[Official] Driver of the race: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2014

[Born Racer]

Who is your driver of the final race of the 2014 season?

[dsg]

No contest.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Felipe Massa.
He made the best pictures ever of 2014 IMO.

[Knowlesy]

Lewis.

However, Massa and Ricciardo were sensational too. And a good recovery from Bottas.

[bella]

will stevens

oh wait

no, lewis was flawless, and did what he needed to with a good attitude.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Well, Lewis was mega, Nico was valiant if not as good, Massa was almighty, Ricciardo was phenomenal, and I was impressed by Button, Kvyat and the FI drivers too.

But I have to say Felipe for nearly (debatable?) winning.

[numbersix]

Has to be Lewis but I must applaud Ricciardo for thrashing his 4 x WDC teammate.

[GT6]

Massa gets it from me

[JacobP]

I have to say that this is one of those races when I can't give the top honors to the race winner. Hamilton won by default after Rosberg's car started having issues. I give the top spot to Massa, reluctantly.

[Mekola]

Will Stevens started and finished a race that was in risk to not to be present by him or his team. Meteoric effort and well done. My vote for him.

[Lancsbreaker]

I don't think Lewis won by default - he won in the first few hundred yards.....and controlled it thereafter, so he gets it. Certainly unfortunate for Nico, and all credit to him for refusing the teams suggestion to retire - although by that time it would have taken half the field to have to retire to give him a chance of the championship.

Also a big nod to the Williams pair and Smiling Dan, who all put on great performances.

[TrapezeArtist]

I gave it to Massa, though on second thoughts I may have been a bit generous. He only got close to Lewis because Lulu was being uber-conservative.

Otherwise I am torn between Lewis, Valerie and Dan the Man.

Lewis: because he could have gone so much faster if he needed to, and he did what he needed to do and became WORLD CHAMPION. Great to hear the British national anthem playing for another British world champion. And quite good to hear the Brackley national anthem playing too.

[bjohnsonsmith]

The obvious choice is Lewis but there were also great drives from Massa, and Ricciardo with 4th place, after starting from pit lane. Congrats to Will Stevens on starting and finishing his first GP.

Ricciardo.

[doug911]

Originally Posted by JacobP

I have to say that this is one of those races when I can't give the top honors to the race winner. Hamilton won by default after Rosberg's car started having issues. I give the top spot to Massa, reluctantly.

That's rubbish, Hamilton won by the first corner and was totally in control from there onwards!

Massa did well as did Button (as usual!)

[stripedcat]

It has to be Lewis. He effectively won it at the start. Even if Nico had not had car issues - I don't think he had the speed to catch and pass Lewis.

Runner-up = Felipe baby! He kept his cool at the start - unlike his teammate and made his way to 2nd place(thanks to Nico's problems).

Honourable mentions to :-

Riccardio - So more good overtakes - the one with Vergne was good. A valiant drive to 4th. Plus, he beat his teammate, again.

Nico - Hey, he might not have had what it took to beat Lewis today - but a valiant drive to the finish in a broken car. It's got to be said that he has been a worthy competitor to Lewis for all this year. I think that might have surprised a few people.

Bottas - He mucked up the start, but good recovery drive. Plus, he claimed 4th in the WDC. As well as help Williams claim 3rd in the WCC.

Jenson - A decent drive to 5th. Plus, he did put up a decent tussle with Alonso. F1 will be a much less interesting place without him. A shame.

[F1Pete]

Kimi. He has been voted DOTR for every race of the season. Surely this makes him DOTS.

[Teretonga]

Hamilton was mighty on the start and controlled it well. Massa put in what was in my opinion one of his best drives of the year. Button was as measured and cool as usual and Ricciardo was awesome from the back.

I gave it to Ricciardo but emotionally I am delighted for Lewis Hamilton who dominated and took the title after a difficult season.

[Oldtony]

Drive of the race Danny Ricciardo. Pit lane to 4th and a series of fastest laps.
To me he also rates as driver of the season. He really was the main factor in introducing some degree of unpredictability and interest into the whole season.
It would have been very easy for him to get all sulky after his Albert Park relegation. He didn't and took it to the Mercs. all year with some stirring drives.

[IceMan_PJN]

It's a bit hard to pick one driver. I want to give credit to Hamilton for salvaging the start and the race in general, Massa threatening to win, and Ricciardo for climbing through most of the field from pit lane.

[Born Racer]

Plenty of contenders.

Massa did a fine job. He seems to have pulled a bit back to Bottas in recent races, so I'm happy to see him looking more justified in that seat. I didn't like Martin Brundle's way of introducing a question to him on the podium, asking him about losing out on the championship in 2008 right at the end. As if he needed reminding about that when he was supposed to be celebrating in that podium interview. I don't know, I thought it badly timed and not a great thing to say.

Ricciardo was spectacular and got the job done again. Vettel looked rather crestfallen in the BBC interview. Daniel Ricciardo really has been so impressive this year to beat the four-time world champion so much and so comprehensively.

Kvyat showed a lot of potential until the end of his race.

Jenson ended his excellent end of the season (and possibly F1 career) with another decent performance. Maybe Magnussen is quick, but if he is as quick as many and McLaren say, JB's taken it to him this year.

It's a pity we couldn't see another Hamilton VS Rosberg battle, but it was over for Nico too soon. Still, Hamilton had dominated what they'd had so far.

For me, the driver of the day is Lewis Hamilton. His race summed up his season in many ways, albeit without needing a dramatic overtake. His start was metronomic and his pace was sufficiently quick yet calmly controlled even before his opposition began to fall by the wayside.

[Razzzor]

Yeah I'd say Ricciardo driver of the season as well. I'm going to try hard to become a fan for next year - couldn't this year because I like Vettel, but damnation Vettel just got thrashed yet again.

They start together in the pits, come through most of the field until Vettel gets stuck behind Magnussen. Ricciardo passed him without issue, and then went up and passed Verge straight away with no DRS while Vettel spends 15 laps ******* around behind Magnussen. Loses about 10-12s to Ricciardo, but how far behind was he at the end? 35s! And you can't say he was really held up after that, he only had to pass a few others on much older tyres (Magnussen, Maldonado, Alonso and Rosberg twice). Couldn't catch the Force India's.

Vettel might be even further back next year in that Ferrari, which looked terrible today. Dani comes from pit lane and still beats Alonso by almost a minute!

Anyway re dotr - has to be Massa. He left Bottas behind. It was exciting to see Williams actually decide to try and win a race for once. I was hoping Hamilton might have a problem as well, end the season on a high as I'm sure Massa would be very popular.

Button was decent again (or Magnussen average), Ricciardo excellent again. Magnussen seems to have lost form lately.

[Clive]

Some great drives by several of them, notably massa and Ricciardo, but have to give it to hammy for the start and maintaining position to the end to become world champion!

[Grandpa_Rob]

Hamilton

[fomoco]

Unfortunately, missed the race, and highlights, due to a mishap whilst repairing pergola, bugger, buy time back from having finger sown up, a bit bugger, slept, but will have to go with general consensus, Massa and Aussie Dan .

Congrats to Lewis, and congrats to Dan, third in the championship. What a season.

Dan may have come third, but I think he and Nico , breathed a fresh breath into an otherwise stale F1,

Congrats to for Will Stevens well done , to start and finish in the company of world champs a job well done.

Look out for Dan, that big smile will be back again next year whoo hoooo

[Greem]

Hamilton, for That Start.

Everyone else a close second.