Like the first 10 races of the 2014 Formula 1 season, the final nine rounds were packed full of drama and thrilling on-track action.
It concluded in style at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, with Lewis Hamilton being crowned world champion for the second time. Here is part two of my season review.
Following the German Grand Pix in July - which marked the half-way stage of the season - Nico Rosberg led Hamilton in the drivers’ standings by 14 points. However, I felt the British driver would have the advantage during the second half of the season and take the title. I fortunately proved to be correct.
The Hungaroring was the final stop on the F1 calendar before the summer break. With a strong track record at the circuit, many expected Hamilton to dominate the Hungarian Grand Prix. However, a fuel leak caused a fire during the first qualifying session – causing plenty of gasps in the media centre - and he was forced to start the race from the pit lane.
Rosberg was on pole, with rain earlier in the day causing all 22 drivers to take the start on the intermediate tyres. Hamilton soon found out how treacherous conditions were when he spun at turn two, delaying his recovery. However, he soon advanced up the order and was helped by two safety car periods following crashes for Marcus Ericsson and Sergio Perez.
The Mercedes ALS AMG’s first appearance was incredibly costly for the top four, as they were forced to pit a lap later than the rest of the field and dropped down the field. Rosberg lost crucial time stuck behind Jean-Eric Vergne and a three-stop strategy meant he was only able to finish fourth. Hamilton was able to take the chequered flag just ahead of him in third, closing ever so slightly in the title fight. However, he was unable to get ahead of Fernando Alonso and keep behind eventual winner Daniel Ricciardo.
All 11 F1 factories shut down and the paddock headed off for a few weeks of well-deserved rest after the Hungarian Grand Prix, before reconvening at the end of August at Spa-Francorchamps for the next race.
The Belgian Grand Prix proved to be arguably the most significant moment of the year, with Hamilton and Rosberg making contact on lap two as they battled for the lead.
Rosberg managed to continue with a damaged front wing before pitting for repairs on lap eight. Meanwhile Hamilton suffered a left-rear puncture and retired later in the race with damage. It was a very costly error. The collision helped Ricciardo move to the front and he took the chequered flag in first place to secure his third win of the season, finishing three seconds clear of a charging Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas.
As tensions continued to increase in the Mercedes camp, the sport headed to Italy and the classic Monza circuit for the final European race of the season. Hamilton bounced back from his Belgian Grand Prix disappointment to take pole position, from Rosberg and Bottas, who was best of the rest once again.
However, an ERS problem dropped Hamilton back at the start, with Rosberg, Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa all moving ahead of the British driver. He quickly advanced to second and closed in on his team-mate, taking the lead when Rosberg locked up and took to the turn one escape road on lap 29. He controlled the final part of the race to register win number six of the season.
With the momentum now back in his favour, Hamilton kicked off a dominant spell of five consecutive victories. The second night race of the season in Singapore saw Rosberg start from the pit lane after a problem on the grid prior to the formation lap.
Hamilton lined up on pole position and quickly pulled away from the chasing pack. Rosberg struggled to make progress and he was forced to retire at his first pit stop.
A safety car complicated Hamilton’s race, as he emerged from his final pit stop on lap 53 in second. However, overtaking Sebastian Vettel was fairly easy and he extended his advantage to 13 seconds by the chequered flag to re-claim the championship lead. Ricciardo was third, making it two Red Bulls on the podium.
The British driver’s victory at the next race in Japan was overshadowed by Jules Bianchi’s horrendous crash on lap 43 at turn seven. In wet and tricky conditions, he lost control of his Marussia and struck a recovery vehicle that was removing Adrian Sutil’s damaged Sauber from the gravel trap, after the German hit the wall at the same corner one lap earlier.
As we all know, he suffered severe head injuries in the accident and is currently continuing his recovery in a hospital in Nice, France. It was truly a horrible and heart-breaking day for F1, and my thoughts continue to be with Bianchi, his family and friends. #ForzaJules
With Bianchi firmly in the prayers of the entire F1 community, the paddock moved on to Sochi for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix. The brand new street circuit certainly looked the part, but unfortunately the race proved to be without doubt the most boring of the year.
Hamilton took pole once again and eventually took a clear victory, with Rosberg locking up at turn one and being forced to pit at the end of the opening lap for a fresh set of tyres. He recovered to second place, with Bottas claiming third – his fifth podium of the year.
The popular Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, was the next stop on the F1 schedule. The track produced some spectacular racing once again, with plenty of exciting battles to entertain the packed grandstands.
Rosberg was fastest in qualifying and led the way early on, but Hamilton upped his speed in the second stint and displaced his team-mate in stunning style on lap 24 at turn 12.
Rosberg stayed close to the second Silver Arrows and kept Hamilton honest, but ultimately didn’t have the pace to cut the gap and take over the lead. Hamilton eventually crossed the line 4.3 seconds clear of his nearest rival to score win number 10 of 2014. With a lead of 24 points in the standings, the title fight went down to the wire.
Brazil and the classic Interlagos circuit hosted the penultimate round of the year. Rosberg dominated practice and unsurprisingly started the race from first place. He controlled the opening two stints, before his lead increased after a spin for Hamilton on worn tyres prior to his second pit stop.
A late charge saw the two drivers separated by just a few tenths of a second in the closing stages, but Hamilton had to settle for second place, with Rosberg taking his fifth win of the season. Massa scored a popular home podium despite a stop/go penalty and embarrassingly pitting in the wrong box.
After a long and dramatic season, F1 2014 concluded at the glamorous Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, with Hamilton and Rosberg battling it out to be crowned world champion at the double points round.
It also proved to be the end of an era for Vettel and Red Bull, as well as Fernando Alonso and Ferrari, after the four-time champion was announced as Alonso’s replacement for 2015 on the Thursday of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. Meanwhile several other drivers arrived at the track on Sunday morning not knowing if it would be their final time competing in the sport.
Rosberg had the upper hand in qualifying, finishing the top 10 shoot-out at the top of the timesheets after a stunning Q3 lap. However, a sluggish start dropped him to second on the opening tour, with Hamilton opening up a comfortable lead early on. He already had one hand on the championship trophy when Rosberg hit trouble, suffering an ERS failure and dropping down the field.
He desperately attempted to remain in the top five, should his team-mate suffer a similar issue, but he didn’t have the speed down the straights to defend, falling to 14th by the finish. It was a cruel way to end the season and a shame we were robbed of what could have potentially been a great fight for the race lead.
We almost got a battle for the top spot, with Massa rapidly closing in on Hamilton in the final part of the race on the super-soft tyre. However, his charge faded in the last few laps, enabling Hamilton to take the chequered flag in first place to secure his 11th victory of 2014 and his second world title.
Rosberg was incredibly gracious in defeat, after such a tough and tense season, but Hamilton – in my opinion – deserved the world championship that little bit more, after a stunning year behind the wheel of the Mercedes W05.
The winter break may now be well under way, but there is very little time to rest in the F1 world. Work at the factories will be in full swing as preparations for 2015 continue, and I certainly can’t wait to see next year’s cars take to the track at the end of January for the first winter test. It promises to be a great season.
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
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
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| © Octane Photographic |
Following the German Grand Pix in July - which marked the half-way stage of the season - Nico Rosberg led Hamilton in the drivers’ standings by 14 points. However, I felt the British driver would have the advantage during the second half of the season and take the title. I fortunately proved to be correct.
The Hungaroring was the final stop on the F1 calendar before the summer break. With a strong track record at the circuit, many expected Hamilton to dominate the Hungarian Grand Prix. However, a fuel leak caused a fire during the first qualifying session – causing plenty of gasps in the media centre - and he was forced to start the race from the pit lane.
Rosberg was on pole, with rain earlier in the day causing all 22 drivers to take the start on the intermediate tyres. Hamilton soon found out how treacherous conditions were when he spun at turn two, delaying his recovery. However, he soon advanced up the order and was helped by two safety car periods following crashes for Marcus Ericsson and Sergio Perez.
The Mercedes ALS AMG’s first appearance was incredibly costly for the top four, as they were forced to pit a lap later than the rest of the field and dropped down the field. Rosberg lost crucial time stuck behind Jean-Eric Vergne and a three-stop strategy meant he was only able to finish fourth. Hamilton was able to take the chequered flag just ahead of him in third, closing ever so slightly in the title fight. However, he was unable to get ahead of Fernando Alonso and keep behind eventual winner Daniel Ricciardo.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
All 11 F1 factories shut down and the paddock headed off for a few weeks of well-deserved rest after the Hungarian Grand Prix, before reconvening at the end of August at Spa-Francorchamps for the next race.
The Belgian Grand Prix proved to be arguably the most significant moment of the year, with Hamilton and Rosberg making contact on lap two as they battled for the lead.
Rosberg managed to continue with a damaged front wing before pitting for repairs on lap eight. Meanwhile Hamilton suffered a left-rear puncture and retired later in the race with damage. It was a very costly error. The collision helped Ricciardo move to the front and he took the chequered flag in first place to secure his third win of the season, finishing three seconds clear of a charging Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas.
As tensions continued to increase in the Mercedes camp, the sport headed to Italy and the classic Monza circuit for the final European race of the season. Hamilton bounced back from his Belgian Grand Prix disappointment to take pole position, from Rosberg and Bottas, who was best of the rest once again.
However, an ERS problem dropped Hamilton back at the start, with Rosberg, Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa all moving ahead of the British driver. He quickly advanced to second and closed in on his team-mate, taking the lead when Rosberg locked up and took to the turn one escape road on lap 29. He controlled the final part of the race to register win number six of the season.
With the momentum now back in his favour, Hamilton kicked off a dominant spell of five consecutive victories. The second night race of the season in Singapore saw Rosberg start from the pit lane after a problem on the grid prior to the formation lap.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Hamilton lined up on pole position and quickly pulled away from the chasing pack. Rosberg struggled to make progress and he was forced to retire at his first pit stop.
A safety car complicated Hamilton’s race, as he emerged from his final pit stop on lap 53 in second. However, overtaking Sebastian Vettel was fairly easy and he extended his advantage to 13 seconds by the chequered flag to re-claim the championship lead. Ricciardo was third, making it two Red Bulls on the podium.
The British driver’s victory at the next race in Japan was overshadowed by Jules Bianchi’s horrendous crash on lap 43 at turn seven. In wet and tricky conditions, he lost control of his Marussia and struck a recovery vehicle that was removing Adrian Sutil’s damaged Sauber from the gravel trap, after the German hit the wall at the same corner one lap earlier.
As we all know, he suffered severe head injuries in the accident and is currently continuing his recovery in a hospital in Nice, France. It was truly a horrible and heart-breaking day for F1, and my thoughts continue to be with Bianchi, his family and friends. #ForzaJules
With Bianchi firmly in the prayers of the entire F1 community, the paddock moved on to Sochi for the inaugural Russian Grand Prix. The brand new street circuit certainly looked the part, but unfortunately the race proved to be without doubt the most boring of the year.
Hamilton took pole once again and eventually took a clear victory, with Rosberg locking up at turn one and being forced to pit at the end of the opening lap for a fresh set of tyres. He recovered to second place, with Bottas claiming third – his fifth podium of the year.
The popular Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, was the next stop on the F1 schedule. The track produced some spectacular racing once again, with plenty of exciting battles to entertain the packed grandstands.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Rosberg was fastest in qualifying and led the way early on, but Hamilton upped his speed in the second stint and displaced his team-mate in stunning style on lap 24 at turn 12.
Rosberg stayed close to the second Silver Arrows and kept Hamilton honest, but ultimately didn’t have the pace to cut the gap and take over the lead. Hamilton eventually crossed the line 4.3 seconds clear of his nearest rival to score win number 10 of 2014. With a lead of 24 points in the standings, the title fight went down to the wire.
Brazil and the classic Interlagos circuit hosted the penultimate round of the year. Rosberg dominated practice and unsurprisingly started the race from first place. He controlled the opening two stints, before his lead increased after a spin for Hamilton on worn tyres prior to his second pit stop.
A late charge saw the two drivers separated by just a few tenths of a second in the closing stages, but Hamilton had to settle for second place, with Rosberg taking his fifth win of the season. Massa scored a popular home podium despite a stop/go penalty and embarrassingly pitting in the wrong box.
After a long and dramatic season, F1 2014 concluded at the glamorous Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, with Hamilton and Rosberg battling it out to be crowned world champion at the double points round.
It also proved to be the end of an era for Vettel and Red Bull, as well as Fernando Alonso and Ferrari, after the four-time champion was announced as Alonso’s replacement for 2015 on the Thursday of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. Meanwhile several other drivers arrived at the track on Sunday morning not knowing if it would be their final time competing in the sport.
Rosberg had the upper hand in qualifying, finishing the top 10 shoot-out at the top of the timesheets after a stunning Q3 lap. However, a sluggish start dropped him to second on the opening tour, with Hamilton opening up a comfortable lead early on. He already had one hand on the championship trophy when Rosberg hit trouble, suffering an ERS failure and dropping down the field.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
He desperately attempted to remain in the top five, should his team-mate suffer a similar issue, but he didn’t have the speed down the straights to defend, falling to 14th by the finish. It was a cruel way to end the season and a shame we were robbed of what could have potentially been a great fight for the race lead.
We almost got a battle for the top spot, with Massa rapidly closing in on Hamilton in the final part of the race on the super-soft tyre. However, his charge faded in the last few laps, enabling Hamilton to take the chequered flag in first place to secure his 11th victory of 2014 and his second world title.
Rosberg was incredibly gracious in defeat, after such a tough and tense season, but Hamilton – in my opinion – deserved the world championship that little bit more, after a stunning year behind the wheel of the Mercedes W05.
The winter break may now be well under way, but there is very little time to rest in the F1 world. Work at the factories will be in full swing as preparations for 2015 continue, and I certainly can’t wait to see next year’s cars take to the track at the end of January for the first winter test. It promises to be a great season.
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
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
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