At the end of the final racing weekend of the season where the Australian V8 supercars series drive around the confines of the Sydney Olympic park - see if the Australians can get something out of the facilities after the games, there is hope for London. Seeing the Olympic village converted into a temporary street track for something like a TOCA weekend or F3/GT event would be mightily impressive. Albeit a little unlikely considering we tend not to do street tracks in this country - nothing significant since the Birmingham Superprix in the late 80's. All that however is a slight tangent to where this post is actually heading. Now that the season has been completed and the last flag of the season fell in Brazil only a week ago, it is time to go through the final championship results announcing the winners and losers from what has been a very dynamic season, which in the real world was handed once more to that German bloke, but in the past few days even that was questioned.
Lets roll things back a couple of days, to the events of that final race, where Vettel was turned around on the opening lap by contact with Bruno Senna, that put him down at the back of the grid. During the initial comeback from 22nd up into the top ten in a matter of laps, there was a second crash, one that wasn't picked up by the TV cameras. That crash was that of Maldonado spinning at turn three, an incident that brought out yellow flags in that reason - these flags sparked a storm of internet debate as contradictory footage appeared to show Sebastian overtaking Vergne under those yellows. The dashboard lights indicated a yellow flag situation, while a green flag was being waved on the exit of the pit lane, which would have been after the site of the crashed Williams. So in the end it was deemed valid and Ferrari saw the tiniest glint of redemption fade.
The only other post season news is that Valtteri Bottas has been confirmed as the second Williams driver and will be replacing Bruno Senna, while keeping Maldonado on for his slightly chaotic speed, but more for his money. This adds Senna to the list of drivers looking for a drive next season, a list which is becoming very extensive, all of which will be excited by the fact that Grosjean hasn't been confirmed at Lotus alongside Raikkonen. So there is the prospect of one of the many drivers in the wings to claim a top line seat, there is also an unconfirmed space at Force India in replacement of Hulkenberg. Two seats that will likely not be available are the two at HRT as the likelihood of them being on the 2013 grid has been dramatically diminished as they have not submitted a formal entry to next season.
Now we are all caught up - onto the awards for 2012.
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| credit to F1Fanatic.co.uk |
This is the second edition of the bonus points championship, where the inaugural title was claimed by Jenson Button this time last season, and coming into the final race the McLaren driver was just in the running to steal a double in the final race. This process would go a lot better with a swanky studio and a glamorous assistant, but instead I have a dark lonely corner and a car perched on the back the sofa digging claws into to my neck... hmm slightly far from ideal rather. Nevermind - here is the first announcement on the program this evening and it is the penalties series...
The official blog penalties championship
In this category the blog points out the drivers who have received a variety of penalties across the season, filtering out all the technical penalties that the FIA like to throw at people for gearbox and engine changes. If all those were left in then the table would look rather distorted by the end of the season and impact the results. Speaking of results it is time to go through the final standings - this is where a drumroll would happen and an assistant would wander on with a golden envelope, but not here.
- In third place: Michael Schumacher: In the final podium place on three driving penalties was the outgoing multi-world title winning driver making a mark on at least one championship in the year of his second retirement, remaining just as much of a trouble maker as he was back in the Ferrari days.
- In second place: One-Stop Perez: Having effectively left Sauber at the end of the season and now preparing for the hop across to McLaren but that journey hasn't been so smooth this year, and a few of those bumps just happened to be other cars. Showing a little bit more inexperienced when running slightly further forward at times and ultimately running into people earning second in the penalties series.
- And the winner is: Pastor Maldonado: No massive surprises there, the Venezuelan has made some controversal moves over the course of the year, none more shameful than ramming Sergio Perez in Monaco practice before stuffing it in the barrier a few laps later. There has also been contact with Hamilton in Valencia and Di Resta in Hungary, all adding up to make the Williams driver the highest scoring driver in the blog penalties series for 2012.
The official blog penalty points championship
In addition to the penalties championships there is the infamous in house form of justice that is the penalty points championship, based on the base unit - the penalty point, a force which has been applied to several entities throughout the year. Arguably less penalty points have been awarded this year than in the opening season - but more people have been handed single point, however there is a winner and the results are as follows.
- In joint second place: Lewis Hamilton: In his final season at McLaren the 2008 champion was almost able to reclaim the title of being a double penalty point world champion - but Lewis has calmed down a lot this season. As a result hasn't figured as far up in the table in 2012.
- Also in second place: Romain Grosjean: Where the FIA didn't get the slightly calamitous Frenchman the blog certainly did, Romain virtually hit everyone at some point in the season. Even in the final weekend he hit De La Rosa in qualifying and ended the race buried in the tyre barrier. A sequence of accidents and incidents that have likely lead to his seat not being confirmed at this stage.
- So the winner is: Michael Schumacher: This could almost considered as going out on a high, an 8th title comes in this penalty points series. A score based on several non-appearances in Q3 and running into the back of people, topped off with some aggressive defensive driving pushing people around - including almost forcing Button into another state in Austin. Well done Michael you've won something in 2012.
This is the ultimate highlight of the season, the recognition of which should be considered far and above that of the FIA title - and this season's winner has been tweeted, as Jenson was last season. This has illicited the same response as Button's inaugural championship - complete bugger all, which as depressing as it is, is not at all surprising. Most of the people of the internet don't exactly recognise that this corner actually exists. But enough with that rant, it is time for the final results.
- In joint second place: Jenson Button: With victories at the beginning and the end of the season, Jenson came close to taking a double bonus points title, coming from a long way behind in the final race to take a joint second step on the podium. Button's championship has been blighted by some missed opportunities and failing to get the hang of the tyres, both of which kept him off the top step this time in 2012.
- Also in second place: Kimi Raikkonen: In a very successful comeback career after spending some time away in rallying the Finn dominated the bonus points season, leading for almost the entire season but faded slightly towards the end. A challenge revitalised by a win in Abu Dhabi, but a middling finale only marked by an adventure up an escape road cost some vital points was a charge was threatening that points lead.
- And the winner is: Felipe Massa: After a frankly dull opening half of the season, Felipe made a remarkable comeback, to the point where he was out pacing and out-qualifying the other red car that was fighting for the actual title. A performance that was frowned upon by the team resulting in a penalty in the US to move him out of the way. Weathering that storm to finish on the podium in an emotional home race, for Felipe allowed him to steal the bonus points title away from Kimi in that final race.
Some notable mentions
Not everyone can win the bonus points championship, or even end up on the famous podium - there were some other performances that earned many points, but not quite enough for a championship challenge.
- Nico Hulkenberg: In the final few races eclipsed his team-mate and almost claimed a dramatic win in Brazil. Scoring many points in the second half of the year, working up to 10th in the bonus standings.
- Takuma Sato: For being the only driver in the entire history of the blog to claim an event win without even competing on the grid, a score that was awarded for coming so close to winning the famous indy 500 race. Takuma would have taken the race if a little impatience saw him crash when trying to pass Dario Franchitti on the final lap.
- Fernando Alonso: Based on the speed of that car in Australia, spinning into the gravel in qualifying Fernando should really not have been competing for the championship at the end of the year. Wrestling with a car which was off the pace of the leading teams, highlighting that a driver can have an effect in a weaker car.
- McLaren: Have to have a mention for having the quickest car all year, but failed to maximise its potential, with a series of pit stop errors and mistakes in the opening half of the season, matched with some race ending mechanical dramas costing wins and at least 50 points for Hamilton in Singapore and Abu Dhabi ruined their hopes of a championship.
That is the end of the 2012 season, as the drivers head off for the Race of Champions event in a few weeks time which is the official end of year party for the majority of the field, where Vettel and Schumacher are going as team Germany. I can sense some more domination this year there as well, but as more updates filter through the internet and things the blog shall return with those and make sure that this little corner of the internet stays going through the winter. So until then, this is farewell from the blog.
