Six races into the 2012 Formula One World Championship, and it is already shaping up to be an all time classic. The six races have presented us with six different race winners, and it really is set to be a season for fans of the sport to cherish.
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| Schumacher - Dominant in Early 2000s |
Growing up, my distinct memories of Formula One consisted of Michael Schumacher in his Ferrari seeming to win almost every race, with his team mate Rubens Barrichelo occasionally springing a surprise to win if the German happened to encounter problems. From the 2000 season through to 2004, all 5 F1 World titles went to the dominant Schumacher. The Ferrari man really was that dominant, with 2002 wielding 17 podiums in as many races including 11 wins, before 13 wins and 15 podiums in 18 attempts two years later.
Even since Schumacher's initial retirement, two or three drivers have dominated each season, with two constructors fighting for the title each year. From the Brawn GP dominance in 2009 to the recent Red Bull brilliance culminating in 11 wins and 17 podiums for Sebastian Vettel last season, it really has been a case of 2-4 drivers fighting for the Championship with the remaining 20 aiming to occupy those places behind them.
Yet in 2012, it all seems so different, and that has been summed up perfectly by the fact that six men have already climbed the top step of the podium. Already a third of the way through the season, and the front runners are yet to be truly established, with just 3 points separating the top 3 and only 47 points between leader Fernando Alonso and 9th placed Columbian Pastor Maldonado.
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| Alonso - Looking comfortable |
Leading the way on 76 points is Spaniard Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari, and after a turbulent few years the Italian manufacturer really do look to have developed a car capable of taking glory. Although Felipe Massa has had a real struggle thus far, in this car Alonso looks as at home as he ever has been since his glorious championship-winning seasons with Renault in 2005 and 2006. After victory in Malaysia, Alonso has put in consistent qualifying displays and had good race pace, scoring top tens in each of the 6 rounds so far.
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| Red Bull - Still in the Hunt |
Tied in second are Red Bull team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. Both have one win apiece and have consistently been in the hunt, with top ten finishes on all but one occasion each for both drivers. However, the Ferrari-powered cars really do not appear to have the speed that they have done in previous years, and a lot of mid-season works needs to be done to keep them in with a shot of the title.
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| Hamilton - Still without a win |
One driver still without a win is 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, and although he has since slipped down to 4th, he is still in contention. A string of costly errors, especially at pit stops, have cost the Mclaren team on a number occasions, but there are very positive signs for Hamilton to take away. In qualifying, the Brit has really looked strong, with top two placings on the grid in each of the first five races, although the last of those was taken away after he ran out of fuel on the in-lap. Thus far, Hamilton and Mclaren have struggled to match that pace come race day, although they have finished in the top 8 in every race, but if they can transfer their qualifying performances to the races, and improve their strategies, then they will certainly be tough to beat.
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| Button - Struggling in Qualifying |
Team-mate Jensen Button, the first of our 2012 winners, has been going backwards since that great run in Australia. Button has so far struggled to get the best out of the car, and has openly admitted that he is not running as he would like. Qualifying has been a real issue, with the British man failing to make Q3 on the last 2 occasions. Unlike partner Hamilton, he has looked better when it has come to race day, and that bodes well for the remainder of the season if they can improve on qualifying. Although it hasn't all gone their way so far, you certainly feel that there is a lot more to come from Mclaren duo Hamilton and Button as the season progresses.
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| Rosberg - Maiden win in China |
Yet away from those three main teams, there have been a host of others battling it out to mix it at the top. Mercedes have been one of those teams, and German Nico Rosberg has produced a host of consistent performances, topped off by a superb win in China. Currently in fifth, Rosberg has recovered from a disappointing start to bag 2 podiums in the last 4 races, with solid 5th and 7th places in between to keep him in the hunt. Meanwhile, team-mate Michael Schumacher has also displayed good pace, including a pole position in Monaco, but a wealth of very bad luck has struck him throughout the opening races to leave him on only two points, with four retirements so far.
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| Raikkonen - Consistent performer |
Although winless in 2012 so far, Lotus have perhaps been the surprise team of this campaign. Since being lured out of retirement, former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen has looked very solid indeed, even if not spectacular. Consecutive podiums in Bahrain and Spain have added to his 5 top tens out of 6, and sixth place in the Championship and only 25 points behind, the Finn is poised to make a move in a car which has come together nicely after extensive winter work.
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| Grosjean - Costly Retirements |
Team-mate Romain Grosjean has possibly looked even quicker than Raikkonen, and his 8th place position really does not tell the whole story. In qualifying, the Frenchman has appeared to be one of the quickest cars out there, with 6 Q3 appearances out of 6th, and trio of top 5 starts. However, much like Schumacher, Grosjean has been riddled with misfortune, with three retirements already caused by early incidents. When he has got through the opening stages though, Grosjean has been impressive, with top 6 finishes on each of those occasions, including a podium in Bahrain. Although unlikely to recover enough to challenge for the title, if Grosjean is winless by the end of the campaign I will be very surprised.
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| Maldonado - Shock Spain Win |
The last 2012 race winner to look at is Williams driver Paster Maldonado, who reigned supreme in Spain recently. The emergence of Maldonado has been outstanding, and his overtaking and racing abilities have been a joy to watch so far. His style has cost him though, with 4 crashes meaning he lies down in ninth. However, with more experience all the time, the 2010 GP2 champion will be a regular top 8 finisher before the season is out in my opinion. Team-mate Bruno Senna has also looked decent to me, and although he has been in the shadow of his team-mate a little, if he fails to grab a maiden podium before the end of 2012 I will be surprised.
One driver who went ever so close to a first win was Mexican Sergio Perez. His second place in Malaysia in the Sauber indicated that he is another capable of mixing it with the best to take podiums, and that adds yet more competition to this season.
In the end, I think Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel and Webber will emerge as the clear top four. Nonetheless, Button and Raikkonen are both capable of challenging that prediction, and the presence of so many potential race winners makes this season one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Unlike previous years, I find it hard to envisage any one driver climbing the top step of the podium on more than 4 occasions. As I see it, there are about 10 drivers with good cars and capable of winning races, and although the bigger teams such as Mclaren, Red Bull and Ferrari will probably come strong with mid-season developments, the emergence of Mercedes, Lotus, Williams and Sauber is intriguing to watch.
With everything so delicately poised at this stage of the season, I really do urge Grand Prix fans to embrace this year of fantastic Grand Prix racing. With the competition they have unexpectedly faced, Red Bull, Mclaren and Ferrari will be using their finances to already build for next season to get a step ahead, and as a consequence a year like this one may not appear again for a fair few years. So sit back, relax, and watch things unfold between now and November before we crown the 2012 Formula One World Champion in Brazil on 25th November, as I am sure further thrills and spill, twists and turns will follow, especially with so many people in the hunt.
