Motorsport on Monday: 24/11/14

Lewis's crown tops a great year of motorsport for Britain

Forget the bitching, the sniping, the whining and all of the dubious, shrouded politics, the public airing of dirty nomex... F1 proved this weekend that motorsport is still human even at the top level where, as we've seen recently, money is oh so important.

Smiles all round at Mercedes!

True, we've followed F1 closely this year to the displeasure of some. But with a massive change in technical regulations and one of the closest, most relatable title battles for years, seasons like this don't come along very often. 2014 has thrown up some of the most exciting racing yet.

But the 'duel in the desert' as it was termed was actually a bit of anti-climax - especially after quali on Saturday teed things up nicely, Rosberg laying down a stunner of a lap and Lewis seemingly feeling the pressure trailing by three tenths.

We'd had our Senna-Prost moment earlier in the season at Spa. Contact from then on in was to be (in your best Toto-style Terminator voice, please), "Totally unacceptable." If anyone was in any doubt as to how close Hamilton and Rosberg might come in Abu Dhabi, Lewis shut speculation down on Thursday with a curt, emphatic response - much to the amusement of some of the other drivers, as well as Nico's advice for Lewis to "keep it clean." Pot. Kettle. Black.

Hamilton the fourth Brit to win two F1 titles

Eurgh, ERS
As it turned out, the victory and therefore the championship was effectively sealed 60 metres into the race. From the cleaner, warmer side of the grid Lewis made an optimal start - optimal being bloody great. Clutch bite and wheelspin perfectly managed.

Maybe the pressure got to Rosberg or maybe track conditions did contribute to a lack of traction, either way the German's poor start was an indicator to a fairly torrid race.

Not that I think it'd have made much difference, but from a fan's point of view it smarts that the two couldn't have fought it out, flat out to the end. As an indicator of pace, in the early stages both were maxing the possible fuel usage.

No doubt stats fans spotted Rosberg moved his brake bias/balance to +62 (front), a sign of potential ERS unit problems on the rear axle confirmed by a stinker of a lock-up into the heavy decel for T17.

A great battle to the very last race

Pride but no power
Things got worse from there, with the ERS packing up leaving him around 160hp down. But even when his team told him to box, Rosberg, like a true professional, asked to continue to the end despite having nothing to gain. That gained him a lot of respect, as did his conduct after the race.

As magnanimous and gracious in defeat as Hamilton was in victory, the season-long jibes and frosty atmosphere melted into an ephemeral flow of emotion as both drivers appeared to put this year behind them and reminisce of past, happier times as teammates.

Lewis can sometimes be a conundrum, as I've tried to analyse previously this year. However, his thanks and talk of belief somehow seemed apt and genuine last weekend just like his praise for Rosberg.

That the latter actually came to the room of post-race awkwardness to congratulate the former was a sincere and authentic gesture with no hint of politicking for the team or a personal agenda for next year.

Alex Lynn another Brit champion in Abu Dhabi...

Money talks
With budgets as big as a small country's GDP and the most unlikely looking of puppeteers pulling the strings, sometimes the human aspect of the sport gets overlooked. Money talks, but not as loud as the fans and the spirit of motor racing, it seems.

F1 needs Bernie because, now upgraded from Panto-level to Hollywood-grade villain thanks to the latest wealth redistribution storyline, his interfering and scheming keeps people talking.

But not young people, hey Bernie, and definitely not on social media? Whatever, his antics and pseudo-crazy man comments therefore keep F1 in the public consciousness. It's probably one of the best, cheapest marketing strategies ever, which is why Bernie is where he is and F1 is what it is.

It's only a part of that, though. What made the sport for me this year is the level of personal interest - a contest between two drivers with equal machinery at their disposal.

... and let's not forget Jolyon Palmer either!

Great Britains
Hamilton emerged victorious, Rosberg emerged with a newfound band of supporters for his diplomacy, and thankfully nobody had to listen to Nelson Piquet letching over Nicole Scherzinger.

Lewis's second world title crowned a bumper year for Britain in motorsport, with Alex Lynn (yet another young Red Bull-contracted driver) taking GP3 honours and Jolyon Palmer securing GP2 by a convincing margin as far back as Sochi.

Outside of the single-seater triple, last weekend (Rally GB sort of got in the way...) Anthony Davidson righted some wrongs from Le Mans this year, locking out the World Endurance Championship with one race still left to run.

Let's hope Sports Personality of the Year acknowledges it.