Driver of the season

[Skam85]

With one of the most epic seasons done and dusted, who is your driver (or drivers) of the season?

[ascarracinguk]

That’s a really tough one.

I’ve been impressed with Sainz, Norris and Gasly

It’s really got to be between Hamilton and Max though.

Max has been mighty impressive, but has also played it a bit too dirty for my liking on track

Lewis has pulled out some incredible results in races he had no right to win, but has also made more mistakes than Max

It really is that close….so I’m voting for both of them

[Aysedasi]

I'm not choosing between Max and Lewis. I'm going for a driver who was touted to lose out big time to his highly rated team mate. A driver in a new team who outscored that team mate and finished best of the rest behind the Merc and RBR drivers. A driver who, if given a good car next season I predict could do very well indeed. Carlos Sainz. Kudos too for Lando Norris who also outpaced his much fancied team mate for much of the season but had little go his way in the second half of the season.

[Tourer]

Max & Lewis are top shelf and I don't think they're completely alone there - current jalopies make it hard to be sure about some others - such as George.

I'm staying away from the obvious and going with Pierre Gasly for this one - to me he has been consistently higher up the totem pole in both qual and the race than expected and has built a really good base with the team - continues to impress IMHO.

[Knowlesy]

Thought I'd avoid the title protagonists, and my obvious bias, and went for Gasly.

Up until deep into the season it was probably between him, Max and Norris. Hamilton staked a late claim with almost the greatest of comebacks.

Sainz and Leclerc both impressed at various stages too, Sainz slightly more.

[greentrumpet]

Hamilton. Max is phenomenally talented but is happy to divebomb opponents off the track far too often, he's good enough not to need to do this but it remains his choice.

[Beau2]

Verstappen for me. It was his commitment to the cause that made the season what it was - without him it would have been a dull season with Hamilton winning the majority of races. He also did so by making very few mistakes, especially during the races themselves.

Gasly/Norris/Sainz are all my second picks. Just sheer consistency from them all. I had Norris as my firm second pick but his season fell apart a little after Russia.

Hamilton had a great end to the season but he made an unusual amount of mistakes in the first half of the season and absolutely rode his luck at other times.

[steve_r]

On speed and consistency, I cannot really choose between Verstappen and Hamilton. They were so far ahead of the others most of the time, as everyone could see. Each had their often discussed moments of controversy.

I would find it had to pick someone other than those 2. Norris did well, and I was impressed by Sainz - so perhaps those 2 would be in the discussion for 3rd best.

Gasly performed well at times and other times was anonymous in the race.

Ocon had good weekends, and was then given his long contract and did absolutely nothing for several races.

LeClerc often picked up good results that were better than the car deserved. I'm not a Ferrari fan at all, but would love it if they somehow got into the mix for race wins again.

[BertMk2]

As above really - Sainz, Norris and Gasly looked to be the stand out drivers (I mean, max and Lewis weren't bad either ).

Sainz got the vote though - going to Ferrari puts a lot of pressure on a driver and he's handled it really well. I don't think many people would have had him down for beating LeClerc this season.

Very nearly gave it to Kimi though - because Kimi

[Hawkwood]

Same as some other, I couldn't really decide between Lewis and Max, for various reasons already mentioned above.


So I voted for Lando, as I think he's been up there with Lewis and Max in terms of how good he's actually been this year. I think if the McLaren had been as good as the Mercedes and Red Bull, then Lando would have been in the thick of the title battle.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

So I voted for Lando, as I think he's been up there with Lewis and Max in terms of how good he's actually been this year. I think if the McLaren had been as good as the Mercedes and Red Bull, then Lando would have been in the thick of the title battle.

this for me.

Lando at Sochi was about the best and worst thing i saw this season. drive and moment of the season for me.

for sure i also have a tendency to get caught up in the main event, Max vs LH, RB vs Merc headlines and its fun to be outraged sometimes, but that stuff just doesn't deliver the feels!

[Born Racer]

Hamilton and Verstappen level pegging.

Well, I'm tempted to say Leclerc. He is outstanding. Massive kudos to Norris, Gasly and Sainz too. Sainz is really delivering drives through the field. I was surprised to view Norris's early karting career suggests he didn't blow the world away. Besting the highly-touted Ricciardo now, though.

Gasly is actually really quick and pretty consistent n

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Hamilton and Verstappen level pegging.

Well, I'm tempted to say Leclerc. He is outstanding. Massive kudos to Norris, Gasly and Sainz too. Sainz is really delivering drives through the field. I was surprised to view Norris's early karting career suggests he didn't blow the world away. Besting the highly-touted Ricciardo now, though.

Gasly is actually really quick and pretty consistent n

Would you say Leclerc has been as outstanding as Sainz this season, all things considered?

[Skam85]

Sainz got 4 podiums, Leclerc 1. I'd say Sainz shaded Leclerc this season.

Sainz/Leclerc has a bit of a Button & Hamilton McLaren feel to it. Everyone expected Hamilton to wipe the floor with Button and kill his career but Button's consistency vs Hamilton's outright speed made it a far more even pairing than expected.

[Adam43]

It develop through the season too. Presumably as Sainz got more settled. It was impressive.

[E.B]

To me Leclerc was one of the disappointments of the year. I expected more from him given his conquering Vettel the previous year.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by E.B

To me Leclerc was one of the disappointments of the year. I expected more from him given his conquering Vettel the previous year.

I completely agree. Neither are the complete package - yet. Carlos has only one season in the Ferrari under his belt and clearly at least 'shaded' his much-fancied team mate. That was impressive in a new car. Charles still has some way to go in my mind. Yes, he's very fast, but there is a raggedness about him which for me keeps him well below the 'next big thing' level in which he was being viewed not so long ago.

But I think we're lucky going forward. We have these two, Lando, Pierre and who knows, maybe even Tsunoda going forward. If the playing field becomes more level as a result of the 2022 changes, we could be in for a treat with these young guns!

[S griffin]

Gonna give it to Hamilton for his fighting spirit to the end

[davec]

Hamilton and Verstappen did exactly what I expected of them. Both were amazing and both dominated their respective team mates.

Norris clearly is a great talent and beat Riccardo overall but given that BOTH are great you would expect him to be better with the experience of the team and car so he more or less did what was expected.

For me the one that stands out is Sainz as I dont think I expected him to beat Leclerc so that gets my vote

Gasly is a strange one for me. He has been incredible AND anonymous at times.....

[Taxi645]

This forum has a tendency to write off Verstappen's team mates; Gasly was written off way too fast, Perez was not up to it. Sainz was underrated.



I think all off Verstappen's team mates are very good drivers, however in a more fragile/unpredictable/unstable aero package (Newey designs in changing aero regulations) and the car design completely tailored to Verstappen it is very hard to perform.


I'm very glad they got the chance to proof their worth in other cars/teams.

[steve_r]

I think Perez always had plenty of fans on here, myself included. His performance in the last race was exactly the sort of thing that I expected from him. But he has had his struggles of course (so of course did Bottas).

I think Gasly might need to follow Sainz's example and leave the Red Bull setup to really fulfill his potential.

[BTCC frog]

Carlos Sainz may have edged Leclerc in the points, but over the whole season I think Leclerc was the better driver. I actually think Leclerc's peaks are as high as anyone on the grid; when he has a good day he seems to be able to take clear 'best of the rest' results, such as Spain, Turkey and USA, while his drive in Silverstone was one of the greatest of the last decade (probably second only to Hamilton in Brazil this year). However, it is true that Leclerc is incredibly inconsistent, and I expected more from him this season. Carlos Sainz also performed far better than I had expected. My driver rankings for 2021 would be:
1. Max Verstappen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Lando Norris
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Pierre Gasly
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Carlos Sainz
8. George Russell
9. Esteban Ocon
10. Sebastian Vettel
11. Valtteri Bottas
12. Sergio Perez
13. Lance Stroll
14. Antonio Giovinazzi
15. Daniel Ricciardo
16. Kimi Raikkonen
17. Mick Schumacher
18. Nicholas Latifi
19. Yuki Tsunoda
20. Nikita Mazepin
NR. Robert Kubica

Full explanations for every driver coming soon.

[Skam85]

Leclerc's drive in Silverstone was one of the best of the decade? That's a big call.

Verstappen was in the wall, Hamilton was working his way back from penalties, Bottas was a non-factor and Perez started at the back.

It was a good drive but he had very little competition.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by BTCC frog

Carlos Sainz may have edged Leclerc in the points, but over the whole season I think Leclerc was the better driver. I actually think Leclerc's peaks are as high as anyone on the grid; when he has a good day he seems to be able to take clear 'best of the rest' results, such as Spain, Turkey and USA, while his drive in Silverstone was one of the greatest of the last decade (probably second only to Hamilton in Brazil this year). However, it is true that Leclerc is incredibly inconsistent, and I expected more from him this season. Carlos Sainz also performed far better than I had expected. My driver rankings for 2021 would be:
1. Max Verstappen
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Lando Norris
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Pierre Gasly
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Carlos Sainz
8. George Russell
9. Esteban Ocon
10. Sebastian Vettel
11. Valtteri Bottas
12. Sergio Perez
13. Lance Stroll
14. Antonio Giovinazzi
15. Daniel Ricciardo
16. Kimi Raikkonen
17. Mick Schumacher
18. Nicholas Latifi
19. Yuki Tsunoda
20. Nikita Mazepin
NR. Robert Kubica

Full explanations for every driver coming soon.

I'm not so far out on that list. I maintain that Sainz's season was actually far more impressive than Leclerc's, considering all the circumstances. Perez is too low for me and on his end of season performances, Tsunoda behind Latifi and Schumacher doesn't quite make sense. I'd probably make half a dozen changes to alter the list slightly.

[S griffin]

Oh yes, Sainz was a bit of a revelation this season. Everyone sees Leclerc as a future champion, yet he didn't exactly blow away Sainz. Sainz proved more than a match on several occasions. I'd say in terms of speed Leclerc is ahead, but Sainz is a great racer and not to be underestimated, especially as he makes very few mistakes