Formula One: how the 2012 season unfolded - in pictures

Jenson Button beat his team-mate Lewis Hamilton to claim victory at the opening race of the season in Melbourne, a victory all the more startling given that he spent much of the race conserving fuel Photograph: Vladimir Rys Photography/Getty Images

In a race which was temporarily suspended due to torrential rain, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso took the chequered flag in Malaysia ahead of a remarkable performance for Sauber's Sergio Perez. The McLarens had hogged the front row of the grid but slipped down the order through the race as a sluggish pit-stop and a collision cost them dearly Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Nico Rosberg took pole position in China and held on to give Mercedes their first win since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1955 Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Despite political instability and violence in Bahrain, the fourth grand prix of the season went ahead as planned. Sebastian Vettel won the controversial race having started from pole position, while Roman Grosjean claimed a creditable third place Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton qualified fastest In Spain but was demoted to the back of the grid for not carrying enough fuel in his car. That allowed the Williams driver Pastor Maldonado to start first and, ultimately, hold off Fernando Alonso for a glorious win which triggered a national holiday in his native Venezuela Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

Michael Schumacher qualified fastest in Monaco, but, like Hamilton in the previous race, was demoted. Mark Webber was dogged by claims that his car contained illegal parts, but won the race. Meanwhile, Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber got airborne during a spectacular collision Photograph: Peter J Fox/Getty Images

The seventh race (in Canada) brought the seventh different winner of the season. This time it was Lewis Hamilton's turn as he overtook Vettel and took a two-point lead in the championship race Photograph: Peter J Fox/Getty Images

Fernando Alonso won in front of his home fans at the Valencia Street Circuit. He shared the podium at the European GP with Michael Schumacher, who earned his first top-three finish since returning from retirement Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images

Qualifying at Silverstone for the British grand prix was a wet affair, as Britain shipped a month's worth of rain in the space of two days. The track was drier on race day, when Webber's superior tyre strategy earned him victory at Alonso's expense Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Alonso returned to form at the German GP with a pole-to-flag victory, while Vettel was knocked back from second to fifth by the stewards after passing Jenson Button illegally Photograph: Tom Gandolfini/AFP/Getty Images

Victory for Lewis Hamilton in Hungary brought him back into contention in the championship race, but Alonso nonetheless extended his overall lead over Webber to 40 points Photograph: Tom Gandolfini/AFP/Getty Images

A huge crash at Spa in Belgium put an end to the races of four drivers, including the Lotus driver Romain Grosjean, who caused the pile-up, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. Jenson Button, who had qualified in pole position, won the race Photograph: Tom Gandolfini/AFP/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton enjoyed victory in Italy, with Sergio Perez claiming another podium finish. Neither of the Red Bull cars finished the race Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

In a race that was shortened by two laps due to lengthy periods behind the safety-car, Vettel earned his second win of the season ahead of Button and Alonso Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Vettel won again in Japan to reduce Alonso's championship lead to four points Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

And when the German won his third consecutive race in Korea, he assumed control of title race by six points. Alonso finished third Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

India provided Vettel with his fourth straight win, but Alonso conceded only seven points to his rival by finishing second Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

The former world champion Kimi Raikkonen drove his Lotus to victory in Abu Dhabi, but it was not quite enough to keep his faint title hopes alive Photograph: isifa/Getty Images

Instead, Vettel and Alonso went to the penultimate race - the US grand prix at the new track in Austin, Texas - knowing that it was a straight shoot-out between the two of them. Victory for Lewis Hamilton meant Vettel, who finished second, could not seal the title. Instead it went down to the final race of the season in Brazil ... Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

There's a big scare for Sebastian Vettal just after the start at Interlagos when Bruno Senna collides with him and Vettel spins and faces the oncoming cars. His car is damaged on the left side and he's told over the radio that the damage can't be fixed Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

He drives a controlled race in very wet conditions to bring his car home in sixth place Photograph: Sutton Images/Corbis

Which means that despite Alonso's second place, the Red Bull driver claims the 2012 drivers title Photograph: Ricardo Mazalan/AP

With Vettel being the first driver to win three consecutive drivers's championships, the German and the rest of the Red Bull team celebrate this amazing achievement Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images