The autosport.com 2006 Top Ten

Matt Bishop (MBi)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Kimi Raikkonen; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Felipe Massa

Alonso and Schumacher utterly dominated - and, in truth, had it not been for Michael's disgraceful antics during Monaco qualifying (which precluded him getting my vote for the top spot), I would have found it very difficult to separate them.

Fernando was super-quick and super-reliable - Indy was his only mediocre race, but even then he scored four valuable world championship points - while Michael's last Grand Prix, and especially his lap-68 passing manoeuvre on Raikkonen, was fantastically impressive: a case of a sporting legend who really did bow out at the very top of his game.

Raikkonen had a funny old year, but still his raw pace sometimes took one's breath away. Button had a disappointing start to the year, but finished it brilliantly, scoring more points in the last six races than anyone. Massa did a very good job, too, and got closer to Schumacher than any of his teammates ever have before.

1. Brazilian GP; 2. Hungarian GP; 3. Bahrain GP

The Brazilian Grand Prix had everything: drama, spectacle, emotion, derring-do - all of it made more epic still by the fact that it was the final chapter of what, in F1 terms, may well go down as the greatest tale ever told: the Michael Schumacher story.

Hungary showed us, once and for all, that we need more wet races (can we have the British Grand Prix in April again, please, Bernie?!).

And Bahrain was a good one for many reasons - not least for young Nico Rosberg's fairy-tale debut, which was confident and spirited and exciting and full of sound and fury. But, yes, signifying nothing, too, perhaps?

• Something to remember: Robert Kubica's face on the podium at Monza - sheer unadulterated pleasure.

• Something to forget: Rascasse-gate, obviously. I'd give my right arm to forget it, actually, but I fear I never will.

Tony Dodgins (TD)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Kimi Raikkonen; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Robert Kubica

Michael Schumacher had the best car and didn't win the championship. That's how good Alonso was. In 2005, Fernando made one mistake, in '06 he was totally error-free.

Michael was just as quick, just as focused, just as determined. But there was Monaco and Hungary, races where errors of judgement caused a 12-point swing. Michael is probably pleased that Fernando finally won it by 13. Had it been 11, he might have lost a little sleep.

Raikkonen was as quick and committed as ever but hamstrung by a rare win-less season at McLaren. Button got the win monkey off his back but still awaits a car worthy of him, and Kubica, who looks very much the real deal, gave Heidfeld a huge wake-up call.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Bahrain GP; 3. Brazilian GP

Those fresh intermediates in Shanghai were the closest Alonso came to an error, but it was a logical decision when he made it. Schumacher was at his brilliant opportunistic best to set up the title showdown. Bahrain, which Alonso won by a whisker, excited because it told you that the two giants both had championship-winning cars under them. Brazil: tense, emotive, poignant.

• Something to remember: Michael at Monaco. Remember Ayrton tooling around on the line after a quick first run in the Lotus? Or the overfilled oil tanks that were always such a problem in Monaco? What Schuey did was hardly pioneering stuff, so why such vitriol? So awful was the execution that it was more Comedy Moment '06.

• Something to forget: Alonso's Monza penalty cheapened everything, made everyone feel like going home. If that's the law, then the law's an ass. No further comment required.

Damien Smith (DS)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Jenson Button; 4. Felipe Massa; 5. Robert Kubica

The fact that Alonso used the same R26 chassis from the first race to the last says much about the man. He rarely makes a mistake. Supreme in the first half of the season, he was made to work hard in the second, but knuckled down and was always brilliant. A worthy double world champ.

Schumacher never looked like a man heading into retirement. The desire and ambition was never lacking - and that final drive in Brazil was the proof. We'll miss him so much in 2007.

Honda didn't deliver, but their lead driver did. It's no surprise that Jenson Button overshadowed Rubens Barrichello. And he would have deserved to be this high in my list even without that hard-earned win in Hungary. Button worked as doggedly as anyone in 2007.

I've never really rated him - but I admit Felipe Massa did all that could possibly be asked of him in his first year at Ferrari. He was a great team player, scored points, made fewer mistakes than I expected and took two excellent wins. He deserves another year at the team.

Nick Heidfeld had a pretty good season. But rookie Kubica put him in his place during his six races for BMW. His debut in Hungary and oh-so-mature podium at Monza has made Robert the find of the year in F1. He's got a bright future.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Chinese GP

You can't beat a good wet one! Entertaining, unpredictable, shunts, overtaking, a new F1 winner - Hungary had it all, while Imola featured a classic Schuey versus Alonso duel. We'll miss these in the new post-Schuey era. It was one of Michael's great drivers, hiding his and Ferrari's hand from their arch rivals at Renault.

China: You can't beat a good wet/dry race! And a rare tactical error from boy wonder Alonso. At this point we all really thought Michael was going to snatch the title.

• Something to remember: Schumacher's face in the post qualifying press conference at Monaco.

• Something to forget: The Spanish/French/British GPs.

Richard Barnes (RB)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Kimi Raikkonen; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Felipe Massa

Alonso gets the nod ahead of Michael Schumacher for making fewer major mistakes during the campaign. Raikkonen may not have won a GP in 2006 (the first time in four years that he's failed to do so), but he did enough in a marginally competitive McLaren to show that he's still a top talent.

Jenson Button had his ups and downs, but the highs (including his first GP win and coping well with the challenge of new teammate Rubens Barrichello) merit his position in the top five. Felipe Massa might not have been the best driver of 2006, but he was certainly the most improved, shedding his earlier 'wild man' image to become an efficient and dependable racer by season's end.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Chinese GP

Wet races make for both great entertainment and surprise results, and Hungary had it all - a blue chip performance from Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher's desperation tactics to hold on to a podium placing, and Jenson Button's maiden victory. Imola was memorable purely for Schumacher pulling a remarkable sleight of hand trick against Alonso and Renault. A wet China again had thrills aplenty, with another masterful drive from Michael Schumacher.

• Something to remember: Alonso's drive in Hungary.

• Something to forget: Schumacher's stall at Rascasse.

Dieter Rencken (DR)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Giancarlo Fisichella

Winning, whether championships or races, is where it's all at. Thus, with five victors, the overall selection is, like last year, simple. More difficult is the sequence, but, in the end, Fernando Alonso takes it by a blue/yellow nose from Michael Schumacher on three counts: the Spaniard took the title despite the odds ranged against him; he did so after suffering more ill-luck than did MS; and, finally, his Turkish Grand Prix drive to second ahead of his nemesis' fleeter Ferrari (see below).

Felipe Massa rates third; not merely for joining that select group of double Grand Prix winners, but for the almost-effortless manner in which he did so. Next up is Jenson Button for deftly keeping it on Hungary's wet black stuff, with Giancarlo Fisichella's win in Malaysia admitting the otherwise lacklustre Italian to this list - although, by rights, Kimi Raikkonen should be here, too.

1. Turkish GP; 2. Brazilian GP; 3. Hungarian GP

Turkish Grand Prix: the way Alonso kept Schumacher behind him for 15 laps on a high-speed circuit - one incorporating the most challenging corner of the 2006 trail - despite having shot rubber and a need to conserve his engine for another race, was simply awe-inspiring and the drive of the year. The potential swing was six points, and, crucially, that Istanbul harvest made Fernando's task in Brazil so much the easier.

Next up is Brazil, for supplying all the sporting ingredients: popular home-town winner who grew up in the suburbs surrounding F1's dreariest circuit, re-coronation of the youngest champion in history, a superb act by Schumacher, which showed just why his skills are so revered, and, finally, that flag.

Then comes Hungary, which supplied a year's worth of drama, in the process finally rewarding Honda's long-suffering staff and sponsors.

• Something to remember: Massa waving his national flag - oh, that such ceremony should colour every future Grand Prix.

• Something to forget: Ross Brawn urging Renault to keep it clean...

Mark Glendenning (MG)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Robert Kubica; 5. Kimi Raikkonen

The two men battling out the world championship this year were a close match in every area other than perhaps sportsmanship. For all his brilliance, Michael still felt the occasional need to pull tricks like parking his car across the track in qualifying at Monaco after setting the quickest lap, so on those grounds I'm giving Alonso the nod.

Watching Felipe Massa come of age was one of the highlights of the season, as was the immediate impression BMW youngster Robert Kubica made when he was drafted in to replace Jacques Villeneuve. And Kimi was just Kimi - clean, fast, calm and stoic.

1. Turkish GP; 2. Brazilian GP; 3. Hungarian GP

Turkey: Great track, great race. Circuits like Barcelona could learn a thing or two from Istanbul Park.

Brazil was a classic contest between two champions that allowed both to shine - Michael's drive through the field may not have given him the win he was hoping to end his career with, but it was still an entirely fitting farewell from an extraordinary driver.

The excitement in Hungary was a product of funky weather messing with the grid as much as anything else, but that made a nice change from the more standard fare of fuel loads and tyre choices.

• Something to remember: Love him or hate him, it will be a long time before we see another career like that of Michael Schumacher.

• Something to forget: Alonso's ridiculous penalty at Monza.

Thomas O'Keefe (TO)

1. Michael Schumacher; 2. Kimi Raikkonen; 3. Fernando Alonso; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Franck Montagny

Michael Schumacher's performances in holding off Alonso in Imola, in challenging Raikkonen at Silverstone, and in his breathtaking pass of Kimi at Interlagos were magic moments. Raikkonen's speed and stoicism in the woebegone McLaren-Mercedes MP4-21 were hallmarks of the season.

Alonso's mistake-free neat and tidy style does not shout Master Class but The Matador's race craft is now the best on the grid. Button showed he has the goods when Honda have their act together. And Montagny is probably an even bigger find among the young/third driver set than Kubica.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Turkish GP; 3. Australian GP

Rain at Hungary exposed raw the strengths and weaknesses of both the drivers and their teams, an absorbing two hours in the rain. Turkey and its Tricky Turn 8 played host to a taut battle between Alonso chased by Schumacher that was as close an encounter between equal cars and drivers as we will ever see. With the artificial excitement provided by four safety car periods, Melbourne turned in its usual spectacle of a race that deserves to be First in the season.

• Something to remember: Schumacher's phony, feigned forgetfulness in the post-Monaco Qualifying press conference. Please, Michael, we were not born yesterday.

• Something to forget: Fisichella finally developing cojones at precisely the wrong moment in Grand Prix History, crowding Michael Schumacher at Interlagos and depriving us all of a real Alonso/Schumacher showdown.

Will Gray (WG)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Kimi Raikkonen

Alonso was clearly rattled by the pressure of a tough title battle but soaked it up when it mattered. Schumacher did the same, but it wasn't enough to give him an eighth title. Massa performed as a perfect number two, seamlessly replacing Barrichello then making a claim for the top job in the final race of the year. Button outperformed the incoming Barrichello at Honda and finally won his first race while Raikkonen did the best job he could, racing in a place he didn't want to be.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Turkish GP; 3. Brazilian GP

The Chinese race delivered a thrilling mix of talented drives, technical advantages and controversial collisions. Turkey provided a thrilling battle between championship contenders Schumacher and Alonso also vindicating my long-standing backing of Felipe Massa as he took a composed first victory for Ferrari. Brazil finished the season off in the perfect manner, an emotional occasion for numerous reasons that provided many unforgettable memories for many successful people.

• Something to remember: Schumacher's exciting performance in the final race of the year reminded everyone what a racer he could have been had he not enjoyed the benefits of a dominant car for much of his career.

• Something to forget: Monaco, obviously. But equally Fernando Alonso's outbursts at the Renault team, which he must calm down at McLaren if he is to remain a 'people's champion' and avoid matching Schumacher's lows as well as his highs.

Craig Scarborough (CS)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Robert Kubica; 5. David Coulthard

After a tough season with lots of well played strategies and overtaking moves, I place Alonso on top and ahead of Schumacher on account of his lack of errors. Massa impressed me with both his pace and maturity this year, while Kubica startled us all with his pace. Lastly - and unusually for me - I rate Coulthard: his maturity and experience brought the Red Bull home in positions it ought not have been.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Turkish GP; 3. Brazilian GP

Either of the wet races could have topped my list, the see-saw of performance between the tyre companies and the brave few trying to switch to slicks early made it a fascinating race. Turkey was also a classic, through circumstances and hard fought strategy Alonso grabbed second with Michael unable to catch him - the story of the season? Lastly, the final race gave us what we all wanted to see before the winter: a classic race with incidents and fair overtaking.

• Something to remember: Super Aguri rocking up at Bahrain with only a halfway decent car, only three months after starting as a team. Then ending the season as competitive as the other tail-end teams.

• Something to forget: The FIA's inability to manage issues - like flexible aero, mass dampers and baulking through qualifying - with consistency and even-handedness.

Sean Kelly (SK)

1. Michael Schumacher; 2. Fernando Alonso; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Jenson Button

Michael gets the nod on account of his race at Interlagos, one of the best of his career.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Bahrain GP; 3. Brazilian GP

Wet weather, a strange grid, and a different winner made Budapest my favourite race, ahead of Bahrain (a great Alonso-Schumacher duel, and dozens of passing moves down the field) and Brazil (Michael's charge through the field).

• Something to remember: Any race in which both Williamses finished.

• Something to forget: Tonio Liuzzi's dress sense - Max Mosley needs to ban that for 2007.

Bruce Thomson (BT)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Kimi Raikkonen; 3. Jenson Button; 4. Felipe Massa; 5. Michael Schumacher

Fernando Alonso sealed his reputation as one of the greats this season. His championship may have been somewhat fortuitous, but it was clear that by the end of the year he was not in the strongest car, but he still did the business.

Raikkonen was solid in less than brilliant machinery and generally had the edge over his teammates. Schumacher should be in second for his strong performances, but I've dropped him to fifth due to his antics at Monaco, which reflected very poorly on himself and the sport.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Turkish GP

Hungary had it all: it was such an astonishing race that you might wish all races were run in these sort of conditions. San Marino was an interesting race with Schumacher re-paying Alonso for the previous race there, and finally, Turkey, so close on the heels of Hungary, was great to watch given the closeness of the title protagonists.

• Something to remember: Michael Schumacher's run through the field at Brazil in the final race of the year.

• Something to forget: Michael Schumacher's behaviour in qualifying at Monaco.

Ross Stonefeld (RS)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Jenson Button

I got stuck trying to think of the third best driver of the year, so coming up with five was an obstacle. Fernando Alonso made fewer mistakes (did he make any?) than the rest of the grid, which might have something to do with him being world champion again. Michael Schumacher would certainly want to redo Australia, Monaco and Hungary if he could, and Felipe Massa dominating Brazil almost made me forget he'd spun out of the first race nearly taking out Alonso.

After that, I struggle to think of anyone. I suppose on ability, Kimi is up there, but he had an awfully quiet season. I give fifth to Button because he did win a chaotic race that would have been easy to lose, and he was the least unimpressive of an unimpressive rest-of-the-grid.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Chinese GP

I went to do something else half way through the USGP. Half way through Hockenheim, I fell asleep. I was amazed the grid made it to the half-way point of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the most entertaining race of the year for sure. While not as exciting, Imola was an incredible demonstration of Michael Schumacher's total approach to his Grand Prix racing. On its own, China would have been one of the memorable races of the year, but its championship implications made it a must-see.

• Something to remember: Michael Schumacher going out on a high note.

• Something to forget: The feeling that Renault made this season political, not Ferrari.

Tom Keeble (TK)

1. Michael Schumacher; 2. Jenson Button; 3. Robert Kubica; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Fernando Alonso

Never say die: Schumacher earned the top spot for me with another superb, professional season (Monaco included). Button's game really stepped up after his maiden win, Kubica made the most of his opportunity, and Raikkonen continued to impress when he finished. Alonso again performed well and was entertaining to watch when battling for places, but frankly did no more than expected. Honorable mention goes to Heidfeld, who consistently outperformed Kubica...

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Turkish GP; 3. Japanese GP

Some fine races this season, but Hungaroring was memorable in many respects - and provided a break in the Ferrari/Renault monotony! Turkey provided more fantastic racing, particularly between the Championship protagonists, and Japan was a roller-coaster ride.

• Something to remember: Schumacher's final race performance!

• Something to forget: Politics - banning mass dampers mid season and inconsistent penalties!

Matt Beer (MBe)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Robert Kubica; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Jenson Button

Right to the last lap of his F1 career, Schumacher was just as fast, determined and spectacular as he had been from the moment he arrived on the scene. But Alonso showed why it was time for him to go - because the man who would supersede him as F1's undisputed king had arrived and was about to make Schumacher look like the past.

Kubica could be the future. Stunningly quick on every appearance, particularly in the wet in China, he has already ushered Jacques Villeneuve out of F1 and may yet shorten Nick Heidfeld's career, too.

Dashed expectations made this a tough season for both Raikkonen and Button, but they were still superb on occasion. Inconsistency cost Massa a place in this top five, but his form in the final rounds suggests he will make everyone's list next year.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Chinese GP; 3. Australian GP

In a season of scarcely conceivable twists and turns, the Hungarian GP had the most shock value. For both title contenders to pick up separate penalties, charge to the front, and then both retire, took some believing. That it poured with rain at the circuit where the sun always shines added to the surrealism of the weekend.

The Chinese GP was almost as good for compacting the ebb and flow of the title battle into a single race, while Melbourne was one of those entertaining afternoons when F1 impersonates Champ Car - plenty of yellows and incident, the odd farce, and a result in doubt until the end.

• Something to remember: Alonso versus Schumacher in the final laps in Istanbul, it may have only been for second, but it really felt like the whole title battle depended on who would take that runner-up spot.

• Something to forget: Montoya's muted final half-season - don't let his underwhelming finale tarnish the memory of his electrifying early years.

David Wright (DW)

1. Michael Schumacher; 2. Fernando Alonso; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Jenson Button

As in 2005, choosing the top two drivers was easy but not their order. Michael Schumacher gets the nod for taking the battle to the final race in his final season despite trailing by 25 points halfway through the season, with world champion Fernando Alonso just behind, showing more fight than last year, but also more frustration and the occasional small mistake.

Felipe Massa was next, as he showed why Ferrari selected him, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who showed speed but suffered from problems with his car and (very occasionally) his own driving. Finally, Jenson Button's strong finish to the season - including a win - saw him earn the final position.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Bahrain GP; 3. Hungarian GP

China saw a weekend and a race that continually went back and forth between Renault and Ferrari - just when you thought you knew what was happening, the tables turned. Bahrain saw a close battle between the two title protagonists, decided by mere metres at the final pitstop, while Hungary saw a surprise winner in what was an unusual weekend and equally bizarre race.

• Something to remember: Michael Schumacher's recovery in Brazil showing why he is a multiple world champion.

• Something to forget: The controversies throughout the year that arose from FIA interpretations and Stewards' decisions.

Glenn Freeman (GF)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Robert Kubica; 5. Jenson Button

Alonso gets the nod over Schumacher because of his impressive first half of the season, and the fact that he didn't fall apart as he faced a title duel with the German for the first time. Massa's improvement through the year was staggering, while Kubica proved that his Friday performances weren't all down to more revs and tyres when he got promoted to the race seat. Button's end to the season bodes well for next year.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Brazilian GP; 3. Monaco GP

Making sure I saw the Hungarian GP while on holiday turned out to be a great decision. Wet races always tend to provide some random entertainment, but with Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and eventual winner Jenson Button starting outside the top 10, there was always going to be plenty of passing. The first lap itself was exciting enough, but the entire race was gripping. Schumacher's charge in Brazil was great to watch, as was the flat out battle at the front in Monaco between Alonso, Raikkonen, and Webber.

• Something to remember: Schumacher and Alonso's wheel to wheel battle in France, during qualifying.

• Something to forget: Schumacher getting up to his old tricks at Monaco.

Michele Lostia (ML)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Kimi Raikkonen; 4. Robert Kubica; 5. Jenson Button

Alonso and Schumacher jointly dominated the season, but the former takes the nod for having made no major mistakes throughout the year. Raikkonen did what he could but was often let down by poor machinery. Kubica is making sure Villeneuve won't be missed by BMW. Button had a very positive string of results in the last third of the season.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Hungarian GP; 3. Brazilian GP

The Shanghai and Budapest races turned memorable thanks to the weather conditions and the tyre war. The title contenders had to fight each other, the rest of the field, and the performance of their tyres at various times during both races. The Interlagos race, on the other hand, was a reminder of what Schumacher often did in the nineties. A fitting farewell from the old champ.

• Something to remember: Raikkonen's excuse as to why he didn't see Pele awarding Schumacher at Interlagos.

• Something to forget: The stewards influencing the course of events too often and Schumacher's parking it in qualifying at Monaco.

Pablo Elizalde (PE)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Kimi Raikkonen; 5. Jenson Button

Don't let Schumacher's late-season recovery fool you: Alonso has been in a class of his own when you look at the season as a whole. He hasn't made a single mistake during a race and has played it smart when he needed to. Only the FIA has stopped him from clinching the title earlier.

Schumacher showed he has lost none of his hunger or his speed, although, unlike Alonso, he needed help from the governing body and his teammate to take the title fight down to the wire. Massa has exceeded expectations and proved he has matured, helping his teammate more than many had predicted he would.

Poor Raikkonen has had very few chances to show his skills, but his speed was still obvious. Button finally scored his maiden win, but it was his consistency in the second part of the season that gets him on my list.

1. Hungarian GP; 2. Turkish GP; 3. Brazilian GP

It's not often the Hungarian Grand Prix can top a list of great races, but this year's event proved once more than changing conditions are a blessing for any Formula One event. This year's race had probably more drama and on-track action than all the previous Hungarian Grands Prix put together.

The final 14 laps of the Turkish Grand Prix, with Alonso keeping Schumacher at bay in a much slower car, were one of the highlights of the season. Plenty of action and a new winner on a superb track earned the Istanbul race second place on my list.

With the championship all but decided, I wasn't expecting the Brazilian Grand Prix to be as thrilling as it turned out to be, if only thanks to Schumacher's final drive from the back of the field to fourth. It proved to be a fitting finale for Formula One's biggest star.

• Something to remember: Alonso's drive in Turkey.

• Something to forget: The penalty imposed on Alonso at Monza; the most embarrassing moment of the season for any F1 fan.

Biranit Goren (BG)

1. Fernando Alonso; 2. Michael Schumacher; 3. Felipe Massa; 4. Jenson Button; 5. Robert Kubica

For the first time I can remember, I wish I could have selected five top races and only three drivers - and even that would have been a stretch. For in 2006, I found only Alonso and Schumacher truly worthy of commendation. The rest looked ordinary, and it's easier to select the worst five of the year than the top ones.

That said, Felipe Massa makes it into the list because a year ago, I would have never thought he'd do such a commendable job even in a competitive car (and look at Giancarlo Fisichella for proof that neither talent nor competitive machinery guarantees us an impressive performance). Button is finally a GP winner, and Robert Kubica made an impressive debut - again, a year ago, most of us didn't even know who he is.

1. Chinese GP; 2. Hungarian GP; 3. Turkish GP

I could easily have picked six races, all worthy, for this season - when was the last time we had two championship protagonists actually battling, on track, for so many races? In the end, I chose the three that I most remember as nail-biting affairs - the ones that had my heart racing. More of those, please!

• Something to remember: Michael Schumacher's last drive in Brazil. That's the way to go

• Something to forget: The race stewards' sanctimonious verdict at Monaco, their megalomaniac intervention in the mass damper affair, and above all the outrageous penalties they handed throughout the season, and particularly at Monza