The 2014 Formula One non-WDC

[Josh]

It is often said in F1 the first person you have to beat is your team mate and that has been perfectly exemplified this season.

This has been perfectly exemplified every season. I haven't seen a lot of members saying the Mercedes drivers don't deserve this years championship/this years championship being worthless. I saw a lot more of that in previous years and I think it's BS either way.

 

[jez101]

This season has unquestionably been better than the Red Bull romps in 2011 and 2013. This has largely been caused by the bad luck that affected Lewis in Australia, Monaco, Canada, Austria, Germany and Belgium. Nico got a head start so the faster driver was behind. As we know, that always makes for a good race.

The drivers have been close to each other on the track, again because the faster racer has more often than not qualified behind the slightly slower one. The title fight was a fight until Rosberg's issues in Singapore and 10 wins to 5 is about right. 17 points though? No. Not for me. Lewis should already be wearing the crown.

If it wasn't for double points now we would be talking about Lewis having to finish 7th in (a dry) Abu Dhabi.

Let's be honest: Brazil was the first time that Nico has beaten Lewis in a clean fight this season. Australia, Monaco, Canada, Austria, Germany and Belgium all had 'issues' for Lewis. Even Sunday, you could argue Lewis' spin might fall into that category.

I don't think the title has been devalued, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Betting against a Merc this season has been unwise and they have two quality drivers. That wasn't the case in Schumacher's years, or with Brawn or Red Bull. Mix that with a lot of bad luck for the lead driver (and not the whipping boy as has usually happened) as we've had this year and you can see that the only reason it has been fun is because Lewis has been unlucky.

 

[Bill Boddy]

I don't see how a spin by a driver should count as a being bad luck. He was lucky that there is no longer a gravel trap there.

 

[KekeTheKing]

There's so much to look back on in a Formula One season. I've been thinking recently about Germany and Hungary. It's obvious that Hamilton was unfortunate to suffer major mechanical issues qualifying. But in one respect he was rather fortunate that these gremlins didn't raise their head on race day instead. Those 15/30 points may come in handy in the desert.

 

[jez101]

I don't see how a spin by a driver should count as a being bad luck. He was lucky that there is no longer a gravel trap there.

"you could argue Lewis' spin might fall into that category"

...or a mistake by the team to leave him out too long. Whichever way, it was not such a clear-cut mistake by the driver, as Rosberg at Monza for example.

KekeTheKing you are correct that fortunately (for Lewis) the problems occurred in qually and not the race.

I suppose you could say that Nico was unlucky mechanically three times and on one of those occasions (Canada) he managed to salvage second place. Lewis had two mechanicals (in Canada he had the same problem as Nico but retired). On that basis, Spa just made things fair in terms of race affecting problems.

[jez101 ducks for cover]

 

[Brogan]

This was the first time in something like 20 years that two drivers from the same team were in with a chance of taking the title at the final race.

In the end reliability put paid to Rosberg's chances, although Hamilton seemed to be in control as soon as the lights went out at Abu Dhabi.

A thoroughly deserved championship for Hamilton and thankfully the ridiculous double points didn't factor into it.

 

[-WBF1-]

What about about Webber/Vettel 2010?

EDIT
Alonso and Hamilton were in with a chance as well if I remember correctly?

 

[Boyle]

And in the infamous 2007 season

 

[Brogan]

I didn't make it clear but I meant just the two drivers and no-one else.
In 2007, Raikkonen was obviously in the mix and in 2010 Alonso and Hamilton were.

 

[-WBF1-]

No problems, just a bit of pedantry coming through, sorry

 

[Brogan]

It was a good point well made, otherwise my post made no sense at all

 

[Fenderman]

I knew what you meant Brogan - the Senna versus Prost type of thing sprang to mind on reading your comment. That scenario is indeed quite rare. Did I not see a piece by teabagyokel or KekeTheKing or somebody about the ultimate team-mate battles? I wish I could remember where that thread was, so perhaps someone will remind me.

Anyway, getting back to the OP, I personally was quite hooked on the battle for fourth in the championship. It's a shame that the TV director and commentators didn't pay that a bit more attention. Still, well done to Valteri Bottas and the Williams team for clinching that one.

 

[Mephistopheles]

If someone says they did not enjoy this season due to Merc being so very dominant that is not a criticism of Mercedes it is simply an opinion of the current situation...

 

[cider_and_toast]

It seems to me the fan base for F1 has changed a lot. I think you are either a hard core fan of a certain driver / team or a general fan of F1 as a whole. The latter being the bigger group. To that end, if you are a one team / driver fan and they are on top in a big way then it's all good. The general fans on the other hand want to see F1 as competative as possible.


The Hamiltonistas wouldn't give two hoots if he was the only driver to start each race or finished first every weekend having lapped the whole field 30 times. For everyone else that would be boring as hell after the second or third race.

That said, it's a team sport. Build the best car, stick one of the best of the current crop in it and you get your tin pots on the shelf at the end of the season.

 

[FB]

The Hamiltonistas wouldn't give two hoots if he was the only driver to start each race or finished first every weekend having lapped the whole field 30 times.

And don't forget the Vettelettes who got to see that at the end of 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[Brogan]

Or the Button supporters who rate 2009 as the best season ever.

 

[FB]

Buttoneers?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Personally I rate the Schumacher v Mika seasons as my favourites the 2009 season would probably come in the mid field of my top ten I thought 2005 was a great season....

 

[cider_and_toast]

For me it was the late 80's until Mika called it a day. Since then I've not really followed a driver or a team massively.

I think what I was trying to say was that it seems to me there are far more people who are just fans of F1 these days more so than a driver or team. I expect I'm completely wrong but that's what it seems like.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Personally, I'm a Hamiltonista as well as having been a Stewartette and a Hillbilly (twice over). And I was once overcome with Mansellmania but I got over that.