Top 10 drivers of the season

Olivier

Race Winner
Team principals have votes for the top 10 drivers of 2015 and the results have been posted by Autosport. To nobody's surprise Hamilton is the top driver and Vettel, 1st runner-up. The complete list is below.

2015 AUTOSPORT TEAM PRINCIPALS' TOP 10

1 Lewis Hamilton (229pts)
2 Sebastian Vettel (180)
3 Nico Rosberg (113)
4 Max Verstappen (77)
5 Daniil Kvyat (69)
6 Fernando Alonso (57)
7 Valtteri Bottas (52)
8 Sergio Perez (48)
9 Daniel Ricciardo (47)
10 Kimi Raikkonen (37)

It's interesting to see Alonso but not Button. Perez and Raikkonen improvement towards the end of the season has been noticed and Ricciardo's difficult season can be clearly seen here. His teammate Kvyat doing much better and ending 5th his season.
 
As much as I enjoyed watching Max Verstappen this year Carlos Sainz was equally as good but got less TV and press coverage. As for Valerie Bottas, hmm, not the Champion in waiting we all all led to believe as far as I'm concerned. Agree that to put Alonso at 6 and not have Button in there at all is just astonishing.
 
I've got two words to say about Team Principals vote Bull :censored:

Team Principals are not allowed to vote for their own drivers but you do have two Red Bull teams right :whistle:and Helmut Marko determines the drivers

Sorry but Bottas generally disappointed and did not really blow away Massa

Alonso 6th best driver on what basis ? Kimi 10th best in a car which is 2nd fastest errr what
 
I don't know how familiar people here are with f1metrics' mathematical analysis', but the author has just released 2015 driver rankings which is derived from a mathematical model he constructed. Here it is, some results are probably unexpected.

Top 10 is:

10. Grosjean
9. Bottas
8. Ricciardo
7. Rosberg
6. Kvyat
5. Nasr (!)
4. Button
3. Hamilton
2. Alonso
1. Vettel

The Toro Rosso drivers are unranked. Verstappen was tentatively ranked 5th, and Sainz 15th based on the assumption that the Toro Rosso was mid-way in performance between the Lotus and Sauber, but I think this is massively low-balling how good that car was. I've proposed that he rank the Toro Rosso similarly to the Red Bull was in the first half the season but have not yet heard back. I suspect this would bump Verstappen down to around Perez/Raikkonen, just outside the Top 10, but obviously I don't know that for sure.
This is the first time since 2007 that a driver other than Alonso has been ranked #1 by the model (it was Hamilton in 2007), and also the first time Vettel has been ranked #1 in his career to date.
 
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And then there is Kimi. Thrashed by someone half as good as Daniel Ricciardo.

But by this season stats Ricciardo is only half as good as Danni Kvyat. Meanwhile back the year before Kvyat was only half as good as JEV. JEV is over in Formula E and is only half as good as Lucas Di Grassi. Di Grassi was only half as good as Timo Glock who was only half as good as Jarno Trulli. Trulli was on a par with Alonso who in turn was on a par with Hamilton. Hamilton got beaten by Button though but Button was beaten by Fisichella. Fisichella was trounced by Kimi, who this year has been thrashed by Vettel.

I'm so confused
 
My top ten:

1) Hamilton - Had a space on the shelf for the title from the first race of the season. Rarely anything less than 100% in most races.

2) Vettel - Most people were doubting his ability after a poor 2014. Did his very best to get the Ferrari among the Mercs. Must have been made more difficult to do while laughing at Alonso. Just a couple of mistakes.

3) Verstappen - Mmmm that humble pie sure tastes nice. This seasons entertainer. A rough diamond with an eye for an overtake. A mistake here and there but that's to be expected. Interesting to see how he develops from here.

4) Rosberg - I'm sure it was a frustrating season from his point of view but he still kept Hamilton on his toes. Triple win at the end of the season may have added a little more gloss than history should remember but he is still very quick.

5) Perez - In terms of pace, Force India seemed to get stronger as the season went on and so did Sergio. After his team mates much trumpeted Le Mans win, Perez got the car into the top 6 on 5 occasions including a trip to the podium. A strong season all round.

6) Sainz JR - Another great rookie year but slightly over shadowed by his more gung-ho team mate. In an era when questions are always asked about a drivers right to be in F1, and carrying a famous family name, no one can argue that Sainz isn't worth his spot in F1.

7) Kvyat - Fotunately I've not got enough room for more humble pie but again, I was wrong. Another driver who few predicted would do well and yet had a strong season. Maybe he was the right choice over JEV after all.

8) Ricciardo - OK, so the promise of last year maybe placed too much weight on Daniel's shoulders but when the Red Bull came to him, he still showed he's got bags of speed. I'd hate to think, due to the way F1 moves that 2014 was a high water mark and next year he needs to beat his team mate well.

9) Button - Just sneaking on to the list. Driving the biggest bucket of crap ever to carry an MP designation, and that says something, he still managed to out score his team mate. As Alonso floundered Button, maybe with a dash of luck, kept going and even towards the end of the season, mixed it with the midfield.

10) Stevens - No, don't laugh. Few will credit the Manor drivers with anything other than tge mobile chicane award but Stevens, in his first full season and in an impossible situation, did a great job. Autosport kept banging on about his weight advantage but that can't all explain how he was at times over a second quicker than his team mate in qually. May not be on the grid next year and will almost certainly never get a decent drive but there have been far far worse drivers (I'm looking at you Max) to have driven in F1.
 
Have to say generous to say Rosberg is No 4. Given he only showed his ability when the title was over and his mid season victory owed more to a fortuitous Monaco victory

No Wiliams drivers which shows that either the drivers were very average and underperformed or the team was so poor that their drivers were not noticeable
 
I think both Williams drivers under performed this season I was expecting it to be a three way fight for podium spots behind the Mercs. Williams just didn't seem to be able to push as hard as they did last year.

As for Rosberg, yes the last three races were too little too late but I think over the course of the season he stuck with Hamilton as best he could.Yes Monaco was lucky but he took wins in Spain and Austria and did get stronger towards the end of the season.
 
Persoanally, I would have to rate Vettel as the best driver of 2015. He secured more than one win while chasing a car that was 1-2 seconds per lap faster than his own. It may well be that he flattered the capabilities of the Ferrari.IMO he made more out of less than any other driver this season and, at least to me, that makes him the driver of the year.
 
Of that AUTOSPORT list Id take Kimi and Alonso out and put Sainz and Grosjean in.
I think both Kimi and Alonso are being scored in previous seasons not on the one just gone.
Those are my main gripes.
Not sure Bottas should be in and Massa out. They're pretty similar Id say.
 
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