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1. Vettel making it yet again, with such a deficit (42 points) and a car that wasn't up to it's task in many races
2. Alonso holding on with obviously slower car. Amazing year for him.
3. Maldonado winning in Barcelona
4. Hamilton going to Mercedes
5. Massa's comeback
6. Schumi calling it quit
7. Perez doing mightily well in some races
8. Eight different winners
9. Austin track is good!
10. Mercedes winning in China.

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The end is near

Kimi's radio messages, Lewis overtaking Vettel in Austin!

In no particular order

-Maldonado's win and then the pit catching fire on Sir Frank's birthday...what a day!
-Kobayashi getting on the podium on Suzuka was magic.
-Alonso all season.
-Vettel and Red Bull's tenacity to fight back and claim the double for a third year in a row.
-Perez's drive at Sepang.
-Raikkonen at Abu Dhabi, the win and the radio!
-McLaren throwing away the chance to grab the championship through poor pit stops in the first half of the season, and inferior reliability throughout the year.
-An FIA that won't protect the drivers until there is a serious accident (Maldonado/Grosjean throughout the year).
-Valencia GP attracting crowds at least. Korean GP an utter failure for everyone except Bernie. Can it now.
-Final impression...Vettel might even win 5 titles at Red Bull under his current contract but there will still be questions about his talent based on the reaction to his third.

1) Pirelli played too big a role
2) McLaren can't get out of its own way
3) Kimi is still awesome
4) RBR's determination is unrivaled
5) Barca
7) Ferrari still talks too much
Goodbye, Michael (again)
9) Hulkenberg!
10) There's still magic in Formula 1

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1. Williams back in the winners circle after many people said pre-season they would be backmarkers.
2. Great performances of Perez, Maldonado, Hulkenberg and Grosjean, yes inconsistent but all shone in several races this season
3. McLaren showing how to throw the titles away
4. How awful Button was at the middle of the season
5. How awful Massa was at the start of the season
6. 2 new winners!
7. Thankfully more teams fighting for podium
8. Red Bulls amazing form in the late Asian races
9. Alonso's consistency, 13 podiums!
10. Schumacher's podium and "pole lap".

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Jenson Button & Williams F1 Team supporter!

Greatest impressions or greatest moments? The OP asks for impressions then gives mostly moments, so I present both...

Moments
1. The finale in Brazil. What a race.
2. The first race and the thrill of thinking that it might be a great chance for Button to take a second title. Alas, not to be.
3. The restart in Valencia - Arguably the craziest single lap of the last decade.
4. Abu Dhabi was the funniest race.
5. Sergio's drive in Monza. Lucky? Load of rubbish. He earned it through his amazing pace in his prime stint. Drive of the year. Made me into a fan.
6. Watching my favorite driver dominate at my favorite track (Button at Spa) was very nice.
7. Malaysia, for the surprises.
8. Kobayashi's podium is my pick for feel good moment of the season. Lit up an awful race.
9. The Austin weekend. Easily surpassed high expectations.
10. The driver market. Specifically, that one friday with the Hamilton and Perez moves.

Impressions
1. 2012 should have been Hamilton's year.
2. While Vettel was not the best driver of 2012, he proved that he is a truly complete driver. Not because he won his 3rd WDC, but because of how he won it - By performing under pressure, in the most unfavorable situations.
3. I'm surprised how much admiration Alonso received. He's always been that good. Actually, he was better in 2006.
4. Button is a top driver, but he's not truly elite like the top three (Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton)
5. Grosjean is the most talented young driver in F1, but I fear he just doesn't have the mentality to make the most of what he's got.
6. I really hope the last few races were the starting point for Maldonado to clean up his act. He's gotten away with murder and should've been given a multi race ban at least.
7. After Silverstone, I was ready to admit I was wrong about Webber. Then he became the exact driver I thought he was.
8. MS still had something. He deserved better equipment and better luck. Sorry to see him go.
9. Valencia and Abu Dhabi are boring, they said.
10. I hate the BBC. Thanks a bunch.

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I don't follow F1 so I don't know what I'm talking about

First for me...

1.) The most competitive F1 season in my memory. There have been closer seasons in regards to the WDC and WCC. But I don't believe any were as competitive in terms of depth (some reflected by the number of excellent drivers, but also improving teams and a lot of in-season development by many different teams resulting in constant reshuffling of order from race to race). Never have so many entered each race with a realistic chance as this season IMO... I know some lamented that fans would want clear order... I'm sure some drivers and teams did, but I'm not sure that many fans would have traded what we got this year for a more predictable battle between just 2 or 3 drivers and just 2 or 3 teams, unless they were unhappy about their own favorite languishing.

2.) Teams continuing to battle back... McLaren showing the early pace, while Red Bull was just 'off' and Ferrari looking well off the pace, then Alonso helping Ferrari fight back to get the results ahead of McLaren... then Red Bull making its surge... with Ferrari showing remarkable reliability... and then McLaren answering Red Bull in the final races. ... No one took a bad hand and folded and wrote off the year IMO.

3.) Great drivers in the year's grid reminding us why they are great drivers.

4.) So many precocious young talented drivers, not all making an impression in a good way, but definitely I think we saw that there should be drivers around to take up the battle when some of the older current stars decline or step away... thinking Perez, Hulk, Maldonado, Grosjean ... if the latter 2 improve their race craft, I can see them forming the next generation of contenders.

5.) Simply... Kimi... on track.... off track... and sometimes lost in between. Great entertainment... brought a boost of fresh air IMO.

6.) I think some very clear signs that the rush to 'new markets' needs to be tempered as too many are seeming to be 'non markets.' Several are now several years in and seeming to have built no following based on the crowds.

7.) Alonso and Perez in the Malaysian rain

8.) Brazil... exciting race... crazy start... several great battles at the front... a young driver from a midfield team truly battling for the lead with a historic team and its 2 WDC drivers because he and his car are competitive, and not there by the usual fluky type situation that has a driver such as Hulk and a car such as FI in that position... Michael's final drive... Kimi provides comic relief... oh, and a WDC at stake.

And 2 purely personal...

9.) Just how embarrassingly bad the HRTs sounded on track... Everyone know they were a clear 12th in the field, running on shoe string at the end... But even the Caterhams and Marussias sounded like F1 cars... the HRTs sounded like an old tractor popping away, short a cylinder or 2.

10.) And really falling in love with the sport from my 1st weekend at a Grand Prix. I've always been a fan from watching on TV, but the experience of being there, the sights, the sounds, the fans, just incredible, Friday thru Sunday. Within days, I knew I needed to make plans to attend a 2nd GP next year because waiting for it to return to Austin next November was just too long of a wait... So for anyone who hasn't been for a weekend before, I strongly recommend finding a way make the cost and travel work for you so that you can. It's well worth the sacrifice IMO.

In descending order of impressionness:

The 2012 spec tyres were one of the stupidest ideas F1 has come up with.
McLaren missed an open goal with Hamilton.
Still not sure what Vettel can do when he doesn't have the car he wants.
Kimi still has it.
Alonso wouldn't give up if he was in an upside down HRT.
The number of times Sky can show video of Paul di Resta in a helicopter.
It's past speculation, Helmut Marko simply has to have a wire loose somewhere.
The overhyping of Sergio Perez.
The underhyping of Nico Hulkenberg.
Whitmarsh, Domenicali and even Bernie looking to be on shaky ground as we roll into 2013.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

Pretty much all these, except for the first one. I'd probably swap that with:
Mercedes continually being overhyped and underperforming yet still attracting top stars and being a coveted seat somehow.

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"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

1. Hamilton driving his ass off but let down by Mclaren
2. Alonso's consistency
3. The first part of the season with 7 different winners
4. Maldonado going on a rampage
5. Schumi getting a podium and his pole in monaco
6. Webber's KERS
7. Red Bull's resurgence after the summer break
8. Mercedes' car turning into a pile of crap
9. F1 returns to the USA
10. Alonso's empty look at the end of the Brazilian grand prix

Greatest impressions:

- Button struggling
- Hamilton (or McLaren) losing the WDC despite having a chance
- Alonso showing again he's the best of them all
- Alonso downplaying the Ferrari's speed (heh heh)
- Massa's poor performance
- Massa's excellent performance at the last races
- Webber performing poorly at the last races
- Vettel's Brazil drive, fought against every incident
- Schumacher's improved form (should have been retained)
- HAMILTON LEAVING MCLAREN FOR MERCEDES (still has no logic)
- Maldonado's qualy pace
- Maldonado's poor results (if you consider his 1-lap pace)
- RAIKKONNEN (great comeback)
- Grosjean's great pace
- Grosjean's embarrasing moments

1 - Being at Spa is an amazing experience, as long as either you're not disabled, or you have a strong bladder.
2 - Williams have still got it. They played everything perfectly in Barcelona.
3 - Maldonado, as I've been trying to tell people for ages (and nearly got into a fight with mandzipop about in Spa!) really is an awesome talent.
4 - For all the rivalries and fierce competition, the paddock pulls together when they need to, such as the fires in Malaysia and Spain.
5 - Marussia and Caterham are as exciting a battle to watch as the fight for the title.
6 - I may yet outlive Bernie's seemingly eternal reign over F1 as a result of the bribery case in Germany.
7 - GP2 hasn't done Grosjean the favour I was hoping: he still crashes far too much.
8 - Sky is the worst thing to happen to F1 broadcasting for me personally, as I can't afford a TV subscription and SkyGo refuses to work at uni. Sky have since told me it's a problem they are aware of and are actively ignoring. It also turns out that complaining about this anywhere leads to me being generally vilified because the Sky team are amazing.
9 - Which, to be fair, they really are!
10 - F1 journalism really isn't that easy. Although I've been discovering that for a while already!

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Copper Masked Sunrise
http://tufty1992.wordpress.com/
P-F1 PHOTO COMPETITION: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7089&p=271860#p271860
http://www.justgiving.com/CIN-Mystery-P ... 00b9467dcb

Stepped noses
Five-way battle for 10th spot to the line in Melbourne
Fernando bringing home that dog in Malaysia
Mark pulling a wheelie in China
Michael's 'pole' in Monaco
Sebastian's alternator in Valencia
The first corner in Spa
Lewis dragging a carpet home in Korea
Pretty much the whole race in Brasil
Kimi's comeback season

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What did you say... Douglas?

Williams / Maldonado win in Spain followed by the fire
The most frustrating year for any LH fan
The level of support for EJ at a lot of races (is it my imagination or is he getting more popular year on year?)
Grojean smiling non stop for the first third of the season and looking stressed for the rest
Alonso proving once again his pedigree
Loving the tyres for some of the excitement and hating them for the amount of 'nursing'
A good race in Valencia! Utter shock!
The Brasil race
The Merc move. Very very scary for any LH fan
Stepped noses.... bleh

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Trying to use 'tongue in cheek' humour in a forum is like wearing a Borat t-shirt in Kazakhstan.

No one listed Massa's overtake on Senna in Singapore? Impressive one.

That was the part of his comeback mentioned in several replies. But thank you for reminding us, that was probably the overtake of the year, at least for me.

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The end is near

1) L O T U S are on the way back and with Kimi!!!
2) Williams are on the way back.
3) McLaren, what is wrong with them, they would find it difficult to win a one make series!!!
3) Red Bull what a team! 100% commitment that's all anyone can do and all this from a drinks company l m f a o !!!
4) Ecclestone, is he going to prison? I will visit him! he is far far better than 100% corporate !
5) Montezemolo, he's a silly old fool!
6) Alonso, he did win the championship for the worlds best moaner and complainer!
7)McLaren for letting one of the best four drivers in the world go, to be replaced by a no one!
8 ) Mercedes for signing Hamilton, what a coup!
9)Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel, disqualified from qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starting the race from the pit lane. This was a great race for the best team in the world.
10) Ferrari, we can change gearbox seals to gain a better grid position and it's not cheating even if it does inconvenience other lesser drivers..... Those yellowish or possibly green flags.....How desperate?
@ No.10) So? it's my opinion based on what i've seen ok?
10b) For those who think i'm anti cheating, erm i mean anti Ferrari!
Grosjean a future world champion and i think he's great ! I just need to get some of Kimi Raikkonen's attitude to rub off onto him!
Massa, what is happening to him, is he on class A drugs?
Pirelli, I think F1 needs a tyre manufacturer to supply tyres to the teams not a race manipulating tyre manufacturer, eventually one team will benefit much more than the other teams.......

These and:

The Ferrari was a good enough car to be fighting for the championship as it did.
Having a driver with recent F1 experience in the commentary box makes a difference to the insight.
The competition in the sport is as good as I've ever seen.
F1 works best with a mix of manufacturers and wealthy privateer teams.
Hamilton's relationship with his father has a huge impact on his mentality.
Pay drivers are worthwhile. (I always thought this but IMO 2012 really confirmed it.)

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Formerly kai_

Should have had that on my list. IMO the single greatest myth of the season is that the Ferrari was ever a complete dog.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

1) 7 different winners - early on it was shocking to be so varied.
2) Alonso really is damned good at this F1 lark.
3) Opinions change rapidly - Perez went from being the new big thing to crashing out a lot. Di Resta went off the boil. Hulk really brought it later on in the season.
4) Michael Schumacher's pole in Monaco (sure he didn't really get it but I was so happy to see the old man do somethign special).
5) McLaren pissed away a WDC despite having 2 of the best drivers in the field
6) Vettel and Red Bull got the job done again, showing they are a true F1 force. Vettel will be the most successful driver (WDC-wise) come 2013 grid. I could believe it is someone said he's win more than Michael Schumacher, a feat I thought would not be beaten for a LONG time.
7) Valencia can be good!
8 ) Hamilton leaving Mercedes in a move which I think everyone is surprised by. I still don't see why you would want to go there from McLaren, but I hope I'm shown why he went in 2013.
9) Kimi still got it. A slow start from him, imo, but by the end of the season I think he showed us all that a few years out isn't always gonna kill your pace. He is still one of the fastest and most accurate racers. Great to have him back.
10) That race in Brazil. My god, it was eventful. We had a bit of everything! We had rain, dry spells, thrills, spills, crashes, mistakes, pit lane strategy calls, team orders, controversy over flags, times where Alonso looked to be looking good for it, times when Vettel looked to be in to win, and all within an hour and a half. It lacked the dramatic flourish of 2008, but I think that was the best title decider I've seen. I was on my feet several times, and in the end, Vettel got the job done for the 3rd season in a row. A very fitting end to a great season of F1.

1. Schumacher on the podium in Valencia.
2. Schumacher qualifying on pole in Monaco.
3. Maldonado winning in Catalunya, but not because of Maldonado. It was solely because I was so happy for SFW.
4. Alonso's emotions after winning in Valencia.
5. F1 back in the US!! And with a great race too!!
6. 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
7. Button in wet conditions. He is masterful with his driving and with his tactics.
8. Alonso's season. I'm sure he has more fans now than ever before after a season like that.
9. Seven different winners to start the season.
10. Vettel winning his third World Title, joining the 1% Club, the Elite group of drivers that have won three or more World Titles in a career (9 out of over 800 drivers that have competed in F1).

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Vettel has a bad temper
Lewis and Alo can adapt to any car
McLaren need to sort out reliability
Pirelli have really spiced things up
Perez needs to be patient when overtaking
Sauber have improved greatly
Toro Rosso have to improve
Williams are back
Marussia are on the up
Caterham dissapoint

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Lewis Hamilton - 2008 World Drivers Champion! Mercedes - 10 Grand Prix Victories.

Please see caps lock writing next to second line down

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I love F1.

1) Vettel is so good when it matters- champion of the track and the mind games.
2) Alonso is crap at mind games, but very good at playing the underdog
3) Hamilton tidies up this year but reliability let him down and he ends 3 years with less points than Button.
4) Webber is a world beater at some tracks, a wife beater at others
5) di Resta was god awful once he'd not got the Mclaren seat
6) Caterham had a shocker and only a freak result saved their bacon
7) Young drivers need more testing
Lotus blew so many results with less than perfect weekends on both sides
9) Maldonado is mighty quick but needs to bring more points in
10) Perez went off the boil post Mclaren deal- is it a sign he'll blow his big chance next year?

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In Interlagos, he won it 3 times
"And that's the man that can't race! Sebastian Vettel can only win from the front apparantly, I don't think so, that was amazing!"
14/11/10 Miracle
9/10/11 Double
25/11/12 Treble

this

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No, again, it wasn't any dog. Just not as quick as the Mclaren or the Red Bull.

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This except change 9 to: Being at the opening in Austin was awesome.

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