Lee McKenzie's highlights of 2011

So that's it. After 19 races, 18 countries, five different race winners and the crowning of a double world champion, the chequered flag has fallen for the last time in 2011.

So what happens now? Some drivers will take a break, others will still be thrashing out their contracts for next season, while some may be wondering if that was their last Formula 1 race.

Webber took the final chequered flag of the year in Brazil © sutton-images.com

Back in the factories, nothing stands still. Whether in the UK, Italy, Spain or Switzerland, the teams will be coming up with a master plan of how to be two steps ahead of the rest. For some teams, plans for the 2012 car started months ago, and while those new challengers are becoming a reality, the 2011 warriors are being laid to rest.

If you're a geek like me, when you read a book or look online at lists of race winners, you don't just take the words at face value.

You try to remember the stories behind every race, the stand-out overtakes, the controversy - because there will always have been something to make you go, 'Oh yes, that's where Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton clashed'... actually that doesn't narrow it down all that much!

What I'm trying to say is that, while factually correct, that black font won't detail just how thrilling some of the races were this year.

I know that some of you will argue that DRS, KERS and Pirelli tyres were a gimmick, but nobody can say that the racing was dull. And when we had to look away from the front of the field to find our excitement, there was plenty going on.

At every race the battle for the final step of the podium seemed to be a close one, as did the one to bag those crucial points for ninth and 10th.

Hamilton gave us all a glimmer of hope by winning in China and breaking the Red Bull/Sebastian Vettel chain of success.

McKenzie will stick with the BBC for the 2012 season © sutton-images.com

Jenson Button's victory in Canada was one of my stand-out days of the season (if just for the novelty that I had to throw out most of my clothes after standing in the rain for six hours on live TV!).

In Italy we had the five world champions finishing in the top five, which was great to witness, and by the time we got to Japan we had the crowning of the youngest double world champion in the sport's history.

It really has been a great season, and the bullet points above have missed out so much and can't do it justice; the clashes, the emotions, the highs of some drivers and the lows of others.

It has been a pleasure to play my part in bringing you all that throughout the year.

And as for me, well I'll stay with the BBC next season. Having been at Sky and ITV previously, I did think about it [leaving] for a long time, but the BBC will be at every race next year - and it's not often that you can be part of a BAFTA-winning team.

Of course, like you, I wish we could do every race live, but I'm sure you'll be suitably impressed with our highlights show for the non-live events; and as for the live races, they'll be bigger and better than ever.

I'm very proud of what we have achieved over the last three years and there is no reason that should change in the future.

See you all in 2012 and thank you for reading this throughout the year.