[Official] Driver of the race- German Grand Prix

[Born Racer]

Who for you?

[Bononi]

The winner takes it all !

[Marbot]

Alonso and Vettel drove really well, but Button had a fair bit of catching up to do after the McLaren 'wet weather qualifying pace problem'. And then had the usual McLaren 'wears out tyres too much in the race' problem, to also put up with.

If that's what McLaren call a 'significant upgrade', then their problems haven't yet gone away.

Edit: Although, Jenson disagrees: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101427

Both Sauber drivers drove well, as did Kimi and Hulkenburg. TGF(1) seemed to go missing in action.

[Lancsbreaker]

Close call, but I've given it to Button for his progress up the grid from his start position, and for the fact that by and large he used the race circuit that the organisers intended, rather than a random variation, as Alonso and Vettel did......

Alonso did well in both wet and dry, though, so an honourable mention.....as well as a slap on the wrist for going "all-four off"

[garcon]

Vettel, for his impressive inventiveness in trying to find the fastest way around (but not necessarily on) the circuit.

[Mr V]

Alonso, simple. But i do wish that everyone would go on about how he wins in that car, at the start of the season, yes, it was slow, but no it's the best car out there.

[chillibowl]

Alonso managed the race perfectly.

Originally Posted by Mr V

Alonso, simple. But i do wish that everyone would go on about how he wins in that car, at the start of the season, yes, it was slow, but no it's the best car out there.

thats a good point although im not entirely convinced it is the best car out there...yet. but in the hands of Alonso it sure seems that way.

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Alonso, simple. But i do wish that everyone would go on about how he wins in that car, at the start of the season, yes, it was slow, but no it's the best car out there.

In the Wet and the in the Dry?...Unlikey! He's just the most allround complete driver of the moment! e.g. Look at Massa in the same car!

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Rennen

In the Wet and the in the Dry?...Unlikey! He's just the most allround complete driver of the moment! e.g. Look at Massa in the same car!

Early in the race he was on the radio reassuring the team everything would be OK. Contrast that to Smedley and Massa, and other team/driver combinations, who does the reassuring there?

[Razzzor]

I think the top 3 were all pretty even actually.

Alonso only won because he had track position and as soon as the others got within 1 second it ruined their tyres. Nothing special there. I don't think you can compare to Massa, he's too unreliable at the moment as to why he's off the pace.

Vettel had lots of off-tracks and ruined his one pass with Button. Would have been a mighty pass if he kept it on track. But overall his race pace was a good one second a lap faster than his team mate, and Mark wasn't getting held up by anyone. He was really throwing that around the track on the limits more than Button and Alonso were. So perhaps they both had better cars?

Button perhaps had the best car of the three and had to put in some passes and come from further back. By the time he got to 3rd though, he was still only 5 secs behind - not a huge margin to make up. Despite Hammo's pass on Vettel on his fresh softs while Vettel was on mediums, Hamilton wasn't as fast as Button throughout the race.

Oh for the record, I do think that was dirty of Hamilton to pass Vettel and attempt to pass Alonso considering probably 5 laps later he decided to pull in and retire.

As for the others, hell Perez came from 17th to 6th and was only 6 seconds off of 4th. He was very quick during the race on old tyres too, so I'll give it to him.

[QnickFTW]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Alonso, simple. But i do wish that everyone would go on about how he wins in that car, at the start of the season, yes, it was slow, but no it's the best car out there.

Surely Mclaren was the best car out there.

Also, Massa has 11 victories and 15 poles to his name (and if it wasnt for the crash-gate he would be a World Champion today too) so when he REGULARLY finishes races outside the top10 (not top3) Ferrari is not the best car, full stop.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Alonso, simple. But i do wish that everyone would go on about how he wins in that car, at the start of the season, yes, it was slow, but no it's the best car out there.

While you can't always tell and it isn't a massive difference I don't think Alonso does have the best car. It seems to have more understeer than others. The Red Bull looked like it could be planted anywhere. Alonso is being more consistent lap after lap and also better at handling changing conditions. As Rennen says, he put it on pole in the wet and won in the dry.

[henners88]

Fernando Alonso was the driver of the race and nobody else even came close IMO. I do feel we were robbed of a great battle for the lead with Lewis picking up a puncture on the opening lap but Fred controlled the race perfectly and deserved the victory.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Adam43

While you can't always tell and it isn't a massive difference I don't think Alonso does have the best car. It seems to have more understeer than others. The Red Bull looked like it could be planted anywhere. Alonso is being more consistent lap after lap and also better at handling changing conditions. As Rennen says, he put it on pole in the wet and won in the dry.

Just a thought but maybe he likes driving the car with some understeer? Every driver has their individual set up.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Just a thought but maybe he likes driving the car with some understeer? Every driver has their individual set up.

The Renault in his championship years did seem to behave in a similar way. He has driven cars that behaved differently too. I think he is adaptable; the car needed to be setup that way to protect its rears and he coped.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Just a thought but maybe he likes driving the car with some understeer? Every driver has their individual set up.

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that this was going to be a problem when Alonso joined Ferrari, Alonso likes an understeering car and Massa likes an oversteering car like Schumacher. The results would seem to bear this out, and could explain Massa's lack of form.

[andy666]

Hard one this , I am not a huge Ferrari/Alonso fan but i do admire and respect what the Spaniard has done this season . I have given DOTR to Button because of a great result considering his last few races , 3rd oh hang on sorry 2nd!!

[Aysedasi]

Button for me. Good comeback from the doldrums.

[GORDON STREETER]

Alonso for me, well I would say that down here

[Adam43]

Webber.

[jonboy1066]

Kimi for me, some brilliant overtakes and great driving without relying on DRS to get the job done

[GT6]

gave my vote to kobayashi for a very entertaining driver

[IceMan_PJN]

Gave this one to Kimi, although I guess Button also had a good run.

[TrapezeArtist]

I could have given it to Alonso who did everything he had to do. Or Button for a great climb up from a fairly lowly qualifying position (as well as showing a recovery from McLaren's recent doldrums). Or to Raikkonen for some exciting racing. Or to Bashibashi for some equally exciting racing and a super result.

In the end I gave it to JB because he's English.

[QnickFTW]

Has to be Alonso for another amazing "putting the car where it doesnt belong to" drive. When Schumi was out there winning races from pole for Ferrari, Barichello was usually in the mix too (top6ish at least), but look where Massa is now...for me it just suggests that Alonso is indeed doing something exceptional and is in the best form of his life.

Also, watch his qualifying lap onboard (if you havnt watched it yet) AMAZING car control.