The end of an era in F1, and the start of a new age?

Schumacher waves to the fans at the re-race parade in Singapore 2012

What a season of Formula 1... I haven't been a real fan for very long, more like a casual fan from 1998 until 2005. But WOW what a year of F1! So many plotlines, so much action and so much drama that I'll need bulletpoints to keep from droning on:

• Most former champions ever racing at the same time (six - Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen)

• Seven different winners (Button, Alonso, Nico Rosberg, Vettel, Pastor Maldonado, Mark Webber, and Hamilton), in the first seven races, including two first-time winners (Rosberg and Maldonado)

By Round 7, each of these three would already have a race win. Unfortunately for Maldonado, it would be his only win

• Michael Schumacher's retirement and final season/farewell tour, that netted him all of one podium, due to a combination of declining skills and an unreliable car

• Kimi Raikkonen's triumphant return to F1 after a disastrous end to his Ferrari stint, which crumbled as soon as he won his first World Championship. He improbably placed 3rd in the Driver's Championship, despite driving for a car that many thought would be a second-tier team (Lotus, aka the corpse of Reneault). My favorite moment of his comeback? Kimi telling his pit crew to basically shut up and let him drive

Raikkonen looking as passive as ever

• A former championship contender (Felipe Massa, 2nd in 2008 by just one point) in a competitive car (Ferrari) free-falling into oblivion, causing everyone and their mother to bet that he will not be retained, and then inexplicably returning to form with two podiums and six top-f finishes in the last ten races, while keeping his seat for 2013

• The drama of Lewis Hamilton's decision whether to stay with McLaren or go to another team, which he finally did when he signed with Mercedes GP

• Sebastian Vettel's second ever Perfect Weekend (Pole, Led every lap, Win, Fastest Lap) in Suzuka

• The successful return of Formula 1 in the US, with the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas

• The rise of young talent - Rosberg, Maldonado, Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean getting podiums and Maldonado and Grosjean's penchant for crashing, especially in the opening lap

• Sebastian Vettel becoming the youngest ever F1 Triple World Champion, beating out Fernando Alonso by just 3 points, with the Ferrari ace reaching the podium in all of the last five races

Can Fernando Alonso build on the momentum of reaching the podium in all of the last 5 races of 2012?

It's fitting, i think, that Vettel became a Triple World Champion in Sao Paolo yesterday by finishing just ahead of the last man to claim that title, Michael Schumacher.

Michael under hard braking in Singapore 2010

For the record, even in Micheal's prime, I was more of a Mikka Hakkinen guy. I thought Schumi was a bit too cut-throat for my liking, and I preferred the cool, quiet confidence of the Flying Finn. But there is no doubt in my mind that with everything Schumacher has achieved, he is arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time. With much respect to Ayrton Senna, who might be the fastest driver ever, I think Schumacher had the best combination of speed, mental toughness, technical prowess, adaptability, and public savvy of any F1 driver ever. That is evident with how many titles he has won - seven, with Benetton and Ferrari - in the span of ten years.

I took this  photo at the Paddock of the 2012 Singapore GP, moments before getting Schumi's autograph

I will miss watching him, and despite being a McLaren fan first, I could never root against Schumacher. Someone once said that rooting against such a virtuoso athlete would be like rooting against Picasso or Mozart. I think - Senna and maybe Juan Manuel Fangio or Gilles Villaneuve aside - Schumi is the most revered F1 driver of all time. I was lucky enough to see him in person in the Singapore GP. It was around 10:30pm after a long day of qualifying. And he was just chatting with a Ferrari team member, but the crowd around him was grew within seconds, and many were intimidated to even walk up to him. I was lucky enough to get him to sign an autograph for me. Though he didn't say anything, he graciously accepted the autograph request after a long and grueling qualifying session.

Sebastian celebrates his win in Singapore 2012 after qualifying 3rd

Vettel's story, on the other hand, is just beginning. While it remains to be seen if he can have the longevity of Michael's career, he has proven himself to be a driver for the ages. He joined Schumacher and Fangio as the only Triple World Champions, and did it winning three in a row (Fangio has won 4 in a row, and Schumi 5 consecutive).  After long battling the notion that he is only good when he starts at pole position, his furious charge from the back of the grid to 3rd place in Abu Dhabi proved he can also fight it out with the best of them. And of course, he is still a virtual lock when out in front. Still, it will be interesting to see how he fares when he isn't in the fastest car on the grid.

The Red Bull crew working on Vettel's RB8

I am definitely hooked for next year. So many possibilities abound. Vettel is the obvious favorite. Ferrari and McLaren both finished strong, and with champions like Alonso and Button leading them, they will be in the mix. Button in particular might be stronger now that he has the undisputed number one spot in McLaren. Raikkonen already proved that he can win, and that Lotus can give him a car that will be competitive. And now that Hamilton has moved to Mercedes, Ross Brawn has a top-flight driver to develop a car around, like he did when Schumacher was in his stable. that's five teams that have a chance to do something special, with five championship-winning drivers.

Will Jenson Button's status as McLaren's number one man mean a title?

Bring on the funny season!