2012 to be the best season of all time?

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 24 Jun 2012, 21:51

I might be a bit hasty calling this, but I have a hunch we'll be looking back at this one with rose tinted glasses for many years to come. Here's why:

1. A welcome releif to a boring season: Last year was boring. The threat of a bettel domination hanged over every event like a bad smell. Then, we get a blinder of a season to cheer us up.
2. Unpredicatability: This is one factor that defines some of the season we hold in such great esteem, like 1982.
3. 7 winners in 7 races.
4. 'Midfield' teams having the pace to challenge the big boys every weekend, and even winning.
5. No one is dominating everything: Pole has been a competition for the first time in 2 years. Also, the MCLaren domination never materialised
6. Plenty of on track moments
7. No one can keep up the form
8. Tracks that have proved to be boring have produced the best races of the year.

Do you agree?

Post by **Londoner** » 24 Jun 2012, 21:56

YES. Full stop, new paragraph. Anyone that tries to argue otherwise is clearly in denial.

The Autosport Forum is absolutely hating it, blaming Pirelli for the season being too unpredictable for them to handle...

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 24 Jun 2012, 22:11

5 teams that can challenge for wins at the very sharp end of the grid. Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and Lotus

pasta_maldonado wrote:4. 'Midfield' teams having the pace to challenge the big boys every weekend, and even winning.

This is the smallest midfield as well, i'd only class 3 teams this season as midfield teams. Williams, Sauber and Force India.

Williams has won a race. YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
Sauber have 2 podiums, one of those could have been a win.
Force India are even starting to close in on the top 7 teams now.

And arguably the best car on the grid is yet to win a race. I love this unpredictability, it's made the season so exciting. Saying that, Kimi will win at Spa.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 24 Jun 2012, 22:24

East Londoner wrote:YES. Full stop, new paragraph. Anyone that tries to argue otherwise is clearly in denial.

The Autosport Forum is absolutely hating it, blaming Pirelli for the season being too unpredictable for them to handle...

Autosport is full of oldfags anyway, they're just petulant James Allens who don't like being proven wrong because they have an ego problem.

I love this season. This race was just incredible. Anyone who complains about this season should shut up and stop watching the sport, because clearly they aren't F1 fans.

tkcom · Post by **tkcom** » 24 Jun 2012, 22:27

"Homage to 1982 (minus deaths)" Great races! EVERYBODY WINS!

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 24 Jun 2012, 22:33

tkcom wrote:"Homage to 1982 (minus deaths)" Great races! EVERYBODY WINS! except Massa

Appopriately fixed.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 24 Jun 2012, 22:40

I think 'best of all time' is a bit of a meaningless and unmeasurable superlative, but certainly the season has surpassed all plausible expectations so far. It's just going into the weekend with any one of 10 (or more) drivers being potential winners, and all but the few lovable stragglers potential points scorers; that's something that has rarely been seen in the sport's history if ever, and I agree, we should be grateful that we can enjoy it.

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 24 Jun 2012, 23:14

Put it this way: for the last few years people at work have tried to avoid discussing formula1 with me as I tend to rabbit on a bit. This year, same people can't wait to talk to me every other Sunday evening about what's happened.

Gerudo Dragon · Post by **Gerudo Dragon** » 24 Jun 2012, 23:54

And you know that there isn't a better season in the future because?...

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 25 Jun 2012, 06:02

Depends on who takes the title :evil:

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 25 Jun 2012, 06:51

CoopsII wrote:Depends on who takes the title

As long as the season continues the way it has been, I couldn't care less who ends up winning it. Although a personal favourite would be Hamilton...

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 25 Jun 2012, 07:05

AdrianSutil wrote:
CoopsII wrote:Depends on who takes the title

As long as the season continues the way it has been, I couldn't care less who ends up winning it.

Id like Webber to nick it as (once again

) this could be his last/best chance to do so but other than that I guess whoever takes it will have earned it.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 25 Jun 2012, 07:20

This season has been the best I have ever seen. That is all.

DalekSam · Post by **DalekSam** » 25 Jun 2012, 11:34

I don't recall being enthralled by an F1 season more than this year. Before, I would just cheer for my favourites, hope they do well and hope there was enough action to entertain me.

This year I have not seen a dull moment. A couple of years ago, I'd just stop watching mid-race and use the computer some more, leaving an audio feed in the background should anything exciting happen. This year, I've been glued to the screen all the time and that can only be a good thing.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 25 Jun 2012, 12:58

Probably the best season since I started watching. Only thing I would change is making the cars a bit less reliable. Just cause I really want to see Caterham get their first points this season.

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 25 Jun 2012, 13:18

I am seriously going to bathplugging kill the guy who decided to let Singtel broadcast all F1 races from 2010-2012 in Singapore.I have to resort to livestreams and text commentary from the BBC thanks to the stupid cable provider not even getting reception across such a small country.Even my mum's previous iPhone,which had a Singtel Card,could only get reception outside of our neighbourhood.

Long story short,I am missing the best F1 season ever thanks to my stupid cable provider.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 25 Jun 2012, 13:27

WaffleCat wrote:I am seriously going to bathplugging kill the guy who decided to let Singtel broadcast all F1 races from 2010-2012 in Singapore.I have to resort to livestreams and text commentary from the BBC thanks to the stupid cable provider not even getting reception across such a small country.Even my mum's previous iPhone,which had a Singtel Card,could only get reception outside of our neighbourhood.

Long story short,I am missing the best F1 season ever thanks to my stupid cable provider.

I feel for you man. I genuinely do, and i'm not one to care about that kind of stuff.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 25 Jun 2012, 14:11

I personally enjoyed all the seasons from about 2007 onwards when I started to come back into F1 properly and follow every race as best I could. I'd stopped watching it regularly around 2000-2001 when MotoGP made it onto free TV in Britain, first Channel 5 and then the BBC. F1 just couldn't compete with it for excitement back then. From then on if I wasn't doing anything I'd stick ITV on and watch it if I fancied it. Most notably 2004 when Button was doing well as best of the rest behind Ferrari. But since 2007, I think we've had some really good seasons, with titles going down to the wire, some brilliant races, and lots of action. I guess 2011 probably goes in as the one lacking the most in recent times, but then you could say that about 2009, but I loved that, because of the fairytale of Brawn and Button in the beginning, and then their battle to try and stay in the fight towards the end.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 25 Jun 2012, 20:01

Damn you spanish person for going and spoiling the run........ in a race that was as mad as a barrel of fish in a whirlwind or something :twisted:

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 25 Jun 2012, 20:05

WeirdKerr wrote:Damn you spanish person for going and spoiling the run........ in a race that was as mad as a barrel of fish in a whirlwind or something

If only Perez hadn't made that mistake at Sepang, we'd have 8 winners from the first 8 races.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 26 Jun 2012, 10:39

You know it's a great season when even the teams themselves have no bathplugging idea as to what's going on :lol:

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 26 Jun 2012, 10:44

Wizzie wrote:You know it's a great season when even the teams themselves have no bathplugging idea as to what's going on

With things like this I predict this season will just get even better.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 26 Jun 2012, 11:12

The fact that Webber is ahead of Vettel in the championship makes things better.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 26 Jun 2012, 13:41

If one of the Enstone drivers can pull through and mount a title challenge I will be very happy indeed.
Otherwise Hamilton v Alonso v Vettel please.

Post by **mario** » 26 Jun 2012, 15:15

shinji wrote:I think 'best of all time' is a bit of a meaningless and unmeasurable superlative, but certainly the season has surpassed all plausible expectations so far. It's just going into the weekend with any one of 10 (or more) drivers being potential winners, and all but the few lovable stragglers potential points scorers; that's something that has rarely been seen in the sport's history if ever, and I agree, we should be grateful that we can enjoy it.

Given that this season has come on the back of what was one of the most dominant performances that the sport has seen in its entire history, and the fact that the regulation changes for this season were not expected to significantly change the pecking order (most bookmakers were expecting another easy title for Vettel), the fact that this season is such an extreme contrast makes is stick out even more than you would have expected.
It certainly has surpassed all expectations by a long way, and it cannot be denied that the greater opportunities for smaller teams is better for the long term health of the sport, but I guess that it is worth adding the caveat that we are not yet halfway through the season, and it is plausible that we could see one particular team gradually edge away from its rivals in the latter half of the season, which would probably moderate the current excitement (both Alonso and Hamilton have been saying that they think Red Bull are starting to gain a slight performance advantage, and Red Bull have been pouring a lot of resources into their rear bodywork as of late - they had another iteration of their ducted rear bodywork for Valencia, which is the 4th different design that Red Bull have used since the car was launched).

ranig · Post by **ranig** » 26 Jun 2012, 15:48

The Valencia race was NOT boring, which means that this is, if not the best, a remarkable season indeed

Pamphlet · Post by **Pamphlet** » 26 Jun 2012, 15:48

Raikkonen is underperforming, but that Lotus is so good that even he has a chance. Not to mention Webber, now that Red Bull have gotten their act together.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 26 Jun 2012, 18:53

This season is nearly as unpredictable as the REECCS.....but without the rolling trabbies

come to think of it is bernie just running this season on R factor ........ :lol:

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 26 Jun 2012, 19:13

WeirdKerr wrote:This season is nearly as unpredictable as the REECCS.....but without the rolling trabbies

come to think of it is bernie just running this season on R factor ........

It's a reference to the best thread of 2009!

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 26 Jun 2012, 21:28

dr-baker wrote:
WeirdKerr wrote:This season is nearly as unpredictable as the REECCS.....but without the rolling trabbies

come to think of it is bernie just running this season on R factor ........

It's a reference to the best thread of 2009!

i forgot about that thread.....

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 26 Jun 2012, 22:10

dr-baker wrote:
WeirdKerr wrote:This season is nearly as unpredictable as the REECCS.....but without the rolling trabbies

come to think of it is bernie just running this season on R factor ........

It's a reference to the best thread of 2009!

That post by SáT is fantastic. As I seem to have thought at the time.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 27 Jun 2012, 07:44

Patrickodye wrote:Well as per my view this season has been spectacular start.

Thanks for that!

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 27 Jun 2012, 07:45

CoopsII wrote:
Patrickodye wrote:Well as per my view this season has been spectacular start.

Thanks for that!

My spidey sence detects a Spambot

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 27 Jun 2012, 07:55

Patrickodye wrote:Well as per my view this season has been spectacular start.

Cool story bro.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 27 Jun 2012, 07:56

AdrianSutil wrote:My spidey sence detects a Spambot

Possibly although away from the computer keyboard with all the confidence that grants me I find myself conversing in the same stilted way.....

Post by **Londoner** » 27 Jun 2012, 08:02

Christ, that spambot was partially on topic! :shock:

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 27 Jun 2012, 14:01

eurobrun wrote:
Patrickodye wrote:Well as per my view this season has been spectacular start.

Cool story bro.

Needs more HRT and stuff.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 27 Jun 2012, 14:32

EDIT: I thought I was posting in the A1 Grand Prix 1950 thing instead of this one.

Eryx · Post by **Eryx** » 27 Jun 2012, 19:21

Heres what i dont get. . .I see loads of people (not us or not all of us at least) Whinging and Whinging about the fact this team cant keep up the pace and this team is slower then that when in truth THATS WHAT MAKES GREAT RACING. . .The reason why I and all the people i know stopped watching F1 in the Schumi days was purely because Schumi had the best car and usually won every race. . .So we just lost interest. . .I tune back in in 07 and see Hamilton nearly take the championship in his debut year and from then on im rehooked. . .this season is the best for unpredictability by far, Personally no matter what i think Caterham have finally got what it takes to break into the midfield with both cars instead of just Heikki but then again Vitaly wasnt that far away from taking Mr.Webber and Mr.Vergne and Maybe even Mr.Riccardo I'd even go as far to say that if Heikki hadnt been hit by the dumb Vergne and Vitaly by the idiodic Riccardo Team best Finish of 11th on the card? Maybe even 10th as we dont know what would of happened to the grid if they were further up (unlikely but possible) and whats more unpredictable then that. As for more unpredictability unless we have a high attrition race HRT and MarussiaGin are to far behind by nearly 2 seconds. Reliability i dont think comes into it very much for this season as the grid is so topsy turvy all we need is rain and we will have a chance of seeing a HRT in the points MarussiaGin the same.

jackanderton · Post by **jackanderton** » 30 Jun 2012, 08:20

Any season that can make Valencia exciting has to be up there.

However I do see it being Alonso vs Vettel with Hamilton, Raikkonen and Webber a little bit behind.