Revisiting the thrilling finish to the 2012 Formula 1 season – Formula 1 Special
Formula 1 championship is the most famous category of motorsports and the 2012 F1 season did not fail to excite the F1 community. Like many other seasons before, 2012 also made its own history with various memorable moments.
The season featured twenty races which has happened for the first time in the history of F1. The season started with very unpredictable results as seven different drivers won the first seven races of the season mainly due the new tyres introduced by Pirelli.
All twenty races of the season had their own exciting element but still some events always stand out.
The 2012 European Grand Prix was the eighth round of the year which took place at the Valencia Street Circuit in Spain. This was the last that the event will be hosted at Valencia since the Spanish GP will alternate between Valencia and Barcelona. The best
thing about the race was Michael Schumacher’s third finish on the podium which is his first podium finish since his return from retirement with Mercedes AMG. Schumacher has now become the oldest driver ever to secure a podium finish. The race had a turning
point when Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne collided into Caterham’s Heikki Kovalainen that caused shredded tyres to spread all over the track.
As a result, a safety car was deployed that not only took Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel out of the lead but made most of the lead racers to make their second pit stop. Hence, the winner of the race remained uncertain right until the end. Ferrari’s Fernando
Alonso won the race taking his second victory of the season.
The last three races of the season namely the Abu Dhabi GP, United States GP and the Brazilian GP were the most exciting races of the season as they witnessed the thrilling culmination of the 2012 F1 championship.
The Abu Dhabi GP took place at the picturesque Yas Marina Circuit. Vettel was in the lead of the championship as F1 headed to the race and was expecting to win his fifth consecutive race since Singapore. He qualified for the pole position but then was disqualified
due to a fuel irregularity in his RB8. The race became a challenge for Red Bull as Vettel’s championship lead hung in the balance. However, the German driver proved all of his critics wrong as he started the race from the pit lane and finished it with a third
place on the podium. The race was also followed by a swear word controversy involving winner Kimi Raikkonen and Vettel.
The United States GP was the penultimate race of the season and was much hyped about as it returned to the F1 calendar after a gap of five years. The all new purpose built Circuit of the Americas (COTA) was also a much exciting prospect for all the F1 drivers.
The main expectation from the event was to attract the community in US where F1 has not perceived very well. The race fulfilled the expectation as the event was well covered and a great crown witnessed the drivers competing against each other. It also fulfilled
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton’s dream to achieve one last win for them before he leaves to join Mercedes in 2013. Red Bull Racing secured their third consecutive constructors’ title.
The season ending Brazilian GP at the Interlagos Circuit carried on with its tradition of excitement as the 2012 F1 champion was decided. The race day saw wet weather and also things going haywire for Red Bull and Vettel. Vettel had to deal with a first
lap crash that put him in the wrong direction and also caused his car damage that could not be repaired. He carried on anyway despite loss of radio communication as well. He finished sixth but still won the championship by defeating Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso
by three points.
With the end of another epic F1 season, the teams and drivers are now looking forward to the 2013 F1 season aiming to establish a new history.
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