McLaren Autosport Award - Your personal choices

[Craner Curves]

Who do you think will be nominated for the award or even better, who would you choose if you were one of the people with the job of choosing them?

[chevron]

Alan van der Merwe.(but of course he cant not being English)

[fantasytoca]

Lewis Hamilton
James Rossiter
Susie Stoddart
Alex Lloyd
Danny Watts (well he's got to win it one year!)
Ben Reeves (to see how many mishaps he could have on the way to the stage!!)

[carbontub]

Dan Clarke

[Paul Rayner]

I somehow doubt Lewis Hamilton will be eligible, because of the whole McLaren link thing. If he wasn't backed by McLaren he'd be the prime candidate though.

Even if Alan Van der Merwe was English he couldn't get it, neither can Danny Watts - only drivers in any championship up to Scholarship F3 can. And with Kane having won the award before, I guess the only F3 candidate is Justin Sherwood.

There'll be a couple from Formula Ford - Tom Kimber-Smith has to be one of them.

From Formula Renault I'd say James Rossiter and Alex Lloyd for sure, plus any one of Tom Sisley, Mike Conway and Mike Spencer (although Spencer would be a good candidate for next year).

Then there'll be some person from club racing.

[sgrok]

Susie Stoddart - that's a good one. She should at least be nominated, her performances are always solid and credible (unlike a certain other female racer - chicane - rockingham...)

[blackx]

Adam Fleetwood if I could..........
First season in an unlimited capacity single seater and has matched Junior all season......
Was winning with this car straight out of the box........
hillclimb champion elect IMHO

[JR Ewing]

Ben Clucas, Tom Kimber-Smith, Lewis Hamilton (won't happen though), Tim Bridgman, Tom Sisley.

Maybe Alex Lloyd, Josh Weber, Dominik Jackson, Robert Bell, Susie Stoddart, Joey Foster.

[JR Ewing]

Originally posted by chevron
Alan van der Merwe.(but of course he cant not being English)

An driving in Class A F3.

[JR Ewing]

Originally posted by blackx
Adam Fleetwood if I could..........
First season in an unlimited capacity single seater and has matched Junior all season......
Was winning with this car straight out of the box........
hillclimb champion elect IMHO

Yes and a proven racing driver NOT REMOTELY.

[Mathias]

I hear that Lewis Hamilton has withdrawn himself from contention cos he doesn't want accusations of McLaren favouritism. Good lad.

I'd go for Ben Clucas, me. He's the only "junior" driver who's made a real impression when I've seen them racing. It's just a shame he's recently had to pull out due to cash problems. Perhaps a nice award like this would help the guy out.

[racingdick]

like the kid needs any help with progressing the racing ladder!!

[Russfeldo]

Whats the spirit of the award? To help the guy most deserving, or the guy most talented? Because the most deserving guy might be 2nd or 3rd fastest of the group, but might need and make use of the help the most. For instance Lewis would be the #1 guy by a long way, but he doesnt *need* the assistance so to me the reward of it goes to waste.

[Nina]

hmmm..... *Scratches Head* J - Probably need to see another good season by TK-S to see if he really is that good and that deserving of The McLaren Autosport Award????

Agree with Mathias on one of his points

There are SO MANY young British drivers out there I am going to keep my opinions to myself on this one

[rdjones]

In my view Lewis Hamilton would have walked, had it not been for the reason stated above. I would love to Susie Stoddart win it.

[bella]

i'm not sure susie's improved enough this year to merit nomination for the young driver thing. one podium doesn't make a season, but perhaps i'm being a bit harsh.

no-one in formula ford deserves it, lewis hamilton is the obvious suggestion, but y'know, it'd be a bit unfair. he's national driver of the year instead i think.

james rossiter. i think he's improved a lot, even if the car has helped, and in reality the only one who brought the fight to lewis hamilton (sorry jinxxy).

[racingdick]

prob been written but im being Lazy...

whats the criteria for the comp??

[Dr Venom]

Originally posted by carbontub
Dan Clarke

[racingdick]

Originally posted by Dr Venom

that is so old, its not funny anymore

[Bobie]

Lloyd or Rossiter from Formula Renualt should be nominated but I disagree with Bella's comments saying Rossiter is the only one taken the challenge to Hamilton when in reality the top three in Formula Renualt have been in no particular order.

Hamilton
Rossiter
Lloyd

Oh and Sissly but if you look at the races Sissly and Rossiter both hung on in there when driving behind Hamilton but after say 6/7 laps they both would fall off (rather than Hamilton getting faster) and settle for 2nd place which I would have liked to see them fight more. Lloyd albeit maybe not had a great car and has had the odd bad moments I think he has shown consitency all the way through and will more than likely be 2nd in the Championship after Oulton Park.

Consitency wins championships really - look at Richard Burns in the World Rally.

Stodart I think has shown that women can race and she has been close in the latter part of the year to her team mates so all credit to the girl.

For me it would Lloyd, Rossiter and Stodart who shoudl be nominated but if only one then Lloyd for consitency!

[Dr Venom]

Originally posted by racingdick
that is so old, its not funny anymore

That maybe the case, but i still think it's funny that carbontub would like to see him take the award.

[bella]

Originally posted by Bobie
Lloyd or Rossiter from Formula Renualt should be nominated but I disagree with Bella's comments saying Rossiter is the only one taken the challenge to Hamilton when in reality the top three in Formula Renualt have been in no particular order.

read my post again. i said the only one to take the fight to lewis consistently because in the end, hamilton has won the championship early, hasn't he? it's been a clear one horse race, so maybe we've been watching different seasons. lewis may not have taken the lead until midway through the season but if you think he wasn't miles ahead in every sense of the word then we were watching different seasons.

i think alex lloyd's improved a lot, but i think his year will be next year. nominate him if you wish, but my vote would be with james rossiter. less than a full season and i think he's driven the second quickest car on the grid as fast as anyone could.

[sceptic]

Clucas; Kimber-Smith; Cocker.

[Craner Curves]

Ryan Sharp anyone? He's still leading the German FRenault series and is a changed man from last year in the UK series.

"Nominees must hold a British passport and be aged between 18 and 23 years old on January 1st 2003. They must have competed in a British or European single-seater championship up to and including the British F3 Scholarship class in 2003."

[superbird]

Clucas or Rossiter would be my choice. I'd agree that Spencer, Lloyd and Stoddart will be strong contenders next year