The top five moments of 2010

Following on from Sean Russell’s well considered article that put forward the top five Grand Prix drivers of 2010, it’s a timely opportunity to reflect on the top five F1 moments from the previous twelve months.

The 2010 Formula One season was one of the most exciting in recent history and was littered with breathtaking highlights. The year featured a great sporting narrative as the winning momentum switched between three teams whose championship battle went down to the final hour of racing. A number of key incidents during the season are likely to be talked about for years to come.

Here is a look at five of the single most significant moments in 2010.

5. Jenson Button wins the Australian Grand Prix

Jenson Button took a huge risk switching to McLaren after winning the World Championship in 2009. It was a move that will eventually define Button’s career and it placed him under a lot of pressure following his shaky finish to the ’09 season. Most pundits expected Jenson to struggle against Lewis Hamilton, and not only would that have taken the shine off his freshly won title, it would have stunted his career right when it was peaking.

As it was, Button was generally outpaced by Lewis during 2010 but was under no significant pressure thanks to his early victories in the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix. Button’s win for McLaren at Albert Park was an instant payout on his gamble to leave Brawn/Mercedes, and it deterred any critics from suggesting his championship was undeserved. Jenson beat Hamilton to victory by using his head, and did so on a day when Lewis got angry at his team over the radio which provided a stark contrast between the two. It effectively set up Button for the rest of the year.

After proving his ability to make tactical decisions from the cockpit in Melbourne, McLaren gave Jenson the freedom to choose his own strategy in Shanghai three weeks later and he promptly scored another race victory. Button spent the rest of 2010 without being cast in Hamilton’s shadow and will now be remembered as a World Champion instead of a driver who was simply in the right place at the right time.

4. Mark Webber flips upside down in Valencia

Formula One, and motor racing in general, is a very dangerous sport and every year there are a few abrupt reminders of the risks involved. In 2010, F1 fans around the world held their breath as Mark Webber emerged from a terrifying high speed crash in the European Grand Prix. The Australian attempted an overtaking manoeuvre on Heikki Kovalainen at the end of Valencia’s longest straight but misjudged his track position and went into the back of the Lotus at 315kph. The impact flipped Webber’s car into the air, where it collected an advertising hoarding, before landing upside down and spearing into the barriers at almost unabated speed.

The Medical car was despatched but thankfully it was only required to give Mark a lift back to the pits. It could have been a very different situation since, at one point, the Red Bull was nearly three metres off the ground whilst travelling close to maximum speed. It is a testament to the constant push for safety in Formula One that Webber was able to walk away from his crash and it was undoubtedly the biggest escape in 2010. The collision and its aftermath will be replayed in F1 montages for years to come as it provided some of the most spectacular onboard footage we’ll ever see.

3. Rubens Barrichello overtakes Michael Schumacher in Hungary

Michael Schumacher’s history of unsportsmanlike driving meant his battle with Rubens Barrichello during the Hungarian Grand Prix was never going to be viewed objectively. Schumacher was too aggressive in Hungary and earned the penalty he deserved, but the incident was blown out of proportion in the press and calls to ban the German were over the top.

Had the incident involved two other drivers it might have been viewed completely differently. It’s a shame the battle couldn’t be celebrated for what it was – the two most experienced drivers in Formula One history racing each other to the absolute limit just inches apart at 300kph. Schumacher forced some very aggressive defence on Rubens Barrichello who served it right back in his face with a brilliant overtaking manoeuvre. Whether you think it was a blatantly dangerous piece of driving, or an epic battle for position, it brought Schumacher’s struggling comeback into focus and was one of the biggest single moments in 2010.

2. Felipe Massa gifts Fernando Alonso victory in Germany

The scandal over Ferrari’s use of team orders at Hockenheim was another story given a life of its own in the press and across the internet. Ferrari made the wrong decision to force Massa to cede position but a number of factors made the switch seem more malicious than it really was. Fernando Alonso is often regarded as the current villain of F1 so it was never going to be a popular move, and his comments on the radio made it look as if the team were responding to his whining. The tactic was also introduced earlier in the season than usual due to Massa’s patchy form in 2010, and Ferrari’s attempts to cover it up after the race made them appear guilty. On top of all this was that it occurred on the anniversary of Massa’s Hungarian GP accident and robbed F1 of a brilliant sporting fairytale.

Felipe Massa’s defection on lap 49 of the German Grand Prix was a huge moment in 2010 because, along with the controversy it generated, it brought Fernando Alonso back into the World Championship. Ferrari made it clear at Hockenheim they were operating a one-car charge for the title and this provided Alonso with a significant advantage against the infighting Red Bull drivers. However, it’s likely the strategy will hurt the team in the long term given how much it demotivated half of their garage.

1. Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber collide in Istanbul

The biggest F1 story of the year was arguably the fight between Red Bull’s drivers for the World Championship. From their pole position battle at Albert Park, to the speculation over wether Sebastian Vettel would help Mark Webber in Abu Dhabi, the struggle for supremacy in the sport’s fastest team ran the full length of 2010.

In Istanbul the fight exploded into hostility on the circuit.

Mark Webber was leading the Turkish Grand Prix on lap 40 and was asked by his engineers to reduce engine power in order to conserve fuel. Sebastian Vettel was immediately behind Webber but did not need to make any engine adjustments because he had run more efficiently earlier in the race. The result was that Red Bull engineered a situation where their two combative drivers would race each other and perhaps the outcome was inevitable. Vettel had enough momentum to claim the lead on the straight towards the final hairpin but, after being squeezed by Webber, misjudged his position and jinked into the side of his teammate. Both were instantly taken out of contention for victory.

Vettel was to entirely blame for the collision although it should be remembered he couldn’t pull the trigger until Webber put the gun in his hand. Red Bull’s bosses should have said as much after the race to acknowledge Vettel’s part in the accident but they completely mishandled the fallout. Team management initially denied that Webber was on a different engine setting, and then blamed the Australian for the collision, before changing their story a few days later. The crash put unnecessary pressure on Red Bull, exposed the inexperience of their management, and set them up for another meltdown at Silverstone. It was the most significant turning point in the biggest story of 2010 and it nearly decided the World Championship.

What are your top moments from the 2010 F1 season? As always, please leave your thoughts below.

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