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Pitpass' 2010 Top Ten Drivers

FEATURE BY GUEST AUTHORS
08/12/2010

If I remember correctly, only once since I founded Pitpass back in 2002 have I called on our contributors to come up with a list of the Top Ten drivers of the season.

However, with us constantly being told that this was the best season in living memory - a claim not upheld by our stats, posts on the forum or indeed e-mails from readers - what better time to go with the flow and come up with our very own list.

When I asked our various contributors to come up with their Top Tens, the brief was simple; choose whoever you want but explain why.

Needless to say, while some have opted for a fairly conservative selection, others have turned the whole thing on its head. And then there is Glen Crompton and Mike Lawrence.

What follows is each of our main contributors' Top Ten together with their explanation as to how they arrived at their decision. Then, using some extremely complicated math that even we don't understand, we arrive at the definitive Pitpass Top Ten Drivers of 2010.

For the sake of argument - you would not believe how precious some people can be - our contributors are listed in alphabetical order, always handy when your surname begins with 'B' and 'A'.

So, without further ado.

Chris Balfe's Top Ten

1: Sebastian Vettel

I must declare that, along with Robert Kubica, I have a certain soft spot for young Sebastian. Other than his obvious talent, and excellent sense of humour, there is the fact that he wears his heart very much on his sleeve in terms of his racing. Yes, there were mistakes this season, far too many, but let's not forget his appalling luck in terms of reliability. With his back totally against the wall, indeed, with some calling on him to defer to his teammate, he went into the final two races of the season like a man possessed, doing all that was needed. I have followed his career with interest since his Formula BMW days and it was always clear that he was just that little bit special. I only hope that in the years ahead, as he adds further titles to his collection, that he retains his humour, his obvious joy for the sport and his openness.

2: Lewis Hamilton

No doubt some will say that putting Lewis number two on my list is because I am British and am therefore biased. Bollocks. The reason that the McLaren driver is so high up my list is that he is one of the few drivers out there who always appears to remember that the name of this sport is motor racing. Yes, there were mistakes, yes, at times he was his own worst enemy. However, he rarely gives less than 100% and so often reminds me of some of those legendary names from Formula One's golden era. I'll probably be hearing about this for the next ten years, but down the Marlborough, Arthur talks about needing the madness in one's soul. Lewis has that madness, and while we point to Monza and Singapore as being weekends that cost him a second title, long may it continue.

3: Fernando Alonso

Speaking in the days leading up to the season finale, my wife asked me who I wanted to see win the title. She, being a great fan of Fernando, was shocked to hear that I was rooting for Sebastian. The fact is, and remember this is a personal list, I see the Spaniard in pretty much the same way as I used to view Nigel Mansell, a superb yet flawed talent. A maestro in the car but a pain in the derriere out of it. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's bad luck, but the fact is controversy appears to follow him around. His belief in both his team and himself this season was awesome, particularly when one remembers how the championship stood mid-season. However, all too often he lets himself down. Silly as it was, his gesticulating at Vitaly Petrov at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix spoke volumes.

4: Robert Kubica

Despite the chummy pictures and the 'clear the air' talks, we are still hearing rumours from Milton Keynes suggesting that all is not well and that Mark Webber's time at Red Bull is at an end. Then again, there is still speculation as to the future of Felipe Massa at Ferrari. Whether this is true or not, the powers that be at the Austrian outfit, like the other major players, must be keeping a keen eye on Robert. This year, possibly more than in his previous three seasons, the Pole has consistently demonstrated what a truly excellent driver he is. Scoring all but 21 of his team's points, out-qualifying his teammate - who is no slouch - 17 times, sadly, come Sunday the Pole would quietly get on with his job almost unnoticed, certainly by the TV cameras. It is only a matter of time before he is signed to a team that can give him a winning car - and then his rivals had better watch out.

5: Mark Webber

With Jenson Button and Brawn having won the 2009 titles, F1 really had used up its 'fairy tale' quota, and while it would have been "nice" to see affable Aussie Mark take the 2010 crown it was not to be. There were some memorable moments, not least his domination of the Silverstone weekend, coming, as it did, two weeks after that horrific crash in Valencia. However, while there were mistakes, most notably the totally unforced error in Korea, there was also the playing up to the media, certainly in terms of how badly he was being treated by his team. In my personal opinion, this year Webber's image took a bit of a knock, for washing your dirty linen in public is not the way to do things and certainly not the mark - no pun intended - of a champion.

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