08/12/2010
FEATURE BY GUEST AUTHORS
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
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.
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.
6: Nico Rosberg
It's funny, but such was the eagerness of the (mainly British) media - and by which we include Jonathan Legard and Eddie Jordan - to put Michael Schumacher down this season, it failed to pick up on the fact that perhaps - in addition to the German veteran's problems - teammate Nico was a bit better than it gave him credit for. Much like Robert Kubica at Renault, Nico quietly got on with the job in hand, making the best of a bad car. Like several other drivers, Nico had more than his fair share of bad luck this year, however, along the way there were weekends when everything went sublimely, Sepang and Shanghai being notable examples. Ignore the hyperbole, forget the fact that five drivers went into the final races with a chance of winning the title, instead, revel in the fact that the 2011 grid has such an abundance of superb talent.
7: Jenson Button
When Jenson announced his move to McLaren, the verdict, in terms of the media, message boards and even some fellow drivers was almost unanimous. The Englishman, who had apparently "lucked in" to the 2009 title would be "murdered", "annihilated" and "destroyed" by his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. But it was not to be. Indeed, by season end Jenson was one of the five drivers still in contention for the title. For much of the season his qualifying was abysmal - as he is first to admit - while there were some Sundays when one would be forgiven for forgetting he was actually out there, not to mention those days when he appeared content to settle for fourth, or fifth or sixth. However, there were also times when he shone and by season end most critics had been forced to eat their words. I can't see him winning another title but I do see further wins and McLaren has benefited from his input.
8: Kamui Kobayashi
OK, we made fun of him for some of those photo-ops, not least the day in the Burger King outlet. But the fact is Kamui is one of those once-in-a-lifetime drivers, one of those guys who constantly has you on the edge of your seat, albeit either covering your eyes in anticipation of an impending disaster or punching the air in salute. Many a dull Sunday afternoon has been enlivened by this youngster's hard charging never-say-die approach and long may it continue. Personally, his performance in Valencia was one of the true highlights of the season.
9: Rubens Barrichello
F1 fans can be a fickle, unforgiving lot. Ahead of his eighteenth season in F1 Rubens was being written off, those that know best claiming that he was well past his sell-by date. Indeed, even in the later stages of the season, as he continued to out-qualify, out-race and out-score his illustrious hot-shot teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, the calls for Rubens to hang up his helmet continued. Then again, look how quickly the fans turned on his countryman Felipe Massa, who only two years ago 'won' the title, albeit for all of around twenty seconds. While Patrick Head might describe 2010 as "a year to forget", the Grove outfit can have no cause to blame Rubens, perhaps that's why they retained him. For my part, the only time Rubens blotted his copybook this season was his stupidity in throwing his steering wheel out of the car in Monaco. Then again, what is it they say about… casting the first stone?
10: Timo Glock
I thought it only right than in choosing my final entry I looked beyond the usual suspects to the newbies. For Lotus, Virgin and Hispania it was a baptism by fire and if it was hard for the teams it must have been even harder for the drivers. These guys, from the moment they climb out of their nappies and into the first kart, are ultra competitive and it must be absolutely soul destroying to take to the track weekend after weekend knowing that you are going to be four or five seconds off the pace of guys you know you could take the fight to given the right package. Having given careful consideration to each of the newbie teams and their drivers, I feel that not only did Timo do the best job with the equipment available, but also did a sterling job in maintaining his determination and sense of humour.
Jim Casey's Top Ten
At times it seemed like his aggression and questionable judgment might get the better of him, but, in the end, with all of the pressure on, the young German drove two perfect races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. In truth, with 10 poles, Vettel should have been more dominant throughout the season, but his mistakes combined with some engine problems, delayed his coronation to the end of the season. Having come through the fire with his first championship, it is unlikely it will be his only one. With Adrian Newey still the king of F1 designers, Vettel and Red Bull may have a few years on top.
2: Fernando Alonso
After winning the first race it looked like it might be Ferrari's and Alonso's title to lose, and after the team orders mess in Hockenheim, it was clear that Ferrari were putting all their eggs in Alonso's basket. After he won three races in a row to take the championship lead, it looked like it was going to pay off for Maranello. But in the end, the pitstop strategy in Abu Dhabi, and his inability to deal with Petrov, left him still seeking his 3rd title.
3: Lewis Hamilton
Though his aggression cost him a few accidents and finishes, the 2008 champion won three races and still had a mathematical shot at the title right to the end. He usually out qualified his teammate, and seemed to get a little extra out of the car compared to Button. If McLaren can get their car more even with the Red Bull, Lewis should be right there next year.
4: Jenson Button
Both McLaren drivers had good seasons, with 5 wins between them, but the defending champion was usually a tick or two slower than his teammate. Button won two races to Lewis' three, and it is difficult to tell whether Jenson's smooth style, or Hamilton's aggression, suited the car better. With more time in the team, and Woking's consistent car development, he should contend for the title again next season, along with…
5: Mark Webber
2010 was a great season for the Aussie, but his crash in Korea, his inability to stay with his teammate in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, took him from control of the World Championship to a 3rd place finish, all while driving the fastest car on the grid. He has much to be proud of, with 4 wins, but his mistakes and crashes, which cost him the title, must be cause for a lot of hand-wringing, as he may not get another chance this good at this stage in his career.
Three podium finishes made him the driver with the best chance of scoring a win who was not driving a McLaren, Ferrari, or Red Bull. The man from Poland drove forcefully and consistently, and his performance relative to his teammate showed the true potential of this year's Renault. If the car continues to progress, I expect to see Kubica at the top of the podium at least once in 2011.
7: Kamui Kobayashi
He may not have scored a lot of points, but he had a way of dragging his mid-pack car into the points, or close to the points, on a regular basis. He drives with aggression and flair, and gets as much out of his car as anyone. The next time one of the big three teams is looking for a driver I would expect him to be at the top of the list.
8: Nico Rosberg
Right from the beginning, Rosberg showed no signs of being intimidated by, or willing to drive in the shadow of, his celebrated teammate. Starting with the first race and continuing through the season, he outperformed Schumi and scored almost twice as many points as the 7-time champion. He seldom put a wheel wrong and, with the proper equipment, should be a championship contender in a season or three.
9: Rubens Barrichello
Consistently the fastest of all those using Cosworth power, and regularly getting his car into Q3 and in the points. It is great to see that he still has the fire, the skill, and the car control to contend. Williams has done well to bring him back.
10: Michael Schumacher
He makes my list mostly by default, as he was consistently out-qualified and out-driven by his younger teammate, and continued some of his favourite tricks. It is only due to the undistinguished performances of the others that he makes the list.
Mat Coch's Top Ten
1: Timo Glock
Going for one of the title contenders is too obvious. The car may be nailed to the wrong end of the time sheets but it doesn't mean he didn't enjoy a good year. Strong and consistent performances were often buried well below the brawling at Red Bull as the media preferred to focus their attention at the front of the field. In a stronger car Glock is a race winner.
2: Rubens Barrichello
This guy just doesn't know the meaning of 'give up.' 300 Grands Prix and still bouncing around the paddock like a man half his age during his first season, his enthusiasm is contagious. Just ask Williams, who owe a good deal of their turn around in performance to the Brazilian. Not the year 2009 was, but he carried Williams during the first half as they struggled to find their feet.
3: Mark Webber
Third in the championship is about what he deserved. When he was good, he was very good. When he wasn't he was anonymous, Abu Dhabi a case in point. The fuss at Red Bull didn't help, though he never seemed to have that extra level his championship rivals could go to when they needed.
4: Jenson Button
Mature, composed, intelligent. That was Jenson's 2010. It wasn't spectacular but it was measured and at a team like McLaren it builds confidence with the crew. That became obvious as the season drew on, and with a car designed around the different driving style of Lewis Hamilton he performed well above expectations.
5: Fernando Alonso
Easy to admire, difficult to like, as it's been said. Fernando moved to a team where its other driver was part of the furniture and proceeded to order a new lounge. Alonso has begun building the team around him, and despite what Massa may say or think, 2010 firmly put the Brazilian into the category 'race winner' while Alonso confirmed his status of 'championship contender.'
We all know the guy is good, the problem is we don't know how good. He destroyed his teammate in 2010, and if it wasn't for Russian money would probably have ended Petrov's career in the process. Few can measure up against Kubica, and a few have tried. In inferior machinery to be on the front row at Monaco is about as much evidence as I need.
7: Christian Klien
He only had a handful of races yet in a lap obliterated the Senna mystique. His qualifying time in Singapore, to be over a second faster than his teammate having not driven a car in anger for nearly 4 years, was impressive. We all thought Senna was good, he measured up against Yamamoto and Chandhok, but Klien wiped the floor with him. A supreme job by the Austrian.
8: Lewis Hamilton
Didn't do anything more than expected, but didn't do anything less either. It was a year in which Hamilton seemed to mature as a driver, to eliminate some of the erratic Formula Ford-ness he'd become known for. This year he looked like a former champion, if the car didn't always allow him to run at the very front.
Too accident prone to be higher up the list, to be the best requires consistency as well as luck; in 2010 he had more of the latter than the former. Spa-Francorchamps was a turning point and as the season progressed his new approach became evident in his performances. His qualifying pace is prodigious, and his lust for statistics entertaining.
10: Kamui Kobayashi
Too crash-and-bash for my tastes, though he does make for entertaining racing, much in the same way Andrea de Cesaris did. If the Japanese youngster can calm down and control his aggression he has the ability to go a long way. 2010 was just a taste of what he can offer.
Crompo's - F1™ой Top Ten
Clinching the driver's title in the final race despite having never led the championship table during the season. OK, we all got the part where the Red Bull was the class of the field in 2010 but early reliability issues, undermined what should have been a dominant year. The young Sebastian himself, could be rightly have been viewed as a tad impetuous at times. But when it all came down the final race, Vettel drove the race he needed to and, against a ridiculous set of odds, came home as champion while the two drivers with stronger claims to the title - both helped by their respective teams - managed to hand the driver's championship to the right guy on a silver platter.
2: Kamui Kobayashi
In the closing races of 2009, when Toyota handed a drive to this young Japanese steerer, I confess to being among those who groaned "oh, no, here we go again". How delightful to have been so wrong. Kamui is the real deal and a complete racer. He finishes races, he passes people and he shows great maturity. I wonder if Tilke is pondering how to modify all his circuits to prevent such behaviour in the future!
3: Lewis Hamilton
It s a matter of record that I was none-too-impressed by the manner in which Lewis clinched his driver's. Not that it was his fault but I have always had an issue with a title snatched from race victor in Brazil, Massa, but dent of a failed Toyota which could not make it from the final corner of the G.P. to the flag. Conversely, I think the Lewis of 2010 was a far better driver than the Lewis who won the championship cup. Lewis, like Kamui, has proved time and again that despite the circuits and rule package, a proper race driver can pass if it matters! The low point of Lewis' year for me was seeing him punted out late in the season by Mark Webber, reprising the same crash he has all the time. Were there any justice, Lewis would have remained in championship contention while Webber was left sitting on the barriers and authoring his typical "anyone but me is to blame" response.
4: Peter Sauber
I accept that Peter Sauber is not as young as he once was and felt the need to pave his way to a well-deserved retirement by selling his bravely-non-UK-based-team to BMW. Clearly that didn't work out very well but only a soul as venerable as Sauber would have undertaken to purchase the tattered remnants of his former team back from the German automobile giant. I have always regarded Peter Sauber as a talent-spotter extraordinaire - regard the drivers he's brought into F1 - but after a lacklustre beginning to the season, he showed he still has the savvy to recruit technical staff as well. It is a brave thing to enter F1 with a base outside Oxfordshire as the expensive failure of Toyota attests but Peter Sauber did, and still does it, with considerable grace.
5: Fernando Alonso
Fernando, whom I consider to be a youth incarnate form of Michael Schumacher is cursed by this very same personality to polarise fans. He is either loathed or loved. It takes quite some thinking to appreciate the being that is Fernando. He is a complete racing package. Which translates to "would take a second mortgage on grandmother and then sell her to the highest bidder just for another tenth of a second a lap". We all groaned as we regarded his radio messages from the 2010 Hockenheim GP making it plainly clear that he felt Massa needed to be put aside for his own needs. As it turned out, this was a lucid request, if it was outside the FIA's current, and in my humble view, ludicrous rules precluding team orders. As it happened. Fernando spent much of 2010 piloting one of Maranello's less competitive offerings. He not only put up with that, he managed to transform that pig truck into a potential title winner by year's end. But for a bad call from the pit wall, he'd have another championship cup on his shelf.
6: Michael Schumacher
Fact is Michael didn't need to un-retire; financially or personally. But I have been very annoyed all year by the resurgence of Michael-haters pouring scorn on his every move. Fact is the guy has more championship cups that any driver ever before and likely hence. Haters can argue all they want about amorphous and anecdotal cheating allegations but methinks you don't wind up with 7 championships cups without substance. I've little doubt that Michael's return to the cockpit was largely due to the influence of his long-time partner Ross Brawn. While Baby Rosberg has oft-bested the German champion, in both qualifying and race results, I for one have a long enough memory to wonder what baby Rosberg might have accomplished without Michael's input into car development. I look forward to seeing what the 2011 season brings for this driver.
7: Christian Horner
Chairing the team with the best car of the season and two driver's capable of taking titles is probably not the easiest job on offer. Early in the 2010 season Ferrari blinked, showed their hand and backed on of their drivers as a best chance. Frankly, I think they were right to do so but the rules of the sport as they currently stand do not approve of such things and many - me included - think Ferrari were lucky to escape from their Hockenheim gaff relatively unscathed. Christian Horner, despite witnessing the nightmare of his drivers collide and cost the team points, shied away from such behaviour and that is to his great credit.
8: McLaren
In a sport whose rules and governance have, for decades, failed to produce entertaining racing, I commend McLaren on the F Duct. What an inspired bit of rule bending it was.
9: The FIA
After so many seasons of threats under the infamous FIA sporting regulation allowing the amorphous crime of "bringing the sport into disrepute" to be punishable by just about any draconian means, the FIA actually didn't come out of the 2010 F1, at least in my eye's, looking like they were persecuting anyone.
10. Formula 1™ой
Despite the failings, boredom, and misgivings of the sport, it has maintained my interest for all these decades - this despite any number of reasons to find something else to obsess over. But be warned F1, my patience is waning. And if my patience is waning - tolerant soul that I am, methinks the sponsors patience is waning even faster. Perhaps I'd like to see F1 back in the realm of a back-paddock event which, quite frankly is where it's heading. But I doubt the recently mugged Bernie finds that idea appealing.
James Frankland's Top Ten
The youngest-ever Formula One champion is an easy selection for the top spot, although he made heavy weather of his first title at times with some impetuous overtaking moves that cost him points at crucial times of the year. While Turkey and Belgium were the prime examples of Vettel's hot-headedness, he also lost a significant number of points through the RB6' fragility and had he enjoyed the reliability of his teammate, Seb would have had the title wrapped up with four or five races to go. His blinding speed was never in doubt, as ten pole positions this season attest, and he will surely only be a stronger force in 2011 and beyond having clinched his first world title.
2: Fernando Alonso
Fernando and Ferrari are surely made for each other, and if this season's rise from a fortuitous win in Bahrain (thanks to Vettel's exhaust gremlins) to leading the championship in Abu Dhabi is anything to go by, then Alonso could well be on his way to establishing a Ferrari dynasty to bear comparison with the legacy left by Michael Schumacher. Seven world titles are unlikely as the field is much stronger, but his superiority over Felipe Massa was clear as early as Australia where he closed back up on the Brazilian after being spun out at the first corner, then he dived past Massa in the pitlane in China. Then came Germany… but team orders aside, Alonso was the fastest non-Red Bull driver all season and took five wins in a car which wasn't even second-best for most of the season.
3: Lewis Hamilton
It took the 2008 champion a while to shine in this year's McLaren, and Jenson Button looked set to lead the McLaren charge after two wins in the first four races, but as the team got to grips with the car and started reigning in the Red Bulls it was Hamilton who came to the for. He broke Red Bull's run of seven straight pole positions in Canada, winning from pole and adding to his victory in Turkey, which came after he bullied his way back past Button who had passed him while Hamilton was busy saving fuel. He remained in contention until the last race but broke the back of his championship charge with three retirements in four races, a gearbox failure in Hungary and collisions with Massa in Italy and Webber in Singapore left him an outside bet for the title and went into the last race needing to win with Vettel, Webber and Alonso all failing to score. Too often Lewis was reliant on other people having bad races, and he won't allow that to happen again next season.
4: Mark Webber
I debated for a while about putting Webber in third place, but ultimately it was that unforced error in Korea which decided matters for me. That's not to detract from his stellar performances earlier in the season - his wins in Spain and Monaco were as imperious as anything from the best of the Schumacher years - but right when it counted, that error in Korea turned out to be very costly. He scored points in every race he finished - a feat no other driver on the grid can match - but appeared unable to match Vettel's searing pace in the last few races. He also emerged unscathed from one of the biggest accidents in recent F1 history when he launched off the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus in Valencia, landing on the roll bar and smashing into a tyre barrier at over 100mph. Webber's a survivor and if the RB7 is on the pace he'll win races next year, but a championship will probably elude the likeable Aussie.
Kubica's F1 pedigree was assured before this season, but after 19 races in a Renault which ended up fifth in the Constructor's table, the Pole's performances did nothing to distract from the view that he will be a world champion in the future. Traditionally excelling in Monaco, his third place was just reward for the team which had found itself dragged through the sporting and political mire in recent years, and endured uncertainty after Renault scaled back its involvement. Kubica led the team from within, prompting many to draw favourable comparisons with the man he replaced, Fernando Alonso, and destroyed his teammate Vitaly Petrov, although it was perhaps too much to expect a rookie driver to show up well against him.
6: Nico Rosberg
Even Nico, confident young man that he is, can't have imagined when the wraps came off the Mercedes MGP-01 that, nine months later, he'd score almost double the points of his seven-time champion teammate Michael Schumacher. All eyes were on the 41-year old as he returned after three years in retirement, but it was Rosberg who set about establishing himself as the top man at Mercedes, finishing ahead of Michael in the first four races which included two podium places in Malaysia and China. It was clear the Mercedes wasn't going to deliver the race-winning performances that anyone at Mercedes expected after scooping both titles as Brawn in 2009, but he performed superbly against his teammate, which is the first requirement for any driver.
7: Jenson Button
The defending champion stayed in contention to the penultimate race, and in some ways it was poignant that he lost the ability to defend his title with fifth place in Brazil, the same position which rewarded him with the championship twelve months previously. Button capitalised brilliantly on changeable conditions in Australia and China to win and head the championship, but found himself unable to match teammate Lewis Hamilton's pace in qualifying or the race. A poor mid-season run was ended by a strong run to second in Italy, which could have been first but for a lightning-quick stop by Ferrari which got Alonso into a lead from which he hung on to win. Like mark Webber, Button's championship charge was blighted by his performance in Korea, where he just couldn't get the car dialled in and found himself struggling for stability and grip, finishing in a lowly 12th place. Some predicted a McLaren implosion along the lines of Alonso-Hamilton '07, but Jenson's easygoing nature meant that was never likely and McLaren will be back next year.
8: Kamui Kobayashi
The Japanese driver came into the season having dined out on the reputation he forged for himself in two stand-in races at Toyota in 2009, and initially didn't look too promising with four straight retirements including a wild crash in Australia that also took out Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastien Buemi. Sauber took steps to rectify their car issues, and the arrival of Force India's James Key gave Kamui the platform to showcase his racing talents. By far the standout moment was his seventh place in the European Grand Prix in Valencia - running long on the prime tyre, he pitted late in the race and passed Alonso's Ferrari and then Buemi's Toro Rosso on the last corner of the last lap to nick seventh place. Eight points finishes were a just reward for his hard-charging style, and at a time when Japanese fans wondered where the next big F1 talent was going to come from following two years supporting the lacklustre Kazuki Nakajima, Kobayashi has answered the call.
9: Rubens Barrichello
F1's most experienced driver helped to bring Williams back to the head of the midfield and proved a good foil for rookie teammate Nico Hulkenberg. His set-up expertise and technical feedback were lauded by the technical team at Grove and as Williams got their F-Duct working Rubens took fourth and fifth places in Valencia and then next time out at Silverstone. Having been overshadowed by Force India in the first part of the season, Williams fought back led by Rubens' performances, taking four consecutive points finishes in Italy, Singapore, Japan and Korea compared to two for both Force India drivers in the same races. He finished out of the points in Brazil and Abu Dhabi but performed well enough to earn a second year with the team in 2011.
10: Nico Hulkenberg
Already arguably the rookie of the year, Hulkenberg cemented the honour and the final place in my Top 10 with his sublime pole position in Brazil, a full second clear of the championship-challenging Red Bulls in changeable conditions. Although he was passed by Vettel by the bottom of the Senna S and ended the race a lap down in eighth place, the four points he scored gave Williams sixth place in the constructors championship - a small victory but nevertheless an important one for the once-great Williams team. Described as a future world champion by Frank Williams, this plaudit was not enough to keep him in the team for 2011, being replaced by Pastor Maldonado. Could well end up at Force India next year or as Mercedes' third driver, with a move to the full race team a possibility in 2012.
Honourable mention: Karun Chandhok
A strange choice? Well yes, and no. Yes, because he only raced in ten Grands Prix driving the recalcitrant Hispania-Cosworth which was hardly the car or team of choice with which to embark on your debut season. However, while he lacked one-lap pace compared to fellow rookie Bruno Senna, Chandhok only finished behind the Brazilian once, in the rain-affected Chinese Grand Prix, and his 14th place in Australia - the second race of the season - kept Hispania off the foot of the constructors championship, condemning Virgin to the wooden spoon. His mid-season dumping from the car in favour of pay-driver Sakon Yamamoto was classless at best, but Karun handled it professionally in interviews and then crafted a new career as an expert commentator on BBC 5 Live, earning himself the nickname 'Karunpedia' due to his encyclopaedic knowledge of the sport. A top driver and all-around good bloke, I for one want to see him get the chance to race next season.
Mike Lawrence's Top Ten
Let me make it clear I am doing this under protest. I do not approve of these lists, but the editor has a way with words, he sends a picture of a cute puppy and says, 'I will buy it a Tottenham Hotspur T-shirt if you do not comply.' That should not happen to a dog.
If you want to know the 2010 standings, all you have to do is look at a chart, I was asked for my opinion which carries no more weight than your opinion. It is virtual reality.
He made some mistakes, but he was mighty in qualifying and the car let him down more than the other way round. Red Bull did provide the best car, but Vettel and Webber were part of the team which helped make it so.
He is young, articulate and has a great sense of humour. From his debut in F1, he has been impressive and I cannot wipe out the memory of his win at Monza for Scuderia Toro Rosso. It was one of the greatest drives in Grand Prix history and that is not something that I say lightly.
Being World Champion is a lot to take in, and he is in for a lot of boring ceremonies, dull conversation, corporate food, and corporate hangers-on. Take it from me, being a superstar is not all it is cracked up to be.
2: Mark Webber
I had hoped that Mark would be World Champion. Casting around, I know that I am not alone in this. I like his forthright style and think that motor racing would benefit more from that than Vettel's easy charm. Sebastian has more opportunities in the future than has Mark and I would have welcomed Webber's input to the sport from the position of Champion.
At Valencia, Mark auditioned for the Red Arrows, a fortnight later he was dominant at Silverstone and that was impressive.
He did not make the best use of his grid positions, too often fluffing his starts. He could have been a little more active in Abu Dhabi, I cannot recall him giving Alonso a headache.
I suspect that Mark made more of a contribution to Red Bull's performance than did his team-mate.
3: Lewis Hamilton
Lewis has made his car dance to his command, but there seems to have been an uneasy communication with McLaren which has been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo. Hamilton is among the best on the grid, but McLaren has not supplied him with the equipment with consistency.
A highlight of the season is that we did not have to endure endless pictures of his father in the pits and nor did we have vacuous interviews with the Old Man. Of course he's pleased, it would be an odd father who would not be. The first rule of F1 reporting is you do not have to interview someone just because they are to hand. The second rule that just because someone is associated with Formula One, it does not necessarily make them interesting. The third rule is that when you see a parent, you run.
Kubica has to do more than drive, he has to form Renault around him and this is a difficult job given the changes and uncertainties which the team has been through. Robert is a superb driver who has had to put up with a team-mate who brings little to the table except for sponsorship.
A bringer of sponsorship is no bad thing, Petrov has helped keep the team going, but it does mean that Robert has had no realistic mark against whom he can be measured and I doubt whether Petrov has made much contribution to developing the the car.
Kubica seems destined for a career at Renault and my hunch is that he will drive the team forward. He is superbly gifted and engineers and mechanics will be lifted by his talent and will try that bit harder.
5=: Jenson Button
He gets my nomination because of his racecraft. Driving for a new team, he won two races, and headed the Championship, because of his ability to take in a complex picture. Jenson did that from behind the wheel, his team of boffins could advise, but he made the decisions.
On camera, which is how most of us see him, he is straightforward and chipper. Jenson has long been a great ambassador for the sport and I like the way he has conducted himself as a World Champion.
He may be the most sensitive driver on the grid and I do not think that McLaren has yet learned how to handle him, but they will.
5=: Kamui Kobayashi
I tend to go in alphabetical order, so Button comes before Kobayashi, who is equal fifth in my assessment. He and Jenson represent two styles of driving, Jenson is delicate, Kamui is banzai.
For as long as I can remember. I have had people, serious people, predicting the first big talent from Japan and they have always been wrong. Kamui may be the one. He is no respecter of reputation and he attacks.
The viewer has not seen many of his moves since he is down the grid, but he can be mighty. His audaciousness reminds me of the young Jean Alesi and here is the problem. Crazy Jean took a car and wrung its neck, but he did not make the car better.
My reservation is that Kobayashi may be like Alesi, someone who lights up the track, wins hearts, but ends up with not a great deal in his trophy cupboard.
7: Rubens Barrichello
Rubens sets new records almost every time he takes to the track, mainly because he has been around a long time. Rubens is a GP winner many times over whose score would have been higher had it not been for the intervention of the Ferrari management. He retains his place at Williams for 2011 while the much vaunted Hulkenberg does not.
Financial matters must have played a part in next year's line-up, but Rubens was the guy who scored the points in 2010. Sir Frank has a record of taking a punt on talent, hence Hulkenberg, but he has often been wrong, look at Zanardi.
My suspicion is that Rubens has been great on feed-back and Patrick Head, a co-owner of the team, appreciates that.
8: Nico Rosberg
The guy has everything, good looks, a sense of humour, everything. At his stage in his career. he might have been intimidated at being paired with Michael Schumacher, but he was not.
Mercedes (Brawn) seems to have suffered from having two drivers new to the team whereas it would have been sensible to have retained Barrichello and brought in Rosberg. In fact, it is hard to argue against employing Michael Schumacher. Quite apart from his superb record, the PR considerations were enormous and Mercedes-Benz is in Formula One to sell cars.
One thing about Nico is that he has established a reputation in his own right, one rarely hears the name of his distinguished father. That is some achievement because Keke Rosberg was immensely popular.
9: Felipe Massa
Felipe came back from a life-threatening injury which was not his fault. He dominated Hockenheim from the first corner and then was deprived of his win. Despite the feeble excuses of Ferrari. Massa should have won in Germany. His performances thereafter showed signs of damage, but he had his car within tenths of Alonso.
Massa could give problems to Schumacher when Michael was in his pomp. His display at Hockenheim showed that he was back to form, and then he was robbed of a win by corporate politics.
I will never forgive Luca di Montezemolo for ordering Felipe Massa to give up a win which was his by sovereignty of nature. to borrow from a playwright of my acquaintance.
10: Adrian Sutil
I cannot quite work the guy out, but he has shown flashes of brilliance. This is remarkable because most drivers do not do that. Anyone who makes it to the top has excellence, but brilliance is on a higher level.
Every so often, usually in the wet, Sutil is brilliant. At some other times he is merely a back of the grid driver. I hope I never grow so old that I cannot recognise brilliance.
Oh dear, Fernando Alonso did not make my Top Ten and that is because he is a wuss and Formula One should have no place for such people. I had been a fan since his days at Minardi, and have the text to prove it. but he has turned girlie.
At the top of his game, Alonso has been superb, but he has also been a big girl's blouse. Hamilton committed no infringement at Valencia, the safety car was within the white line when he overtook it, you can check that on YouTube.
Either there is a rule about the white line or there is not. Hamilton obeyed the rule, as did McLaren, while Alonso threw his toys out of the pram. That was the point when he lost the World Championship, it had nothing to do with Petrov at Abu Dhabi, who was only defending his position.
Hamilton did not infringe the rules, his drive-through penalty, which was down-right wrong, robbed him of a chance to challenge for a win. This was a political thing. We must not upset Ferrari, the provider of motoring bling to the funny-money classes.
Alonso then lost it, because he is a wuss. He allowed his Ferrari to be overtaken by a Sauber on the last corner and it was a home Grand Prix. He is the highest paid driver in F1, by a long way, and he used that to deny Massa his win at Hockenheim which was a year to the day since Felipe had suffered an accident which threatened his life.
In Abu Dhabi, Alonso could not pass a driver in his rookie year who was fighting for position and, maybe, a seat for 2011. Petrov had every right to fight for his place, Alonso did not have the gonads to take it from him and hardly made an attempt. Afterwards, the big girl's blouse gestured at Petrov and then lacked the balls to admit that he had done what hundreds of millions of viewers had seen him do.
Ferrari is happy to employ a wuss, but a wuss has no place in my Top Ten.
Thomson Philips' Top Ten
So, Dear Leader (Editor….) emailed us all to say he wanted our picks to compile a Top 10. There were a couple problems for me. First he wanted 10 drivers. Fair enough, but there were only 27 drivers total all season and to me 10th out of 27 is mediocre at best (are you listening Ms. Patrick?). So I have 7 drivers and 3 Wild Cards.
Secondly, he asked us to be brief as to why we ranked the drivers such. Brevity has always been a problem whether I'm speaking or putting a virtual pen to virtual paper. I'm guessing my picks will be a bit off beat, so you can blame Dear Leader Balfe if you can't figure out why I ranked as I did.
Without further ado I bring you Thomson Philip's Top 7 drivers of 2010 + 3 Wild Card persons or entities that deserve mention.
1: Kamui Kobayashi
A desperate rookie driver in a desperate team, both of whom could have floundered and failed, never to be seen again in Formula 1. After retiring from 5 of the first 6 races, and having only 1 point leaving Montreal, Kobayashi scored in 4 of the next 5 and 3 of the last 4 races. He didn't just score points, he earned them by making passes on track, a rare commodity these days. He is a feel good story in the clinical, profit driven world of Planet Paddock.
2: Jenson Button
Coming into the season the question was "How badly will the reigning World Drivers Champion get thrashed by his teammate?" At first glance the 26 point difference between 5th place Hamilton and 6th place Button may look large (240-214), but remember the new points structure, and see that next down from Button to 7th place Felipe Massa the difference was 70 points (144)! The former Champ put in a very good account of himself, retiring only twice (Monaco and Spa, neither of which were his fault), scoring 7 podiums, and failing to score points in a race finish only once.
3: Fernando Alonso
Fernando in a Ferrari certainly delivered for the Scuderia the way only a Champion at the top of his game can, starting with his victorious debut. If there were any delusions as to drivers being equal at Maranello, or that Felipe Massa would retain his standing as team favourite, they were squashed when Alonso went down the inside of Massa on pit entry in Shanghai. He then stamped his authority on the team, leading to the events in Germany that started a run of 7 podiums in 8 starts. If Alonso can keep Maranello motivated ala Schumacher, his skill and force of personality should keep them in the hunt.
4: Mark Webber
He was never meant to win it all at Red Bull, and coming out of Monaco there were some major inconveniences for Helmut Marko and Dietrich Mateschitz. But for a bit of petulance from his teammate at Istanbul who knows how the season would have played out for him. A couple major lapses during the season (Korea, Abu Dhabi, a couple qualy sessions) kept him from making the most of his best chance yet, and will call into question from the haters whether he truly is one of the Big Boys.
The Champion at number 5? I like Sebastian Vettel. His smile and genuineness are refreshing. As I said in my Abu Dhabi column and above, his occasional bit of youthful petulance kept him from running away with the title (all the better for us). He put in a very good season overall (especially in qualifying) and earned his title, but he was expected to be one of the front runners, hence the less than top ranking. I have a sneaking suspicion that next year he will be number 1 on the list and there will be no number 2, 3 or 4.
6: Nico Rosberg
At the beginning of the season it was "We'll see how good Rosberg is now." He showed no signs whatsoever of being flustered at being paired with a 7 time WDC, and the first 4 races had many calling for the retirement of Herr Schumacher. He was quietly solid in an underperforming car, and should get his first win next year (if both Red Bulls blow up, that is).
7: Rubens Barrichello
Who would have thought in March that come November Rubens would be staying at Williams and Nico Hulkenberg would be kicked to the curb? Rubens was another solid performer, and his run to the pit wall down the inside of Schumacher at Hungary was not the move of someone looking to collect a gold watch. Frankly he looked better than Schumacher most of the year.
I really can't come up with 3 more drivers that would merit a mention. Lewis Hamilton? A good year but took himself out of the Championship race at the wrong moments. Michael Schumacher? He's been on enough lists in his career and his move on Barrichello in Hungary is on my Bottom 10 list. However, I was able to easily come up with 3 Honourable Mentions not in the driver category.
8: Lotus
Not only 'Best of the Rest' but seemingly with all the tools and personnel to have a go at becoming a solid team quickly. Despite what the vultures think, they did the name proud. Hopefully Pitbull Gascoyne will prevent a sophomore letdown for Team, umm Group, errr Lettuce Racing?
9: Cosworth
With all the rumours and allegations swirling around the mandate that all new teams would run Cosworth, one would have expected fireballs, grenades and smokescreens galore from Williams, Virgin, HRT and Lotus. I don't have any facts in front of me but I don't remember enough blowups to make Alan Donnelly blush, and the Williams run of solid performances showed that it's not just a low cost alternative to competing. The teams bailing from Cossie may find it wasn't the engine…….
10: Tavo Helmund
OK, maybe a little Ameri-centric of me. But just 2 days after I wrote a column on handicapping the next USGP, the announcement came like a bolt of lightning from a blue sky, making me look like a genius or idiot. Yes no earth has been turned yet, and we could have another Korean type showdown (being Texas the artillery will be only a little smaller) but I do think this race will happen and long term it will be a success.
I could probably also give you a Bottom 10, starting with the Charlotte charlatans Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson but in the interest of brevity, that may have to be a separate column. Happy off-season to all, and as always hate mail can be sent to thomsonphilips@hotmail.com
Anton Zimmermann's Top Ten
After a disheartening start to the season when mechanical failures robbed him of certain victories he overcame his midseason loss of form and got his head together. At Singapore he and Alonso occupied an entirely different plane of performance and from then on he didn't put a foot wrong. When his engine expired spectacularly during the Korean GP he showed that he has not only grown as a racing driver, but as a man too by demonstrating remarkable equanimity.
As I said in my end of season review, only Kubica can lay claim to completing the season without a mistake worthy of the name. Furthermore he made the pig truck, which was this season's Renault, actually look like a respectable Formula 1 car. Singapore exemplified his season with the highlight being his move around the outside of Sutil, thus showing Hamilton how he should have executed his move on Webber and demonstrating that clinical beats ruthless every time.
3: Fernando Alonso
Demonstrated the blinding talent those of us who had the privilege of seeing him wring the neck of a Minardi in person during his debut season will remember fondly. He may be, as Martin Brundle put it, "easy to admire but not easy to love" but clawing his way back into contention confirmed his brilliance. Ironic that his title challenge was undone by Ferrari attempting to cover the tactics of both Red Bull drivers because they had been allowed to race for the title.
4: Lewis Hamilton
Readers of these pages will know that I have not been a fan of the young Englishman but like Vettel I think he has grown as a person this year. I was amongst those who predicted that his relationship with Button would be lucky to survive first practice in Bahrain and I am glad to see that he and Button forged a mature and positive working relationship. Regularly outshone his car to keep himself in contention for the title coming into the last race.
5: Nico Rosberg
Even though his illustrious teammate had a poor return season, Michael Schumacher remains a significant yardstick against which to judge performance. On that basis finishing nearly 100 points clear of the seven-time champion signifies a season to be proud of.
6: Mark Webber
Made good use of the fastest car on the grid during but could do with taking a leaf out of Massa's book in how to handle the politics of a team whose heart belongs to the man on the other side of the garage. Briefing against the team, which had showed faith in him for years when many others would not have done, lacked class. On the track the pressure of the home stretch of the title race told with no wins in the last seven races.
7: Jenson Button
Not only survived entering the lions' den of a McLaren team built around Lewis Hamilton but thrived and scored the team's first win of the season.
8: Kamui Kobayashi
Remains the most exciting driver on the grid and the one most likely to attempt audacious passing moves. The man you would least like to see in your rear view mirror.
9: Felipe Massa
Brilliant comeback season after his horrific injury last year. Pity that Ferrari deemed it necessary to issue team orders with 8 races remaining and rob him of what would have been a well-deserved win in Germany. After that it seamed like his heart wasn't quite in it.
10: Michael Schumacher
It may not have been vintage Schumacher but there will still hints of the young charger towards the latter part of the season.
Many thanks to Jim, Mat, Crompo, James, Dr Mike, Thomson and Anton for their contributions, which, if nothing else, demonstrate that the Pitpass team members don't all sing from the same hymn sheet.
Anyway, taking their selections into account, the overall Pitpass Top Ten for 2010 would appear to be as follows.
2: Fernando Alonso
3: Lewis Hamilton
4: Mark Webber
5: Jenson Button
7: Kamui Kobayashi
8: Nico Rosberg
9: Rubens Barrichello
10: Timo Glock