13 A personal highlight. I watched the last part of qualifying at Silverstone, standing on the grass bank on the inside of the bridge on the Hangar Straight. With no diamond vision screen close-by, the only way we knew Lewis Hamilton had pole was when we saw and heard the reception for him as he drove out of Copse, and slowly into Maggots and Becketts and then towards us through Chapel, waving and pumping his fists. It was a beautiful summer's day as he continued round the circuit with the cheers drifting in the breeze as he went on his way, greeted by thousands of his new fans.

12 The fans. Hamilton has made a point throughout the season of taking time to acknowledge fans and to sign autographs and look people in the eye. Even in his darkest moments he has remembered those cheering him on. A good example was when he managed to free one of his arms from the straps on the stretcher, to wave at the crowds applauding him, as he was being carried into an ambulance after crashing heavily in qualifying at the Nurburgring.

11 Apology. After causing mayhem in the team at Hungary where he disobeyed orders to let Fernando Alonso overtake in the third section of qualifying, Hamilton openly and publically apologised for what he had done (even though his misdemeanour paled in comparison to that of Alonso who, in retaliation, prevented Hamilton from taking pole and was subsequently penalised five places on the grid). Few Formula One drivers apologise for anything in public but Hamilton did so.

10 Humour. As the season has gone on, Hamilton has relaxed more and more and we have enjoyed seeing the real man come out from under the understandably cautious and nervous individual at the start. He has a great sense of humour. In Italy Kimi Raikkonen was asked at the post-race conference why he had been talking to Hamilton on the grid. Raikkonen looked mystified and said that they had not been talking. "Must have been some other black dude," muttered Hamilton.

9 That first podium finish in his first race in Melbourne back in March. Hamilton started as we now know he meant to go on by sweeping round the outside to take second place from Alonso. He out-drove the Spaniard for most of the Australian Grand Prix and was overtaken by the reigning world champion, to finish third, only in the pits. This was the moment Hamilton had been waiting for, a race in which he proved that his form in pre-season testing would be carried through into the races themselves.

8 Hamilton's "Schumacher moment" at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. Controversial it may have been, but Hamilton's presence of mind when stuck in the gravel at Turn 1 (after he had aquaplaned off) and his refusal to get out of his car which was then craned back onto the track, showed his utter determination not to give up until all was lost and reminded many of Michael Schumacher.

7 Silverstone and the British Grand Prix was not Hamilton's best weekend. However he produced a fine pole-winning drive on Saturday and, although he finished only third on Sunday, this completed his extraordinary run of nine consecutive podium finishes in his first nine races in Formula One. This comprised two race wins, four seconds and three thirds.

6 The race win in Hungary. Once again Hamilton never put a foot wrong but you have to remember the context. That weekend he and Alonso found themselves at the centre of one of the biggest on-track rows in the sport's history with the so-called "pitlane-gate" fiasco. Most drivers would have found their concentration affected but Hamilton put it all behind him and drove with precision from pole to flag.

5 Hamilton's victory in the Canadian Grand Prix. This was the British rookie's first career win in Formula One and it was executed in difficult circumstances in a race which included four safety car interruptions and re-starts. Hamilton was mistake-free and kept his focus while more experienced men - especially Alonso - struggled in his wake.

4 Hamilton's battle with Felipe Massa in the opening laps of the Malaysian Grand Prix. In his pre-occupation with team-mate Raikkonen, who started behind him in third place, Felipe had let both Alonso and Hamilton through at the first corner, having started from pole. The Brazilian was determined to muscle his way past Hamilton but the Briton proved up to the task in only his second race, eventually out-braking Massa who ran wide and finished fifth, while Hamilton went on to come second.

3 Hamilton's pass on Kimi Raikkonen to retain second place in the closing stages of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Having been overtaken "in the pits" by the Iceman, Hamilton wanted his place back. He had two laps to do it on fresh rubber and he went for it at the first chicane - it was audacious, risky and beautifully executed (even if Kimi was struggling with a neck strain). Few, if any, other drivers would have attempted this, let alone pulled it off.

2 Hamilton's great drive in appalling conditions at the Fuji Speedway to win the Japanese Grand Prix and set up his final assault on the championship at the end of the season. Hamilton himself regards this as his greatest ever win so who are we to argue. A long safety car period, treacherous track conditions and even a spin thanks to Robert Kubica did not shake Hamilton's resolve.

1 The beginning of lap 39 at the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. This was the moment when Alonso asked Hamilton the ultimate question as the Spaniard drew alongside the Briton at 185mph and tried to get through. The attempted pass came after Alonso had been complaining on the radio to the pitwall that he should be allowed through because he was quicker. When the moment came on the long pit straight at the Brickyard, Hamilton kept his nerve and stood his ground and went on to win.