Infographics. What if the 2018 season was one of the tightest of the decade?

Before the start of the Asian season in Singapore, it is time to take stock of the 2018 campaign. Formula 1. Two-thirds of the Grands Prix were contested after the meeting in Monza (Italy); there are still seven events to complete out of a total of 21.

Sometimes exciting, sometimes boring, the different tests still allowed Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) to lead a duel with fits and starts. After 14 rounds, the Briton has a 30-point lead over the German, and the championship could change again by Abu Dhabi at the end of November. After all, this would hardly be surprising, as the 2018 season was indecisive between the two rivals, proof to support this.

Points per race: yours and mine

Thanks to this graph, we realize that the trajectories of the two quadruple world champions crossed several times from Australia. Lewis Hamilton, although he started the season behind the leader of the Scuderia, delivered the blow in Azerbaijan while Sebastian Vettel stupidly missed an opportunity for victory due to late braking.

The former protege of Red Bull came dangerously close in Canada thanks to undivided domination as well as in Austria after the abandonments of the two Silver Arrows. Unfortunately, we see that the German's rise suffered a hard blow on his home soil after an abandonment (read below). Despite a victory in Lewis Hamilton's garden and in Belgium, the chase is laborious, with recently the collision of the first lap in front of the fans.

Number of successes/abandonments: Draw

A clear sign of the talent of the two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel collected as many victories in 2018: six each! The abandonment register does not make a difference either. At Mercedes, we railed against the Austrian Grand Prix, marked by a double retirement for mechanical reasons.

The Reds were also furious against a zero point from their star in Hockenheim (Germany) which was extremely costly. Then in the lead and almost assured of the win, Sebastian Vettel was left in the pile as the rain appeared.

Number of finishes outside the podium: Vettel struggling

Here it is, the stat that makes the difference! It proves to what extent Lewis Hamilton was more consistent than his opponent. The Englishman only finished off the podium three times (4th in China, 5th in Canada, retirement in Austria), including once due to an uninspired strategy and the other due to a lack of performance .

For Sebastian Vettel, it is less encouraging. Six times, the wearer of the number 5 did not appear on the podium, or almost one in two times until the Italian Grand Prix. This was the case in China (clash with Verstappen, 8th), in Azerbaijan (4th), in Spain (4th), in France (4th after a collision with Bottas), in Germany therefore and also in Italy (4th after the contact against Hamilton). So many wasted opportunities.

Number of different leaders*: in line with the great years

If we compare with the last decade, 2018 is set to be a very good year! The Hamilton-Vettel duel resulted in no less than five changes of leader in the general classification, each time between the two men. This is in line with the years 2008, 2010 and 2012, with the difference that during those years, the head of the general had been occupied by four, six and five different pilots!

Coincidence or not, the 2008, 2010 and 2012 seasons have remained in the minds of fans as the most exciting seasons of the last 10 years. If it is still impossible to write such an outcome for the 2018 campaign, we can already put said season into perspective within the V6 Turbo hybrid period. Since 2014, first place has never moved so much. Lewis Hamilton didn't even let go of the controls once in 2015! In 2017, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were already in a fight, but there were only two upsets in the general classification in the first two thirds of the season.

*The opening GP is counted in this statistic

Conclusion
2018 held many twists and turns, and the long-distance duel between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel quickly transformed into a direct fight on the track, to the delight of the followers.
This current season is certainly the most interesting to follow since the 2014 revolution, because it pits not two men from the same team (Rosberg-Hamilton) but two teams, two different philosophies.

Certainly, there were some frankly relaxing events, but also thrilling races which required the challengers to give their all. For the beauty of this championship, let's hope that the suspense lasts as long as possible, like during the great years 2008, 2010 and 2012, which saw some great upsets in the last round. So then, yes, it will certainly be possible to say that 2018 constitutes one of the best seasons of the decade.