F1 2018: A Season in Review

Our Formula one scribe, Darry Worthington, recaps what was an eventful 2018 F1 season.

The 2018 F1 season came to a close in a fitting manner in Abu Dhabi with World Champion Lewis Hamilton claiming yet another victory. The Brit and his Mercedes team, were in great form this year, particularly in the second half of the season, where they dominated a number of race weekend.

Review of the Season
Well, like most recent seasons, 2018 was dominated by Mercedes and their annoyingly good main man, Lewis Hamilton. The ‘Brit racked up his fifth Drivers’ Championship this year finishing some 88 points above his arch-rival Sebastian Vettel.

It didn’t look as though Hamilton would canter to the title at the start of the season, as Sebastian Vettel won the opening two races, while Daniel Ricciardo claimed victory at the third stop on the calendar. The Mercedes man would find some form after Ricciardo’s win in China, however, with the ‘Brit winning back-to-back Grand Prix.

The wins then dried up for the Mercedes main man with Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel winning in Monaco and Spain.

With the mid-season break fast approaching, it was vital that Hamilton claimed a win in France, and like an overeager DHL deliveryman, the five-time World Champion delivered on the continent.

The Brit’s joy would be short-lived, however, as he struggled out in Austria and then saw Sebastian Vettel claim the race win at Mercedes’ stomping ground, Silverstone.

However, it would be the Lewis show from here on in with Hamilton claiming eight of the remaining 11 Grand Prix on the calendar on his way to equalling Michael Schumacher’s record of five World Championship titles.

Drivers’ Championship Standings

• Lewis Hamilton 408
• Sebastian Vettel 320
• Kimi Raikonnen 251
• Max Verstappen 249
• Valterri Bottas 247
• Daniel Ricciardo 170
• Nico Hulkenberg 69
• Sergio Perez 62
• Kevin Magnussen 56
• Carlos Sainz 53
• Fernando Alonso 50
• Esteban Ocon 49
• Charles LeClerc 39
• Pierre Gastley 29
• Stoeffel Vandoorne 12
• Marcus Ericsson 9
• Lance Stroll 6
• Brendon Hartley 4
• Sergey Sirotikin 1

Constructors’ Championship Standings

• Mercedes 655
• Ferrari 571
• Red Bull 419
• Renault 122
• Haas 93
• McLaren 62
• Force India Mercedes 52
• Sauber 48
• Torro Rosso 33
• Williams 7

Tips Review
The 2018 season proved an extremely profitable one for yours truly. Despite only having a strike rate of far less than 53% I still ended 20.3 units up when all was said and done. Here’s a breakdown of the tips for the year.

Australia
Fernando Alonso Podium Finish @ 14/1 – Lost
Race Winner – Daniel Ricciardo @ 8/1 – Lost

Bahrain
Value Bet – Sebastian Vettel – Fastest Qualifier @7/2 – Win
Kimi Raikkonen – Race Winner @16/1 – Lost


China
Fernando Alonso Fastest Qualifier and Podium Finish @300/1 and 25/1 – Lost Both
Race Winner and Fastest Qualifier – Lewis Hamilton @ 1/1 and 66/100 –  Lost Both


Azerbaijan
Sebastian Vettel – Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner @33/20 and 7/4 – Won and Lost Race Winner
First Retirement – Max Verstappen @16/1 – Lost


Spain
Fernando Alonso – Podium Finnish @20/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton @37/20 and 33/20 – Won Both


Monaco
Fernando Alonso – Podium Finish @10/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Sebastian Vettel @33/20 and 7/4- Lost Both


Canada
Fastest In Practice 1 – Sergio Perez @100/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton @14/10 and 13/10 – Lost Both


France
Winning Margin – Under 3 Seconds @2/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Sebastian Vettel @ 5/4 and 33/20 – Lost Both


Austria
Podium Finnish – Daniel Ricciardo @7/4 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton 72/100 and 1/1 – Lost Both


Great Britain
Fastest in Practice 1 – Daniel Ricciardo @6/1 – Lost
Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton @1/1 – Lost


Hungary
First Driver to Retire – Max Verstappen @22/1 – Won
Race Winner – Sebastian Vettel @18/10 – Lost


Germany
N/A


Belgium
First Driver to Retire – Max Verstappen @20/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner Lewis Hamilton @12/10 and 27/20 – Won and Lost


Italy
Fastest Lap – Kimi Raikonnen @4/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Sebastian Vettel @ 72/100 and 9/10 – Lost Both


Singapore
Fastest Lap – Daniel Ricciardo @7/2 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Sebastian Vettel @9/10 and 13/10 – Lost Both


Russia
Fastest Qualifier – Valterri Bottas @9/1 – Won
Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton @1/1 – Won


Japan
Podium Finnish – Max Verstappen @ 18/10 – Won
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton @83/100 and 8/10 – Won Both


USA
Podium Finnish – Kimi Raikkonen @15/10 – Won
Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner – Lewis Hamilton 5/10 and 53/100 – Won and Lost


Mexico
Winning Car – Red Bull @7/2 – Win
Fastest Qualifier – Lewis Hamilton @16/10 – Lost Both


Brazil
Race Winner – Kimi Raikonnen @6/1 – Lost
Fastest Qualifier – Sebastian Vettel @11/10 – Lost Both


Abu Dhabi
Podium Finish – Max Verstappen @5/4 – Won
Lewis Hamilton – Fastest Qualifier and Race Winner @13/10 and 2/1 – Won Both

Total Bets – 48

• Lost 32 Bets and Lost 32 Units
• Won 16 Bets and Won 55.3 Units

Total Profit:
55.3 Units – 32 units = 20.3

If you had backed all of Darry’s bets with a R10 for each stake you would have won R230
If you had backed all of Darry’s tips with a R100 stake you would have won R2300

Best Quotes of 2018
There were some great moments this season that were followed by some truly great comments. Here’s three of the most memorable quotes of the season as well as a golden oldie from Kimi Raikkonen:

Lewis Hamilton
The ‘Brit claimed yet another Drivers’ Championship this season but is he looking to branch out into a new line of work as a Kung Fu master? He certainly could play the lead role in the next edition of the Karate Kid with his baby face. He also seems to be a big Bruce Lee fan, with the World Champion using one of the most famous quote’s that the cult actor delivered when being interviewed after Q3 in Singapore.

“Bruce Lee used to always say ‘you have got to have your mind flowing like water’ so it’s kind of the same thing.”

Nico Hulkenberg
The Force India man clearly had his nerves shaken after his opening lap crash with Roamin Grosjean in Abu Dhabi, which saw Hulkenberg end up upside down on the side of the track. While it was a rather serious situation the German found himself in, it really does look like a line straight out of the Will Farrell cult racing epic, Talledaga Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

“Holy s—, I’m hanging here like a cow. Get me out, there’s fire!

Max Verstappen
Young Max Verstappen offered up some memorable moments on and off the track this year. My personal highlight was his response to interviewers who were bold enough to inquire how he would handle his forced PR stint for his altercation with Esteban Ocon following the Brazilian Grand Prix

“I think anyway I’m already very hardly treated by that, so we’ll find something suitable, because I’m not going to look like an idiot.”

Kimi Raikkonen
You simply cannot have a top F1 quotes list without including the king of the one-liner, Kimi Raikkonen. The Veteran Ferrari man was in fine form this year both on and off the race track rolling back the years with some fantastic drives while delivering numerous more quotes that will live on in F1 history. Someone also decided to release a book of Kimi quotes entitled “Winnow Your Words”, this year.

Now I know we are in 2018, but while Kimi did deliver a few “bangers” this year, I can’t help but put one of his all-time greatest utterances in here. Here’s a Kimi classic from back in 2011.

Replying to commentator Martin Brundle’s comment of “You missed the presentation by Pele Kimi”. ““Will you get over it?”

The ‘Ice Man’ had this to say:

“Yeah. I was having a s—.”.

What’s in Store in 2019
Mercedes have a chance of making history next season with the Silver Arrows equaling Ferrari’s record of four consecutive doubles. You would certainly be foolhardy to be against Hamilton and Co. not surpassing that record next year.

One thing we won’t see next year is legendary driver Fernando Alonso behind the wheel in an F1 car. The racing great has retired from the F1 scene, but avid Alonso fans can still catch the former World Champion tearing it up on the World Endurance Championship circuit.

Written by Darry Worthington for @Hollywoodbets.net