2013 was a positive year for Lewis Hamilton as both he and Mercedes comprehensively exceeded expectations.

In the middle of the year Hamilton seemed to hit the sweet spot with the car. He qualified on the front row of the grid for seven races in a row including four pole positions.

He converted one of those into his sole victory of the year in Hungary. This was a top-drawer performance all weekend, beginning with a superb qualifying lap to narrowly beat Vettel. In the race he made quick passes when in traffic – including a well-judged, opportunistic move on Mark Webber – to get into the precious clear air he needed to look after his tyres.

An indifferent couple of races in India and Abu Dhabi were later blamed on chassis damage that had initially gone undetected (his suspension also failed in qualifying at Yas Marina). He enjoyed a stronger race in Austin after that, but a potential podium finish in Brazil was lost after he collided with Bottas.

Overall, the season was a succes which saw Hamilton consistently in the hunt for strong points finishes.