2018 Formula One season

2018 Formula One season
Morio · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Title	2018 Formula One season
Date	25 March – 25 November 2018
Champion	Lewis Hamilton
Constructors	Mercedes

2018 Formula One season was the 69th running of the FIA Formula One World Championship, contested over 21 rounds from the Australian to the Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. The season saw repeat success by Lewis Hamilton, intense competition between Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team and Scuderia Ferrari, and expanding global reach with races in Baku, Monaco, and Singapore. Major technical and regulatory adjustments influenced outcomes across teams such as Red Bull Racing, McLaren, and Williams.

Teams and drivers

The 2018 grid featured entries from established constructors including Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Renault, and Haas F1 Team, with drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen, and Daniel Ricciardo. Rookie introductions included Charles Leclerc and Sergio Sette Câmara involvement in junior programmes, while veterans such as Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button remained in broader motorsport contexts. Teams signed technical staff from organisations like Sauber and Toro Rosso, and sponsors such as Petronas and Shell continued to play significant roles.

Regulation changes

FIA sporting regulations revisions affected qualifying procedures, tyre allocations, and parc fermé rules, while the FIA World Motor Sport Council confirmed financial and safety directives influenced by prior seasons. Technical rules governed aerodynamic components, power unit homologation for Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault suppliers, and brake-by-wire systems familiar from 2017 developments. Weight limits, crash structure tests by FIA Homologation Department, and wind-tunnel testing restrictions were enforced to curb costs and encourage closer competition between Force India successors and independent teams.

Race calendar and results

The 21-race calendar included traditional venues such as Albert Park Circuit, Silverstone Circuit, Circuit de Monaco, and newer stops like Baku City Circuit and Circuit Paul Ricard. Highlights featured sprint strategies at Hungaroring and night racing in Singapore, while Autódromo José Carlos Pace and Circuit of the Americas produced pivotal championship points swings. Race wins were claimed by drivers from Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull Racing, with podiums frequently contested by Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen, Kimi Räikkönen, and Daniel Ricciardo across rounds.

Season summary and standings

The Drivers' Championship culminated with Lewis Hamilton securing his fifth title, closely followed by Sebastian Vettel in the standings and contested by Kimi Räikkönen, Max Verstappen, and Valtteri Bottas. The Constructors' Championship was won by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team ahead of Scuderia Ferrari and Red Bull Racing. Key points were decided at grands prix in Germany, Monza, Baku, and Mexico City where strategic calls by team principals such as Toto Wolff, Maurizio Arrivabene, and Christian Horner shaped outcomes. Midfield battles involved teams like Haas F1 Team, Renault Sport F1 Team, and McLaren F1 Team with drivers Romain Grosjean, Nico Hülkenberg, and Stoffel Vandoorne scoring crucial points.

Technical developments

Developments included aerodynamic upgrades influenced by wind tunnel data from Mercedes, improved power unit mappings from Ferrari and Renault, and chassis refinements at Red Bull Technology and McLaren Technology Centre. Tyre management strategies centered on compounds provided by Pirelli, while energy recovery systems from MGU-K and MGU-H suppliers affected lap time consistency. Teams experimented with suspension geometries, brake cooling solutions, and weight distribution changes at facilities such as Enstone and Brackley, with in-season tokens and homologation items overseen by the FIA technical department.

Controversies and incidents

The season featured several high-profile controversies and incidents: collisions between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel drew scrutiny from race stewards and the FIA World Motor Sport Council; team orders and radio messages reignited debate after decisions at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza; and off-track legal disputes involved stakeholders from Force India administration and ownership changes leading to Racing Point Force India reorganisations. Safety incidents prompted investigations into tyre failures and on-track debris at events in Baku and Silverstone, while post-race penalties and stewarding consistency were questioned by figures such as Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

Category:Formula One seasons