Well, what a season 2008 turned out to be. The end result it seemed was a collection of drivers running away from title glory rather than striving to achieve it.
There were, of course, many stories that emerged throughout the season as some drivers flourished, while others put a stop on their future careers.
Let’s start with my top five drivers, shall we….
5. Fernando Alonso
Yes I believe he is arrogant, selfish and childish. His season as Mclaren forced my opinion of him to change. But then he came back to the forefront with a simply stunning second-half performance, giving us the slick and stylish Spaniard we had seen in his early years, outperforming his Minardi and winning the titles at Renault.
In a weak and disappointing Renault, he comfortably obliterated the poor excuse for a team mate in Piquet Jr. and recorded unexpected back-to-back victories in an end of season bout of points.
Perhaps Renault can work tremendously over the winter period and produce a car that will gift us with the Alonso of past glories. After all, a more competitive car breeds an electric and possibly unbeatable Fernando.
4. Felipe Massa
The boyish Brazilian will never be one to excite me or produce any sort of fanatic behaviour from me; he is clumsy, reckless, and to a certain extent, inconsistent.
However on certain occasions in the 2008 season Felipe has led me to believe that there is a star waiting to jump out and dominate the sport. His home Grand Prix proved what he can do when he leads from the front.
He can produce Schumacher-style dominances in such circumstances, and I applaud him for this revolution of pace and control that he has shown at various points of the season.
Of course, however, as his performance in Great Britain showed us, he still has a long journey to embark upon before he can portray the duration of a season free of careless errors at race weekends where he does not take charge.
3. Lewis Hamilton
I do not believe Hamilton was at his best this year. He was lucky, very lucky to win the title.
A foolish decision by Toyota gifted his title success, although in saying that he deserved it more than Felipe Massa last year, which in a way makes up for the disappointment of losing to a faster Kimi Raikonnen in 2007.
All he needs to make him a force to be reckoned with is a few extra laps in circuits where he fails to deliver and maybe then he can win a title without taking it to the Sao Paolo track where he so frustratingly flops.
2. Sebastian Vettel
An average first half of the season was followed by the thunderous win in Monza, in turn putting his name well into the public eye and F1 history books. He became the youngest winner in F1 history and also made Heikki Kovalinen look like a flailing tortoise.
His decision to transfer to the arguably slower Red Bull team is baffling, as it may relegate him back to the midfield. However, this man has the ability to outperform a car and a fast teammate in Bourdais.
Surely, though, this man will be taken away from the factories in Milton Keynes before long.
1. Robert Kubica
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2 months ago
Lewsi did not win by luck alone. He won because he is a good driver in a good team. He won because he is the best. If he had not been unfairly penalised in Belgium, Lewis would have won the WDC in Shanghai. In my books, he won in Shanghai.
2 months ago
Interesting observations...
2 months ago
I must say if you think youre self as an objective reporter you are very mistaken...
Praising Lewis, where his skills are blinded by the way he drives others off the track really isnt a strong point of his. Sure, you forgot to mention that...
All have bad points except Lewis, where you said that his biggest weaknes was that he "wasnt at his best this year"?!??!?!? You could probably say this for every single driver this year...
PS: And i would realy like to see where Alonso is arrogant, selfish and childish. I cant help my self thinking just that for hamilon.
Arrogant: When overtaking he likes to push others off the track. (selfish fals also in this catagory)
Childish: When giving an interview he likes to act like a 15 years old star girl.
Two faces: Speaks one thing does right the oposite.
Besides that, a very good site to read. Keep up the good work, just leav Lewis off the "god" list... he hasnt shown us that yet...
from 2 months ago
What are you on about?
Leave Lewis off the "god" list he hasn't shown us that yet... HE IS THE 2008 WDC for 'gods' sake. Did you watch the 2008 season, if you win the WDC your the best, and you cannot argue that. Your obviously a Hamilton basher.
Alonso not childish and arrogant, again did you watch the 2007 season? He wanted to be number 1 at Mclaren and they said no, we treat drivers fairly. So what did he do, sabotaged the team by threatening to tell the FIA about the Ferrari data, and holding his teammate up in the pits on purpose, for which he was heavily penalised.
Lewis doesn't act like a '15 year old star girl' for starters what the hell is a star girl? Lewis acts normally to cameras, he's usually interviewed after a win, so he's happy, bubbly and a nice guy so he is bound to be friendly on camera.
Get a grip Kor, and just come to terms with Lewis being the best on the grid this year.
2 months ago
Im not going to argue with you... but obviousley winning once isnt enough to be the "god" of the sport...
The biggest problem i see on Lewis is respect towards other drivers... yeahh... he talks about that on camera but on track hes exactly the opposite...
And yes... Lewis was the best on the grid this year... no one denied that, but hes all but mistakless... for me being the fastest just isnt enough to be the king of the sport... and if he wants to be one of the best in the history hes got a lot more proving to do (give Vettel a competitive car and youll see what i mean)
Main point. If im Hamilton basher, than what is the author of the article... Alonso basher... No offense but i just dont like people that say Alonso is somethink without fist proving it first... Media is one thing but truth is another....
Cheers
2 months ago
Someone who stands still in a pitlane to avoid their team mate setting a lap time in qualifying is proof......
2 months ago
i belive it was ordered that way, soo...
2 months ago
What I'm very curious about is:
What if Kubica didn't win at Canada (which he was lucky to anyway considering Kimi and Lewis were miles ahead)? BMW would have continued to push development for their goal of winning a grand prix - and ironically probably would've won the WDC!
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