Red Bull Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel (L) sprays champagne on the podium on teammate Mark Webber of Australia during the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo November 27, 2011. Webber won the race while Vettel was second.© Nacho Doce / Reuters
With another racing season in the books and a new year upon us, it's time to make a list of things that would help racing fans enjoy 2012 even more.
While some drivers deserved only a lump of coal in their stocking, some found hard luck in 2011 and deserve something better. So without further ado, here are our humble suggestions on how to make 2012 great year for motorsport enthusiasts (in alphabetical order):
Fernando Alonso: A competitive car
Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Alonso can drive the wheels off a grand prix car. He was the only Formula One driver in the top six teams to outscore his teammate more than 2-1 in points. The two-time world champion squeezed every ounce of performance out of a poor 2011 Ferrari, taking one win and 10 podiums in 19 starts in a car that didn't deserve to be in the top-4. In comparison, his teammate, Felipe Massa could not do better than a fifth place finish in the same equipment. While Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel hogged the spotlight as he ran away with the 2011 F1 title, Alonso deserved more recognition for a stellar performance in a comparative dog of a car.
Kurt Busch: A great big sock to shut his yap
Yes, we all get frustrated every so often, but the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion takes it to a whole new level. Busch parted ways with the Penske team following a profanity-laced tirade directed at a respected TV reporter that was captured by a fan and uploaded to the video sharing website YouTube. Earlier in the season, he unleashed a barrage against his crew chief when things weren't going his way in a race. While the YouTube outburst delivered a $50,000 fine from NASCAR for "actions detrimental to stock car racing," it's doubtful the sanction will have any positive effect on one of stock car racing's worst behaved drivers. Busch is yet to find a new home for 2012, but when he does his new public relations crew would be wise to always have a extra large tube sock on hand just in case they need it.
Carl Edwards: A Sprint Cup title
It's difficult not to feel for the Roush driver who was the runner-up in the Sprint Cup for the second time this year. To make matters worse, he would have been champion in both the years he was bridesmaid had NASCAR not changed the points system when it created the 10-race, Chase for the Cup title shootout. While he's had his moments, especially when battling with Brad Keselowski, Edwards kept his aggression in check for most of the 2011 season and matured into a more rounded driver. He's also likely in the best shape in the NASCAR paddock. After putting up the best average finish in the history of the Chase and still losing in a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart, a championship in 2012 would be fitting.
Dario Franchitti: A title he can celebrate
Few noticed when IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti scored his third consecutive championship in October when the feat was overshadowed by the death of Dan Wheldon. The Indianapolis 500 winner died in a multi-car pile-up in the season finale in Las Vegas. When the accident that took Wheldon's life caused the race in Las Vegas to be cancelled, Franchitti became 2011 champion. Winning a third consecutive title remains a huge accomplishment for Franchitti but it will be forever tainted by the loss of a friend. Perhaps a fourth in a row would bring much more happy memories.
J.R. Fitzpatrick: A real shot at NASCAR
When a Canadian businessman bought up the assets of Baker Curb Racing's Nationwide team and announced that Fitzpatrick would be its driver, it looked like the youngest ever CASCAR champion (now the NASCAR Canadian Tires Series) finally had a solid ride to look forward to in NASCAR's second tier series. Unfortunately, it all unravelled later in the season and Fitzpatrick is once again on the hunt for a stock car racing job South of the Border. Maybe if more Sprint Cup drivers stop racing in Nationwide, they'll make room for guys like Fitzpatrick to get a chance to show their stuff.
Lewis Hamilton: A renewed focus
The 2008 world champion found himself chasing not only eventual title winner Sebastian Vettel in 2011 but also his teammate Jenson Button, who appeared to take over as the McLaren leader this year. Hamilton lost the handle on his aggressive style in 2011, finding himself in trouble with the stewards at just about every race. Off track drama, including his public tribulations with his on-again, off-again Pussycat Doll girlfriend only added more distraction to the mix. Having Hamilton get things back on track and perform like the world champion he is, can only be good for F1 and its fans.
James Hinchcliffe: No sophomore jinx
Known in the paddock as Hinch, the Canadian missed the first race of the season and still won the IndyCar rookie of the year award. Many were pleasantly surprised by his immediate speed and maturity, as well as his consistency. He scored three top-5 finishes and ended the season in a respectable 12th overall, although he likely would have been in the top-10 in points had Hinchcliffe started the opener in St. Petersburg, Fla. Unfortunately his Newman/Haas team decide to abandon the IndyCar Series and he's out of a ride. If that doesn't change, he'll have the worst sophomore jinx ever.
Alex Tagliani: Stability
No one in motorsport knows more about the transient life of a racing driver than "Tag," who has driven for seven teams in 11 seasons. He's never stayed with an outfit for more than two seasons since he was dropped by the Player's Team in 2002 in favour of Paul Tracy. Tracy went on to win the CART title that year while Tagliani struggled to bring the fledgling Rocketsports outfit up to speed. Tagliani thought he bought stability when he became a part owner of the Fazzt team last year, but that went away when the team was sold to Sam Schmidt. After things deteriorated at Schmidt near the end of 2011, Tagliani, along with his sponsor Bowers and Wilkins, is once again looking for a new ride. Perhaps a rumoured move to Brian Herta Motorsport will do the trick.
Oriol Servia: A new ride
There's no doubt that Servia was the driver of the year in IndyCar. The veteran Spaniard finished fourth overall in 2011, ending the season ahead of two of the powerful Team Penske drivers and all four Andretti Autosport cars. He took 11 top-10s in 17 starts this year, including an impressive sixth at the Indianapolis 500. Along the way, he helped rookie James Hinchcliffe learn the ropes in the series as he led the Newman/Haas team back to the front. But like Hinchcliffe, Servia found himself out of a ride when Newman/Haas decided to end its involvement in IndyCar. Not having Servia back in 2012 would rob fans of a top talent who has paid his dues and more than deserves to be on the grid.
Bruno Spengler: A successful switch
No one has outperformed Canadian Bruno Spengler in the German DTM touring car series since he joined the factory Mercedes team in 2006. Since then, he has scored the most points, taken the most poles, and is tied for most wins with Mattias Ekström. When BMW looked for drivers to fill its roster on a brand new DTM operation, Spengler was one of the first drivers they approached. He has a big job ahead, but the two-time DTM runner-up is more than up to the task. While Spengler should have been Canada's next F1 driver, perhaps BMW will let him be the latest to try NASCAR when the Nationwide Series visits Montreal in August.
Paul Tracy: A full-time ride
It seems that Tracy has needed the same thing every year since Champ Car folded in early 2008 and his Forsythe Team bowed out of racing. In the past four years, Tracy made a total of 18 starts out of a possible 71 races with six different teams. Nevertheless, he has put up five top-10 results racing in what could only be called extremely difficult circumstances. Along the way, Tracy always brings something extra to the table with his brash personality and on-track bravado. With 2012 likely the 43-year-old's last chance at a full-time drive in IndyCar, fans would be lucky to see him show his stuff.
Robert Wickens: An end to the frustration
Simply put, what more can the 22-year-old Canadian do prove he deserves a Formula One seat? He has won in every major racing category he's competed in, from Formula BMW to World Series by Renault. He proved Red Bull was wrong when it dropped him from its young driver program after the 2009 season by winning the 2011 World Series 3.5 title. In November, he put up the quickest times in two different cars at the young drivers' test in Abu Dhabi last month. Now, two drivers who he finished behind him in the World Series, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, have F1 drives while the mega-talented Wickens stays on the sidelines. Someone needs to give this kid the drive he deserves.
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Jeff Pappone