Formula 1: 2012 Season Review #1

Vettel and Alonso duel for the title

What a season 2012 has been; 20 races across 5 continents in 9 months. From Australia and Malaysia to the United States and Brazil, the 2012 season went down to the wire with Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso fighting it out for the ultimate prize. With 8 different winners from 6 different teams, 2012 had variety to go with action, drama, suspense and surprise; this season will no doubt stand-out as a true classic for years to come.

Much like I did with my Mid-Season Reports back in July, I'll run through the grid on a team by team basis, looking at who impressed, who disappointed and who surprised in 2012. First up, Red Bull Racing.

Red Bull Racing: A+

Drivers' Championship: 1st - Vettel, 6th - Webber

Constructors Championship: 1st

Vettel wins in Bahrain, his first of five wins in 2012

For the third successive year then, Red Bull Racing have taken out both titles, carving out an era not unlike that McLaren enjoyed in the late eighties and Ferrari enjoyed in the early noughties. The benchmark for team and driver alike, Red Bull Racing have fought to the top of one of the most competitive eras the sport has ever experienced. 

Unlike 2011, 2012 hasn't all gone Red Bull's way. They endured some early season wobbles and technical difficulties to rack up 7 race wins, 4 of which were successive from Singapore through to India. Vettel was untouchable for much of these rounds, leading from start to finish for the most part. This blinding pace at this key point of the season was the tipping point for the team as they surged towards both titles. 

For Vettel, he exits the 2012 season as the youngest three time World Champion and with a reputation that is only going upwards. He has weathered the storm at times this year and prevailed on top; whilst the technical excellence of the RB8 has helped, the car has by no means been bullet-proof, two retirements in Valencia and Italy as evidence of this. As a result, Vettel has done brilliantly to stay on track and come through as the overall winner. 

In Webber, Red Bull have the perfect team-mate to compliment their undisputed leader. Mark has the pace, daring and know-how to challenge and push Vettel (as well as beat him on occasion) but no longer disrupt the status quo (as he had begun to in 2010). Mark racked up two great wins in Monaco and Britain but faded in the final third of the season, the reason for which I am unsure. He eventually finished the season 6th, behind both McLarens, Fernando and Kimi, a result he no doubt feels down in the mouth about.

Scuderia Ferrari: B

Drivers' Championship: 2nd - Alonso, 7th - Massa

Constructors' Championship: 2nd

Fernando and Felipe pose in Brazil

Has Ferrari's season really been all that bad? Cast back to Melbourne and the Scuderia's situation looked dire; to go into the final round as contenders for the Drivers' title is no doubt an achievement in itself. 

Their car might not have lived up to the standards of McLaren and Red Bull, but by the end of the season, the limiting nature of the F2012 was being greatly exaggerated. On many an occasion in the middle of the season, Ferrari had a hugely competitive car; think back to Alonso's win in Germany or his third place in Monza, both instances in which the F2012 was punch-for-punch as good as the best. 

There is no doubt in my mind however, surrounding the achievements of Fernando Alonso this season. The guy has proved yet again why he is regarded as the best and most complete driver on the grid by driving like a man possessed all season. Determined, aggressive and assertive, Alonso is the perfect racing driver, melding together both a cool head in defence and a flair for attack. 

His drives in Sepang, Valencia, Italy, New Delhi  Abu Dhabi, Austin and Interlagos are all examples of how he can turn a dire looking situation into one of  greatness; he finished on the podium more often than anyone this season, usually from outside the front three grid rows. Add to this commanding drives under pressure in races such as Germany and it is easy to afford Alonso the praise so many send his way. Had someone been smiling on him on the opening laps in Belgium and Japan, Fernando would now be the youngest triple World Champion instead of Seb. 

As it stands, 2012 is another missed opportunity for both Fernando and Ferrari; the duo have failed to deliver the World Championship they seek for the third successive year. They can however, take heart from 2012; second in the Constructors' is their highest placing since 2008 and Felipe Massa's upward trend in form since mid-season means 2012 hasn't at all been a disaster for Maranello.

McLaren Mercedes: C-

Drivers' Championship: 4th - Hamilton, 5th - Button

Constructors' Championship: 3rd

Hamilton leads Button in Brazil

On the surface, it would appear that McLaren's 2012 campaign is one that is full of positives. However, seven race wins, three of which were successive, flatter McLaren's season, one that has in fact slipped through their fingers. The Woking team started the season with the quickest car in both qualifying and the race, a dominant victory for Jenson Button in Australia was evidence of this. It took however until the Canadian Grand Prix in June for McLaren to win again and by the British Grand Prix in July, McLaren were down in the doldrums, playing catch up as they have done so many times before in recent years. 

Three consecutive wins in Hungary, Belgium and Italy may have put McLaren back in the hunt but disastrous reliability in the following months put a stopper on any Championship challenge mounted by both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Mechanical issues in Singapore, Korea and Abu Dhabi cost Lewis Hamilton in excess of 50 championship points and two race wins, whilst Jenson Button was robbed of a second place finish in Monza through another mechanical failure. Too many times in 2012 did McLaren fail to capitalise on opportunities; four front-row lockouts yielded zero one-two finishes. 

In retrospect, Lewis Hamilton deserved to challenge for the title until the very end this season. Every title challenger has had ups and downs this season, but Lewis has indeed has the worst of it, poor luck greeting him at seemingly every turn. When offered a chance at victory, Lewis jumped at it; his brilliant victory in Austin is proof of this. The team will no doubt be weaker now that he has jumped ship for Mercedes GP next season.

Meanwhile, Jenson Button's season has been equally mixed. Wins in Australia, Belgium and Brazil have been counteracted with a mixture of unreliability and a fragile car. Much like Lewis, he deserved better this year.
On the whole, McLaren's season can be seen as something of a missed opportunity.

Lotus F1 Team: B

Drivers' Championship: 3rd - Raikkonen, 8th - Grosjean

Constructors' Championship: 4th 

Crash kid: Romain Grosjean has been in both the
headlines and the barriers too often this year

Finally managing to clinch that all important win in Abu Dhabi, Lotus F1 can go into the winter break and rest easy; their season hasn't been all that bad. Third place for Kimi in the Drivers' Championship and Fourth in Constructors' is a step up from last season and a position from which they can attack 2013. 

Of course, as any F1 team principal will tell you, not all that bad is not good enough. Like McLaren, Lotus let too many opportunities slip through their grasp this season; possible victories in Bahrain, Valencia and Hungary would have put them right in the mix. 

Add to this the ongoing trials of young rookie Romain Grosjean, a driver who has become well acquainted with the stewards office throughout the year; causing the now infamous Belgian Grand Prix first corner incident landed him with a one-race ban. If there was a first lap calamity to be had, you could have bet your life Grosjean was involved and at fault. At the time of writing, it is as yet unknown whether this will have cost him his seat at Lotus in 2013 or not.

On the other side of the garage, Kimi Raikkonen's return has been a fantastic story for Formula 1. The laconic Finn has provided some brilliant drives this year as well as some side-splitting comic moments. All together now; "Just leave me alone, I know what to do"

Mercedes AMG F1 Team: D

Drivers' Championship: 9th - Rosberg, 13th - Schumacher

Constructors' Championship: 5th

Rosberg's sole win of the year came in China

For Mercedes, 2012 has been something of one step forward and two steps backwards. It all started so positively for them, a win in China compounding their early season promise. They were showing every sign of being a team on the up.

Fast forward to the final third of the season and the situation was massively different at Mercedes. Only six points from the final six races (all six scored by Schumacher in Brazil) is hugely disappointing given their early success. 

In their defence, the team's focus had switched to 2013 long before then. The dwindling performance of Schumacher had led Ross Brawn and co. in search of a new team leader for the future. Signing up Lewis Hamilton from McLaren is a huge coup and underlines the team's big ambitions in F1. It does also lumber them with the added pressure to perform; with Schumacher, the team could always point to the German's age as an excuse for poor results. With Lewis on board, Mercedes have nowhere to hide and have forced themselves into the spotlight. 

Rosberg sealed his first career win early (and finished second in Monaco) but the lack of development on the car hurt his chances of scoring anything from Singapore onwards. He has finished up the season seventh every year since 2009 so to slip backwards in 2012 will be frustrating. 

Meanwhile, Schumacher's third comeback season has been more of the same. Highlights include pole position in Monaco (kind of) and third in Valencia but other than that, it's been more mediocrity from an ageing legend. 

As for 2012, Mercedes have suffered something of a difficult chapter that has seen them slip from fourth to fifth overall, even coming under pressure from Sauber late on. Poor form from a team with such a large budget and potential.

Check back for Parts #2 and #3 of my Formula One Season Review in the coming days!

In the meantime, here are each and every Race Report from 2012. Enjoy!

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Formula 1: Brazilian GP Overview

Vettel celebrates making it three from three with
Adrian Newey and Christian Horner

The historic Interlagos circuit is one steeped in history; many titles have come to a thrilling conclusion here since it's début back in the 1970's. Most recently, we have seen current drivers such as Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button all wrap up their respective titles here in dramatic fashion. 

Overnight, in the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel joined shot himself into Formula One's history books. He drove a storming race, that at times looked desperate, to finish 6th and clinch his third successive Drivers World Championship around Interlagos. 

Sebastian Vettel was caught in a tangle with Bruno
Senna on Lap 1.

In a wild race that see-sawed incessantly, Vettel was made to fight from the off. A poor start from the German put him back in the pack and then when he tangled with Williams' Bruno Senna at turn 4, Vettel was left at the back and with it all to do. His car took a heavy knock, the brunt of both Senna and Sergio Perez's Sauber whacking Seb's Red Bull. He was lucky his afternoon did not end on the spot. As it was, he left to work his way up from last.

At the front, a trio of drivers took turns leading the race before a tangle between two of them ended their hopes of victory. Leading from the off, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton looked strong in the damp and changeable conditions but he wasn't left alone by team-mate Jenson Button. Joining them was a Nico Hulkenberg in his Force India Mercedes who like the two McLaren's was revelling in the slippery conditions.

For a vast majority of the race it looked as though the three of them would complete the podium, the ultimate victory going to whoever could keep their car on track through the rivers of rain water. Jenson and Nico kept their slick tyres on during the early rain showers giving them a vast lead as everyone else switched over to intermediate tyres and back again. This lead was eradicated on Lap 23 however when the Safety Car was dispatched to clear copious amounts of debris and carbon fibre that littered the track. On Lap 31, back under racing and dry tyre conditions, Lewis worked his way past Jenson for second before darting past Nico for the lead.

It was all about to unravel for the Briton however; On Lap 54, Hulkenberg attempted a pass on Lewis for the lead of the race, only to lose grip on the back end of his car coming into the first corner and clatter into the side of the McLaren, breaking Hamilton's front suspension and earning himself a drive through penalty. It was a disappointing end to the afternoon for both drivers. Nico had wasted a great opportunity at taking his first career win whilst Lewis was heartbroken not to finish his last race with McLaren; it was an ill-fitting end both Lewis' race and season.

All of this action promoted his team-mate Jenson Button into the lead. From here, Jenson duly lead the rest of the race and won for third time in 2012. The main focus however, was set squarely on the title permutations between Vettel and Alonso.

A weary Fernando Alonso rues another
 missed Drivers' title

Fernando Alonso once again did a fantastic job of salvaging something from the carnage around him. From seventh on the grid, the determined Spaniard worked his way up onto the podium, performing a fantastic double overtake on Mark Webber and Felipe Massa along the way. His afternoon wasn't by any means flawless; too often did he run wide at Turn 1, handing positions to rivals. In the end though, second place was not enough for Fernando. He finished a mere three points adrift of Vettel, who only collected eight points for finishing sixth.

Alonso however can be immensely proud of his achievements this season; he has no doubt driven like a champ all year and, some would say, is more deserving of the final accolade than Seb. He has come immensely close to winning in a car that had consistently been third or fourth fastest, making his attempts near godlike.

For Vettel, he yet again salvaged a good finish from a dire situation early on. Much like he did in Abu Dhabi, he benefited from some others ahead of him tripping over each other, but the end result is the same nonetheless; he came home in 6th, close enough to Alonso to secure his third successive title, making him only the third driver in history to do so after Fangio and Schumacher.

A fittingly chaotic end then to a season that has barely paused for breath since it kicked off in Australia, the Brazilian Grand Prix of 2012 will go down as a classic title showdown, alongside those from '64, '76, '86, '94, '97 and '08. Stay tuned to my blog in the coming two weeks for my multi-parted 2012 Season Review! In the meantime, thanks for reading!

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Film Review: Skyfall

Bond visits sunny Scotland

"Everyone needs a hobby...". 
"So what's yours?" 
"Resurrection"

Proving that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks, Skyfall resurrects everyone's favourite MI6 agent for another round of classic Bond action, with what could possibly be the best entry into the series since Goldeneye. 

Lurking in the shadows

Set later on in Bond's career than the events from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, Skyfall is a standalone and self-contained narrative. The focus of Daniel Craig's third Bond outing is that of his relationship with Judi Dench's M and a sinister character from her past that threatens to tear MI6 itself apart.

First off, let's start look at the leads themselves. With the focus very much on Bond and M, Craig and Dench take centre-stage in Skyfall.

Since first appearing on our screens as James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale, Daniel Craig has become something of a household name. He is James Bond, he lives as that character now; for him, it must feel inescapable. For one man, the pressure at times must feel immense, taking on a role as iconic as Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Who.

If he does feel said pressure at all, he never lets it show, both on and off the screen. From start to finish, Craig oozes 007; he is smooth, suave and sexy (ahem), as well as being rough and brawny when needed. The films opening half where Bond is weakened and vulnerable shows off Craig's range and does well to add depth to a character that often parodied himself in earlier decades. Craig's Bond is most definitely one that fits in with today's world, there isn't a single safari suit, autogyro or crocodile disguise in sight.

Meanwhile, it's great to see Judi Dench step forward for a starring role in this entry. Usually confined to 'being back at base', M is given a greater chance to develop into more of a three-dimensional character in Skyfall. Her history with Javier Bardem's Silva is a driving narrative point and also highlights the relationship that her and Bond have developed together. Also, it is great to see the writer's willing to move these characters along in a way that was never really worked on in earlier films, the Pierce Brosnan era for example.

"007. I'm your new Quartermaster"
"You must be joking"

Speaking of moving things along and without giving too much away, there are plenty of new additions to the cast that bode well for the franchise's long term ambitions. Naomi Harris is introduced as field agent Eve as well as Ben Whishaw, who is introduced as Bond's new Quartermaster Q.

Both are great additions to the Bond universe and they aren't just there to make up the numbers. They drive along the story and, in Whishaw's case, make for some brilliantly witty banter upon first encounter. Added with Ralph Fiennes' Mallory (whom I won't discuss for fear of giving too much away), it is great to see a franchise that is going that extra stretch to establish its own longevity.

Berenice Marlohe role as slinky Bond girl is underplayed, possibly on purpose. Unfortunately for her, M is the real Bond girl here and her character, Severine, is quickly made superfluous.

Javier Bardem's vengeful, mentally unstable and slightly homoerotic Silva makes a big enough impression to rank alongside classic villains such as Goldfinger, Blofeld and Le Chiffre; his vendetta against M and all of MI6 giving the film a great personal feel. His past blight at the hand's of MI6 also adds a touch of doubt; not enough for the audience to side with him, but enough to blur any usual good/bad distinction cinema so readily creates.

Visually, Skyfall is also a strikingly beautiful Bond film; making use of some epic locations, first-time Bond director Sam Mendes contrasts vibrant dashes of colour with visits to an Istanbul market and a Macau casion to the deep, dark shadows of an old manor in Scotland. Mendes also shows that he can handle a Bond style action set piece, the opening car/bike/train chase getting pulses racing form the get-go.

"We are the two rats left. We can either eat each
other. Or eat everyone else"

Skyfall then, is a film completely in comfort with its own conventions. It revels in adding little winks to previous adventures and trotting out the the icons of the franchise; the Aston Martin DB5, the Walther PPK and so on. It successfully manages to be a fitting celebration of 50 years of Bond and not get bogged down in cramming in as many knowing winks as possible; remember how Die Another Day went all bonkers with being the 20th film?

 Overall, Skyfall is not just an excellent Bond film, but an excellent film fullstop. It is a action-adventure that mixes explosions and bullets with heart and tears (yes, there will be tears). It is quite possibly Craig's best yet  (nipping past Casino Royale, but only just) and most importantly ticks all the relevant boxes of what to expect from the new Bond series. James Bond will, as ever, return.

I give Skyfall: 9/10

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Rank The Films #1: Harry Potter

Lists, as I may have mentioned once or twice on the here blog are pretty nifty; straight-up, simple and so on. I like list. As because of this, lists form the basis for a new feature here on feeling fuzzier where I attempt to pull apart the pros and cons of a series of films and such. First off, the mega, the magical, the childhood defining (for me anyway) Harry Potter franchise.

8th - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in
Goblet of Fire

Alright, let's start off with the easy stuff. Let's face it everyone, Goblet of Fire was more like a Goblet of Crap. Whilst director Mike Newell did well to veer the series towards the darker tone that would become commonplace by the end of the franchise, Goblet didn't capture the magical wonderment of the books in the same way that the earlier films had. Many of the books stand out pieces (the Quidditch World Cup/the aftermath of the Death Eater attack) were skated over and so was the explanation surrounding Priori Incantatum and the final confrontation between Harry and Voldermort. On the whole, it felt rushed and ultimately lost me rather than grabbed me.

Also, don't even get me started on Ron's haircut. Seriously, I don't remember Goblet being set in 1984?

7th - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

2004's Prisoner of Azkaban

This ones a tricky one; personally, Azkaban is one of my favourite books. The introduction of Sirius, Lupin (two of the best characters) as well as the clever plotting in the final third are simply brilliant. In the film, it feels as though most of that is brushed aside. Whilst the time travel element works better on screen, the key plot points surrounding the history of Sirius, Lupin, Pettrigrew and Harry's Parents aren't given the necessary gravitas. For someone who was unfamilar with the source text, the end exposition is severely lacking.

By this point, the cast are starting to settle into their roles and improve on their acting however which is something that weighs in Azkaban's favour.

Yes, I know that Azkaban is one of the highest acclaimed critically. But no-one said that this list was based on fact, simply personal opinion.

6th - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Rotten Tomatoes: 78%

Dumbledore's Army

In my mind, Order of the Phoenix suffers from the same mish-mash plotting as Goblet of Fire; it felt like many of the aspects of the books were overly rushed. Whilst this can be expected when adapting a 900 word novel into a two and a half hour film, the way in which many of the key scenes surrounding Dumbledore's Army were reduced to a montage kind of hurt. Also, no Quidditch! No Weasley is our King! 

The film did do a great job of making Harry not seem like such a whiner like the book did however. And that's a plus. The ending is also a corker, the death of Sirius resonating well through the characters in this instalment and then next. 

5th - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One

Rotten Tomatoes: 79%

Harry and Hermione pause and reflect

Deathly Hallows Part One was never going to be the best of the franchise; it never had a proper ending and many critics said that there was all too much camping and teenage angst. 

On the contrary I argue; after the whirlwind fourth, fifth and sixth entry's, the series needed a breather. Deathly Hallows serves as a pause; a deep breath in before the plunge that is the final film. It didn't have a storyline that raced by at the speed of light and that's a big bonus. It added extra time for characterisation between the lead trio, something that had previously not been a top priority. It focused more on how the trio had changed and interacted with one another rather than squeezing in as many plot points as possible. 

4th - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

The Forbidden Forest

The first entry into what would become one the biggest franchise's of all time can also be counted as one of the best. Director Christopher Columbus' imagining of Hogwarts, the characters and every in the magical world laid the groundwork for what was to follow.

In my mind, the first two films best reflect what the books convey. They look and feel magical, the colours are bright and warm, the score is swooping and ethereal. It has laughs and crucially it had tears; try and watch Harry's scenes in front of the Mirror of Erised without having your heart strings tugged at.

The actors may not have yet grown into their roles; each of the trio is slightly wooden and inexperienced but, as always, this is offset by the stellar supporting cast of Richard Harris, Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman. 

3rd - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%

Michael Gambon in Half Blood Prince

In my mind, Half Blood Prince managed to what the previous three entries had kind of failed to do; that is, combine equally style and substance. Visually, the sixth film looks striking; Hogwarts casts a bleak and sombre silhouette that contrasts with the early films. On the other hand, the script also manages to find a great rhythm, bringing both action, drama, love and laughs to the table. 

The ending falls a little flat, the shock factor dulled by the fact that everyone pretty much knew how it was going to play out and by the fact that there is no final battle between the Death Eaters and the Order like in the book. Also, don't get me started on casting Jim Broadbent as Slughorn. Seriously, he ain't Slughorn. 

Nevertheless, Prince works well as an adaptation of what is my favourite of the books. The growing relationships between Harry, Ginny, Ron and Herminone are done really well, playing out more like a teen film than a fantasy one at times. 

2nd - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two 

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Harry facing off with Snape in Deathly Hallows
Part Two

The final film in the franchise holds the advantage of having something really important in its arsenal; payoff. Sweet, sweet payoff. After seven films and many hours of magic, Deathly Hallows Part Two has the final clincher, wrapping it all up and bidding farewell to our heroes. Most important though, it does this really well, with the story coming to satisfying and complete conclusion. 

The final battle within the walls of Hogwarts looks visually stunning and is also paced well. The action doesn't feel drawn out or rushed, something that plagued the middle films.

1st - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Chamber of Secrets then, is in my mind the most complete and fully fleshed Harry Potter movie; it stays loyal to the book, the supporting cast is still top notch, the new casting is spot on (Branagh as Lockhart, genius!), the tone is consistent with the first and it manages to hold the attention of fans and newcomers alike. 

The Writing on the Wall

Whilst the later films are lauded as having the overall darker tone, Secrets is by no means a slouch in this department. Killer willows, killer spiders and yes, an ancient killer giant serpent (oops, spoiler alert) roaming the halls of a school isn't exactly Saturday morning television. 

It has the welcome addition of the oh so huggable Dobby and it also benefits from the introduction of Jason Isaacs as the scenery chewing Lucius Malfoy. We catch our first proper glimpse of the full Weasley clan with Bonnie Wright bringing up the rear as Ginny, a future key character of course. As the longest film, it takes it time to provide the details and not glimpse over those that the fans love. 

All in all, Secrets works best as an adaptation of the book because it looks, sounds and most importantly feels the closest to the magical world depicted in the book.

So there we have then, my take on the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the Harry Potter films. Let me know what you think below - some good calls or way off the mark? Which order would you rank them in? Let me know and thank you. 

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Formula 1: United States GP Overview

Lewis Hamilton crosses the line first at COTA.

Lewis Hamilton gave it his all and drove a determined race at the brand new Circuit of the Americas to snatch victory from Sebastian Vettel after a tense race-long stand-off for the lead. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso and Ferrari pushed the limits of what is considered sporting in order to ensure the title fight goes down to the wire in Brazil in seven days time. 

Champagne and Stetsons: Lewis Hamilton
on the podium

It has been five years since F1 last visited America; the 2007 GP was won by none other than young gun Lewis Hamilton in only his eighth F1 race. For this reason then, it seems extremely apt that it be an older and racier Lewis Hamilton who won last night at the impressive COTA.

Starting from second position, Lewis didn't get the best of starts, dropping behind Mark Webber into the steep turn one. Behind him, the pack kept it relatively clean with everyone making it through the first bend cleanly. Lewis wasn't alone in dropping back at the start; practically everyone who started on the dirty side of the grid lost places due to lack of traction and grip.

By lap 4, Lewis dived past Mark Webber and set off in pursuit of Sebastian Vettel. Unlike so many times before, Seb hadn't managed to streak away at the start, the gap between him and Lewis between 2 and 3 seconds. By lap 15, this gap was reduced to a few car lengths, the tension racking up lap after lap as the two champions traded fastest sector times and laps. It was a showdown befitting of the Western setting; two lone gunslingers trying to outwit and out-gun the other.

Michael Schumacher's penultimate F1 race was
unspectacular to say the least.

Lewis finally found his way past Sebastian on lap 42 after the German fell afoul of a dawdling HRT. From there, the Briton kept the German at arms length, the duo finally crossing the finish line with less than a second between them. They had been in a class of their own all afternoon, eventual third place finisher Fernando Alonso lagging behind by over half a minute.

Felipe Massa had a hugely positive afternoon after starting 11th (more on this later) to finish 4th. Likewise, Jenson Button did well to bring home his McLaren 5th after starting a lowly 12th. It was another good race for Lotus, Raikkonen and Grosjean finishing 6th and 7th. Meanwhile, Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Senna endured some on track scuffles to round off the points paying places with 8th, 9th and 10th respectively. Mark Webber's afternoon ended early, an alternator failure on his Red Bull dropping him out of the race. This didn't hinder his team from sealing their third successive Constructors' crown however, the Austrian outfit now only the

One of the most notable conclusions from COTA was Mercedes GP's continued slide into obscurity. The team have now failed to rack up any points since Singapore, a disastrous run of form for the manufacturer. Trailing home in 13th and 16th, Rosberg and Schumacher's afternoon was disastrous  It may be a while off, but this is the team Hamilton is entering next season; will his win today be tinged with an ounce of regret? Or are Mercedes just going through the motions and focusing on next season?

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen race into
Turn One

For Alonso, it was a relaxed afternoon after what had been a fairly contentious start. Ferrari made the bold decision to tamper with Felipe Massa's gearbox, thus dropping him back five places on the grid with a penalty. This subsequently promoted Alonso to seventh, and most importantly the clean side of the grid. He used his advantage to great effect, making up three places on the opening lap.

Many may argue that Ferrari's decision was un-sporting and not in poor taste. Perhaps, but remember that Formula One is a team sport and the team must come first. Alonso is Ferrari's only chance to taste glory this year and thus they must improve his chances however they can. You can be absolutely sure that if Red Bull and McLaren had been in the same situation, they would have done exactly the same thing. As it stands, the move allowed Fernando to mitigate the damage Vettel inflicted in the title standings, the gap between them 13 points before Brazil next weekend.

On the whole, it had been a hugely impressive debut for COTA with no-one anticipating such a closely contested and tense race. The title challenge carries onto towards Interlagos, Brazil, the scene of many dramatic deciders in the past. Vettel, armed with a 13 point advantage will be out to lead from the front, whilst Alonso will need to employ more guerilla tactics and jump at every opportunity to clinch victory from the jaws of defeat. Without a doubt, it'll be an appropriately close finale to such a dramatic season.

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Film Review: Argo

Bryan Cranston and Ben Affleck in Argo

Ben Affleck's third directorial effort hits the nail on the head yet again; Argo is a well-acted, genuinely gripping and impressive film that lacks any real flaws or misgivings. Contender for Best Picture? Quite possibly.

Set in a Revolutionary 1970's Iran, Argo tells the story of 6 American's fleeing from certain death at the hands of an Iranian public baying for their blood. Cut off from the outside world and camping out in the Canadian Ambassador's house, escape from Iran seems impossible. Step in then Ben Affleck and 'Argo'; a zany scheme that sees CIA agents buddy up with Hollywood producers to create the ultimate cover story. Tasked with making a fake movie to cover their escape and provide alibis for the fleeing American refugees, the CIA need to pull the fastest 'fast one' in the history of the agency.

Escape from Tehran: Affleck as CIA agent Tony Mendez

For me, Argo was a real breath of fresh air. It could have been handled very differently, swapping tension for action. Instead, it sets out to prove to those in audience that a film doesn't have to rely upon pyrotechnics and CGI explosions for entertainment. The pacing of the film is probably what best aids to this immense amount of tension; the audience are not catapulted from one action set-piece to another, thrown back in their seats by explosions so vast that they're beyond belief. Instead, layer upon layer of drama, of detail and of atmosphere is laid atop one another in order to create an almost paralysing finale that keeps the audience holding their breath until the very end.

It also doesn't hurt that almost every part in the film is acted and written very well. Taking centre stage is Affleck himself, playing CIA ex filtration expert Tony Mendez. Usually the Hollywood equivalent of Marmite (you either love him or you hate him), here Affleck is relatively under-stated and subdued; he doesn't overact it and this works in his favour.

Likewise, the entire supporting cast are well-cast, written and acted. Alan Arkin and John Goodman provide welcome comic-relief as Hollywood hot-shots Lester Siegel and John Chambers, whilst Bryan Cranston is fantastic as CIA executive Jack O'Donnell. The former in particular are great additions; for all the sweaty-palm inducing interrogation scenes, Argo has rib-tickling one-liners from Siegel and Chambers that are a side nod to the workings of the movie industry; after all, if they're going to make a fake movie, they're going to make a fake hit.

The biggest plus-point with Argo however is the fact that it is based on a true story. The absurdity and implausibility of such a crazy scheme was completely offset by the fact that this actually happened. The CIA really did commission a screenplay, hire a director, hire a producer, hold a 'read through', fly into Iran and attempt to sneak out a band of refugees under the guise of being a film crew. As a result of this, Argo feels like a rose-tinted throwback to the 70's and the atmosphere of the Cold War.

Argo then is a brilliant mixture of Cold-War suspense and introspective cinema satire. With brilliant acting from the entire cast and nail-biting suspense, Argo is testament to the adage that less is very often more.

I give Argo: 9/10

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Formula 1: Abu Dhabi GP Overview

Kimi Raikkonen clinches victory at Yas Marina

Abu Dhabi served up a classic race from start to finish, a true race of Champions that mixed together helpings of action, drama and suspense; Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso, Vettel and Button all had a part to play in shaping a race that'll most likely be seen as the best race of 2012. 

Chaos at the start as both Force India's and
Bruno Senna clash

Leading from the outset, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton looked to have his second consecutive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the bag. A string of quick laps from the Briton gave him a sizeable lead over second placed Raikkonen, who inherited the lead when Lewis' McLaren ground to a halt just as it had in Singapore.

From there, Kimi controlled the race to clinch his 19th career victory, his first since his comeback and Enstone's first since the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix. It was long overdue for the popular Finn and Kimi reacted in his traditional nonchalant nature.

Kimi's win however was not the main talking point of the afternoon; it was Vettel's storming drive from last to 3rd that was the talk of the town.
After being disqualified from qualifying, Vettel drove like a champ to work his way through the field.

Vettel hounds Button for 3rd in the closing laps

While there is no doubt that he benefited greatly from the misfortune of others, Sebastian pulled off some brilliant moves on his rivals to make it onto the podium. It wasn't plain sailing all the way however; a tangle with Bruno Senna's Williams and a barrier behind the safety car put Seb in the pits and on the back-foot for a front wing change.

From there, Seb made the most of others tripping over each other (Grosjean, Perez, Webber, Massa) to mitigate his teams blunder on Saturday. As a result, Vettel lost a mere three points to rival Fernando Alonso, a major coup given the stark outlook after qualifying.

For Fernando, it was another strong performance from the grittiest and most determined man in Formula 1. From sixth on the grid, Alonso passed Button, Webber and Maldonado to work his way up to third prior to Hamilton's retirement. It once again proved the Spaniard's ability to extract more than the maximum from sub-par equipment, even if he did strike a dejected pose in parc ferme after the race.

It was heartbreaking end to the race for Lewis Hamilton; barely putting a foot wrong all weekend, Lewis was robbed of another dominating win through mechanical failure. Will he fare any better at Mercedes? Too soon to say, but reliability has been a detrimental factor in Lewis' season and has cost him a huge stack of points, as well as a shot at clinching bronze in the Drivers' Championship.

A dejected Fernando Alonso rues a
missed opportunity

Main players aside, it was a chaotic race for those in the mid-field. A first corner tangle involving both Force India's and Bruno Senna broke the Brazillian's front wing and put Nico Hulkenberg on the sidelines. A scary crash between a limping Karthikeyan and an out-of-place Nico Rosberg made the hair on your neck stand on end, but luckily, but drivers walked away unhurt.

Mid-race squabbles between Webber, Massa, Grosjean, di Resta and Perez kept the audience gripped and kept the stewards occupied throughout the race. Marussia's Charles Pic also retired with an engine failure.

Emerging from the chaos were Maldonado, Massa, Senna, di Resta and Ricciardo to finish 5th through to 10th.

With just two rounds to go, the two remaining contenders are separated by a mere ten points. Vettel, the favourite and Alonso, the underdog. Who'll come out on top?

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