PH WARNING! MAY CAUSE OFFENCE

[team underdog]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88556

F1 bosses vote Alonso the best of 2010

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, December 2nd 2010, 16:24 GMT


Fernando Alonso has been voted as the best driver of 2010 in AUTOSPORT's exclusive team principals' top 10 poll.

In a now end-of-season tradition, AUTOSPORT asked each of the current 12 team principals for their top 10 driver rankings of the 2010 campaign.

Their individual results, which are kept secret, were then converted into the new points system (25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1) and the final scores added up to discover which driver the team bosses believed had done the best job throughout the campaign.

Although Alonso missed out on the world championship following a troubled Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Spaniard managed to beat title winner Sebastian Vettel in the team principals' eyes.

Alonso beat Vettel by nine points overall after the votes of all the team principals were added up - moving him up from fourth place overall where he was voted last season.

Although just missing out on the world title, Alonso has said that his 2010 campaign for Ferrari was the best of his career - as he delivered five victories in his maiden campaign for the Maranello outfit.

"I am very pleased to learn that the majority of team principals chose me as their best driver of the year, even if it goes without saying that I would have preferred to receive that accolade in the guise of world champion," said Alonso.

"It is yet another reason to claim this has been an amazing season, despite the disappointment at the final hurdle.

"The team and I fought all the way to the very end, without ever giving up, even when it all seemed like a lost cause: we staged a remarkable comeback. Next year, we will be looking to do better, but I will still remember 2010 as a wonderful year."

Team boss Stefano Domenicali added: "I am pleased and proud that Fernando has been rated by my fellow team principals as the best driver of this past year: he had a fantastic season.

"It is hardly a secret that he is a talented driver, but I must say, on behalf of everyone at Ferrari, that it was an honour for us to work with him from the human perspective. Fernando was a driving force and our aim next year will be to give him and Felipe a car which is competitive at the very highest level, right from the first race."

Vettel, who was the team principals' top driver of 2009 despite not winning the crown, edged out Lewis Hamilton for second place - with Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber taking fourth overall.

Nico Hulkenberg, who was dropped by Williams at the end of the campaign, impressed rival teams enough to be the only rookie to make it into the top ten.

The full results of AUTOSPORT's team principals' top 10 drivers, which includes Ferrari's vote that came too late to be included in this week's AUTOSPORT magazine F1 season review, are:


1. Alonso 229
2. Vettel 220
3. Hamilton 196
4. Webber 146
5. Kubica 129
6. Button 86
7. Rosberg 68
8. Hulkenberg 17
. Massa 17
10. Barrichello 11

[PabloTeK]

I agree, Alonso completely outdrive his teammate and car for the second half of the season with some rather stunning performances. Like or not he's an insanely good driver!

[superkartracer]

Love or hate him, he's a brilliant driver, i personally could not care a toss about his personnal life or what he says, his driving is what i'm interested in.

He owns

[Plug550]

Can't argue with that.

[rdjohn]

I suppose the bigger surprise is that Shuey does not make the top 10, followed by Button's score.

I also would have thought that Kubica would be more highly rated.

Edited by rdjohn on Friday 3rd December 10:21

[anonymous-user]

Hmm, i can see alonso being the best driver, after all he drove the wheels off of what initially was a dog, but like somebody else said, kubica not in the top ten?? And button that far up??

[Rude-boy]

snowy slopes said:

Hmm, i can see alonso being the best driver, after all he drove the wheels off of what initially was a dog, but like somebody else said, kubica not in the top ten?? And button that far up??

RK is in at number 5, above Button which, imo, is where he should be this year. I believe that the top 3 are all about right, below that though one has to consider if Button's early season form was forgotten and Webber's poor last 3 races knocked him out of the top 3.

[anonymous-user]

Rude-boy said:

snowy slopes said:

Hmm, i can see alonso being the best driver, after all he drove the wheels off of what initially was a dog, but like somebody else said, kubica not in the top ten?? And button that far up??

RK is in at number 5, above Button which, imo, is where he should be this year. I believe that the top 3 are all about right, below that though one has to consider if Button's early season form was forgotten and Webber's poor last 3 races knocked him out of the top 3.

I must be half asleep this morning, i just saw that.

[rubystone]

I prefer Mark Hughes' top ten...

[KaraK]

I don't like Alonso, I think he's a cheating little whiner but he is a very talented driver and I would certainly say that over this season he did the best job behind the wheel. Must say I'm surpised to see Massa in the list, personally I thought he had a shocker. He is well liked though so maybe there were some symptathy votes going on there?

[anonymous-user]

Fred made far too many silly mistakes this year to be number 1 IMHO. He had a very good second half, but that doesnt remove the shocking show he put on in the early to mid season.

I'd have Vettel and Hamilton ahead of him this year, even with their own mistakes, which were more racing incidents than some of Freds issues.

[stephen300o]

They missed Kamui.

[deevlash]

Kubica for me this year.

[Aydogflipper]

I think its about right is that list, though it looks like the earlier part of the season was forgotten about to me.

Anyway as much as i dislike alonso i would agree he is a great talent.

[coetzeeh]

So the Team Principals and his fellow F1 drivers voted him the best driver of 2010. Pretty conclusive and I have to agree with that.

[NHK244V]

That's where i put him this year as well TBH, tother 4 i place differant but it's all subjective at the end of the day.

[Clevers]

I think Rosberg has been a bit hard done by in that listing.

Also feel Hamilton has got Alonso in his pocket as demonstrated by his rookie year at McLaren when taking on the world champion.

[poo at Paul's]

I can recall Fred making one overtaking move for position all year, which was on Hamilton in the final race after Ham ran wide.

I cant remember Vettel overtaking (sucessfully) anyone.

A proper comment on modern F1 that these guys are voted right at the sharp end by the managers.

For me, Hamilton, Rosberg, that jap guy in the Sauber, Kubica and even Jenson were far more exiting to watch and often "punched above their package's weight".

[telecat]

poo at Paul's said:

I can recall Fred making one overtaking move for position all year, which was on Hamilton in the final race after Ham ran wide.

I cant remember Vettel overtaking (sucessfully) anyone.

A proper comment on modern F1 that these guys are voted right at the sharp end by the managers.

For me, Hamilton, Rosberg, that jap guy in the Sauber, Kubica and even Jenson were far more exiting to watch and often "punched above their package's weight".

Gotta go with that. I think Hamilton and Button are the current masters of the art with Kobayashi(?) and Kubica up there with them. Most of the rest rely on being in front to make their race.

[havoc]

telecat said:

poo at Paul's said:

I can recall Fred making one overtaking move for position all year, which was on Hamilton in the final race after Ham ran wide.

I cant remember Vettel overtaking (sucessfully) anyone.

A proper comment on modern F1 that these guys are voted right at the sharp end by the managers.

For me, Hamilton, Rosberg, that jap guy in the Sauber, Kubica and even Jenson were far more exiting to watch and often "punched above their package's weight".

Gotta go with that. I think Hamilton and Button are the current masters of the art with Kobayashi(?) and Kubica up there with them. Most of the rest rely on being in front to make their race.

Agreed, except that Button needed to 'gel with the car' before he'd demonstrate true pace and ability. Contrast Hamilton who'd try 10/10ths to get the best out of a dog, but ultimately 'over-drove' his car as often as not, to the detriment of his tyres.

Kubica and Kobayashi are definitely people to watch - give them the right car and they'd be genuine contenders.


Ultimately though, if people want to see overtaking again they need to massively reduce the aero distortion caused by the cars. KERS is just going to be a gimmick which will disguise true driving ability and make the races even more about "strategy"...