2012: F1

Race 3 in went to Nico Rosberg , who gave the resurrected Mercedes team (backed by the controversial "Double DRS" system) its first victory since 1955. The floodgates had opened.

(Race 6) belonged to Mark Webber , the ultimate street-fighter, who held off Nico Rosberg and Alonso on the tightest circuit in F1. F1 2012

And for three glorious months at the start of the year, every single driver on the grid believed they could be a winner. Race 3 in went to Nico Rosberg ,

It was the most competitive start to a season in F1 history. The "Alonso vs. The World" Narrative While the winners were diverse, one man emerged as the moral champion of the season: Fernando Alonso. The Ferrari F2012 was, by the admission of the team's own engineers, a dog. It lacked downforce, suffered from understeer, and was often the fourth-fastest car on the grid. And for three glorious months at the start

A four-win streak in Singapore, Japan, Korea, and India flipped the script entirely. Vettel, who had looked lost in the first half, suddenly had a massive lead. Alonso, meanwhile, was eliminated in the first lap of the Japanese GP (by Raikkonen) and suffered a puncture in Abu Dhabi. The season came down to the final race in Brazil. Vettel led Alonso by 13 points. But on the very first lap, disaster struck. Vettel spun after contact with Bruno Senna, dropping to the very back of the grid. The championship was swinging toward Alonso.