2014’s top motorsport moments

Tricky-to-overtake-on city circuits, a dubious ‘fanboost' social media hurry-up feature and whiney-sounding cars - it's fair to say many were sceptical about the new FIA-approved Formula E series. But the championship is indeed up and running, and after a monster crash on the final lap of the first race, matters in ‘leccy motorsport weren't as dull as first feared. One to watch - it's supposedly the future...

Gulf 917. Rothmans 962. Mobil 911 GT1. Porsche's Le Mans heritage is a treasure chest of iconic liveries adorning sub-zero cool cars. After a twenty-year absence, Porsche is back in the top tier of endurance racing following its 2014 renaissance, in which the 919 Hybrid gave a real scare to the Audi R18 and Toyota TS040.

By the Belgian GP in August, it had long been clear that the 2014 title was going to be fought out between two men, both of whom drove a Mercedes Silver Arrow.

That fight got nasty when Nico Rosberg appeared to collide with Lewis Hamilton at Les Combes on the very first lap, causing the Brit a puncture. Hamilton, who retired five laps from the end of the race, claimed Rosberg - who won, and was booed on the podium - had caused the incident to ‘prove a point'. Rosberg left Spa with a 29-point lead, but it wouldn't carry him to the title...

On 10 August 2014, 21-year old Spaniard Marc Marquez became only the third elite motorcycle rider in history to win ten races in a row. His run of victories ended with a fourth place at the following event in the Czech Republic, but a further four wins before the end of the season gave the likeable Marquez his second MotoGP title in as many years, meaning an incredible 100 per cent championship-entry-to-win ratio. 

Here's hoping the newly formed FIA World Rallycross series gets some real traction next year, because what's not to like about 600bhp superminis charging around on a half-dirt, half-tarmaced racetrack?

This year's inaugural season was won by 2003 WRC champ Petter Solberg, who took five victories. It's like the best bits of touring cars and rallying all rolled into one event, and proves even elite motorsport has a sense of humour.

F1 2014 was a classic of a season, but it also brought a sobering reminder how treacherous the ultimate in circuit motorsport remains. Following Jules Bianchi's 5th October collision with a recovery truck in appalling Suzuka weather, the 25-year-old Frenchman is thankfully out of his coma, and been deemed well enough to be moved from Japan to France for further treatment.

His accident has already brought about safety changes regarding tow truck positioning at racetracks, and re-raised the debate over open-cockpit racing cars. Above all else, everyone at TG wishes Bianchi the very best with his recovery.

It wouldn't be a year in motorsport without the good ol' boys of NASCAR celebrating race's end with a socking great punch-up.

2014's finest example came at the Texas 500, sparked off by Brad Keselowski giving Kevin Harvick a playground push towards Jeff Gordon, and ending in a melee involving all three pit crews.

As well as the spectacle of grown men scrapping in the pit-lane, live feed viewers also heard Gordon swear during his post race (and fight) interview. However, he and the other drives escaped punishment - only the slap-happy mechanics were reprimanded. 

Scuderia Ferrari has fired more people than Lord Sugar this year. Team Principal Stefan Domenicali was ‘replaced' by Marco Mattiaci in April, who then ‘made way' for Maurizio Arrivabene in November.

Ferrari also ‘said goodbye' to its charismatic supremo Luca di Montezemolo after 24 years at the helm, with tension between LdM and Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne bubbling close to the surface. Ferrari also ‘removed' F1 designer Nicholas Tombazis after the F14 T failed to perform. How long will Seb Vet last at Maranello?

Not many race teams are seen grinning merrily after their car retires half an hour into the 24 Hours of Le Mans with mechanical failure. But the boys and girls behind Nissan's wild ‘Garage 56' entry, the ZEOD RC, were rightly chuffed with their efforts at the 2014 event.

The Son Of DeltaWing managed to achieve 300kph (186mph) and score the first ever all-electric racing lap of la Sarthe - before the old-fashioned combustion engine's gearbox failed, disabling the entire car. A pity, but it didn't stop the ZEOD making history in a year that's seen hybrid racing cars really hit the mainstream.

2014 has been a sensational year for British motorsport talent. We don't need to tell you that Lewis Hamilton scored his second F1 title, in a Mercedes designed and built in Brackley, Northamptonshire. And he won the Silverstone GP for good measure.

But that's just the tip of the homegrown success iceberg. The World Endurance Championship title went to ex-F1 man Anthony Davidson of Toyota, while Jolyon Palmer and Alex Lynn won the GP2 and GP3 series respectively.

Plus, with young guns Will Stevens, Jann Mardenborough and Charlie Robertson climbing the ladder in F1, GP3 and LMP3 respectively, the outlook for British racing champs across the disciplines ain't looking too shabby either.

Forget football's transfer deadline day - the most hair-brained job-seeking in sport has to be Formula One's ‘silly season', and 2014 was a humdinger.

Both Sauber drivers binned, 17-year-old Max Verstappen going to Torro Rosso, and then the big boys - Alonso returning to McLaren (nobody mention 2008) after a disappointing stint at Ferrari, Vettel ditching Red Bull for the Scuderia, and McLaren f-i-n-a-l-l-y giving Jenson Button the nod over Kevin Magnussen for 2014.

Next year's F1 grid has more sub-plots than a Game of Thrones novel...