The autosport.com 2005 Top Ten

Matt Bishop     (MBi)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Trulli; 5. Fisichella

Why Kimi Raikkonen? Because watching Kimi in banzai mode - Monza, Suzuka - is an experience so stirring that it reminds all true petrolheads of why, in their early teens, they first fell in love with the sport of Formula One. Some - Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, occasionally Fernando Alonso, maybe even Jarno Trulli on one of his knife-edge qualifying laps, very few others - have driven as quickly. But no man has ever driven faster. And why Giancarlo Fisichella? Because, although he had a hugely disappointing season by his own rights, he kept Alonso honest, won in Australia, and could also have won in Spain and Canada with better luck. With better judgement, though, he should have won in Japan, too.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Monaco GP

Why Japan? Surely, you're not serious. It was one of the best three Grands Prix in Formula One history, not merely in 2005. The 1979 French was perhaps as good - maybe better, and I will remember watching it on my 11-inch black-and-white portable TV till the day I die - as was the 1957 German, although we only have eye-witness reports to go on for that one. I enjoyed Imola for Alonso's stout defence - Michael isn't used to that, even now - and Monaco for overtaking, begad!

• Something to remember: Alonso going round the outside of Schumacher at 130R (unoriginal, but undeniably magic).

• Something to forget: Indianapolis - or Indy-gate, as we will forever remember it (unoriginal, but undeniably tragic).

Tony Dodgins     (TD)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Trulli; 5. Webber

It wasn't so much those Suzuka moves, as who he pulled them on. Around the outside of Michael Schumacher into 130R, and inside Mark Webber into Turn one. If he hadn't done another thing all year, these told you all you need to know. Alonso won the World Championship without the fastest car. He was brilliant. Kimi Raikkonen delivered once the team got the MP4-20 to work its tyres, and seven race wins could easily have been ten.

Michael Schumacher finished third in the Championship, which he shouldn't have got near. In races that permitted '04 tyre technology his pace was as devastating as ever, and Monaco told you about his commitment. Fourteen top five starts was a phenomenal achievement for Jarno Trulli, and practically enough to send Ralf off to a shrink, and while Webber-bashing became fashionable as the season wore on, Mark was simply trying to race the Williams beyond its limits. When he gets the right car, it will happen.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Monaco GP

Suzuka was absolutely, utterly, fantastic. As sporting spectacles go, you're talking Liverpool/AC Milan, the final minutes of the England/Australia rugby World Cup, or the Borg/McEnroe fourth set tie-break, Wimbledon 1980. It simply doesn't get better.

Imola was the first time McLaren sounded a warning with the true potential of their MP4-20. Kimi would have won at a canter but for a broken driveshaft. Then Fernando took over. But the Schumacher/Ferrari pace was stunning. Tyre wear was not an issue here and Schumacher, once free of traffic, took 37 seconds out of Alonso in 27 laps. Michael spent the entire final stint behind Fernando without launching one compromising move. Interesting, that. Some said he's losing it but more likely it was respect. A Hill or a Villeneuve, he'd have gone for it, figuring they didn't deserve to be there. But in Fernando, he can probably recognise himself.

Finally, overtaking in the final laps of the Monaco GP, between cars in podium positions? Yep, it happened, and it was a consequence of the 2005 tyre rules.

• Something to remember: Alonso at Suzuka; brilliant from first to last. He deserved to win, and without the steawrds' indecision/inconsistency over his Klien pass, he would have.

• Something to forget: Indianapolis, of course. They don't understand F1 in the first place and now they were totally bamboozled.

Richard Barnes     (RB)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Coulthard; 5. Button

Alonso pips it because he showed immense maturity and consistency, and also because he seldom had the luxury of just going for broke. There is daylight between the top two and the rest, all of whom make it into the list because they performed well in relatively uncompetitive machinery. Schumacher managed to take third in the WDC, even in a poor car. Coulthard rejuvenated his career with a renewed zest for racing, and Button recovered well from a disastrous start to the season.

1. Japanese GP; 2. Canadian GP; 3. European GP

With its classic passes and last-gasp win for Raikkonen, Japan is a clear choice as the standout GP of the year. Canada had an engaging battle between the Renaults and McLarens early on, combined with some entertaining plot twists later. Europe was memorable for Raikkonen's drive under almost impossible conditions, and his heartbreaking suspension failure on the final lap.

• Something to remember: Alonso's pass on the outside of Michael Schumacher at 130R.

• Something to forget: A six-car grid at Indianapolis...

Jonathan Noble     (JN)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Heidfeld; 4. Trulli; 5. M.Schumacher

Fernando Alonso may have played the percentage game for much of the season to protect his World Championship advantage, but he gets the nod over Kimi Raikkonen for showing in Japan and China what he was capable of when the gloves were off, and for having made fewer mistakes than the Finn.

1. San Marino GP; 2. Japanese GP; 3. Canadian GP

Imola was a race that came alive on the timing screens rather than television screens when it became clear just what sort of advantage Michael Schumacher had over the rest of the field. It was edge of the seat stuff, played out in sector times and defensive driving from eventual winner Fernando Alonso, rather than the overtaking moves and excitement of Suzuka and Montreal.

• Something to remember: Sitting in the maternity ward as a new father, watching the European Grand Prix on my handheld television, and getting strange looks from everyone when I let out a loud roaring gasp at Kimi Raikkonen's last-lap exit.

• Something to forget: Despite taking plenty off the bookies at the United States Grand Prix, it was not a good afternoon for Formula One.

Alan Baldwin     (Aba)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Montoya; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Fisichella

Unlike the championship, this one was almost too close to call between the top two, but in the end it was Alonso who made history. His performances in Imola, Suzuka and Shanghai stood out and he never let the pressure get to him. Montoya third on wins, but a very long way behind.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Australian GP

Suzuka had the lot; Imola showed that clever, defensive driving can also be thrilling; while Australia provided the first evidence that this was going to be a very different season to 2004.

• Something to remember: Alonso singing 'We are the Champions' in China and drenching Briatore with champagne on the podium. And Minardi, gone but not forgotten.

• Something to forget: Indianapolis.

Craig Scarborough     (CS)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Klien; 4. Heidfeld; 5. M.Schumacher

I always prefer drivers who got the best out of their cars or who entertained me, and for these reason I pick Alonso at the top. He performed at every race, kept his head as the pressure mounted from McLaren, and even fought back in the last race. Kimi must be second, for his qualifying laps with more fuel than everyone else - including his teammate - shows he is perhaps the fastest driver out there right now.

After a clear top two, the next three are more difficult to select. I picked Christian Klien over his Red Bull teammate mainly on his entertaining race battles in a solid second year. Heidfeld has also impressed me - he was never out of his depth and his race craft came as a surprise to me. Lastly, I chose Michael for complex reasons. He clearly wrought the most out of the car, but the Ferrari/Bridgestone package was no match for most of the Michelin runners. But Schumacher kept motivated and somehow pulled third place from the Drivers' Championship, albeit aided by the Indianapolis fiasco.

1. Australian GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Japanese GP

This season produced some good racing, with a healthy amount of unpredictability, particularly in the closing laps of the race, where I would have normally gone to sleep! Japan counts as a classic race with spectacle on every lap. Imola was a milestone race - Renault were still dominant from the opening races, McLaren were getting their act together, and Ferrari made their last stand. The significance of Alonso holding back Schumacher for the lead was telling for the rest of the season. The opening race is always an important race for me, seeing how the teams perform to a new set of rules. This year's Australian race hinted at the season ahead and gave Fisichella his second win.

• Something to remember: The blast of noise of V10 engines!

• Something to forget: The politics and discord that dominated this season and culminated in the US GP debacle.

Ann Bradshaw     (Abr)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Montoya; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Trulli

Fernando has the brains, Kimi the speed but Michael Schumacher is still one of the greats. My heart makes me put Juan Pablo in any top list as he is an out and out racer, and I reckon Trulli deserves being there because he seems to have a great life and owns a vineyard!

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

These three races proved that Formula One still has lots of life in it. I loved watching Fernando keep Michael at bay in Imola, and in Japan Kimi was just magnificent overtaking Fisi on the last lap - being penalized for engine changes just seemed to make him more determined than ever. Turkey seemed to break the mould of the boring new circuits.

• Something to remember: The spirit of the Minardi team - they will be missed.

• Something to forget: Indianapolis - don't expect I am the only person nominating this farce.

Pablo Elizalde     (PE)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Montoya; 4. Heidfeld; 5. Monteiro

If this didn't need to be a top five I would only have Alonso and Raikkonen on my list, as they were in a league of their own and miles ahead of the rest of the field. Alonso takes first place for his maturity, his consistency and his intelligence. Raikkonen was brilliant, too, but in the end he paid the price for his team's errors. A very, very distant third is Montoya, who was far too inconsistent but still enjoyed strong races against Raikkonen. Heidfeld came out of nowhere to lower Webber's stock big time, and Monteiro... Well, anyone who finishes 16 races in a row in a Jordan deserves recognition.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. European GP

The Japanese Grand Prix has to be on top of my list because we saw both Alonso and Raikkonen at their best, showing why they were the only contenders this year. Alonso's move on Schumacher around the outside of the 130R corner was memorable. His battle with Schumacher at Imola was almost epic and it's definitively my moment of the whole year. The thrilling end to the European Grand Prix also provided one of the most remarkable memories of the 2005 season.

• Something to remember: Alonso holding off Schumacher at Imola.

• Something to forget: The US Grand Prix, what else?

Will Gray     (WG)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Button; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Montoya

Alonso drove a perfect season, getting off to a flier then easing to the title thanks to incredibly consistent driving, but Raikkonen would have pressured Alonso more had his car not let him down. Button overcame the disappointment of a disastrous start to put in a strong run of ten consecutive points finishes at the end of the year and completely out-perform his teammate Sato while Schumacher made the best out of a bad car and Montoya showed flashes of the form that made McLaren snap him up.

1. Japanese GP; 2. Monaco GP; 3. US GP

The Japanese Grand Prix was a thriller, the kind of race you do not want when you have to write a race report to be published on the flag! The Monaco Grand Prix was another with an exciting finish, albeit further down the order, and saw Michael Schumacher fall out with his brother and his teammate. The United States race was forgettable but memorable. It was bad for Formula One but was also one of the most journalistically interesting events I have been involved in.

• Something to remember: Good memories from the season-ending party to say goodbye to Paul Stoddart, an event expectedly rowdy, entertaining and poignant in equal measure.

• Something to forget: The constant bickering, backstabbing and snide jibes amongst the teams and the FIA as they discussed the future of a sport that was rapidly falling apart.

Tim Redmayne     (TR)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. Heidfeld; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Trulli

This season, was the first year since 1997 when the best driver didn't win the title. Then, Michael Schumacher's skill was beaten by Jacques Villenuve's Renault-powered FW19, and this season Raikkonen has been beaten by reliability, a bizarre points' scoring system and odd grid penalty rules. The grid penalties have given the Finn a chance to shine by showing his superb racecraft in coming through the field, but had he started those race from the front, Alonso would have had a tougher fight. Then we might have been able to watch the Spaniard raise his game, but instead Alonso, on occasion, drove within himself to secure the title. Nick Heidfeld proved he was a smart choice for Williams with pole at the Nurburging.

1. US GP; 2. European GP; 3. Japanese GP

This won't be a popular choice, but the 2005 US Grand Prix was most memorable because it is the only race I still have on video. That weekend, I had been covering the Le Mans 24 Hours and when I was aware of what was unfolding in Indianapolis I phoned my girlfriend back in Britain, who ensured it was recorded for me. I then wondered if F1 would ever recover. This farce shouldn't happen again, but in years to come it will be the only standout race for me in 2005, showing how inept F1 can be if the self-intrests that underlie the sport allow themselves to reign.

Nurburing was my next choice, because Raikonnen's tyre problems meant I genuinely didn't know who was going to win until the very end. The same was true of Japan, however Giancarlo Fisichella's lack of resistance took the shine away for me.

• Something to remember: The US Grand Prix, for the reasons I outlined above.

• Something to forget: The US Grand Prix, for the reasons I outlined above.

Dieter Rencken     (DR)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Montoya; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Fisichella

Given that five drivers won Grands Prix this season, their selection is the work of a moment, with only their ranking requiring application of grey matter. Fernando Alonso gets Top Nod. Not, though, for capturing the youngest crown, nor the manner in which he subjugated Michael Schumacher in Suzuka's mighty 130R, but for the cunning and maturity - only Canada blotted his book - with which he pushed McLaren to the very edge despite a slower car.

Kimi Raikkonen, patently, is Number Two, and could so easily have been taken top honours had he not committed that Nurburgring flat spot, which ultimately cost him vital points regardless of Mercedes' constant failures, and plain too many Qualifying slips.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. European GP

Suzuka delivered the race of the Millennium to date, offering everything from topsy-turvy grid to last-lap lead swap in favour of a driver compromised by mechanical malady, with the most majestic pass on Schumacher ever in between. Imola's closing laps were scintillating, but, should a decider be sought, San Marino loses out to Japan on account of memories of 'BAR-gate'. Nurburgring was a nail-biter, and delivered a thoroughly thrilling race on a circuit too often (wrongly) maligned.

• Something to remember: Suzuka.

• Something to forget: Indianapolis.

Thomas O'Keefe     (TO)

1. M.Schumacher; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Alonso; 4. Montoya; 5. Fisichella

Although this has been Michael's most ragged year, no one who saw his relentless and thrilling pursuit of Alonso at Imola could seriously suggest that Michael has lost his talent and ferocious commitment. Still Number 1.

No Silver Arrow car/driver combination has looked as good as Kimi Raikkonen and the MP4-20 since Bernd Rosemeyer and the Auto-Union V16. Alonso comes third for breaking records set by Bruce McLaren and Emerson Fittipaldi and putting an entire country on the Formula One map.

1. San Marino GP; 2. Japanese GP; 3. Belgian GP

Imola, the Fabulous Invalid of a venue, always makes for a good race and it seemed for most of the season to be the only good race. But then came Alonso's bold pass on Michael Schumacher on the outside of 130R - the equivalent of Nigel Mansell in his Williams passing Senna's McLaren in 1991 on the main straight at Barcelona. Then Kimi won Spa in an elegant and classic wet/dry run, in a car whose superiority matched that of the track.

• Something to remember: "What more I have to do?" Fernando Alonso on the Renault team radio at Montreal, stalking teammate Fisichella, pleading to be let by. You did fine, Fernando.

• Something to forget: Hooliganism on and off the track: dangerous driving by Webber and bush-league behavior by Michael Schumacher at Spa upbraiding the hapless Sato - would he have picked on anyone else like that?

David Cameron     (DC)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Montoya; 5. Trulli

It's hard to pick between the top two, but I'm giving the nod to Raikkonen - Alonso drove brilliantly all season to win his first World Championship, but Raikkonen dealt with a steady stream of car disappointments by continually coming back strongly and fighting for more wins, which is surely a sign of a potential champion. Schumacher drove the skin of his recalcitrant car, Montoya dealt with disappointment almost as well as his teammate, while Trulli proved that his strong performances of last year weren't a fluke.

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

The Japanese GP had something for everyone - topsy turvy grids, brilliant comeback fights, a lot of overtaking and a couple of incredibly stupid moves - that's what racing is about. Imola saw a nailbiting fight between the old and new champions, where Schumacher effectively handed his crown to the Spaniard, while Turkey was impressive just for showing that fantastic new tracks can still be made.

• Something to remember: Indianapolis - don't let politics kill racing again, please.

• Something to forget: No overtaking on the racetrack - let's hope that new aero regs will let racing bloom.

Mark Glendenning     (MG)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Coulthard; 4. Klien; 5. Heidfeld

Fernando and Kimi were both an absolute joy to watch all year, with Alonso getting the nod for the top spot purely in recognition of his winning the title. Both Red Bull drivers performed well above expectations, as did Heidfeld - who would have ranked higher had he driven the entire season.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Monaco GP

If all F1 races were like Suzuka, nobody would ever watch any other sport ever again. Fernando's showdown with Michael at Imola was enthralling, while at Monaco it was intriguing to see the repercussions of such a powerful team getting their tyre choice so badly wrong.

• Something to remember: The rise of the new generation and the end of the Michael era. Next year will be a cracker.

• Something to forget: The US GP. For obvious reasons.

Marcel Schot     (MS)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Klien; 5. Monteiro

There was no doubt Raikkonen was the best driver, luck just let him down. Alonso played the waiting game well, while Schumacher played an unfamiliar game of making the best of limited equipment. Klien and Monteiro were both huge positive surprises and only that keeps Coulthard out of the top five.

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

Suzuka was without any doubt the best race of the year with everything in it. Istanbul saw the arrival of an exciting new track. Imola comes third as a good battle between two generations.

• Something to remember: Suzuka. Great counterweight to the Indianapolis disaster. This is what Formula One should always be about.

• Something to forget: US GP, no explanation needed, methinks.

Tom Keeble     (TK)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Coulthard; 5. Trulli

Trulli's qualifying sessions this year were nothing short of remarkable, though his races often did not deliver on the promise. With McLaren behind him, Coulthard proceeded to score regular points for Red Bull and confound his critics. Despite a rough season, Schumacher never stopped working hard and taking any opportunities that came his way. But the undoubted stars of the season are Alonso and Raikkonen, who were both consistently quick and professional.

1. Japanese GP; 2. European GP; 3. San Marino GP

An outstanding weekend in Japan provided a reminder of what F1 Racing can be; excellent performances by some of the best drivers in the world included overtaking, strategy and courage. The European GP was an illustration of why you must always push to the end: pressure from Alonso helped him win when Raikkonen's suspension failed in the lead, on the final lap. San Marino features both for the exciting ending and the beginning of the intrigue around BAR's ban!

• Something to remember: Raikkonen and Alonso fighting their way forward from the back in Japan - particularly Alonso going around Schumacher at 130R!

• Something to forget: The bare starting grid at Indianapolis.

David Wright     (DW)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. Montoya; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Trulli

Choosing the top two drivers was easy, their order not quite so. Kimi Raikkonen was fast almost all the time despite an unreliable McLaren, while (World Champion) Fernando Alonso appeared to be in cruise mode at times in his reliable Renault. Juan Pablo Montoya was sometimes fast, and involved in a series of unusual incidents while Michael Schumacher was fast but made the occasional mistake as he pushed in a recalcitrant Ferrari. Finally Jarno Trulli outpointed his teammate to secure Toyota's best season yet.

1. San Marino GP; 2. British GP; 3. Brazilian GP

San Marino saw a gigantic charge from Schumacher, Alonso's defence preventing an unlikely win for Ferrari. Britain saw a head to head battle at the front between Montoya and Alonso, with a charging Raikkonen making his way up the order. Finally, Brazil saw a battle between Montoya and Raikkonen, Alonso winning the title while other battles were fought down the order.

• Something to remember: Fernando Alonso becoming the youngest Champion ever.

• Something to forget: The one-tyre rule, and the various problems it caused throughout the year.

Michele Lostia     (ML)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. Trulli; 4. M.Schumacher; 5. Heidfeld

Raikkonen and Alonso have shown all their maturity this year, by both making very few mistakes. Raikkonen needs a bit more luck but had to drive more agressively due to his lower points tally and therefore gets my vote. Trulli had the measure of his teammate throughout the year even though he scored less than him. Michael Schumacher at times didn't drive up to his usual standards, but that's still better than most. Heidfeld made Webber look ordinary.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Canadian GP

The race at Suzuka was very exciting thanks to the weather messing up the grid in qualifying and making the top runners start from behind. Some excellent passes and one for the lead on the last lap made it the best of the year. Imola had plenty of thrills too thanks to a great drive from Schumacher and fine defending by Alonso. Montreal had a nice battle involving the top teams.

• Something to remember: You can't go racing without bringing the right equipment with you. Indianapolis, anyone?

• Something to forget: The awful season lived by Ferrari and Bridgestone.

Bruce Thomson     (BT)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Montoya; 5. Monteiro

Hard to pick between Kimi and Fernando, but Fernando got it done, and did so at an age when most F1 drivers havn't won a single race. Schumacher slots into third, for me, as he was fantastic, at times, in what was clearly not a brilliant car. Montoya showed flashes of brilliance and we are left to wonder what the season might have been like if he hadn't been injured. Monteiro made the most of a bad situation and should be remembered for equalling the "reliability" record.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Australian GP

The Japanese Grand Prix was one of the best races I've seen for a very long time, with stand-out performances by several drivers. San marino was very entertaining, especially in that it provided us with a straight fight between the (then) World Champion and the (then) pretender to the throne. Lastly, Australia was good to watch as the scrambled grid made for an interesting race, and, for me, the first race of the season always carries a little bit of extra nostalgia.

• Something to remember: Alonso passing Schumacher around the outside of 130R at Suzuka.

• Something to forget: The six car "race" at Indy.

Marcel Borsboom     (MBo)

1. Raikkonen; 2. Alonso; 3. Montoya; 4. Heidfeld; 5. Coulthard

It was hard to choose between Raikkonen and Alonso for the first position but, in the end Raikkonen was probably the faster driver of the two despite Alonso winning the Championship. Montoya had a rocky start with McLaren, but after the first half of the season he was on the pace despite being hit, or hitting things himself. Heidfeld completely overshadowed Webber at Williams and his two podiums were well deserved. After being at Mclaren for too long, Coulthard showed he still has it with a couple of great drives for Red Bull.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Bahrain GP

The rain in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix certainly helped, but it still was the most exciting race in the 2005 season. Alonso overtaking Michael Schumacher before and into 130R, and Raikkonen closing in and overtaking Fisichella in the final lap were just some of the highlights. The San Marino Grand Prix will mostly be remembered for the BAR disqualification, but the race itself was just as exciting with Schumacher storming through the field in the second half of the race and Alonso holding him off for the rest of the race.

• Something to remember: Alonso winning the World Championship.

• Something to forget: The United States Grand Prix.

Ross Stonefeld     (RS)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Trulli; 5. Montoya

Alonso made just slightly more driver errors than Raikkonen, but Kimi had a demonstrably better car at times. Alonso just edges it, since the whole point of this is to win the World Championship, and he has; and on the strength of his drives in Suzuka and Shanghai. Michael's third in the points is heavily influenced by his score at Indy, but he showed form we usually dont see from champions in recalcitrant equipment. Trulli impressed his team and annoyed the others; and Montoya would have ranked higher for his multiple wins and comparable pace to Raikkonen, but had far too many on (and off) track incidents.

1. US GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. Japanese GP

For pure spectacle, nothing will top the images we saw at Indianapolis, on or off track. It was nearly race time when it finally hit me that there was lots of talk of solutions, but no action towards them. I couldn't quite believe what I was about to see and dont think we'll see anything like it again - although I'm sure they said a similar thing just before Imola in 1982.

Suzuka is the easy pick, and while it's definately the race I'd recommend to a non-fan, Imola had the suspense factor that glued you to the TV, so long as your network didnt suddenly remember it had bills to pay. The rest of the season was pretty standard viewing.

• Something to remember: USGP. The absurdity peaked when ITV interviewed spectators mid-race for their thoughts, and seeing in the corner of the screen a good, if opionated, friend waiting. For ITV's sake it's probably best they switched to another camera just as he approached the mic.

• Something to forget: Paul Stoddart. While Minardi survived with his arrival, I dont think they improved from it, and he lacked the quiet elegance of the team's founder. Formula One's problems are never going to be solved out loud and his targets were never going to give in to attacks in the press. His actions in particular prior to this year's Australian Grand Prix didnt help him or Formula One.

Biranit Goren     (BG)

1. Alonso; 2. Raikkonen; 3. M.Schumacher; 4. Trulli; 5. Heidfeld

At any given point during this season, either Fernando Alonso or Kimi Raikkonen would have ranked as the best driver of the hour - it has been a long time coming to see a real title battle take place between two deserving and talented drivers, almost equal. And, any hesitation in picking Alonso ahead of Raikkonen was put to rest at the last couple of races.

Michael Schumacher showed he is as competitive and as hungry as ever, even if his car and tyres weren't up for the task. Jarno Trulli maintained his reputation of a super-fast qualifier and an incredibly difficult driver to pass. And Nick Heidfeld revived his F1 career and reputation by damaging that of Mark Webber.

1. Japanese GP; 2. San Marino GP; 3. US GP

I chose the three races that left me on the edge of my seat, that I remember so vividly, and that define what Formula One is all about. The Japanese Grand Prix was pure entertainment, once again proving that F1 doesn't need new rules, it needs a set of sprinklers. The San Marino Grand Prix was pure suspence, highlighting the brilliance of Schumacher, the maturity of Fernando Alonso, and the unreliability of McLaren. And the United States Grand Prix was pure drama and tension, the kind that leaves your jaw wide open until your mouth goes dry.

• Something to remember: Watching every single car on Michelin tyres head into the pits while the sole six Bridgestone runners took their place on the starting grid for the US GP may not be something to remember, but it's definitely something I'll never forget.

• Something to forget: ITV switching to a 3-minute ad break during the final 3-4 laps of the San Marino Grand Prix - probably one of the most intense moments in the entire season - was just the highlight of a terrible season from the British carrier. Next year it's a satellite dish for me and adios to James and the lads!