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Lewis Hamilton's fifth world title is a true drivers championship forged under the immense pressure of this generation's two most successful drivers going head-to-head in a bid to cement their greatness.
But the size of Hamilton's victory, two rounds before the end of the season, how close Sebastian Vettel ran him in the first half of the season.
For so much of 2018 Ferrari had a car at least a match, if not marginally quicker than, Mercedes. Vettel, driving superbly early in the year, also held healthy points at key moments.
But his challenge unraveled after ten rounds and concluded in his insurmountable 64-point deficit at the Mexican Grand Prix, assuring Hamilton's victory.
There's no doubt Hamilton's victory was hard earned, but it's also going to be a good thing that they'll be looking back on a season. Vettel and Ferrari should have won their momentum early in the year.
That is, had Vettel's string of errors not undermined his own title.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P4.
The first of Vettel's errors is the most forgivable. Valtteri Bottas for the lead on the first turn, but instead he committed a massive lock-up and dropped to fifth.
Fifth became fourth, however, when he had inherited second place from Vettel.
It was fair enough for Vettel to have a crack for the full 25 points, and obviously it was not to know Bottoms would retire, but a more tempered attempt on the Finn would have paid dividends.
Revised result: Vettel P1, Hamilton P2.
Revised points: Vettel 79, Hamilton 63.
French Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P5.
Mercedes was a step ahead of Ferrari in France, but Vettel was still a little nabbed third on the grid, which is where he could have done a good job.
It would not be the first time we'd see Vettel first-lap crash, and it cost him five points.
Revised result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P3.
Revised points: Vettel 149, Hamilton 138.
Austrian Grand Prix
Actual result: Vettel P3, Hamilton DNF.
Vettel qualified third behind both Mercedes drivers, but a careless error in Q2, when he blocked Renault 's Carlos Sainz, dropped him three places to sixth.
Of the five frontrunners ahead of him, Bottas, Ricciardo, and Hamilton retired with technical problems, leaving behind Verstappen to steal a home victory for Red Bull Racing that could've been Vettel's had he started where he'd qualified.
Revised result: Vettel P1, Hamilton DNF.
Revised points: Vettel 164, Hamilton 138.
German Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P1, Vettel DNF.
By far the Ferrari driver is most famous at home in Germany. Starting from pole with Hamilton in 14th, he controlled the race right up until the rain started falling.
Vettel was one of those who managed to get away from it all.
Revised result: Vettel P1, Hamilton P2.
Revised points: Vettel 214, Hamilton 174.
Midseason break
Actual points: Hamilton 213, Vettel 189.
Revised points: Vettel 199, Hamilton 232.
Revised turnaround: 57 points.
Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix immediately before the midseason break thanks to a prodigious wet-weather qualifying lap that snookered the faster Ferrari cars, taking a 24-point lead into the summer.
But had Vettel made more mistakes, he could have a comfortable 33-point advantage post-Hungary, a difference more representative of Ferrari's advantage over the first part of the season.
Italian Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P4.
While Germany was Vettel's most costly mistake, his first-lap crash in Italy was the most heartbreaking given a key contributor in turning Ferrari's front-row lockout into dust.
Vettel made a meal to pass to teammate and pole-sitter Kimi Raikkonen on the first turn, which opened the door to third-place Hamilton on the run to turns four and five.
The Briton hung around Vettel's outside, but Vettel understeered into his side, sending himself spinning down the order. He won to fourth, but not before Mercedes outwitted and outnumbered Ferrari to steal Raikkonen's lead to record at one-two finish.
Revised result: Vettel P1, Hamilton P3.
Revised points: Vettel 282, Hamilton 232.
Japanese Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P6.
Hamilton's wins in Singapore and Russia had the title Vettel's reach. A Ferrari tactical error in qualifying left the German eighth on the grid, but a strong start to fourth behind Max Verstappen and the two leading Mercedes drivers.
Spoon curve – despite the fact Verstappen was to serve a five-second penalty – dropping him down the field and forcing him into another recession .
Revised result: Hamilton P1, Vettel P3.
Revised points: Vettel 327, Hamilton 307.
United States Grand Prix
Actual result: Hamilton P3, Vettel P4.
What was the first of 2018's potential title? Definitely a chance for a final push to extinguish Hamilton's title challenge. With Ferrari finally undoing its botched series of updates, Vettel clearly had the pace to score a sizable blow against his title rival.
Red Car Racing – this time Daniel Ricciardo – and dropped to the back of the field. Such was the pace of the Ferrari car, he was able to recover to fourth, strongly suggesting the 25 points could've been his.
Revised result: Vettel P1, Hamilton P4.
Revised points: Vettel 352, Hamilton 319.
Mexican Grand Prix
Actual result: Vettel P2, Hamilton P4
Revised points: Vettel 370, Hamilton 331
After Mercedes's struggles at the Mexican Grand Prix and Vettel's second-place finish, Sebastian would be in the box to claim the title in Brazil, where he would only need to prevent .
Instead he was forced to concede defeat.
"I think it's superbly better," Vettel admitted. "I wanted to keep it up and keep it going …"
It is fair to say that these are the errors committed under pressure, but it is a devastating rap sheet for Vettel nonetheless. Vettel's standing in F1.
Michael Schumacher – but now time is running out to replicate the feats of his idol. Schumacher was similarly in a championship-winning position in his fourth year at Maranello until he broke out of the game.
Could you imagine Vettel attaining a similar level of hegemony to Hamilton on the same grid? It seems unlikely.
Of course Vettel has a chance to redeem itself next season, and it would be the mark of a better to come back to a stronger fight against his rival, but in 2019 he will also have to overcome young gun Charles Leclerc in the other car, with the Monegasque rated as his generation foremost talent.
Undoubtedly 2018 has been a bruising season for Sebastian Vettel, but it's a question of whether or not to win the championship.
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