Report Cards?
Car Number 1- Vettel, Poor start with qually in Oz, picked up in the race and has only got better, unlucky in KL with the collision with Karthikeyan, slightly fortunate with Kimi in Bahrain but deserved the win. Grade, B+
Number 2- Webber, Got off to a great start out-qualifying Vettel in Oz and looked to have the better of him after the overtake at China showing what could have been a change of power in the team. Won in Monaco, probably would have been 2nd if Schumi hadn't had the penalty and a well deserved win in Silverstone, Consistency has kept him second. Grade, A-
Car 3- Jenson Button got off to the perfect start in Oz, started 2nd and went on to win the race, a dominant performance, many tipped him for another world championship, collision with Karthikeyan ruined his race in KL but was back on form in China but a problem in the pits cost him the chance of a win. Had a poor string of races, stuck behind a Caterham in Monaco and Canada was poor. Came back in Germany with second, strategy let him down in Hungary. Grade C, untapped potential.
Car 4- Lewis Hamilton started with 2 poles but couldn't convert either to wins, was very consistent, 3 3rd places left him first in the championship. Pit stop problems in Bahrain and more left him frustrated shuffling him down the championship order and a costly collision with Maldonado in Valencia and a puncture in Germany left him further behind in no fault of his own, wins in Canada after taming the tyres and driving with the perfect strategy while a near faultless drive in Hungary, 2nd being his lowest position in all sessions saw him back in contention. Grade A-, let down by his equipment
Car 5- championship leader Fernando Alonso has been faultless all season, his only mistake being in Oz Q2 when he beached it in the gravel. The uncompetitve Ferrari he managed to drag to the finish line with decent points and then took an unlikely win in Malaysia holding off Perez. The car hadn't got the dry pace but he still had the points and after the Mugello test, the car matched his ability and he took a win from 11th at Valencia in an eventful race, 2nd in Silverstone after a brilliant pole in the wet, a feat repeated in Germany and this time he maxed it to a win, deserved championship lead. Grade A*, faultless
Car 6- Massa has been poor, the car wasn't good and he did the best he could but that hadn't been helped by his team mate being able to out drive it. Nowhere to be seen in Malaysia where Alonso won but finally took points albeit a little later then Alonso. Had a great drive to P4 in Silverstone showing progress had been made after P6 in Monaco as well. Rumours have been planning his depature and replacement. Grade E, overall poor.
Top 3 done, the rest will follow...