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Lewis Hamilton - 3rd Championship
The Formula One season is over in terms of the winner and new champion, but was it a great season?
This season was just as exciting as last years and the man who was Champion in 2014 is the Champion for 2015. British racer Lewis Hamilton was announced winner on points even with three races still to go in the 2015 session.
Hamilton had no wins in the European section, but won in the UK for the second time in a row and third overall. He finished 6th in hungry and ending his run of 16 consecutive podium finishes, the second-longest in F1 history. Hamilton won the next two races at Spa and Monza extended lead over Nico Rosberg, who was forced to retire in the latter race due to engine failure. The Singapore race gave 5th ahead of teammate Rosberg, and had moved up to 4th in the race before he was forced to retire due to a power unit issue. By winning the USA Hamilton secured his third Drivers' Championship.
Rosberg managed to beats Hamilton in the Brazil Grand Prix. The German converted pole position into a lead at the first corner and controlled the race from there, despite Hamilton pushing hard throughout.
Nico Rosberg
Driving for the same team as Lewis Hamilton was Finish/German driver Nico Rosenberg, who going into the Brazilian Grand Prix only had 4 wins in the 2015 season in Monte Carlo, Spain, Austria and Mexico, thus leaving Hamilton way out in front and uncatchable, a terrific result for the Mercedes Formula One team. He secured a very convincing 2nd place in the USA driving the Mercedes Mercedes PU106B Hybrid car.
Rosberg's championship started to disappear at Monza when he retired because of his engine and later in Russia where he had braking issues. Rosberg took his 4th pole position and third consecutive this season in the States. Although he lost out at the start he fought back from fifth to first, overtaking Kvyat, Riccardo and Hamilton and controlled the race after the safety cars until an error with ten laps to go, giving Hamilton the win and therefore the championship. For much of the Grand Prix, Rosberg was driving "like a champion". Following the race, Rosberg created controversy when he threw a cap at Hamilton. He responded to his defeat in the US with a dominant victory in the Mexican race for his 12th career win in the first Grand Prix in Mexico in 23 years.
Sebastian Vettel
German Sebastian Vettel of the Ferrari team only managed 3 wins leading up to the Brazilian Grand Prix, but in no way did he have a bad season. Sebastian had won the Malaysian leg and won his first race in two years and his 40th Grand Prix race.
Vettel was involved in a minor tangle with Sergio Perez during practice for the Bahrain race, damaging his front wing coming out of the pits. Vettel claimed the impact happened because of a brake issue that failed to slow the car down, saying 'something broke on the front right' on the team radio. In spite of his claims, the incident was investigated by the race stewards. Both Vettel and Pérez were cleared of any wrongdoing later that evening, and so escaped any penalties.
This season has seen him gain the most points ever. Something that proves this man’s move to Ferrari was the right move indeed.
Valtteri Bottas 1
Finish driver Valtteri Bottas for Williams was in third place ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix just as he did in 2014. At the opening race of the season in Australia, Bottas qualified sixth for the race, but injured his back during qualifying. He was taken to hospital for precautionary checks, where he was diagnosed with soft tissue damage to his lower back, and was not medically cleared to race.
Bottas entered his third Formula One season, but had already shown the speed of a future champion. He announced his potential with a brilliant qualifying performance on a wet Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve at the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix, and followed it up with six podium finishes and fourth in the drivers' championship in 2014.
At the same time, it cannot be overlooked that Massa has not been the same driver since the Hungary accident. Up to that point, he had won 11 of his 116 races and came within one lap of winning the 2008 world championship. He then missed the final eight races of 2009 while he recovered.
Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and racing for the Ferrari team was 5th before the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix. This was not the best season for Kimi who is nicknamed “The Ice Man”. He had to retire from the Australian leg, and only finished 4th in Malaysia and China.
He came 2nd in Bahrain which was the first time he had been back to the podium since 2013.
Kimi Raikkonen accepted the blame for the crash that ultimately forced him to retire from the United States Grand Prix with overheating brakes on his Ferrari Formula 1 car.
The Finn slid off the road shortly after switching to slick tyres on the drying track at Austin, hitting the barrier and getting tangled up with an advertising hoarding.
He returned to the race after pitting for a new front wing and to replace damaged tyres, but his team then ordered him to retire when it became clear a damaged brake duct was creating a terminal problem.
On 19 August, Ferrari announced that Räikkönen had extended his contract with the team for the 2016 season, taking his total tally with the team to six seasons spread out over a total of ten years. Räikkönen said that 'his dream went on' and confirmed that he wanted Ferrari to be the team where he ended his career.