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Formula 1 season 2012

Formula 1 season guide

Formula 1 season 2012
Credit: Getty
Points allocation
PositionPoints
1st25
2nd18
3rd15
4th12
5th10
6th8
7th6
8th4
9th2
10th1

The 2012 F1 season was an unpredictable one, with the Pirelli tyres mixing things up. Each circuit that passed by saw a different team with the advantage, and the seven different winners at the start of the year meant the championship could have gone in any direction. Red Bull gradually found their edge, and secured themselves, and Sebastian Vettel, a third consecutive title. However, it was a hard-fought battle that went right down to the wire, and it was an unforgettable season.

Season overview

The season began with some excitement in pre-season testing, when the Lotus team had to withdraw from some of the early days due to issues with their chassis. As the team that Kimi Räikkönen had chosen to make his big F1 comeback with, this seemed like it could herald difficult times ahead.

However, as soon as the racing action began in Australia, it was clear that firstly, Lotus were in no danger of slipping towards the back of the field, and secondly, that the season was shaping up to be a good one. Race after race passed by, and each one saw a different driver on top of the podium, until by the seventh Grand Prix, we had seen seven completely different victors - two of them for the first time in their F1 careers.

Midway through the season, Fernando Alonso was leading the championship, but gradually Red Bull found the pace they had been missing, and Sebastian Vettel won four races in a row. The championship went down to the final race in Brazil, with the favour always in Red Bull's direction. Alonso fought as hard as he could, but was pipped to the title in a tense and exciting season finale that wrapped up 2012 in the best possible way.

Season calendar

EventCountryDate
Australian Grand PrixAustralia18 Mar
Malaysian Grand PrixMalaysia25 Mar
Chinese Grand PrixChina15 Apr
Bahrain Grand PrixBahrain22 Apr
Spanish Grand PrixSpain13 May
Monaco Grand PrixMonaco27 May
Canadian Grand PrixCanada10 Jun
European Grand PrixSpain24 Jun
British Grand PrixUnited Kingdom08 Jul
German Grand PrixGermany22 Jul
Hungarian Grand PrixHungary29 Jul
Belgian Grand PrixBelgium02 Sep
Italian Grand PrixItaly09 Sep
Singapore Grand PrixSingapore23 Sep
Japanese Grand PrixJapan07 Oct
South Korean Grand PrixSouth Korea14 Oct
Indian Grand PrixIndia28 Oct
Abu Dhabi Grand PrixAbu Dhabi04 Nov
United States Grand PrixUnited States18 Nov
Brazilian Grand PrixBrazil25 Nov

Driver standings

PositionDriverTeamPoints
10Sebastian VettelRed Bull Racing281
20Fernando AlonsoScuderia Ferrari278
30Kimi RäikkönenLotus F1 Team207
40Lewis HamiltonVodafone McLaren Mercedes190
51Jenson ButtonVodafone McLaren Mercedes188
6-1Mark WebberRed Bull Racing179
70Felipe MassaScuderia Ferrari122
80Romain GrosjeanLotus F1 Team96
90Nico RosbergMercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team93
100Sergio PérezSauber F1 Team66
111Nico HülkenbergSahara Force India F1 Team63
12-1Kamui KobayashiSauber F1 Team60
132Michael SchumacherMercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team49
14-1Paul di RestaSahara Force India F1 Team46
15-1Pastor MaldonadoWilliams F1 Team45
160Bruno SennaWilliams F1 Team31
170Jean-Éric VergneScuderia Toro Rosso16
180Daniel RicciardoScuderia Toro Rosso10
192Vitaly PetrovCaterham F1 Team0
20-1Timo GlockMarussia F1 Team0
212Charles PicMarussia F1 Team0
22-2Heikki KovalainenCaterham F1 Team0
23-1Jérôme d'AmbrosioLotus F1 Team0
240Narain KarthikeyanHRT Formula 1 Team0
250Pedro de la RosaHRT Formula 1 Team0
F1 driver championship2810AUSMALCHNBHRESPMONCANEURGBRGERHUNBELITASINJPNKORINDABUUSABRASebastian VettelFernando AlonsoKimi RäikkönenLewis HamiltonJenson ButtonMark WebberFelipe MassaRomain GrosjeanNico RosbergSergio PérezNico HülkenbergKamui KobayashiMichael SchumacherPaul di RestaPastor MaldonadoBruno SennaJean-Éric VergneDaniel RicciardoSelect name to toggle individual visibility or toggle all

Constructor standings

PositionTeamPoints
10Red Bull Racing460
20Scuderia Ferrari400
30Vodafone McLaren Mercedes378
40Lotus F1 Team303
50Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team142
60Sauber F1 Team126
70Sahara Force India F1 Team109
80Williams F1 Team76
90Scuderia Toro Rosso26
101Caterham F1 Team0
11-1Marussia F1 Team0
120HRT Formula 1 Team0
F1 constructor championship4600AUSMALCHNBHRESPMONCANEURGBRGERHUNBELITASINJPNKORINDABUUSABRARed Bull RacingScuderia FerrariVodafone McLaren M …Lotus F1 TeamMercedes AMG Petro …Sauber F1 TeamSahara Force India …Williams F1 TeamScuderia Toro RossoSelect name to toggle individual visibility or toggle all

Fastest laps

EventDriverTime
Australian Grand PrixJenson Button1:29.187
Malaysian Grand PrixKimi Räikkönen1:40.722
Chinese Grand PrixKamui Kobayashi1:39.960
Bahrain Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:36.379
Spanish Grand PrixRomain Grosjean1:26.250
Monaco Grand PrixSergio Pérez1:17.296
Canadian Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:15.752
European Grand PrixNico Rosberg1:42.163
British Grand PrixKimi Räikkönen1:34.661
German Grand PrixMichael Schumacher1:18.725
Hungarian Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:24.136
Belgian Grand PrixBruno Senna1:52.822
Italian Grand PrixNico Rosberg1:27.239
Singapore Grand PrixNico Hülkenberg1:51.033
Japanese Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:35.774
South Korean Grand PrixMark Webber1:42.037
Indian Grand PrixJenson Button1:28.203
Abu Dhabi Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:43.964
United States Grand PrixSebastian Vettel1:39.347
Brazilian Grand PrixLewis Hamilton1:18.069

F1 test schedule

CircuitCountryDate
Circuito de JerezSpain07 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain08 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain09 Feb
Circuito de JerezSpain10 Feb
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain21 Feb
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain22 Feb
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain23 Feb
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain24 Feb
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain01 Mar
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain02 Mar
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain03 Mar
Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaSpain04 Mar
Mugello CircuitItaly01 May
Mugello CircuitItaly02 May
Mugello CircuitItaly03 May
Silverstone CircuitUnited Kingdom12 Jun
Silverstone CircuitUnited Kingdom13 Jun
Circuit de Nevers Magny-CoursFrance11 Sep
Circuit de Nevers Magny-CoursFrance12 Sep
Circuit de Nevers Magny-CoursFrance13 Sep
Yas Marina CircuitAbu Dhabi06 Oct
Yas Marina CircuitAbu Dhabi07 Oct
Yas Marina CircuitAbu Dhabi08 Oct

F1 team launches

TeamLocationDate
Caterham F1 TeamOnline26 Jan
Vodafone McLaren MercedesWoking, England01 Feb
Sahara Force India F1 TeamSilverstone, England03 Feb
Scuderia FerrariMaranello, Italy03 Feb
Lotus F1 TeamOnline05 Feb
Red Bull RacingOnline06 Feb
Sauber F1 TeamJerez, Spain06 Feb
Scuderia Toro RossoJerez, Spain06 Feb
Williams F1 TeamJerez, Spain07 Feb
Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 TeamBarcelona, Spain21 Feb
HRT Formula 1 TeamBarcelona, Spain05 Mar
Marussia F1 TeamSilverstone, England05 Mar