaving them on different pieces of tarmac, Lewis pulled out a massive middle stint, which should have made the end of the race comfortable, but when Crashtor Maldanaldo decided to spear Guitierez, the safety car came out, destroying Hamiltons lead, and leaving them together with 12-13 laps to do, with Nico on better, fresher tires, Hamilton looked to have no chance, but through sheer toughness, managed to keep the German behind him for lap after lap, prompting David Coultard to gasp "How is he doing this"?, until the fresh tires had worn slightly, and he could manage the gap to the end. Putting down a massive marker down on Nico and showing him just what he was up against, He won the next two races afterwards, to eliminate the 25 point gap Nico had been gifted in the first race

2) Monaco - Whatever you make of it, great gamesmanship, dirty cheating, or an honest mistake, it pissed Lewis off and stole the momentum that Lewis had built up over the last four races, There can be no doubt that Nico is awesome round here, hopefully next year we will see a straight fight between them

3) Canada - Nico gained a psychological point by out qualifying Lewis at tracks he loves, We were given a preview on Nico struggling under pressure, as he locked up and missed the last chicane, gaining an advantage and getting out of the DRS zone, Lewis drove well to get in-front of Nico at the pitstops (Possible due to a slightly slow stop for Rosberg) and would probably have gone on to win, but mechanical glitches on both cars stole us of this battle, and Danny ric swooped in to take his first win, I was in Italy watching it in a bar, and it was the first time in the season I thought Nico could win the championship

4) Britain - The turning point in many peoples eyes, Lewis brainfades on Saterday, and then has his best race in his dads eyes (I dont agree), But I was there, I saw the support he was getting, and I saw him bring it home in front of thousands of elated fans, I will always remember this day, and we thought it was the start of his comeback, before mechanical problems in Germany and Hungary kept him firmly on the back foot

5) Hungary - He should have won, from the pitlane, my biggest regret of the year is his car didnt let him get that as it would have been the first ever, but still, he beat his teammate when Nico started 1st, and Hammy last, what a psychological hammer (heh) blow for Nico, This effected him, do not doubt, Spa would be proof of that

6) Spa - I still dont understand why this wasnt even investigated by the FIA, but it wasnt, at the time it was a massive blow, the difference of gaining 7 points, or loosing 17, but the reception Nico got on the podium clearly unsettled Nico (He is certainly not a Seb or a Micheal, and should stop pretending to be) Weahter this fired up Hamilton more, or made Rosberg more timid is up to interpretation, But this was the last time Nico looked like winning the championship as Lewis went on another winning streak afterwards.

7) Japan - In the Wet, at a corner he had gone off at multiple times in the weekend, he see's his chance, and dives round the outside of Nico he didnt get chance to do this many times this year due to circumstances outside his control, but god it was worth the wait.

Sorry, did a couple more than id expected to then but they are mine, I think its been an amazing year, but we were robbed of many fights between the two. The right man definitely won, fighting from behind from day 1, and im so glad double points didnt affect it in the end.

Have a great evening guys

Still I Rise

[overboost]

For me the defining moments of the 2014 and probably what 2014 may be most remembered for is the emergence of Daniel Ricciardo as a superstar in F1. His defining moment coming in Canada where he claimed his first ever victory and it was to be the first of three in a season otherwise dominated by the Mercedes W05.

On top of his three victories at Canada, Hungary and Spa was his domination of his teammate Sebastian Vettel the reigning and 4x world champion. This and his battle in Hockenheim with Fernando Alonso caused Alonso to comment that Ricciardo was 'unbelievable'.

If only Red Bull had provided a car with a more competitive engine, Ricciardo might have been able to take it all.

I am hopeful for this to happen in 2015!

[Ferrari man 009]

For me the defining moments of the 2014 and probably what 2014 may be most remembered for is the emergence of Daniel Ricciardo as a superstar in F1. His defining moment coming in Canada where he claimed his first ever victory and it was to be the first of three in a season otherwise dominated by the Mercedes W05.

On top of his three victories at Canada, Hungary and Spa was his domination of his teammate Sebastian Vettel the reigning and 4x world champion. This and his battle in Hockenheim with Fernando Alonso caused Alonso to comment that Ricciardo was 'unbelievable'.

If only Red Bull had provided a car with a more competitive engine, Ricciardo might have been able to take it all.

I am hopeful for this to happen in 2015!

Agree with this. Hamilton may well be the World Champion but my Driver of the Year is Ricciardo, closely followed by Alonso. I will no doubt get ripped apart for saying this, however, if you look at how both of those drivers have got 100% out of their cars and thrashed ex-world champions then I feel they were the two stars of the year.

Take nothing away from Hamilton, he is a worthy champion. But he wouldnt have won the title in the Red Bull or the Ferrari this year.

[What's Burning?]

Take nothing away from Hamilton, he is a worthy champion. But he wouldnt have won the title in the Red Bull or the Ferrari this year.

That's a weid thing to say because we know that Ricciardo and Vettel and Alonso wouldn't win a championship in those cars either, certainly not when there was the W05 about.

The sucres of Ricciardo was beating his 4 time WDC teammate. The races he won were due to being in the right place at the right time. The three wins of his came at the failure of mercedes, not because he out drove Lewis or Rosberg, and that's not to take away anything from him.

The defining moment for me was the moment I realized that it wasn't simply going to be Vettel having a poor year because he no longer had his massive car advantage, but that Ricciardo was a better driver than him in this new generation of car by a long shot.

[sagi58]

The defining moment for 2014 was the realization that Mercedes had it in the bag after the first race.

[Hammer278]

The defining moment was when Mercedes showed they worked hardest and smartest through the last year and winter to bring out a Monster in Australia, making the other big budget teams look like idiots.

Another defining moment was the clash in Spa which I believe shifted the internal atmosphere at Mercedes. The big bosses and staff were doing their best to play neutral but no matter what, the 'mood' would've swung Lewis' way and Lewis would've know this. I think he carried this mood into the next 5 races and the team were happy seeing him take those 5.

And that start by Hamilton yesterday sealed what fate intended all along. I don't much believe in fate, but to make the best start of your career (Hamilton's words) in your last race in a Championship defining race, there's more to it than pure luck.

I look forward to the next defining moment when Mercedes brings out yet another Monster in Melbourne next year.

[Ferrari man 009]

Take nothing away from Hamilton, he is a worthy champion. But he wouldnt have won the title in the Red Bull or the Ferrari this year.

That's a weid thing to say because we know that Ricciardo and Vettel and Alonso wouldn't win a championship in those cars either, certainly not when there was the W05 about.

What I meant is that I didnt want to automatically assume Hamilton was the best driver on the grid because he won the title in the best car. I dont want to take anything away from Hamilton's success, just that only him and Rosberg had any chance.

And I agree that Ricciardo took advantage in Canada and Spa, however, Ricciardo won Hungary on merit. The conditions acted as a leveller and Ricciardo got the strategy spot on. Alonso also used the conditions to his advantage to get a podium in a car that didnt even deserve to be top 6.

[racechick]

So many defining moments... and so many things that people predicted and were poo pooed about came to fruition.

The absolute arrival of Mercedes as a top team

The recognition by all that something is seriously wrong at Ferrari

The dawning that OH! Seb isn't top notch after all........
and the recognition that Ricciardo just might be.

The re-emergence of Williams as a fighting force

The quality of Bottas , and actually away from Ferrari and Alonso, also the re-emergence of Massa's talent

The recognition that Rosberg is a force to be reckoned with

Ron's return to McLaren

The quality of young drivers that we have waiting to enter F1

im sure there are many more. but for me the main one was is the absolute underlining of the talent that is Lewis Hamilton......

and here i do have to agree with Lewis' father Anthony and point to Silverstone. why? well he's overcome adversity many times this year, DNF's, taken out by Nico, the brakes, the fire, and he's got on with it and done what he always does driven supremely to overcome things. starting from the back twice, overtaking his pole sitter team mate, some stunning drives. But this is what he does, he never gives up. But Silverstone was different because the reason he was on the back foot was entirely down to his own error, and that is something that hits Lewis hard, that is what he cannot forgive, that is when his head goes down and he's called sulky; its bitter disappointment with himself, not only for himself, but even more importantly , for his fans. so he was in the depths of despair that saturday night, but on Sunday he came out and gave us a spectacle to behold. yes Nico had his DNF that day, but Lewis was reeling him in hand over fist before that. That i think shows the mental strength he possess to overcome his own demons.

So for me, and for Lewis, i think much has to be placed on that Silverstone weekend as a defining moment.

[What's Burning?]

And I agree that Ricciardo took advantage in Canada and Spa, however, Ricciardo won Hungary on merit. The conditions acted as a leveller and Ricciardo got the strategy spot on. Alonso also used the conditions to his advantage to get a podium in a car that didnt even deserve to be top 6.

And that's

And that's what great drivers do. They find a way. Had Vettel put in the performance Ricciardo put in this year, I would have feared him as it would have proved the guy as ones of the all time greats. That didn't happen however. Guys like Alonso and Hamilton find a way to get the car up the grid where it doesn't belong and they both have proven that over the years. Ricciardo is the surprise of the year, I agree.

I said at the beginning of the season what I expected and because of that the situation at Mercedes simply met my expectations.

Maybe it's another thread but the non existent battle between Kimi and Alonso, the revelation at Red Bull and Rosberg's qualifying were things that I hadn't expected or at least hadn't expected their degree.