The PH 2016 F1 Driver of the Year Poll
Poll: The PH 2016 F1 Driver of the Year Poll
Total Members Polled: 287
Discussion
The season is coming to an end so place your bets.....
Now as this is PH there will of course be moaning about which drivers aren't included in the list but seeing as it was me who bothered my arse to make the thread I get to choose. Where two drivers of the same team have equally pants seasons (I'm looking at you Williams and McLaren) I've chosen the driver in the lead of the championship points between them, feel free to comment otherwise below.
So if you really think that Jocelyn has been your preferred wheelsmith of the year then go ahead and post his name up in the comments and we can count your post individually thanks Jonathan. Sympathy votes for Kvyat allowed.
So if you think Seb's exemplary language over team radio deserves your vote, or Danial's shoe drinking craze has brought a new level of excitement to your GP viewing then vote away!
Now as this is PH there will of course be moaning about which drivers aren't included in the list but seeing as it was me who bothered my arse to make the thread I get to choose. Where two drivers of the same team have equally pants seasons (I'm looking at you Williams and McLaren) I've chosen the driver in the lead of the championship points between them, feel free to comment otherwise below.
So if you really think that Jocelyn has been your preferred wheelsmith of the year then go ahead and post his name up in the comments and we can count your post individually thanks Jonathan. Sympathy votes for Kvyat allowed.
So if you think Seb's exemplary language over team radio deserves your vote, or Danial's shoe drinking craze has brought a new level of excitement to your GP viewing then vote away!
Voted Nico, as i have said before on a prev thread he has really changed this year, on and off the track, you can see his ease in interviews, he's not so forced, rushed in his answers and smarmy as in prev years, yes he's had more of the good luck and yes he's still behind in on track close battles but we all know luck needs capitalising on and he's done that and kept his head when he needed to, his comeback in Malaysia was IMHO a drive worthy of this years championship, kept his head, got into it and made the differance, i also see yesterdays quali as proof of this.
We can argue the toss about Lewis having more of the bad luck this year and he has in percentage terms but he had less of it in past years and it made him no less a worthy champion.
edited cos of my s
te spelling 
We can argue the toss about Lewis having more of the bad luck this year and he has in percentage terms but he had less of it in past years and it made him no less a worthy champion.
edited cos of my s
te spelling Tough one. From that list I don't really see what Vettel or Bottas have done to even be in contention... same for Raikkonen, although he might be the most improved driver of the year as I don't think anyone was expecting his resurgence.
Perez has been solid although is fading a bit in the last couple of races. I think the Perez to Ferarri story perhaps resulted in some of his performances being a touch over hyped. I feel outright pace isn't his strong point and that this tyre management formula suits him more than others, but that could all change next year so it will be interesting to see how he goes.
Although not my favourite driver Ricciardo would probably be my pick as he has quietly gone about his business, rarely seems to have a bad weekend and has given Max a bit of a spanking in qualifying. Plus he really ought to have won Spain and Monaco but for strategy screw ups out of his control.
There is also a valid case for Nico, Lewis or Alonso.
Perez has been solid although is fading a bit in the last couple of races. I think the Perez to Ferarri story perhaps resulted in some of his performances being a touch over hyped. I feel outright pace isn't his strong point and that this tyre management formula suits him more than others, but that could all change next year so it will be interesting to see how he goes.
Although not my favourite driver Ricciardo would probably be my pick as he has quietly gone about his business, rarely seems to have a bad weekend and has given Max a bit of a spanking in qualifying. Plus he really ought to have won Spain and Monaco but for strategy screw ups out of his control.
There is also a valid case for Nico, Lewis or Alonso.
Edited by VolvoT5 on Sunday 30th October 17:29
Evilex said:
Max.
Certainly not perfect, but definitely a breath of fresh air.
A close second for Dan Ricciardo for a solid string of performances and his cheerful competitiveness.
I'm torn between Ricciardo and Hamilton, Hamilton has done extremely well to have fought back after all his reliability issues but Ricciardo has done extremely well and realistically should have had two more GP wins to his name.Certainly not perfect, but definitely a breath of fresh air.
A close second for Dan Ricciardo for a solid string of performances and his cheerful competitiveness.
I'm a bit perplexed as to why Max Verstappen has so many votes- he's done more bad things than good,in my view- very exciting but is creating drama after drama really a cause for so much celebration? Each to their own, I suppose. Torn between Ricciardo and Hamilton, myself. Eventually chose Ricciardo as he's been so consistent, kept his nose clean, done some spectacular driving and kept the smile on his face through most of it. Not to mention soundly beating a teammate who is supposedly the second coming of whatever. I have no real problem with Max Verstappen, just don't see that he's doing anything truly great right now. Open to changing my mind in the future. Hamilton has fought back so many times and dealt with horrible reliability issues and yet he's still in the championship, which is pretty bloody impressive.
Gone with Ricciardo, though if Hamilton wins the last four races as required and Nico buckles, it will be a great display of focus amid a pretty turbulent season.
For me though, a tad more unreliability from Merc and Ricciardo is right in there taking points. Which given Mercs apparent dominance going into the session is impressive. Add to that a team-mate change that brought lots of attention and a requirement to re-assert his authority within the team and his ability to make a podium ceremony more watchable by far and he's got the nod from me. It'll mean so much to him.
Nico has had this season on a plate, Verstappen hasn't managed himself as well on or off the track as he could, Vettel's a whiney git, Kimi has only shown flashes of brilliance amid a mire of quite average performances in comparison to Vettel, and the rest are the rest. Some standout drives, but nothing consistent enough through the season to hang a hat on.
Big balls award goes to Grosjean, for repeatedly getting into a car whose brakes he doesn't trust. "Guys?! The front brakes aren't braking...!" Yikes!
For me though, a tad more unreliability from Merc and Ricciardo is right in there taking points. Which given Mercs apparent dominance going into the session is impressive. Add to that a team-mate change that brought lots of attention and a requirement to re-assert his authority within the team and his ability to make a podium ceremony more watchable by far and he's got the nod from me. It'll mean so much to him.
Nico has had this season on a plate, Verstappen hasn't managed himself as well on or off the track as he could, Vettel's a whiney git, Kimi has only shown flashes of brilliance amid a mire of quite average performances in comparison to Vettel, and the rest are the rest. Some standout drives, but nothing consistent enough through the season to hang a hat on.
Big balls award goes to Grosjean, for repeatedly getting into a car whose brakes he doesn't trust. "Guys?! The front brakes aren't braking...!" Yikes!
speedysoprano said:
I'm a bit perplexed as to why Max Verstappen has so many votes- he's done more bad things than good,in my view- very exciting but is creating drama after drama really a cause for so much celebration? Each to their own, I suppose. Torn between Ricciardo and Hamilton, myself. Eventually chose Ricciardo as he's been so consistent, kept his nose clean, done some spectacular driving and kept the smile on his face through most of it. Not to mention soundly beating a teammate who is supposedly the second coming of whatever. I have no real problem with Max Verstappen, just don't see that he's doing anything truly great right now. Open to changing my mind in the future. Hamilton has fought back so many times and dealt with horrible reliability issues and yet he's still in the championship, which is pretty bloody impressive.
I voted Max, he's made moves this year that nobody expected and made them stick. Sometimes he has been caught out but he's willing to squeeze every inch out of the regs, when Senna did that everyone loved him for it.Close call between the RB boys for me, in what is currently a very stale and sanitised sport they've both livened things up in their own way, more of that please.
Max for pushing the boundaries and managing to pull off things that no other driver is even contemplating. But Daniel edges it for me, very solid season and a great character, actually looks like a guy who is being paid to do what he loves, there isn't enough of that.
Third place to Lewis for hanging in there despite some terrible luck and shonky starts, hugely impressed with how he is handling it.
Max for pushing the boundaries and managing to pull off things that no other driver is even contemplating. But Daniel edges it for me, very solid season and a great character, actually looks like a guy who is being paid to do what he loves, there isn't enough of that.
Third place to Lewis for hanging in there despite some terrible luck and shonky starts, hugely impressed with how he is handling it.
I won't change my vote, but I can definitely add, I've seen car control from Verstappen that other drivers have rarely exhibited. You could argue that they're wise enough not to put themselves in that position, but when MV was crabbing sideways at the end of the Mexican GP he was doing it all right, having just got it all wrong. Another good example is Vettel and Ricciardo. Could have locked wheels and smashed suspension. Didn't. Classy drivers, like Alonso and Webber through Eau Rouge. Max has his faults, but there's no doubting he can pedal a car with the very deftest of touches.
fortysixandtwo said:
I'll vote at the end of the season, because if LH manages to pinch the WDC by a point i.e. he finishes 1st and Nico 3rd, twice, it kinda changes things given the points he has had to get back from car troubles. However his poor starts count against him... Not exactly pro.
That doesn't make a lot of sense to me because the championship is now clearly Rosberg's to lose - with a dominant car all he has to do is finish second. So what you are really saying is you don't think Lewis is driver of the year but if Rosberg screws up or has a reliability issue that gifts away the championship it would change your view on Hamilton's performance?Edited by VolvoT5 on Tuesday 1st November 09:44
VolvoT5 said:
That doesn't make a lot of sense to me because the championship is now clearly Rosberg's to lose - with a dominant car all he has to do is finish second. So what you are really saying is you don't think Lewis is driver of the year but if Rosberg screws up or has a reliability issue that gifts away the championship it would change your view on Hamilton's performance?
The whole season must be considered when making a judgement.Edited by VolvoT5 on Tuesday 1st November 09:44
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