Fernando Alonso & Sebastian Vettel : The Story Of Their Rivality in Formula One

Part 3 : 2012, Different Winners But They Battle Again as 2010

2012 was the season that all people tipped Fernando Alonso would be crowned as Formula One world champions for 3rd time after 2 disapointing season with Scuderia Ferrari. But many people also betting Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull team for 3rd Formula One world champions as well. It started in first stage of the season in Australia when Sebastian Vettel finished on podium behind race winner, Jenson Button while Fernando Alonso snatched up into 5th place after a bad performance in qualifying saw him started the race from 12th and knocked out from Q2 for the first time since 2010. In next race held in Sepang, Malaysia it was Fernando Alonso who had win that race after long battle with Sauber younger driver & Ferrari Driver Academy member, Sergio Perez despite the Mexican had been leading the race for almost the stages. Meanwhile Alonso's rival, Sebastian Vettel was finished outside top 10 after contact with Indian & HRT driver, Narain Karthikeyan saw him forced to pit for a new tyres and then lost several positions. Vettel later blamed the Indian as an "idiot" driver because his chance for top 10 finish was ruined after this incident. Later Karthikeyan was served a time penalty for his action to the Red Bull driver. Then in China, both drivers were recorded points finishes after a different strategy costly both of them for a podium finish. The race was won by Nico Rosberg for the first time in his F1 career also for his team since 1955 after started from pole position. Next race in Bahrain saw The German won the race easily after long battle with Lotus-Renault driver, Kimi Raikkonen (who had comeback to F1 in that season after spent 2 seasons in another racing) whilst Fernando Alonso had forced to finished the race in 7th place after a protracted battle with Nico Rosberg. During the race, he was blamed into Rosberg to leave a space, which is the best team radio that must be enjoyed by Formula One fans. But Rosberg didn't say anything about this incident with Alonso. In Spain however Alonso finished 2nd behind race winner, Pastor Maldonado, who scored his first win for the first time, first time for Venezuelan driver & also first win for Williams since 2004 after started from 2nd but later promoted to pole position after Lewis Hamilton the originally driver to take pole position was excluded from qualifying due to fuel infringement. Alonso, on that race also stucked wtih the traffic while try to overlap Marussia driver, Charles Pic. Meanwhile Sebastian Vettel finished 6th after he was complaining to his team about his penalty because failing to slow during yellow flag but his team said that the penalty was changed. Monaco saw Fernando Alonso finished on podium once again in 3rd place behind race winner, Mark Webber & 2nd placed, Nico Rosberg but finished ahead of his rival. During the race, Alonso was got a little contact with Lotus-Renault driver, Romain Grosjean but the Frenchman was already hit by MIchael Schumacher as well. In Canada however both driver finished 4th & 5th, respectively after strategy error and worn tyres saw them overtaken by both Romain Grosjean & Sergio Perez, which got the podium for the 2nd time in this season & also their Formula One career. On Valencia it was Alonso who scored his second win in that season & his home race win despite started from 11th after a great overtake saw he leading until the end of the stages, while Sebastian Vettel was out of the race due to alternator problem which saw his leading was taken by the Spaniard. Britain saw both drivers finished on the podium behind race winner, Mark Webber after Webber overtook the Spaniard to leading the race until the end with 4 laps to go. In Germany, Fernando Alonso started the race from pole position and then won the race after leading for almost the laps while Sebastian Vettel himself finished on podium in his home race but later dropped to 5th after he was hit by time penalty shortly following an illegal overtake to Jenson Button. He also angrying about Lewis Hamilton while trying to overlapping him but the McLaren driver want to unlapping himself. Hungary saw both drivers finished 4th & 5th as they did so in Canada. During the summer break, Fernando Alonso was leading the driver standings with 164 points, 40 points ahead of Mark Webber & 42 points ahead of his rival. Meanwhile Sebastian Vettel found himself in 3rd place on drivers standings, 2 points behind his teammate, 42 points behind his rival and 5 points ahead Lewis Hamilton. Alonso's team, Scuderia Ferrari was dropped to 4th in constructor standings after Hungary following the brilliant performance of McLaren-Mercedes & Lotus-Renault while Vettel's team, Red Bull-Renault was leading the table. Back to Belgium saw Fernando Alonso forced to retired from the race for the first time on 2012 season after an first lap incident saw his car was totally damaged following this crash while Sebastian Vettel got a podium finishes on 2nd place behind Jenson Button, the race winner. This results means that Vettel was reduced the gap to Alonso by 24 points due to the Spaniard's DNF on Belgium. ON next race in Monza, Italy saw Alonso got back to podium once again behind Lewis Hamilton & Sergio Perez whilst the German was out of the race once again due to alternator failure meaning the Ferrari driver extended his lead into drivers standings to 37 points. Alonso scored podium again in Singapore coming home in 3rd place, meanwhile Vettel won the race after take the lead from pole sitter Lewis Hamilton who was forced to retire after suffering gearbox problem. Japan saw Alonso did not finish the race for the second time on the season, this time after little contact with Raikkonen saw he got puncture then spun on first lap. Vettel later won again on this race and reduced the gap until 4 points behind the Spaniard. Meanwhile Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa scored his first podium since Korean 2010 by finishing behind his rival. Vettel continued his winning ways by win at Korea & India while Alonso was on the podium in both races (the former race saw Vettel takes the lead on drivers standings from Alonso with 4 races to spare). On Abu Dhabi both drivers were stood on the podium behind Kimi Raikkonen despite Sebastian Vettel was started the race from the pitlane instead back on the grid following an insufficient fuel forced him to stop his car into the safe place. With 2 races to spare, the drivers title was undecided between Vettel & Alonso while another driver such as Hamilton, Button & Raikkonen was mathematically ruled out from the title contender in this season. At the inaugural race in United States saw both drivers finished on podium behind Lewis Hamilton & forced the world champion title was decided on the final stages of the season in Brazil. But Red Bull had already secured the constructor champions in this race. Before the final race in Brazil, it was tipped that Fernando Alonso would became the world champion on this season if he can win in Brazil then Sebastian Vettel finish lower than 6th. However 2nd place finish for Alonso wasn't enough to got the title while Vettel's 6th place was enough to secured his 3rd world champion for himself & also for the team despite he was forced to dropped to back on the field following contact with Bruno Senna saw a minor damage on his car & he was forced to climb his ways to became world champion for 3rd time