Oh no, I hear you groan, he’s surely not going to give us another list of his favourite moments of the racing season just gone by.
Oh yes he is. (Sorry, I’m in pre-Christmas panto mode this week.)
Just so you can come up with a better list, I’m getting the ball rolling by taking a look back at the 2011 season. You might even agree with some of my highlights.
If you don’t, tell me why. Maybe you were there, maybe you saw it on television. Anyway, these are a few of my favourite things from the year that is coming to a wintry close.
In no particular order, I remember these with a smile:
1. Sebastian Vettel on the edge of his Red Bull’s capabilities. His pole laps, his early laps away from the grid, the joy of a man at the top of his game.
2. Fernando Alonso’s demo laps in Bernie Ecclestone’s Ferrari 375 at Silverstone, especially the extra lap that left him late for the drivers’ parade. Hola!
3. Jenson Button’s races in Canada and Japan.
4. Casey Stoner. Just watching him – another man in a league of his own.
5. Dan Wheldon winning at Indy. Sadly, a year of triumph and tragedy.
6. BBC TV coverage of the Grand Prix season. I am disappointed that Martin Brundle is going to Sky.
7. The Goodwood Revival. Historic racing doesn’t get any better than this.
8. The end of exhaust-blown diffusers. They make a horrible noise.
9. The Algarve Historic Festival. Portimão is simply a sensational modern racing circuit.
10. Volkswagen joining the World Rally Championship with Sébastien Ogier. They will provide badly needed extra excitement.
Before I put away my notebooks, shut down my laptop and set off for the Christmas holiday I’d like to thank everybody who has joined in with my ramblings this year. Without your comments the whole exercise would be rather pointless. So I hope you all have a happy and peaceful holiday wherever you are and all my best wishes for a terrific new year, with lots of great racing, no stupid pitlane politics and some good jokes.
My predictions for the new season? No thanks. My last lot were so wide of the mark they were a good joke in themselves.
Happy Christmas!
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