The greatest starts to an F1 season
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It hasn't been an easy task for headline makers recently, with Sebastian Vettel depriving them of
variety by claiming seven pole positions, six wins and a dominant championship lead after eight
races of the 2011 F1 season. Even more impressively, Vettel has dropped just 14 points from the
opening eight races, and his total tally of 186 points makes this the most successful ever start
- in terms of points at least - to a Formula One championship.
Points, however, can be a misleading yardstick by which to judge season starts. The system, for example,
has been changed four times over F1's history, most radically for the start of the 2010 season when
each race carried a total of 101 points. In comparison, just 25 points in total were on offer in 1950,
when Nino Farina won the first ever F1 title.
Other variables need to be considered. The number of races in a season has changed dramatically,
up from seven in the very first year to 19 in 2010, 60 years on. Comparing starts to a season is
an incredibly complicated affair therefore. Never one to shy away from a challenge, the Castrol EDGE
Rankings has crunched the numbers as it compares Vettel's early progress to three other famously
dominant showings: Michael Schumacher in 2004, Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Jim Clark in 1965.
Taking results from a similar stage at each season, just before the midway point, who comes
out on top from this legendary quartet?
1. Jim Clark, 1965. 17,040 pts
Revered by many as the greatest ever, 'Jimmy' stormed to the 1965 title despite retiring from the
final three races with mechanical issues. In fact, Clark won every race in which he finished that
year - and could even afford to miss the second round, the Monaco Grand Prix, to triumph in the
Indy 500. Admittedly Clark's score is boosted by his showing at Indy, but with three pole positions
- and a front row start - and four race wins from his first four Grand Prix, Clark's start to the 1965
season remains one of the most impressive ever recorded.
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2. Michael Schumacher, 2004. 14,694 pts
Building on six world drivers crowns is a hard task at the best of times, but Schumacher was arguable
in his greatest ever form at the start of 2004. Helped undeniably the pace of his car, the German racked
up five pole positions and six race wins in the opening seven races, with only team-mate Rubens Barrichello
able to get anywhere near his pace and consistency.
It could have been even better for Schumacher, were it not for a clash with Montoya under a safety car
at Monaco which caused him to retire. He went on to win 12 of the first 13 races, but taking just the opening
seven Schumacher just edges his young compatriot Vettel for second in the greatest ever openings.
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3. Sebastian Vettel, 2011. 14,421 pts
Here he is then. Seven pole positions, six wins and two runner-up spots give Sebastian Vettel third in our
list of greatest starts. The German's overall points tally - and margin over second - is exaggerated by
the new points classification, but his form in the first eight races has been nothing
short of remarkable.
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4. Nigel Mansell, 1992. 14,038 pts
Mansell's 1992 season comes a narrow fourth in our mini-league of season openings. Seven races in
and the Briton had taken five wins and a podium - with a spin at Canada the only blight on
an otherwise sensational start. Mansell went on to win the title by accruing almost double
the points of Riccardo Patrese in second, taking four further victories during the year.
The Castrol EDGE Rankings is based on drivers' measurable performance over the last 12 months,
including everything from their grid position to fastest laps. For further information on how the
Castrol Rankings scores are calculated, click here.
