Driver Your top ten drivers of the F1 season - Page 5

Knowlesy · 30 Dec 2012, 13:49 (Ref:3182953)

Let's cut out the xenophobia accusations then.

**Adam43** · 30 Dec 2012, 13:52 (Ref:3182955)

OK then. No personal derogatory remarks and no accusations of bias when people post their order. Accept it at face value.

That is enough of that, back to the top ten...

**Aysedasi** · 30 Dec 2012, 15:57 (Ref:3182991)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

True that, I was always on here banging on about the passion displayed in the many great drives of Fisichella and Trulli.

Who?

Oh them.

Yes, I do just remember them.......

wolfhound · 3 Jan 2013, 13:02 (Ref:3184197)

Crash.net have finalised their F1 driver rankings after 70,000 votes makes interesting reading as to who was in and who was out. I don't agree with all their results but that will always be the way with subjective ranking tables.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/187079/...l_results.html

spider · 3 Jan 2013, 16:07 (Ref:3184240)

Bit late to see this thread.

Mine would be quite clear in terms of the 4 stand-out drivers of the year:

1. Fernando Alonso

For someone who is apparently not the fastest driver, by his own admission, he utterly destroyed Massa most of the season and was always there right up the top in a car that was probably inferior to the Lotus, McLaren and Red Bull over the course of the season, so pretty impressive.

2. Lewis Hamilton

I agree that he seemed far more rounded this season and comprehensively out-paced Jenson, embarrassingly so at Canada. Still, silly naivety in moments like Valencia are a question mark and why does he have so many breakdowns? Misfortune (most likely), or is he really just a bit too hard on a slightly fragile car? Great win in Austin and some brilliant drives. He's made a brilliant brilliant career decision in going to Mercedes, I truly believe that it will be the making of him.

3. Sebastian Vettel

Same as others he was outpaced by Mark too often when the car was poor to be the main man - but his comeback was meteoric and almost robotic. Agree with others, the ease that he goes by drivers is so efficient he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Easily one of the three top drivers on the grid - and I'd have him in my team above Lewis, for his ruthless ability to deliver win after win, best car or not.

*Bit of a gap*

4. Kimi Raikkonen

Had doubts over his comeback, based on seeing Michael. Not as fast as the three above, nor as quick over a lap as Grosjean, but used his brain to just rack up point finish after point finish. Was always in and around the top 4/5 just pounding around racking up the points - excellent season. Having said that, Lotus insiders feel that had they had Alonso this year they'd have delivered a title...which doesn't reflect brilliantly on Kimi or Romain...

*Big gap to next best*

5. Nico Hulkenberg

For Sao Paolo alone he rocketed above the 'best of the rest' category. After a year out, and with only one season of F1 behind him in a pretty average car, he was outpaced by Di Resta to start with, but efficiently got the upper hand and you'd have to point to Nico having the greater overall potential...by quite some distance.

6. Jenson Button

Three race wins, but a shoddy mid-season that was borderline unacceptable. With arguably the quickest guy on the grid as his team-mate, to be so close to him over the course of a season in points and to be able to give Lewis a run for his money on many occasions is really really impressive. Brazil was excellent. Canada, embarrassing.

7. Sergio Perez

Some superb drives for the first part of the season, well, up until signing for McLaren. But, difficult to truly rate - as it's tough to know just how good Kobayashi is. It was clearly a very good car...but he was battling right at the sharp-end. Bottled it in Malaysia though...

8. Timo Glock

Almost tempted to go for Pic here as his first season was excellent - to take on a team in front and beat the Caterham's on the occasions where they had the slimmest of advantages was very very impressive from Marussia, given the lack of budget and KERS. Timo was awesome in Singapore and inspired in Brazil. Almost getting lapped by Pic in Hungary was utterly average though.

9. Daniel Ricciardo

Outscored, outpaced and out raced the highly rated JEV. The car was frustratingly in no mans land. But the duel between the two of them was fascinating for those paying attention. Excellent drives to points finishes. Should be given a lot of credit for a solid year.

10. Mark Webber

Really uninspiring form towards seasons-end, and it's tough to pick - Mark, Kamui, Charles Pic...not sure. But Mark's win in Silverstone deserves credit. Kamui's podium is impressive as was Spa. Charles almost lapped Timo at Hungary - unnoticed by many, but that was impressive. But Mark gets the nod - outpaced the Champion at the start of the season, but why oh why did he drop away like that?!

Maldonado, Rosberg, Grosjean and Schumacher had highs too, but PM/Grosjean and Schumacher's errors at time were pathetic. Rosberg looked immense in China, but the fact Michael, at the age of 43 was consistently faster towards the end of the season is a bit embarrassing, regardless of how good TGF once was.

strider · 4 Jan 2013, 01:06 (Ref:3184431)

I only dropped by briefly to see how things were going and it seems to be much as before!

Before leaving, I have to leave you with this: http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/07129

Lotus have played the Kimi card perfectly. They have placed no sponsorship or PR demands on him so he's happy and has rewarded them with an amazing comeback season. Lotus have milked his PR value in other ways and the result is what you see in the poll.

Ferrari failed abysmally to understand him and even McLaren couldn't stop themselves from attempting to mould him to their stereotype, simply because that's their way.

davyboy · 4 Jan 2013, 09:09 (Ref:3184514)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Before leaving, I have to leave you with this: http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/07129

Lotus have played the Kimi card perfectly. They have placed no sponsorship or PR demands on him so he's happy and has rewarded them with an amazing comeback season. Lotus have milked his PR value in other ways and the result is what you see in the poll.

Ferrari failed abysmally to understand him and even McLaren couldn't stop themselves from attempting to mould him to their stereotype, simply because that's their way.

You make an excellent point here. In fact, the corporate-speak disseminated by F1 PR machines is really from a bygone, pre-social media, era. It feels stale and from what we've seen on many of these polls is not working. Lotus/Renault's approach feels refreshing, authentic, fits Kimi like a glove and works so much better in today's social media driven era.

**Born Racer** · 4 Jan 2013, 14:41 (Ref:3184607)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

I only dropped by briefly to see how things were going and it seems to be much as before!

Before leaving, I have to leave you with this: http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/07129

Lotus have played the Kimi card perfectly. They have placed no sponsorship or PR demands on him so he's happy and has rewarded them with an amazing comeback season. Lotus have milked his PR value in other ways and the result is what you see in the poll.

Ferrari failed abysmally to understand him and even McLaren couldn't stop themselves from attempting to mould him to their stereotype, simply because that's their way.

Good point, Strider. I always felt Kimi was maligned. It seems he's worked his way into people's hearts a bit more, partly ironically, for what he is not than for what he is, i.e. not a PR type.

**Aysedasi** · 4 Jan 2013, 15:18 (Ref:3184622)

It is a good point. I wasn't a fan. I considered him enormously over-rated, but I've warmed to him this season more and more simply because he really doesn't give a monkey's what anyone else thinks, about him or about anything else.....

**chunterer** · 4 Jan 2013, 16:21 (Ref:3184649)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

It is a good point. I wasn't a fan. I considered him enormously over-rated, but I've warmed to him this season more and more simply because he really doesn't give a monkey's what anyone else thinks, about him or about anything else.....

That's it in a nutshell. He is a rare breed these days, and you're right he doesn't care as he's got nothing to prove. A lot of the current lot are too wary of their contracts and position in F1 to be themselves so we don't really get to know what they're like.

Greem · 4 Jan 2013, 16:53 (Ref:3184665)

I wonder sometimes whether the barrel rolls, impacts with trees and lumps of concrete, sliding into ditches and all those other things he experienced in the WRC made him think deep thoughts about life and how precious it is.

Then I look back further to his earlier F1 days and think... Naaaah, he's just the same as he was back then

wnut · 4 Jan 2013, 22:50 (Ref:3184860)

"Yes yes I know what I am doing, let me alone."

Would have gone over big at Ferrari or McLaren, would have probably resulted in an official warning or some sort of bureaucratic guff.
Which in turn would have gone over big with Kimi!
Then followed up by the "short cut".
Pretty easy to see how that would have resulted in a downward spiral!

Good to see him being allowed to be himself.

**Aysedasi** · 5 Jan 2013, 10:54 (Ref:3185024)

I can't profess to be inclined to 'follow' any driver much in 2013, but I'll smile if Kimi performs to his best, both verbally and in the car......

ensign14 · 6 Jan 2013, 15:49 (Ref:3185547)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Ferrari failed abysmally to understand him and even McLaren couldn't stop themselves from attempting to mould him to their stereotype, simply because that's their way.

I've never understood why McLaren would be willing to risk titles and tens of millions of whatever goes with it for the sake of making a driver dress up as Apollo or shake hands with the head of Vodafone sales in Ecuador or whatever.

strider · 6 Jan 2013, 18:31 (Ref:3185602)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I can't profess to be inclined to 'follow' any driver much in 2013, but I'll smile if Kimi performs to his best, both verbally and in the car......

Now that's progress!

Latest Kimi news is that he featured in three of Sky F1's best overtaking moves of the season, the best being him on Schumacher at Eau Rouge.

JeremySmith · 6 Jan 2013, 19:41 (Ref:3185628)

Kimi is the silent version of Senna...

**Aysedasi** · 6 Jan 2013, 19:44 (Ref:3185631)

Easy now - that's a bit too much of a jump for me.......

strider · 7 Jan 2013, 22:49 (Ref:3186205)

It seems that the Lotus team owner knew exactly what he was doing and how it would work out. Very smart man. http://www.autosport.com/news/report...ce=mostpopular

**Born Racer** · 7 Jan 2013, 22:54 (Ref:3186211)

Agreed, strider. McLaren should have taken note re: Lewis and PR days.

**Bononi** · 9 Jan 2013, 11:37 (Ref:3186812)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Kimi is the silent version of Senna...

...right foot or left foot ?

Marbot · 10 Jan 2013, 00:34 (Ref:3187114)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

...right foot or left foot ?

Leave him alone, he knows what he's doing.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Your top ten drivers from the 2006 Formula 1 season.	Knowlesy	Formula One	75	20 Dec 2006 18:55
Top Ten Drivers of 2006	Raven	IRL Indycar Series	9	8 Nov 2006 06:18
Your top ten drivers from the 2005 Formula 1 season	Knowlesy	Formula One	160	24 Dec 2005 09:02
Who are your top ten F1 drivers?	chunterer	Formula One	42	1 Jan 2004 19:39
Top Ten Drivers of 2002	SJ Spode	Rallying & Rallycross	3	10 Dec 2002 15:42