The 15 best Grands Prix of the decade elected by Internet users (2/3)

2012 Malaysian Grand Prix: 3 votes

Disappeared from the calendar since 2017, the Malaysian event has been disrupted on numerous occasions by violent storms. Contested in the middle of the monsoon season in March-April, the event contested on the vast Sepang track was sometimes even interrupted, as in 2012. 

After eight laps, the Race Direction brought out the red flag, the downpour at the start having increased in intensity.

Started on pole, Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) knew how to stay the course while behind him, Romain Grosjean (Lotus) and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) collided : 

It takes almost an hour before the storm becomes more than a distant memory. When the big cats are released, the “rain” tires are inadequate. We need to take back the “intermediaries”. The young Sergio Pérez (Sauber, 22 years old) wait until the last minute to comply. He thus led a GP for the first time, in his second year in F1.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) takes the lead. Once again, the rain erases the inequalities between the cars ; the beautiful Italian, whose rumor concerning blatant reactivity is only just beginning to spread in the radio paddock, is for once at ease. 

The double world champion isolates himself at the front, well not quite. Indeed, the unexpected Sergio Pérez is even faster, and has the red flash in his sights. The duel is put on hold, time to put on slick tires. The trajectory is drying but the surroundings are still wet. Crap!

Once again, the Mexican catches up with the Spaniard. It's as if he's wearing seven-league boots! It spins more than a second faster per revolution. The junction was made eight laps from the end, and Sergio Pérez even used his DRS on the pit straight.

We then wonder how victory can escape him. Peter Sauber doesn't believe it, he who has never won a Grand Prix in his name (Robert Kubica won in Canada in 2008 under the name BMW-Sauber), and who has a car mid-table. 

On lap 50, Sergio Pérez is very close to the rear wing of the Ferrari. This time he's going to get it, he just has to wait a few turns. “Checo, be careful, we need this (second) place ", announces his engineer on the radio. 

No doubt he felt that the error could easily occur. He was right: the Sauber passes two wheels on a wet curb, and exits into an asphalt run-off. It's over, we have to be content with this second position! 

Despite this outcome, the juvenile Sergio Pérez shines on the podium, almost more than Fernando Alonso, who demonstrated that talent could counterbalance the intrinsic performance of the car.

Did you know? Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull, 11th) compared Narain Karthikeyan (HRT) to " a cucumber ", after contact between the two men at the end of the race. The German did not score a point because of a puncture with the Indian. He even waved a middle finger! 

2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 4 votes 

As much as the inaugural edition of the Azeri event was exceptionally boring, the second coming was crazy. 

Where to start ? By one of the most striking images of the decade: the clash between the two tenors of the moment, Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) before the end of a neutralization on the 19th lap:

The Briton slows down coming out of the corner, surprising the German, who hits him. Under the influence of emotion, the Ferrari moves up to the height of the Mercedes, and slants to give a little blow wheel to wheel. 

In an era where everything is smoothed out and pilots are in permanent control of their actions, the sequence marks the spirits. “It's not the first time he's done this. His restart was therefore very good. 

Being right behind him with the other cars causes a chain reaction. If I was sanctioned, I would have found it normal to penalize him too”, explained Sebastian Vettel, penalized with a 10-second stop & go. 

For its part, Lewis Hamilton did not understand this gesture. “If he wants to prove he’s a man, we can settle that off the track, face to face. 

It is irresponsible to drive like this, driving dangerously and endangering other drivers. The consequences could have even been worse. What image does it give to young spectators to see a world champion act like this? »

A few moments later, teammates Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon (Force India) are sintering. Result: the podium flies away, the Frenchman finishes 6th and the Mexican gives up. Warm atmosphere between the two after the event. “He lacks experience and his way of driving penalizes the team who lost a lot of points today through his fault”, says Sergio Pérez.

“He had already kicked me between turns 1 and 2 but that's racing. Crashing is one of the things that can happen. We will make sure this never happens again." replies the Tricolore (failed, they will collide again at Spa and Singapore).

By searching carefully, we find another pearl, concerning Nico Hulkenberg (Renault). The German's fans hoped so much a first podium. It was looking good while navigating in the top 5, until a turn taken too tight breaks the right front suspension. 

What else ? Ah, yes: a red flag period, not because of the weather, but to clear away the quantity of debris left by several collisions during the first laps. It was also during this break that Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) released one of his best rants on the radio:

Some time later, Lewis Hamilton was struck by a curious damage, the release of his headrest. Forced to go to the pits to fix the element, he finished behind Sebastian Vettel (4th and 5th). 

This will hardly surprise you if you have read the first part of this Top 15, Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) is the pro at crazy racing. The Australian avoids all the pitfalls and wins in the Azeri capital, with a sumptuous triple overtaking as a cherry guide on the shark's fin: 

And then, see the rookie Lance stroll (Williams, 18 years old) on the third step of the podium, that sums up the incongruity of this round. As we move into 2020, this third place constitutes the last podium for the English team. 

2018 United States Grand Prix: 4 votes 

Kimi Räikkönen is one of the favorite drivers of F1 enthusiasts. This ranking proves it, with the presence of his 21st and (probably) last victory, in Austin (Texas) in October 2018. 

Damn, we've been waiting for this one! With the AUTO calculatorhebdo, We arrived at a time limit of 114 races, i.e. 5 years, 7 months and 4 days before the placid driver returned to first place, between the Australian Grand Prix in March 2013 and the 2018 United States Grand Prix. 

“The Iceman” obviously remained unmoved by the pressure exerted by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), even though the champion had fresher tires. At the end of the race, the Finn once again turned his back against Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and again Hamilton. 

“I am happier than finishing second”, declares the winner. Clearly Kimi Räikkönen will not change…

2019 Italian Grand Prix: 4 votes

We could summarize the preference of this race as: “Forza Ferrari”! Apart from the success of Fernando Alonso in 2010, alone Charles Leclerc carried the Prancing Horse flag to the top of the Monza podium during the decade.

This edition is rich in suspense, as the Monegasque and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) do absolutely no favors. The Englishman's experience allows him to stay in contact with the young leader, but the ardor of youth is the strongest.

Charles Leclerc is another man behind the wheel. His promised victory in Austria but stolen by the virile Max Verstappen (Red Bull) profoundly changed his way of fighting on the track. From now on, it's war, but with a pinch of foresight that allows him to get away with it. 

Several times he had to defend his position against the Mercedes. The climax is reached after bypassing the first chicane. Lewis Hamilton attacks from the outside, but is gently pushed towards the outside. The fans are exulting!

Lewis Hamilton, who had defeated the Scuderia at home the previous year, admitted defeat after failing to brake. It's not the valet Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) which worries Charles Leclerc beyond measure, who resists to the end despite more worn tires, and the absence of an erratic Sebastian Vettel. 

2019 German Grand Prix: 5 votes 

Rain and F1 always go well together. It is not the last meeting at Hockenheim which will contradict him. What an explosion of adventures! 

Having left on the front line, the Mercedes want to celebrate their 125th anniversary in the most beautiful way. But neither machine finished in the top 5. Lewis Hamilton was surprised twice by puddles but managed to continue (9th) while Valtteri Bottas destroyed his front end. 

In addition, we find our dear Nico Hülkenberg, always there when the conditions are tricky... before making mistakes, again and again. This missed opportunity is the last of his career in F1 with Renault: 

Left last after a problem mechanics in qualifying, Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) passes between the drops literally and figuratively. The four-time world champion moved up to second place and gave some comfort to the Reds after the retirement of Charles Leclerc, victim of aquaplaning on slick tires.

Strategies are difficult to anticipate because of a drying track. In this little game, Lance Stroll (Racing Point, 4th) and the ghost Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso, 2nd) occupy the outposts. The Russian, unceremoniously fired by Red Bull then Toro Rosso before, returns through the front door with the first podium for the Italian team in 11 years! 

Two statistics prove the crazy nature of this race. Romain Grosjean signs his best result that year (7th), and the survivor Robert Kubica brings Williams the only point of the season (10th). A symbolic victory for the Pole, whichwe thought we were lost to motorsport after a terrible rally accident in February 2011.