Sunday brought with it the conclusion of the 2018 Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Formula One (F1) World Championship, and my, what a season it was!
We were treated to an amazing championship fight, almost, up to the last race of the season. Two four time world champions locking horns in the race for their fifth, not to discount their teammates who played an integral role in race strategy and the eventual turnout of the championship.
In the words of the famous ‘Long Question Guy’ “Gentlemen, a short view back to the past” as we go back to the start of the season.
Round 1- Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia.
We knew we had a fight on our hands after just one race. Sebastian Vettel winning in controversial circumstances after a rapid pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car. He emerged ahead of Lewis Hamilton thanks to a loop hole in the rules that allows you to go full speed when entering the pit lane, even under VSC, allowing him to go faster than the required ‘Delta’.
Round 6- Circuit De Monaco, Monaco.
Now just under a 3rd of the way through the season, we thought we were facing not just a two way title fight, but a three man fight! By the end of this race, 3 drivers had won a race, and each had won 2 races each. Sadly this 3 man fight wasn’t to be as Round 6 winner Daniel Ricardo went on to suffer terrible unreliability through the season, having 8 DNF’s by the end of Round 21 in Abu Dhabi.
The Battle was on.
Round 11- Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany
Now halfway through the season, this is the race that many people viewed as the main turning point in the title race. Having just beat Lewis Hamilton at the British GP, Lewis’ home race, Sebastian Vettel had a 8 point lead in the championship, and Lewis had suffered a further blow. His car broke down during Q1, meaning he was starting from P14 on the grid. However, Sebastian’s perfect weekend wasn’t to be. He crashed out on lap 52 of the race, gifting Lewis the race win, and a 17 point championship lead.
Round 15- Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
Ferrari was due to fight back. Going into this race, Ferrari were the favourites to take the race win. However Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton shocked everyone. Having flown around the track in Q3 setting a new Qualifying Lap Record. He then went on to dominate the race, winning by a massive 8.9 seconds, and taking a 40 point title lead.
Round 19- Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico
The race where the fight finally came to an end. Hamilton just had to finish P7 and he’d win the championship. Sounds easy right? Well, you’d be right in saying that. As as Lewis rounded the final corner to finish in P4, cue ecstatic celebrations in the Mercedes Garage. They’d done it, they had won the drivers championship for the 5th season running, and in the next race at Brazil, they’d win the Constructors for the 5th season running as well.
Round 21- Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi
The season finale. A farewell race to many drivers, including 2 time world champion Fernando Alonso. The race started off with a lot of action, Nico Hulkenberg’s car getting flipped after a crash with Romain Grosjean. There were 5 retirements in this race, and sadly one of them was Esteban Ocon, who was also in his last race, for now. Lewis proved that his hoodo about not winning races after he won the title was over, by taking the chequered flag, before doing donuts with Fernando and Sebastian, the smoke marking the end of the 2018 season.
So, now we wait 4 months until we return to Albert Park, and we return to Formula One.
All images courtesy of Formula One
