Yet, Alonso drove the season of his life. He dragged that red car to podiums it had no business being on. By the mid-point of the season (Valencia, Race 8), he won again, opening up a 40-point lead in the championship. It felt like the story of the "Great Driver" overcoming the "Bad Car." Just when it looked like Alonso would coast to a third title, the development race kicked in. Red Bull, led by the genius of Adrian Newey, finally perfected the RB8. From the summer break onward, Sebastian Vettel found his 2011 mojo.
(Race 4) saw Sebastian Vettel finally get his first win of the year after a troubled start, looking to steady the ship for Red Bull. F1 2012
And for three glorious months at the start of the year, every single driver on the grid believed they could be a winner. Yet, Alonso drove the season of his life