2012 Season

Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers’ Championship, driving for Red Bull Racing, in a season contested over 20 races. Red Bull Racing also secured the Constructors’ Championship, finishing with 460 points and 7 wins. The 2012 season featured a high level of competition, with eight different race winners: Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, Pastor Maldonado, and Kimi Räikkönen.

The title fight was closely contested, particularly between Vettel and Alonso. Early in the season, the championship lead changed hands multiple times, with Alonso leading after round 2 and again from rounds 6 to 15. Alonso’s largest lead was 40 points after round 11. However, Vettel gained momentum in the latter part of the season, winning four consecutive races from Singapore to India (rounds 14–17), overtaking Alonso in the standings after round 16. The points gap between Vettel and Alonso narrowed to just 3 points by the final race, reflecting the season’s competitive nature.

Notable achievements included eight different drivers winning races, with Pastor Maldonado’s Spanish Grand Prix victory for Williams Racing standing out as a rare result. The season saw a variety of teams on the podium, with Alonso achieving 13 podiums and Vettel 10. The campaign was marked by a high number of retirements due to collisions and accidents.

Within Formula 1 history, 2012 is characterized as a closely fought season in the modern regulation era, with no single team or driver dominating throughout. The championship was decided in the final race, underscoring the competitiveness of the field.