What a wonderful season 2014 was. Some may say it was yet another display of dominance from a single team, but oh boy did they provide some entertainment along the way, both on and off the track.
Not only did we have a great championship battle, albeit between two, there were some quite amazing moments throughout the 19-race season. Far too many to list here. That’s why we’ve provided our top ten…
Ricciardo’s home podium…not quite
He came so close, but it seems it wasn’t meant to be. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo finished second in Australia. His first race for the Bulls and he stood atop the second step of the podium, basking in the glory which came aplenty from his local fans. Yet hours later, he was stripped of the result and sent to the naughty step for using too much fuel. A sad day for Ricciardo, but he’d get that first podium a little later in the year, plus a few wins to go with it!
Gutierrez goes for a spin
Oh Pastor Maldonado, the entertainment you provide never ceases to amaze. The Lotus driver was at it again, this time the target was Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez. As the Venezuelan (often known by his first name, Crashtor) exited the pit lane, he decided Gutierrez’s car would look better upside down. He succeeded in his private mission.
Floodlit battle in the desert
Bahrain isn’t often included in a list of memorable moments. But 2014 was different. In fact *shock horror* it features twice in our list! An epic battle broke out for the lead of the race between eventual winner Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and it was awesome to watch. More of that in 2015, please.
Massa grabs an Austrian pole
No, the Brazilian hadn’t hit up one of Spielberg’s strip bars, he’d actually gone and stuck his brilliant Williams FW36 on pole position, confirming that not only has the Grove outfit designed a stunning piece of machinery – often the only car which came close to challenging Mercedes – but Felipe Massa was back and he meant business. Who needs Ferrari, eh? (Fernando Alonso agrees it seems).
Did he, or didn’t he?
Surely not. Would he dare? No. Maybe he did though. That little ****! That was what was running through Lewis Hamilton’s mind immediately after he learned that Nico Rosberg had stopped just off circuit during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, robbing the Briton of a pole fight. Rosberg’s mistake (or quick thinking) secured him pole and, as everyone knows, if you’re on pole in Monaco, you’ve already won the race.
Two’s company, three’s a crowd
Not much needs to be said about this. Just look at the photo. That’s a Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Alonso sandwich. Or, look at it this way, that’s seven titles battling it out for the same piece of tarmac (asphalt for our American readers).
0800-Speedy-Repair
If you enjoy watching men repair things, then the 2014 British Grand Prix is for you! We’d barely completed five corners when Kimi Raikkonen thought he was back in rallying and chose the scenic route across the grass. Sadly, like many of his rally’s, this ended the same way, though instead of hitting a tree, it was a big shiny metal barrier. Fans then witnessed a live barrier repair which took just under an hour and it was thrilling. In all honesty though, big congratulations to the repair team, it would take the highway agency at least three weeks.
Handbags out at Silverstone
We loved this moment for three reasons. Firstly, Vettel versus Alonso always pleases. The pair were wheel-to-wheel for several laps. It was made better, however, by the team radio. “You did it. No you did. I’m telling Mum.” That’s basically what happened when they screamed over the radio that one was running wide, only for the other to say exactly the same. Thirdly (sorry, UK viewers only), Christian Horner was commenting live on the whole drama and the eventual overtake.
You did that on purpose!
If Hamilton was unsure whether Rosberg’s Monaco off was done on purpose, he wasn’t in the same situation when the German made contact in Belgium. Why? Because Rosberg reportedly admitted to Hamilton that he wanted them to make contact to teach him a lesson. You’ve got to admit, Rosberg has some balls. Sadly, he was later castrated by Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda and his championship began to fall apart from then on.
#ForzaJules
Finally, our last memorable moment is an important one. One that shouldn’t ever be forgotten. That of Jules Bianchi’s crash in Japan. The Frenchman continues to fight for his life, but is gradually improving, though the road to a full recovery is long and far from certain. All we can do is continue to send our wishes and keep Bianchi in our memories.
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