F1 2014 was undoubtedly the best season I have ever witnessed, with some fantastic racing, plenty of drama and a close title fight.
With the winter break now well under way and focus quickly switching to 2015, here are my top 10 moments from this season.
10. Hulkenberg vs. Magnussen in Monaco
As well as some great battles, we also saw some fantastic overtakes this season. Nico Hulkenberg's pass on Kevin Magnussen at Portier during the Monaco Grand Prix was one of my favourites.
Overtaking is notoriously difficult around the Circuit de Monaco, but Hulkenberg's brave and opportunistic move proved that it can be done.
9. Monza battles
We witnessed some incredible on-track fights during the Italian Grand Prix, including close wheel-to-wheel racing between Jenson Button and Sergio Perez and the two Red Bull drivers. It was a real pleasure to watch, and we got to see plenty of other clean but fair battles during the course of the year.
8. Q3 in Monaco
Was it on purpose? Or was it an innocent mistake? As the season has progressed, I've started to think it could have been the former. However, only Nico Rosberg knows what happened at Mirabeau on his second Q3 run. It was one of the biggest talking points of the season and saw tensions rise within the Mercedes camp.
7. Marussia's breakthrough result
The 2014 season started off so promisingly for Marussia, with the team scoring its first ever points at the Monaco Grand Prix after a brave and inspired drive by Jules Bianchi. He originally finished eighth, but a time penalty dropped him to ninth.
Still, the two points were well deserved. It was clearly one of the most popular moments of the season, but Marussia's fifth campaign unfortunately ended with Bianchi's terrible Japanese Grand Prix crash and the team's sad demise. #ForzaJules
6. Ricciardo's late charge in Hungary
The Hungarian Grand Prix was definitely one of the stand-out races of the season. It helped that I was at the track reporting on the action for Richland F1, but we witnessed a great race in tricky conditions.
We saw Ricciardo pull off some spectacular overtakes in the final laps to take his second win of 2014, while Hamilton recovered from a pit lane start to finish third, just denying his team-mate a podium. I never expected Ricciardo to perform so well and his form throughout the year was a really pleasant surprise.
5. Vettel vs. Alonso at Silverstone
Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso's thrilling battle during the British Grand Prix was one of the best of the season. I attended the race and was sat at Woodcote, which proved to be the perfect place to watch their fight over fifth place. It was close, clean but overall fair and was great to see.
4. Mayhem on the final lap
The Canadian Grand Prix concluded in dramatic style at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez crashing out from potential podium finishes after contact on the run to the first corner. The two drivers hit the wall heavily, but fortunately both were okay.
Ricciardo only just managed to avoid the out-of-control cars, storming to an incredibly popular maiden victory after both Mercedes drivers hit trouble.
3. Lap two at Spa-Francorchamps
Rosberg and Hamilton's contact on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix was one of the most significant moments of 2014. Both drivers pitted for repairs, with Hamilton suffering a puncture and retiring later in the race with damage. It was a costly error (or was it?) by Rosberg, with tensions rising to an all-time high at Mercedes.
2. Hamilton takes the title
It was a shame that we were denied a real fight for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lead and the 2014 title at the Yas Marina Circuit, but it was still a great way to end the season. Hamilton put in a faultless drive to secure his second world championship, while an ERS failure saw Rosberg soldier on, determined to make the chequered flag.
He finished 14th and was incredibly gracious in defeat, while Massa and Valtteri Bottas ended a fantastic year for Williams on the podium. It was also the end of an era for Vettel and Alonso, who waved goodbye to Red Bull and Ferrari.
1. Duel in the desert
In my view, the Bahrain Grand Prix remained the best race of the 2014 season. There was always something going on and we saw some fantastically close battles, including for the race victory.
Hamilton and Rosberg battled throughout the race, with the former doing a fantastic job to defend from his team-mate - who was on the faster tyre compound - in the closing stages to take his second win in a row. It was great to watch and will be something I remember for quite some time.
What were your F1 2014 highlights? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Part one of my F1 2014 season review: http://bit.ly/1HZ4Mnw
Part two of my F1 2014 season review: http://bit.ly/1zuMmFp
F1 2014 performance grid: http://bit.ly/1vXzxCI
The F1 2014 season in statistics: http://bit.ly/1pikRhI
The season in pictures: http://bit.ly/1yH4ygI
 |
| © Mercedes AMG Petronas |
10. Hulkenberg vs. Magnussen in Monaco
Overtaking is notoriously difficult around the Circuit de Monaco, but Hulkenberg's brave and opportunistic move proved that it can be done.
9. Monza battles
We witnessed some incredible on-track fights during the Italian Grand Prix, including close wheel-to-wheel racing between Jenson Button and Sergio Perez and the two Red Bull drivers. It was a real pleasure to watch, and we got to see plenty of other clean but fair battles during the course of the year.
8. Q3 in Monaco
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
7. Marussia's breakthrough result
 |
| © Marussia F1 Team |
Still, the two points were well deserved. It was clearly one of the most popular moments of the season, but Marussia's fifth campaign unfortunately ended with Bianchi's terrible Japanese Grand Prix crash and the team's sad demise. #ForzaJules
6. Ricciardo's late charge in Hungary
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
We saw Ricciardo pull off some spectacular overtakes in the final laps to take his second win of 2014, while Hamilton recovered from a pit lane start to finish third, just denying his team-mate a podium. I never expected Ricciardo to perform so well and his form throughout the year was a really pleasant surprise.
5. Vettel vs. Alonso at Silverstone
4. Mayhem on the final lap
The Canadian Grand Prix concluded in dramatic style at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez crashing out from potential podium finishes after contact on the run to the first corner. The two drivers hit the wall heavily, but fortunately both were okay.
Ricciardo only just managed to avoid the out-of-control cars, storming to an incredibly popular maiden victory after both Mercedes drivers hit trouble.
3. Lap two at Spa-Francorchamps
Rosberg and Hamilton's contact on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix was one of the most significant moments of 2014. Both drivers pitted for repairs, with Hamilton suffering a puncture and retiring later in the race with damage. It was a costly error (or was it?) by Rosberg, with tensions rising to an all-time high at Mercedes.
2. Hamilton takes the title
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
He finished 14th and was incredibly gracious in defeat, while Massa and Valtteri Bottas ended a fantastic year for Williams on the podium. It was also the end of an era for Vettel and Alonso, who waved goodbye to Red Bull and Ferrari.
1. Duel in the desert
In my view, the Bahrain Grand Prix remained the best race of the 2014 season. There was always something going on and we saw some fantastically close battles, including for the race victory.
Hamilton and Rosberg battled throughout the race, with the former doing a fantastic job to defend from his team-mate - who was on the faster tyre compound - in the closing stages to take his second win in a row. It was great to watch and will be something I remember for quite some time.
What were your F1 2014 highlights? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Part one of my F1 2014 season review: http://bit.ly/1HZ4Mnw
Part two of my F1 2014 season review: http://bit.ly/1zuMmFp
F1 2014 performance grid: http://bit.ly/1vXzxCI
The F1 2014 season in statistics: http://bit.ly/1pikRhI
The season in pictures: http://bit.ly/1yH4ygI
No comments:
Post a Comment