http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96751

Autosport asked team principals to vote for the drivers who they think had done the best job in the 2011 season.


I think it's a pretty good list. Do you agree with them?

Quote from samjh :

Do you agree with them?

Yes, actually :P Apart from maybe Perez above Kov and Schumi.

I'd swap Button and Alonso and put Perez in at number 8, but apart from that, I agree with it

I don't understand how Webber is 6th? He couldn't have had a worse year. The RBR was the best car by a country mile for the first half of the season and he didn't score a win. Heikki was far more impressive. Thought even the team bosses might be able to look past car performance when grading these things.

Don't understand how Rosberg can be UP to 5th, racing wise he's been poor all year...

I hate Mclaren but I think Button sohuld be first. Granted I imagine first always goes to the world champion.

Quote from Rappa Z :

I hate Mclaren but I think Button sohuld be first. Granted I imagine first always goes to the world champion.

Indeed, Button should be there... The only reason Vettel is on the top is because he's the champion... He didn't show anything "impressive". Just a lucky guy who had the fastest car.

/capt. obv.

Quote from Rappa Z :

Granted I imagine first always goes to the world champion.

According to the article this is the first time the WC has won since '08

Interresting how the 8th place guy might well be jobless for 2012.

Overall I agree more or less. Top 3 is spot on IMO. A bit surprised by Kovalainen's 9th, Trulli might have not been such a reliable benchmark, the guy looks really demotivated. And did Catherham have the ressources to field 2 decently even cars anyway?

I think I would've put Alguersuari and Perez instead of Kovalainen and maybe Schumacher.

Quote from Töki (HUN) :

Indeed, Button should be there... The only reason Vettel is on the top is because he's the champion... He didn't show anything "impressive". Just a lucky guy who had the fastest car.

/capt. obv.

Thats what I thought about Button when he took his title in the Brawn-unfair advantage-mobile. Then he totally redeemed himself.

Please note that having an unfair advantage is the goal of every team and not to be looked down upon (but the driver is usually not responsible and should not get praise for it, except for maybe Alonsons alleged spy contacts )

Quote from Töki (HUN) :

Indeed, Button should be there... The only reason Vettel is on the top is because he's the champion... He didn't show anything "impressive". Just a lucky guy who had the fastest car.

/capt. obv.

Glad we finally agree on something!

It would be kind of nice to see the other end of the list as well. Who are the least impressive drivers of 2011?

Quote from Hyperactive :

It would be kind of nice to see the other end of the list as well. Who are the least impressive drivers of 2011?

Maldonado.

Nah. Hamilton.

Petrov & Heidfeld

Chandhock

Quote from Töki (HUN) :

Indeed, Button should be there... The only reason Vettel is on the top is because he's the champion... He didn't show anything "impressive". Just a lucky guy who had the fastest car.

/capt. obv.

Okay, but what more could he have done?
If he'd won every race you'd say it was just because of the car, so I guess there's no way for a dominant champion to be the most impressive driver in f1.....even if he makes a previously well regarded and apparently fast driver look incredibly ordinary along the way.
Maybe if he'd gone slowly like Webber and won by less of a margin in what we'd all assume was a "less dominant car" you'd be more impressed?

Quote from MoMo92i :

Petrov & Heidfeld

Heidfeld? Are you serious? The guy finished 11th in points and only had 11 races.. How is that a bad performance?

Quote from sinbad :

Okay, but what more could he have done?
If he'd won every race you'd say it was just because of the car, so I guess there's no way for a dominant champion to be the most impressive driver in f1.....even if he makes a previously well regarded and apparently fast driver look incredibly ordinary along the way.
Maybe if he'd gone slowly like Webber and won by less of a margin in what we'd all assume was a "less dominant car" you'd be more impressed?

He has to lap everyone 5 times and hes team mate atleast once to be the best

Quote from BlueFlame :

Heidfeld? Are you serious? The guy finished 11th in points and only had 11 races.. How is that a bad performance?

Was good in first 3 races and then he was slower than Petrov. Petrov that have been slower than Senna, and finally slower than Grosjean so...

Quote from MoMo92i :

Was good in first 3 races and then he was slower than Petrov. Petrov that have been slower than Senna, and finally slower than Grosjean so...

He still finished ahead of Kobayashi, Di Resta and Perez all of which seem to have 'impressed'.

To be honest, I think Kobayashi is on a downward spiral. Jap drivers come and go, and few Jap drivers look like the real deal for their first few years, and then peak very quickly although I hope it's not the case.

But for me, Perez hasn't shown anything particularly exciting, or even promising although he's clearly miles better than Maldonado.

Quote from BlueFlame :

He still finished ahead of Kobayashi, Di Resta and Perez all of which seem to have 'impressed'.

To be honest, I think Kobayashi is on a downward spiral. Jap drivers come and go, and few Jap drivers look like the real deal for their first few years, and then peak very quickly although I hope it's not the case.

But for me, Perez hasn't shown anything particularly exciting, or even promising although he's clearly miles better than Maldonado.

Well if you are going to say both sauber team drivers are not doing well then maybe it is the car and not the drivers? Sauber themselves have admitted they had problems with the car developments in 2011, mainly it was the exhaust blown diffuser:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95035

Quote from Hyperactive :

Well if you are going to say both sauber team drivers are not doing well then maybe it is the car and not the drivers? Sauber themselves have admitted they had problems with the car developments in 2011, mainly it was the exhaust blown diffuser:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95035

No, I'm saying Kobayashi is slowly dropping off, performance-wise and I'm saying Perez just ain't good enough. Sauber ain't the problem entirely.

Their relative finishing positions don't agree with you, BlueFlame.

I just did a quick five minute graphing job, comparing the finishing positions of the two drivers relative to the median between them. Disqualifications and retirements have been excluded, as they provide no basis for comparison. Both drivers had the same number of race retirements (three). Positive result means the driver finished in the better position (eg. in China, Kobayashi placed 3.5 positions better than the median, which means Perez finished 7 positions behind).

I just don't think Perez got that something needed for an F1 championship. But I was proven wrong by Vettel, will probably happen again.