Best F1 driver in 2012

Who was the best driver in your opinion in 2012?
Jes

 

Alonso, followed by Raikonnen.

both destroyed their teammates, and made inferior equipment look good.

 

How could we ever really know??

 

...in your opinion...

 

+1

Mods, can we lock the thread now?

 

I understand that, but I don't have the knowledge to form an opinion. I wish I did...it's a fascinating subject.

 

Abstaining from voting is fine too, although in that case you cannot see the results of the vote, I suppose... In case you are curious, Alonso is ahead by a bit... BTW, speaking for myself, I don't claim to REALLY know either, but voted to the best of my ability...

 

Maybe it was inferior teammates that made them look good?

 

You must have more ability than me! lol...most people do.

I can see the results without voting.

 

I doubt it = you should make your voice heard to bring some sanity to this

Ah, good - didn't think that was possible...

 

Alonso without a doubt.

I'm also continually impressed by Jenson Button. I think he's the one that has given Vettel the toughest time when it came to defending against him, as we saw in Austin. Lap after lap, Vettel could not pass Button who was on older, harder tires. Eventually, Vettel's option tires gave him the advantage. I definitely consider Jenson a regenmeister.

Kimi, they don't call him the Ice Man for no reason.

 

Interesting breakdown of who won how many 2012 GPs, etc...

Vettel: 6 P1s - 5 GPs - 1 DNF - 10 podiums - 281 pts
Alonso: 2 P1s - 3 GPs - 2 DNF - 13 podiums - 278 pts
Kimi: 0 P1- 1 GP - 0 DNF - 8 podiums - 207 pts
Hamilton: 7 P1s - 4 GPs - 4 DNF - 7 podiums - 190 pts
Button: 1 P1 - 3 GPs - 2 DNF - 6 podiums - 188 pts
Webber: 2 P1s - 2 GPs - 2 DNF - 4 podiums - 167 pts

 

What Alonso accomplished with this year's car was amazing. Just imagine what will be possible when Ferrari figures out how to use a wind tunnel.

 

One less DNF to equal Vettel, and this would have been Alonso's WDC.

Were they using BAR/Honda's old wind tunnel??

 

If you're going that route, then take down Hamilton's DNFs from mechanical failures (2 while in the lead), take away those victories from the actual winners, then it's not Alonso's, but Hamilton's WDC.

No, the Toyota wind tunnel in Cologne. They were already using it last year because of the RRA - it was considered contracted work, so didn't count towards the mandated limit on wind tunnel work.

 

Alonso did a superhuman effort this year. Zero mistakes, maximum effort, maximum results. Phenomenal!

 

I said take one DNF away to match Vettel's ONE DNF, not all of them.

I was being sarcastic. Guess you don't remember BAR/Honda's deal with their wind tunnel a few years back.

 

Vettel had 2 DNF's. One was near the end of the Italian GP so he was still classified. (>90% completed). In Malaysia he had his tire sliced by Karthikeyan and in Valencia he retired from a massive lead.

Alonso was taken out in spa by Salad Boy and in Japan he sliced his own tire on Kimi's wing.

Best driver for me? Tough one. For the opening GP's Alonso did a great job, no denying that. But the Red Dog gets a worse reputation than it really was. It's race pace was fantastic and for most of the year almost on par with the Red Bull and Mclaren. It really wasn't as bad as some make out to be. To finish where he did he had some extraordinary good luck with others messing up early season. In a few of the latter races he qualified worse than Massa, and especially Brasil, really needed Massa's help. Massa did a great job blocking and a great job letting Alonso passed (ofcourse his job after his terrible first half of season), it was almost as if he was chocking!

The Red Bull and Mclaren often switched who was the best car, with the Can definitely winning the reliability race between those 2. Maccy L was quick but fragile.

Kimi did fantastic IMO, I really did not expect him to finish this high and do so well so quick. If we look how much Schumacher struggled in the first year on the slicks and getting to grips with racing again (ok, there is 10 years of age between them too), I expected somewhat similar from him. Instead he finished on the podium many times, oblitirated his teammate in race pace, even won a race!

Vettel has put in great drives, and showed he CAN over take. Belgium, Abu Dhabi and Brasil showed what he is made of. Kept calm and did his best. From 22nd to 6th in 8 laps in the rain yesterday was something else, with only 2 people crashing out in front of him I believe.

I think Vettel and Alonso share top spot and Kimi an honorable second.

 

+1

It's really strange to me how so many bash the Ferrari... it was not the best, but a very good car overall. The race pace was mostly on par with RB and MCL. Alonso's efforts weren't superhuman compared to his team mate, notice that Massa drove most of the season with experimental parts.

As to the poll, I'd rate Vettel and Alonso as #1, both had a fantastic season.

 

Not fair, i can´t vote for Massa!!!

 

I'd have thought that the best driver was the one who won the WDC.

Isn't that why they award it?

 

No, of course not. The whole thing is rigged, haven't you heard? Only the almighty FChat braintrust knows who really won the championship and who was the best driver!


Mark

 

Sorry.
I forgot how the Internet works.


You can argue the shouldas, couldas and wouldas but at the end of the day there's only one name in the books.

 

I voted for Alonso-he's done the most with the least IMHO, plus has the distinction of almost being killed by a crazed lettuce (whom IMHO probably killed Fred's WDC). Seb is a top driver in the best car, his recovery was brilliant as was his luck yesterday. If Fred were in the RB the WDC would have been over long ago...kudos to Hammy but next year he's really got his work cut out for him at MB. He'll be under huge pressure to produce, followed by Perez.

 

The poll says it all. Alonso by a clear margain.