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Your Top 5 F1 Drivers of 2022


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#51 Nemo1965

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 11:38

Some excellent posts, with different opinions that I really enjoy. I wanted to say that more than I wanted to post my top-5 for 2022, but here goes:

 

1. Max Verstappen (duh). The whole year. From pole, from third, from second, from 10th, from 15th, he always delivered. Speed, tire-management, quick strategic thinking, soaking up pressure....everything. Helmut Marko was interviewed by Dutch daily De Volkskrant this morning and he said this interesting tidbit, in response to the question 'Is he still able to amaze you when he's in the car?  Answer: 'Absolute. In Budapest (where Verstappen started in P10 and still won, ed.), those first two, three corners. Left and right they darted past him and he handled them with such caution. When everything was kind of in its own place in the first lap: boom, boom, boom. That was unthinkable last year. He knows perfectly when to hold back and attack.'

 
That has also surprised me. Often people compare him to Schumacher in his relentless behaviour. I do too. But I often marvelled how Alain Prost would pick his moments (especially when he did not start on pole but somewhere in the middle of the top-10) and not get involved in accidents... Max has shown that this year. (Except when Lewis showed up next to him, then he reverted to Max pre-22...what is it with these two?)
 
2 - Shared. Charles Leclerc first half of the first year, Lewis Hamilton the second half of the first year.
 
Charles is, to me, the most sympathetic driver in F1 and thank the Gods that F1 is not as dangerous as in the 60's and 70's, because here's a guy that if he would be killed in an accident would be as desperately mourned as Titus the Roman emperor in his day and like Francois Cevert in F1... And he's fast like Gilles Villeneuve. According to the pundits the best qualifier in F1 (I think Max is just as good, but okay). I estimate him a tiny bit behind Verstappen, because he is a much more emotional and also thinking person. A more rounded and intelligent human being than his peers, but sport is not about that, alas for him. 
 
Lewis is the only driver in F1 (still) that in the race is able to be fast and conserve his tires as good as Max. A Beast of Tempo. He's not as good (I think) as Verstappen in overtaking is now, he sometimes does not read the room, eh, race as well but I think that was never his biggest forté. He may be a bit older but he has such a God Given Talent he is still good enough to be World Champion again and the only driver in F1 who would perhaps beat Verstappen in the same car. 
 
3. First half of the year George Russell, second half of the year Carlos Sainz.
 
George showed the first half of the year that driving in the back of the field is an excellent way of reading the room and the race and staying out of trouble. And in the end I think that enabled him to beat Lewis in the standings. The second half of the year, his already considerable self-entitlement got to him, he made some courageous but silly strategic calls which were often based, I think, by overestimating his own intelligence. He is way too happy with himself, and he keeps that up he won't grow into his profession als Lewis has.
 
Carlos was in the first half of the year asking too much of himself, the thought that he had a title-winning car led to overdriving and the desperation to beat his teammate... and that led to silly errors. The second half of the year, when it became clear that Max was running away with the title, he calmed down, starting to drive within his limits... and then managed to find some more speed as well! The last couple of races it seemed like he's channeling both Jenson Button and Niki Lauda. The best strategic mind in the whole Ferrari-organisation... and he must drive the car as well!
 
4. Lando Norris. The best driver of the non-Red Bull-Ferrari-Mercedes-drivers. How much he was flattered by Danny Ricciardo sinking through to the bottom, I can't tell. But the car was not good, not easy to drive and he still managed to deliver. That must say something about his capabilities. 
 
5. Fernando Alonso. I publicly declared him dead, a couple of years ago, on this board. But the way he hauled the Alpine to hitherto unexpected heights was amazing. That he was outscored by Esteban Ocon was part hard-luck, part of the strange talent that Ocon has of having luck.* Did Ocon not finish all the races of his debut year in F1 or close to that? I enjoyed Fernando's driving, but his trolling was obnoxious. if he was a soccer player he would be like Osvaldo Ardiles: someone who drops to the floor at the slightest touch and tries to smear yellow cards to his opponents (George Russell is also quite good at that play). His jealousy of Lewis is almost unsavoury, but this top-5 is not about that, only about the driving. 
 
 
* I just googled it and it appeared that between 2016 and 2017 Ocon finished twenty-seven (27!) consecutive F1-races... until Brazil 2017, when he was bowled out by (who else?) Romain Grosjean. 

Edited by Nemo1965, 21 November 2022 - 12:06.


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#52 Ferrari412T2

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 12:28

Great topic, it's interesting to see the differences (and general agreements) between the various replies. 

 

Anyway here goes mine:

 

1. Verstappen: He was dominant during the 2nd half of the season when the car was at it's best, but was also able to win early on when the car was, at best equal to ferrari (Saudi Arabia for example). Getting wins when the car isn't yet at it's best and winning dominantly when it is reminds me alot of Michael Schumacher.

2. Leclerc: Had a great start of the season, it looked like he could put up a championship fight with Max but unfortunately couldn't keep up. A combination of strategic errors, reliability and personal mistakes meant by mid season it was already clear who was going to win. He did outperform Sainz all year, though the latter did close the gap in qualifying near the end of the season.

3. Norris: It's a shame for Lando his car did not allow him to take the fight to the top 3 teams (which he was able to do at times in 2021), still was top of the field in 'Class B' with arguably only the 5th fastest car.

4. Russell: Had a great first season at Mercedes and even though on raw pace I rate Hamilton a bit higher, he excelled at getting the maximum out of the given opportunities. His strategic awareness (Zandvoort for example) is a serious strength and is something he has over Hamilton.

5. Hamilton: Wasn't at his best in the first half of the season with some lackluster performances (like Imola) but got it together again after the summer break. From Zandvoort onwards he has been very good, second only to Max in my opinion.

6. Alonso: Had a great season overall and if it wasn't for poor reliability (especially early on in the season) he would have finished ahead of his teammate as runner up in 'Class B'

7. Sainz: Unlike his teammate he had a poor start of the season with some costly personal mistakes but as the season went on he was able to slowly close the gap to Charles, at least in qualifying. On raceday he is still a bit behind, but at least it's an upward trajectory. Raw pace is there but still a bit inconsistent.

8. Perez: Had an OK season, was able to get 2 wins when Max was out of position/ran into problems and has generally been an consistent point scorer. It's hard for me to say which of Sainz/Perez performed better. Sainz has more raw speed, is closer to his teammate but also more error prone and inconsistent, whereas Perez has less raw speed, is further away from his teammate but far less error prone and more consistent.

9. Ocon: Had a solid season overall, his end result is a bit inflated because his teammate ran into more reliability issues than he did. Still was close to Alonso on pace on most occasions. 

10. Vettel: Vettel had an unspectacular first half of the season but improved alot when the car did (around the same time he announced his retirement) with some very strong performances that reminded us of the old Vettel. 

11. Albon

12. Bottas

13. Magnussen

14. Gasly

15. Stroll

16. Tsunoda

17. Zhou

18. Schumacher

19. Ricciardo

20. Latifi



#53 aportinga

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 14:31

1. Verstappen

2. Russell

3. LeClerc

4. Alonso

5. Sainz

 

 

Drivers I would like to move on...

 

1. Gasly

2. Ricciardo

3. Bottas

4. Latifi

5. Stroll


Edited by aportinga, 21 November 2022 - 14:32.


#54 RedRabbit

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 14:47

1. Verstappen
2. Leclerc

3. Russell (coz I expected Hamilton to obliterate him)

4. Hamilton / Alonso (both unlucky to score fewer points than their teammate, but also had a couple scruffy races each. The H2H against Ocon doesn't even begin to tell the story of Alonso's season, and when you delve into each of the results, even in qualifying, the difference becomes much more obvious, with Alonso having a few standout performances, while Ocon was consistently average)

#55 aportinga

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 15:12

1. Verstappen
2. Leclerc

3. Russell (coz I expected Hamilton to obliterate him)

4. Hamilton / Alonso (both unlucky to score fewer points than their teammate, but also had a couple scruffy races each. The H2H against Ocon doesn't even begin to tell the story of Alonso's season, and when you delve into each of the results, even in qualifying, the difference becomes much more obvious, with Alonso having a few standout performances, while Ocon was consistently average)

 

Same.

 

I liked how Hamilton kept positive over a very difficult year. But IMO Russell is the better driver with these cars - also stayed positive and got more out of the car IMO.

 

Alonso just had terrible reliability which was a drag all season long.


Edited by aportinga, 21 November 2022 - 15:12.


#56 DutchQuicksilver

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 15:32

1. Max Verstappen - You really can’t look past him. 15 wins, a new record pretty much says enough. Even though it didn’t look like that kind of a season after three rounds. He was by far the stand out driver.

 

2. Charles Leclerc - Pretty much the only one who could compete with Verstappen. Really enjoyed the first few races and battles between them. Too bad the team let him down throughout the season with tactical errors and losing out in the development battle.

 

3. Lando Norris - Also a stand out drive this season. The McLaren was no way near the same car as the previous two seasons, yet he managed to be the only driver outside of the top six to score a podium and score more than 100 points. Pretty much put an and to Ricciardo’s F1 star as well.

 

4. George Russell - Very consistent drive this season and managed to outscore Hamilton which not many drivers have achieved. Season reward with a first win in Brazil.

 

5. Fernando Alonso - I think 2022 comes close to his stellar 2012 season. He’s had loads of bad luck reliabilty wise and strange time penalties. But some of his one lap pace was just outstanding. Still has so much speed at the age of 41. Should have stayed al Alpine though, don’t think age is on his side to develop that Aston Martin car to a race winning car.

 

6. Valtteri Bottas - Put him in sixth mainly because of his rejuvanted form in the first half of the season. Alfa Romeo is a small team though and lost out on the development race in the second half of the season, but that’s not down to Bottas.

 

7. Lewis Hamilton - Not his best season, though I can’t help but think he had more bad luck than Russell. Was nearing his best form again in the latter half of the season,

 

8. Sergio Perez - The car helped a lot, but Perez was very strong in the first let’s say 8 races. Shame the development of the car moved away from his driving style or he would have finished 2nd in the championship.

 

9. Sebastian Vettel - I think he actually drove a very good season in that rubbish Aston Martin. 10 points finishes in that car is pretty good and had lots of good races. Shame he’s retiring.

 

10. Alexander Albon - Wiliams had the slowest car for most of the season, but Albon put that car in places it didn’t belong in quite a few races. Too bad he missed Monza, because I think he could have achieved something nice there seeing where De Vries ended up.

 



#57 milestone 11

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 15:43

Loath to admit, but still.
Verstappen
Norris
Russell
Leclerc
Hamilton
Alonso
Perez
Sainz
Ocon
Albon

#58 Ruudbackus

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 16:30

1. Verstappen

Only 1 real scrappy race out of 22 in Singapore. And a some what messed race in Brazil. Other then that really perfection. He took every chance, every opportunity he got. Won 15, landed 17 times on the podium, 7 poles (in a car that wasn't the fastest on saturdays). Got 2 mechanical failures and lost a win in britain due to debris. What a season! Best drives where Canada, Hungary, Belgium and in Japan he was just flying. No one came close.

 

2. Hamilton

Seems to have sacrificed his first half of the season to help mercedes figure out the car (and some very bad sc timings). Very strong second half of the season with drives I admired Verstappen for when he was in the redbull car while the mercedes was so dominant. Faultless and getting the most out of it. Shame he didn't get a win somewhere because he deserved it. 

 

3. Russell

For a first year at Mercedes he managed to beat Hamilton over the season. Especially a strong first half but what stood out was his race in Brazil. Controlled, cooly and calmy managed despite pressure from Lewis. He won't beat Lewis on merit but he isn't that far off. And with that he is the future for mercedes once Hamilton decides it's time to join Seb.

 

4. Alonso

I just like that guy, he loves battling on the track and gives quite some excitement on and off track. ANd almost beat Ocon despite who knows how many technical failures in races and qualifications. Looking forward to next year with him!

 

5. Leclerc

A bit lower on my list then on many. He had a geat start of the season and the fastest man on saturdays. But only converting 2 out of 9 poles isn't only down to ferrari strategie woes.  I said it in a thread somewhere, he lacks leadership. If he becomes a little more of an arse he will be up there to challenge Lewis and Max in 2023. He also faded somewhat after his error in the french GP.

 

6. Norris

Pretty much invisible but very decent and consistent. And totally demolished his teammate in qualifications and races. 

 

7. Sainz

Where Leclerc misses leadership SAinz has it. Was easy the best strategist at ferrari (which of course a driver should not be) and after his early season struggles got the car in control. On saturdays close to Leclerc on sundays always a bit further behind. Nonetheless a decent season and drive.

 

8. Perez

Better then last year and a prove the RedBull was the faster car on sundays. He was there this year to take the points needed for RedBull unliek last year. But he was not fast enough at many occasions to get himself to second in the World Championship.. 

 

9. Vettel

Once he anounced his retirement we got to see some of his best driving in recent years. Ended the season with some great drives and I will miss him on and off track. Hope to see him back someday (not neccesarily as a driver)

 

10. Albon

Did some crazy things with the only real sh*tbox on track. Owned his teammate. 

 

11. Ocon

12. Zhou

13. Bottas

14. Magnussen

15. Gasly

16. Tsunoda

17. Stroll

18. Schumacher

19. Ricciardo (:-()

20. Latifi 



#59 Collective

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 17:02

VER LEC HAM ALO NOR 

 

Last 3, mix up the order as you please. Can see arguments each way. And if we expanded to 6, I'd go with RUS there.



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#60 Secretariat

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 17:03

Its so tough to call even with the official results. Which on one level bodes well for the development of this particular rule set. Nevertheless in my best attempt at a neutral observation, my top 5: 

 

Verstappen

Alonso

Russell

Leclerc

Hamilton



#61 Button4life

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 17:24

The Mercedes drivers and Alonso are being a tad overrated by some people. Norris being a bit underrated.

1. Verstappen
2. Norris
3. Leclerc
4. Hamilton
5. Russell
6. Sainz
7. Perez
8. Alonso
9. Ocon
10. Albon

#62 Chewie

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 17:37

1. Verstappen

2. Russell

3. Leclerc

4. Norris

5. Alonso



#63 William Hunt

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 17:52

Lots of interesting lists here.

 

1.  Max Verstappen:  no contest here, he's the only one that could be nr 1 this year (last year it would have been Hamilton for me).

 

2.  Charles Leclerc:  this is also uncontested imho. Poor team strategy caused him to win less races as he might have won otherwise.

 

3.  Lando Norris:  this may seem strange to some but... he was the only driver not in a top three car to score a podium this year. I also believe his car this year was really not good. But the main reason that I place him so high (which may be debatable) is the margin that he beat Ricciardo.

 

4. Sergio Perez:  is underrated because he is imho in the most difficult seat in F1 as team mate of Max. Races in a team that's completely build around it's lead driver and did an outstanding job as a 2nd (support) driver imho.

 

5.  Fernando Alonso: showed that he still has a lot of fighting spirit despite beiing over 40. Got outscored by Ocon but Fernando had more bad luck.

 

6.  Lewis Hamilton:  started the year poorly but in the second half of the season, starting from Silverstone, he usually was better as Russell.

 

7.  George Russell:  outscored Hamilton and had a better start of the season as Lewis (maybe because Lewis was a bit demotivated at the start of the season because the car was not good?). Russell did win his first race (and Lewis won none) so it was pretty close between them over the whole year but imho Lewis still has a slight edge over George. Russell could have just as well been 3rd in my list and Norris could have just as well been 7th. It's very close from positions 3 tot 7.

 

8.  Esteban Occon:  outscored Alonso but Fernando had more bad luck. Still did a very consistent and solid job and outscoring Fernando is always an achievement.

 

9.  Valtteri Bottas:  had a very very strong first half of the season (up until Canada) and then had a mid season slump. Got beaten by Zhou in qualy a bit too much for a qualifying specialist possibly. But his slump was also because his team couldn't follow the development pace of bigger teams. Overall he did a very fine job by securing 6th overall in the constructor standings for his team.

 

10.  Carlos Sainz Jr.:  had a decent season and some excellent races. Won his first race (although that should have been Leclerc's win) and scored 3 poles but he also made a bit too many driving errors, in particular early in the season (like in Spain) to deserve a higher position on this list. Quality driver though.

 

11.  Sebastian Vettel:  had a rough start missing the first two races because of corona, then a bad performance in Australia. But Vettel had several truly outstanding drives this year.

 

12.  Alex Albon:  trashed Latifi with an even bigger margin as Russell did. He had some amazing races and rarely didn't perform well. But the lack of downforce on his car meant that chances to score points were few. Might have deserved to be above Sainz & Vettel if you take in account the equipment he had.

 

13.  Pierre Gasly:  Had a difficult year, his car clearly wasn't good to even get close to the results he used to score in this team. Had a great result (5th) in Baku but 14th in the championship was certainly not what the team or he had expected. Seemed to have some motivation problems this year, was clearly frustrated by the poor car he had.

 

14.  Guanyu Zhou:  had an amazing debut in Bahrein where he was shadowing Bottas all race and finished 10th in what should have been 7th had his team not messed up his pit stop. He was remarkable clean for a rookie, meaning he didn't make big driver mistakes a lot and didn't crash cars as some had expected from a rookie (the Silverstone crash was not his fault).  He was not super quick but consistent and was very unlucky to not score more points. Car reliability was bad with several DNF's because of technical issues. The pit stop strategy of his team was probably the worst of all teams bar maybe Ferrari. That cost a lot of points to Alfa Romeo. On 5 occasions he was just outside the points (11th or 12th) so it was a year of 'it could have been more' for Zhou but he did a solid job as a rookie.

 

15.  Kevin Magnussen:  Had a strong opening of the season. But he didn't maximise how good is car was, in particular the first half of the season (Haas was always going to drop in performance because of a lower development rate as larger teams). Bottas had a similar car in terms of pace as Haas yet Bottas scored a lot more points. A big factor also were the enormous amount of first lap incidents Kevin was in. He was very inconsistent as well. It really wasn't a good season for him apart from that pole and the first couple of races. That pole position is the only reason I've put him in front of Stroll. He underperformed over the whole season. 

 

16.  Lance Stroll:  He was far too often involved in tangles with other cars. And in most cases he got away with it with the other driver usually getting the blame (when Stroll often was at fault imho). He doesn't seem to watch his mirrors well. I sometimes find him borderline dangerous. He did have several good drives as well and scored 8 top 10s, but six of those were 10th so he didn't score that much points.

 

17.  Yuki Tsunoda:  The second biggest dissapointment of the year for me. After a very strong race in the final race of 2021 expectations were that he might continue that form. He did open the season with a very nice 8th place. But what followed wasn't good. And often chaotic. Still doesn't seem mature enough. Three of his four top 10's were in the first 5 races. Sure Gasly also just scored 6 top 10's, the car clearly was weak. But Tsunoda didn't shine much, he didn't outperform his equipment. I would not have extended him probably.

 

18.  Daniel Ricciardo:  This was the biggest dissapointment. A shadow of the driver he once was. Sure McLaren didn't have a good car this year, but Norris still was consistent in it and Lando simply trashed Ricciardo to oblivion. Lando ended Daniel's F1 carreer (most probably). The only reason I'm still putting Ricciardo slightly ahead of Mick is that Ricciardo still managed a relatively decent amount of points. But at McLaren they expected much more points.

 

19.  Mick Schumacher:  terribly underwhelming. Started the season dreadfully, including heavy crashes in Jeddah (2nd Jeddah crash in a row) and Monaco, threw away a possible 10th by colliding with Vettel in Miami. Seemed to finally improve at Silverstone & Austria but alas those were the only highlights. Always seems to drop back during the race. Lacks fighting spirit (in his defence: Magnussen only seemed to show that fighting spirit in the first lap of the race resulting in car damage often). Was too mediocre to get contract extension. Not a bad driver at all and capable to race decently in F1. But nothing more. Haas had a very quick car this year, in particular in the first half of the season. But he failed to grab points when the car was great. Apart from 2 occasions. Two points finished all year is just not enough at all to deserve to stay.

 

20. Nicholas Latifi:  out of his league. No contest: by far the worst driver. His only strong drives were at Silverstone (great qualy and 12th) and in Singapore on a wet track (9th). During the other races he was trashed by his team mate. Even his one time team mate Nyck de Vries clearly beat him.

 

--.  Nyck de Vries: had a fantastic debut and showed Williams that Latifi really was not good enough to stay in F1 by immediately beating him.

 

--.  Nico Hülkenberg:  Outqualified Stroll in Bahrein during a last moment substitution, despite him not knowing the car. In Jeddah he finished 12th. The car was not good at all in the opening races so it was a strong substitution. And it earned him a come back at Haas.


Edited by William Hunt, 21 November 2022 - 17:53.


#64 Masterfail

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 18:05

1 Verstappen (untouchable this season).
2 Norris (very consistent, only one slip-up if I remember correctly this season against Leclerc in Brazil. Let's see if Norris is another teammate killer who just sucks the life out of the driver next to his garage. With Piastri, I hope there is more of a challenge.
3 Leclerc (usually great on Saturdays, but he needs a season where he doesn't make those rough driving errors that seem to plague him every year.) 

4 Alonso (some memorable races this season. Still very strong on Sundays, a unique race craft and one that I still consider unmatched. Always displaying tremendous determination. I can't remember a race where his teammate was comfortably better come race day. Hard to judge if he can match the three drivers above at this point in his career on Saturday, even though I believe his teammate is reasonably solid in qualifying.)

5 Russell (great start to the season, had some luck with safety car and strategy in the early races. He dropped off a bit in the closing stages and had some questionable moments.) 
6 Hamilton (basically the opposite of Russell: bad start to the season but got much stronger after that.)
7 Ocon (I would say this has been Ocon's best season so far. Overall competitive and consistently in the points).
8 Sainz ( in the first half of the season he seemed nowhere compared to Leclerc. Towards the end he had some better races).
9 Vettel (improved on last season, had a solid run, but was let down a couple of times by questionable strategies)
10 Perez (expected more from him in his second season at RB, especially on Sundays where he was expected to give Max a closer fight).

Edited by Masterfail, 21 November 2022 - 18:06.


#65 mclarensmps

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 18:56

If you take all the races where an Alpine retired out of the question, Ocon and Alonso hold a record of 8-8, with Ocon getting the "best" result of the two, yet unanimously in this thread, Alonso is being touted as the better driver this season. Interesting.

Anyhow, for me, I would say:

Verstappen - It was no contest here. He thoroughly demolished his teammate, it wasn't even close
Norris - Also destroyed his teammate, and singlehandedly kept McLaren in the fight for fourth
Leclerc - A couple of self inflicted mistakes this season, turned second place into a struggle, rather than a cakewalk. His team really didn't help him this year
Sainz - He was always there or thereabouts, but he's not outright as quick as Leclerc, and I hope that changes next year (this is the first time ever, where I actually like both Ferrari drivers)
Russell - I don't like him as a person, but he beat Lewis fair and square AND won a race.
Hamilton - Had a poor start to the season, but got better and better as the car improved
Perez - Got spanked by his teammate, but has been the best number two to Verstappen so far. Had the odd flashes of brilliance, as he usually does every year
Ocon/Alonso tied - Other than the odd intra team implosion, these guys were fairly evenly matched this year, and were able to bring home fourth with what was, on balance, the fourth best car this season
Bottas - Had some exceptional qualifying runs, and would surprise me in some races as to how up the field his car was

Honourable mentions go to Vettel, and Zhou who both had better seasons than I thought they would. 



#66 MortenF1

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 19:19

For future search purposes, please change the title to top 10 🙏

…Ok, here goes:
1. Verstappen - formidable season. The best car, but still…

2. Norris - I think he’s been extremely strong this year, even if we don’t know who it is he’s really beating…

3. Leclerc - can be extremely good, and eight or nine times out of ten, he is.

4. Hamilton - more mistakes than before, but as quick as ever. His drive in the British GP…. Sigh, what could’ve been?

5. Sainz - took some time to figure this years car out, but has had some very impressive gp-weekends.

6. Russell - perhaps I’m in a minority that didn’t expect him to beat Hamilton over one lap in qualifying, so in that respect I’m surprised by how close he was! Kudos to him. His season has been brilliant, but he’s been a bit rough in some battles.

7. Alonso - a very good year. Stand-out performances are qualifying in Melbourne (for as long as it lasted but he showed crazy pace), and Montreal. Should’ve had perhaps 40 points more (not 70 as I’ve seen bandied about. Has he even said that himself?) so he’s had 90’s reliability.

8. Bottas - I think his first half of the season was very, very impressive! He had several gp-weekends where I felt he maybe drove to his best level. Sadly the car was nowhere for the second half apart from maybe the last three (?) again.

9. Ocon - a strong year. His highs are not that far from Alonso’s.

10. Perez - great first third or quarter of the season.

Edited by MortenF1, 21 November 2022 - 19:20.


#67 Afterburner

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 20:26

Top Tier (ordered)
Verstappen
Russell
Hamilton

Put any of these three in equal cars and it's anybody's game for the championship. Verstappen is probably the fastest, Hamilton the most consistent, and Russell the most likely to make successful "big plays". They're ordered based on what was most effective this year.

High Tier (ordered)
Alonso
Leclerc
Norris
Vettel

I rate Alonso at the top of this list on the basis that I am reasonably confident he belongs with the group above him, but in an Alpine that grenades itself every second Sunday it's hard to be certain. To varying degrees, the same can be said of Norris and Vettel. I am convinced, however, that Leclerc does not belong in that top group; even if he is the fastest of everyone over one lap (his saving grace), he simply does not have the consistency and cool-headedness needed to thwart any of the drivers ahead of him on this list. This was my main criticism of him last year and I saw nothing in his performances this year to change that opinion.

Mid Tier (not ordered)
Bottas
Magnussen
Ocon
Perez
Sainz

These guys are listed alphabetically because I don't know what the hell to do with them. Bottas ran hot and cold in a car that did the same. Magnussen took a friggin' pole position but also did nothing to convince me he doesn't belong with the other drivers in this group. Ocon outscored Alonso by default. Perez won races but was parsecs behind Verstappen most weekends. Sainz made Leclerc look metronomic.

Low Tier (not ordered)
Albon
Gasly
Schumacher
Tsunoda

All of these guys have had better years. Albon is probably the only one for whom the clock isn't ticking; Schumacher would probably still be around if he hadn't crashed so damn much.

Bottom Tier (ordered)
Stroll
Ricciardo
Zhou
Latifi

You wouldn't be surprised to see any of these guys replaced. Stroll is the 2020's Maldonado on the basis that I expect him to be mostly useless but would not be surprised if he randomly fluked into kicking everyone's ass and winning a race. Ricciardo was dire and is right to hit the reset button. I learned nothing of Zhou other than his homophonic last name. Latifi is probably better than the Sirotkins, Pics, and d'Ambrosios of years gone by, but not enough to escape the same fate.

#68 Zoetrope

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 21:00

I will only rate a few top guys.

1. Verstappen - flawless and simply the best driver at the moment. As a die hard Hamilton fan I am starting to think he is half a level above Lewis overall. Still need him to have a top tier team mate to confirm that in my mind, but all the stars seems to align so far.

2. Leclerc - when he had a car he delievered. Then Ferrari dropped the ball

3. Hamilton - one of the worst seasons, yet when it mattered he was always there to fight for the win - Silverstone, Zaanvort, Austin, Brazil.

4. Russell - yes, overall better season than Lewis and beat him on points, but he clearly lacks the killer pace. Bottas and Rosberg also sometimes where faster or equal to Lewis in races, but it wasnt enough.

5. Sainz - as some mentioned above he was closer to Leclerc than Perez to Verstappen.

#69 Laptom

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 21:54

I will post a bold one. Although I fully recognise my own thoughts in 99% of above posts and really like to read them. For me I'm purely posting on skills and not there results.

1. Max, nothing to add
2. Lewis, I still think he is the one of the few who don't crack when needed. I don't liked his driving beginning of this year, a lot of small touches here and there. But he was really struggling with the car and from last year. I admire how he came back this year with the W13. Not my favourite driver, but damn, he is good.
3. Sainz, not as fast as Lec in the beginning of the year. But has more in his blood to be WDC than Lec. Challenge the team, the car and has the fire.
4. Russell, Great drive this year besides Lewis. And winning a race. Calling for strategies calls. Consistent.
5. Norris, great drives. Few misses but not much.
6. Albon, great to see him driving like he does with that Williams.
7. Alonso, the only one who can actually fight with Lewis and Max under critical conditions.
8. Lec, fast. Perhaps the fastest on the track. But he is too nice. I want him to be my best friend. But he will not be WDC with Ferrari if he doesn't change. WDC at Merc or Mclaren perhaps, but not at Ferrari.
9. Perez, doing good, but he will loose more next year compared to Max. He supposed to have good tyre management, but I didn't saw that this year. Got lucky with his victories this year and needs to step up next year.
10. Vettel, what a joy to see him drive this year. Will for sure miss him.

#70 TomNokoe

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Posted 21 November 2022 - 22:03

Max
Leclerc
Norris
Alonso
Hamilton
Russell

Nobody else stood out

#71 zanquis

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 08:25

1. Max Verstappen


2. Charles Leclerc

3. Lando Norris
4. Fernando Alonso
5. Lewis Hamilton
6. George Russell


7. Carlos Sainz
8. Sergio Perez
9. Sebastian Vettel
10. Esteban Ocon

11. Alexander Albon
12. Pierre Gasly
13. Valtteri Bottas

14. Kevin Magnussen
15. Lance Stroll

16. Yuki Tsunoda

17. Zhou Guanyu
18. Mick Schumacher
19. Daniel Ricciardo


20. Nicholas Latifi


You forgot a few drivers

#72 Jake360

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 10:59

1. Verstappen - Had the car to dominate and did.

2. Russell - Had no right to finish so close to P2 in the drivers standings with that car. Got on top of the car quicker than Hamilton and had higher highs.

3. Leclerc - A few to many mistakes, but very quick when the car allowed.

4. Hamilton - Not his strongest season, but still top class.

5. Norris - Was not troubled by Ricciardo at all. Another great season.

6. Ocon - Suprised me with how he faired against Alonso

7. Alonso - Another good season. Could have faired higher had he finished his Melbourne lap and not for reliability issues.

8. Sainz - Not close enough to Leclerc for enough of the year.

9. Bottas - Excellent start to the year, tailed off towards the end of the year along with the car.

10. Guanyu - Suprised me. Very clean rookie year.



#73 Mark1865

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 11:11

1. Verstappen - Made the most of the best car and improved his wheel to wheel racing (except when Hamilton was involved). Hard to say exactly how good he was as he was largely unchallenged, but putting him anywhere other than #1 would be wrong.

2. Russell - Stepped into a top team with a very fast team mate and came out on top with a win and a pole too. Even beat Verstappen wheel to wheel when the cars had similar pace in Spain and Brazil. Will only get better over the next few years.

3. Leclerc - Promised so much and let down by his team on a few occasions. A few mistakes too which puts him below the top 2. Better Ferrari development and he’s in the title race, but I fear he may not get this chance again with Mercedes improving.

4. Norris - Once again the best of the rest outside the top 3 teams. Destroyed Ricciardo. Deserves a top seat and would challenge for a title of given the chance.

5. Hamilton - Struggled early on but came back strongly in the second half of the year. When at his best he still had the slight edge over Russell but made a few mistakes and didn’t show his best enough.

6. Alonso - Put the Alpine in positions it had no right being in when it wasn’t blowing up on him. Still has the raw pace and would love to see him in a top car again. Sadly he may have committed career suicide (again) going to Aston.

7. Perez - Was close to Max early in the season but faded away. Not entirely his fault though, with team orders as early as Spain when he was still in the championship. Does what he’s there for, to provide support to Max.

8. Sainz - Had a few good moments but ultimately a long way from Leclerc. A few mistakes too which put him realistically out of the title race early on. Still very quick on his day.

9. Bottas - Huge gap to his teammate and has some really good qualis and races early in the season. Difficult to judge much in the second half as the Alfa fell down the pecking order.

10. Albon - Looking at purely the driver and not the car, I thought he was impressive throughout the season. Would like to see a more competitive Williams next year and I think Albon would get more recognition.

#74 Alfisti

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 13:33

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?



#75 Marklar

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 13:55

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?

I don't, but you can make a case.

The main point that speaks for Sainz is that he has been close in quali since mid season, Perez was only early in the season competitive in quali.

BUT

Perez and Sainz both have been nowhere their team mates in races, with just very few exceptions.

Sainz has crashed more.

Presumably Perez has the slightly higher benchmark in Verstappen.

Ferrari appears to develop into his direction (bizarre), meanwhile Perez is obviously not and runs usually a few upgrades behind Max.

Sainz seems to get the better end of the strategies at Ferrari, Perez gets the normal treatment.

Overall I dont think much seperates them and I can understand putting Perez ahead of Sainz. I mean at midseason I had Perez even far ahead of him.

There are more amusing things in the various rankings, but w/e



#76 mclarensmps

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 14:39

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?

 

I'm also still not understanding Alonso in the top 10s and Ocon not even getting a mention.



#77 Alfisti

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 15:03

I'm also still not understanding Alonso in the top 10s and Ocon not even getting a mention.

 

I have Ocon in there but yes, Alonso higher. Ocon was there and thereabouts but when the Renault looked really fast, it was always in Alonso's hands. Australia is a stand out but there were other races (they are all a blur) where Alonso was right in mix with the 3rd fastest team and looking super quick, Ocon never really managed that. I think Ocon will comfortably best Gasly FWIW. 



#78 messy

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 15:20

Personally, I think the Alpine was the fourth quickest car over the balance of the season by a distance. That always helps in terms of making the drivers stand out - it meant Ocon was mixing it up with Norris and co, and I'd imagine had he not had so much bad luck Alonso would have been in the same ballpark Norris was on points. But would he have been ahead of him? I'm not sure. That's why I rank Lando third well above the Alpine drivers. The Alpine was maybe where the McLaren was back in 2019 - not head and shoulders ahead of the upper midfield, but generally speaking the quickest and best car behind the big 3. That's why I think Lando's season was so exceptional beating both by a distance in the points.

#79 Mark1865

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 16:34

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?


I see them both at the lower end of the top 10, wouldn’t argue too much to have one above the other. Both nowhere near their team mates and the clear no.2 driver in the team. Perez has the disadvantage of having to move over for Max a few times, and incidents in Australia and Japan count against Sainz too.

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#80 Nemo1965

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 17:30

I'm also still not understanding Alonso in the top 10s and Ocon not even getting a mention.

 

As I say in my post: Ocon seems to have the capability to be lucky... but so lucky, it can't be a coincidence any more. I also referenced the fact he finished 27 F1-races in a row between 2016 and 2017. The kid must be doing something right. So I think he's underrated also, absolutely. There are just a number of flash and bang drivers who take away a lot of attention.


Edited by Nemo1965, 22 November 2022 - 21:11.


#81 DutchQuicksilver

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 18:29

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?

 


Perez was on Verstappen’s pace when the car still suited his style and only faded away because car development went Verstappen’s way. Sainz was behind Leclerc for pretty much the whole season.

#82 Ultrav87

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 18:49

Perez was on Verstappen’s pace when the car still suited his style and only faded away because car development went Verstappen’s way. Sainz was behind Leclerc for pretty much the whole season

 

 

Max was faster than Perez in race pace when the car suited Checo, only in street circuits did Perez match him in Q



#83 Ali623

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 19:26

How does anyone have Perez over Sainz? I don't get it, what are you seeing that I am not?

 

Sainz was pretty awful at the start of the season and made countless mistakes. Disaster weekends in Australia and Imola with mistakes in qualifying and races, and spun in Spain then had horrible pace there too. Even his win wasn't great, his pace in the British GP was poor again until the safety car when Ferrari basically ruined his teammate's race. Which is also another reason, if anything Sainz seemed to get the better strategies at Ferrari compared to Leclerc as far as I remember. He was a bit closer to Leclerc in the latter part of the season but Ferrari's season as a whole was done by then so it's a harder comparison.

 

Perez wasn't exactly amazing either but I rate current Verstappen over Leclerc, not to mention Verstappen was oozing confidence this season compared to Leclerc who was basically let down every other weekend by his team. Therefore generally I think Verstappen was a much tougher opponent for Perez this season compared to Leclerc at Ferrari for Sainz. Also Perez made less mistakes and won 2 races to Sainz' 1.



#84 Quickshifter

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 21:08

Verstappen
Norris
Russell
Alonso
Hamilton

#85 ThrottleBlib

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Posted 22 November 2022 - 21:28

As I say in my post: Ocon seems to have the capability to be lucky... but so lucky, it can't be a coincidence any more. (...)

 

He stole it from Hulk!



#86 GunnarN7

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 01:05

1. Verstappen: not his best season, but that's only because 2021 exists. I didn't like his poor sportmanship in the last races of 2021, but that doesn't take away the fact that he was almost perfect until that point. This year, he spun in Barcelona and Hungary, and let Checo get too close for comfort here and there. You might think, that's a bit nitpicky, but don't get me wrong: his 2022 was still amazing, probably among the very best campaigns in the history of F1. It says a lot that that is only his second best effort, at the age of 25. He gives Vettel RBR domination era vibes, but I don't think a 2014 is coming for him. RBR would have to seriously drop the ball for Max to not be a contender from now on.

 

2. Leclerc: second best for sure, but not remotely close to Verstappen. People might criticize Ferrari, and more often than not they'll have a point, but Charles would've never beaten Max at his current level. And I'm not sure he will ever be able to, in equal standing cars. I'm sure if he gets a dominant car than can flatter his inconsistencies, he has the potential to destroy the rest of the grid, but when it's touch and go and he has to make the difference... seems to me like Charles is a bit vulnerable. It's like he would fit in the Schumacher era where you had Juan Pablo, Kimi in his prime, DC, JV and so on. All were very competent drivers but just not good enough to beat the guy currently on top.

 

3. Russell: I think his season is unappreciated. Seems like the most common criticism is that he didn't manage to clearly beat Lewis, and that's a bit crazy. Guy's in his 4th year but he's only driven lemons so far, he had no experience with high stakes, with being consistent. Before this season, some mocked him for failing to score points with the slowest car, like he was only good for qualifying and given a competent car he would be ncome out as mediocre. First season in Mercedes, with a car that's been far from ideal, and he's been solid as a rock, demonstrating top notch racecraft against Verstappen in every chance he's got, beating Hamilton and even getting a pole and a win. How was Verstappen doing in his 4th season again? I get that he's unpopular, but you're being way too harsh. I think he poses a much greater threat to Verstappen than Leclerc does in the future. 

 

4. Hamilton: one of his least impressive seasons in recent times, and still pretty good. It's a bit worrying because it's getting more and more evident that Lewis has lost a bit of his edge. Maybe I'm getting old, but so happens that I remember how Lewis was in his first seasons, and this seems like quite a departure. He is still quick, his pace is pretty much intact, but when it comes to wheel to wheel, he used to be a force of nature. Before the DRS era, he was one of the few who could pull off race deciding moves. Now, not only has he looked sloppy in some duels, causing colissions that were avoidable, he seems to lack a bit of iniciative. I have a lot of respect for him and I hope he can return to his best form, hopefully in a much competitive car next season.

 

5. Norris: he is getting flattered by Ricciardo, but he's still clear of anyone else in the midfield (with a bit of helps from Alpine, but more on that in a minute). Fourth season, like Russell, should be in a better car by now. Until then, we can't know how good he really is. What can't be a coincidence is that he's always a reference in the midfield. Seems like he could potentially be a solid number 2 for the top teams. Seems a lot less popular in social media than what he used to be. McLaren and F1 losing out on that marketing potential because the teams are happy with the current status quo. It's harder than ever to get a seat, let alone a competitive one. That's hurting F1 a lot.

 

6. Alonso: I guess he must've missed one of those seasons where, in his words, he used to have the 6th or 7th fastest car and was still in the podium every race. Well, that's because raw quali pace isn't everything in F1, it usually means very little as the Alpine has proved. It still has been a pretty unfair season to Fernando. Ocon racing him like they're fighting for the title, and constant mechanical failures have cost him a lot of points. I'm glad he's decided to stick around for a few more years despite being in his 40s, because whether or not his speed has diminished, he's still the same old Fernando. On and off track, he brings a lot of entertainment, he's a very strong active for F1 that generic rookie #235 wouldn't be able to replace. And I think Alpine should've yielded in the negotiations, so what if he's old? There's no point in replacing him with Gasly, you're just dooming yourself to the midfield, no matter the car.

 

7. Sainz: most are disappointed with his season, and I still must be more than most. I've been defending him from the usual criticisms all these years, but this season seems to have proven me wrong. And I get that he's trying to be positive in the media, but some of the things he has said sound downright delusional. Both he and Ferrari need to accept his place and what he's capable of for the future. Otherwise they'll have to face a lot of frustration and failure.

 

8. Pérez: still behind Sainz, because while Sainz was able to sneakily get ahead of Leclerc in 2021 with a lot of luck and what have you, and he looks like a proper threat to Leclerc from time to time, you don't feel like Checo could do the same to Verstappen, ever. No matter the luck. He's been completely outclassed, in a car that should've been an easy P2 this year. Those Mercedes haters that used to make fun of Bottas for being Lewis' dog, where does that leave Checo then after what we've seen these last two races?  :lol: Not only he's there only to serve Max, he's not even appreciated.

 

9. Vettel: he probably hasn't been as consistent as Ocon and he would have to be lower than him, but Esteban's season is so unimpressive and at times frustrating that I don't feel like it. At least Vettel has looked like the brilliant driver he once was from time to time. I still think he could've had a return to form in a more competent car. More than once I've wondered if he would've been as hopeless as Sainz often was in the Ferrari. This Ferrari looked very strong in the corners, which is where Vettel excelled. Those Ferraris from 2018-20 were the opposite of that.

 

A few things could be said here and there, but most have already been covered and this is already pretty long, so: honorable mentions to a great comeback from KMag, Tsunoda showing he's not completely hopeless in F1 and Bottas and Albon managing to stand out in the midfield.


Edited by GunnarN7, 23 November 2022 - 01:09.


#87 JvsKVB77

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 06:38

  1. Verstappen - brilliant performance.
  2. Leclerc - even with some mistakes,that was very good season for him, onlyone,who was almost as good,as Max.
  3. Hamilton - mostly was faster,than Russell in races, so would be higher in standing with out some misfortunes.
  4. Norris - did all he can with this year McLaren, and even slightly more.
  5. Russell - mr. consistency.
  6. Alonso - mighty oldman.
  7. Sainz jr - was far behind from Charles in the beginning, but show good progress.
  8. Bottas - solid season, when it's not raining, 6 place for Alfa in Constructors standing was almost fully his merit.
  9. Perez - some times was so far away from Max or even Leclerc
  10. Vettel - terrible first race after covid, but then it was a good season.
  11. Ocon - Some rough battles, but no so good, as Alonso.
  12. Magnussen - first half of the season was spectacular, second half was not so good (with Brazil exception) 
  13. Schumacher - first half was bad, second was good, but with mistakes all season long he not urge HAAS that 1,5 Magnussen is better for team,than 2 or more.
  14. Zhou - Not bad first season. 
  15. Gasly - Almost have a race ban, was not so good leader of the team, that he was previously.
  16. Stroll - Struggle in quals , but in races was not bad, wnen not trying to kill someones. 
  17. Tsunoda - have mighty progress in term of speed from last year, but mistakes are still there. 
  18. Albon - Some impressive drives, but not so often. 
  19. Ricciardo - No words, that was very bad season.
  20. Latifi - Not have answer to new rule's cars.


#88 CaptHaddock91

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 09:16

1) Verstappen - helped by having clearly the best car, especially from mid-season onwards, but this was an almost flawless season. It will be very hard to beat him if he keeps driving like this..

2) Russell - beating Hamilton on points and getting the only Mercedes win are by no measure small feats

3) Norris - outstanding year in a clearly inferior McLaren

4) Alonso - as much as I dislike him, he still is one of the best drivers on the grid at 40+

5) Leclerc - impressively fast, but I think he still lacks something to really challenge Verstappen, some very costly mistakes on his side and while Ferrari's strategists obviously let him down he never really challenged them (unlike his team mate did)

6) Hamilton - meh first part of the year, some very strong drives in the second, but he still was beaten by Russell

7) Sainz - solid as always, a step back from Leclerc pace wise 

8) Ocon - solid if unspectacular

9) Albon - I would have rated him even higher if not for some mistakes / accidents (Singapore, Monaco, Japan) which put him out of contention in races where he could get away with a surprise result. For the rest, he punched above his weight in the worst car of the field

10) Perez - started off very well, then the gap to Verstappen opened up 

11) Vettel - first few races were a shocker, after that he alternated weekends where he looked his old self to others where he just went missing

12) Bottas - the first part of the year would have seen him comfortably in the top 10, but as Sauber fell back he also seemed to fade away

13) Magnussen - a good return, definitely not easy to rate him as he drives for the most inconsistent team on the grid 

14) Zhou - solid debut year, unluckily for him Sauber's performance dived just as he was improving

15) Tsunoda - improved over last year, but still too inconsistent

16) Schumacher - some huge crashes didn't help his cause, but overall he was not that far off Magnussen. 

17) Gasly - AlphaTauri was clearly having an off-year, but he didn't seem to be driving at the same level as the past few seasons either.  

18) Stroll - performance wise he was not that far off Vettel, but he was involved in too many clumsy accidents this year

19) Latifi - miles off his team mate, he avoids last place just because of his drive in Japan

20) Ricciardo - huge disappointment, he really fell off a cliff



#89 BertoC

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 10:01

1- Max. An almost perfect and flawless season. Not much to say.

2- George. His first half of the season when the car was barely above midfield was simply amazing. He dropped a bit in the second half when Lewis upped his game, but he was still impressive.

3- Lando. Only midfielder with a podium, only midfielder with 100+ points. 5 top 5 starts. All of that in a horrible car, the worst one in his F1 career. It was probably his best season in terms of personal credentials, no one doubts now he will eventually move to a top team and fight for the title.

4- Charles. A GOD in one lap pace, probably the most impressive qualifier since Ayrton. His race craft however is a lot less impressive, even when he had the faster car at the start of the season it was never a given he would win. Even though he was screwed by his pitwall he also made some crutial mistakes.

5- Fernando. Could be Lewis here, but I think he lacked motivation for the most part. Fernando was the opposite. Always on it like he was fighting for a championship with some heroic drives. His lack of luck robbed us of an interesting fight with Lando for 7th in the championship.

#90 Beri

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 10:57

1) Verstappen - No one in their right mind could deny this.

2) Russell - Beating Hamilton on your first outing is a mammoth performance.

3) Vettel - Missed the first 2 outings, only to outscore his teammate by more than twice the points tally of his teammate. Put some great results in, certainly at the latter stages of the season.

4) Alonso - Put his Alpine on places it didnt belong. Certainly would have had more than one front row start and at least a podium finish if luck had been more on his side.

5) Hamilton - After a rough start, he got to grips with his Mercedes and at the latter stages of the season showed he was still that feared and relentless driver that we all know. 9 podium finishes do outscore Russell on this.



#91 Ramon69

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 19:21

1) VERSTAPPEN - he will become one of the greats and the ones with the most raw talent like Senna, Schumacher & Hamilton.

2) LECLERC - my personal favorite, but that's not the reason I placed him second, but because he made very few mistakes and showed that he is capable of taking the fight to Max, he just needs to improve a bit, catch a bit more experience and have more support from the team; if he evolves as a driver, he can reach the very top!

3) RUSSELL/NORRIS - from here below it gets a bit hard, because these guys drove "below" and it's always harder to rate  when the gaps are bigger between cars, but well done to George for keeping up and even beating Lewis, considering he has less experience and it's his 1st year in a Merc! 2023 should be exciting!

4) HAMILTON - not because he was "beaten" by Russell (results don't always show the full story), but because I expected better from him, in the first half at least.

5) ALONSO - Never been a fan, but it's impressive how he drives at his age and I'm glad he continues.


Edited by Ramon69, 23 November 2022 - 19:26.


#92 scheivlak

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 20:54

1.     (1) Verstappen 8.86  Dominant.

2.     (4) Leclerc 8.41  We might forget that during first half of the season he was at least as good as Max! His French GP exit hit him hard.

3.     (7) Russell 7.86  Great start of the season and overall proving himself a worthy companion to Lewis

4.     (2) Hamilton 7.82  Struggled at times to reach his usual level, motivation got back later on

5.     (7) Alonso 7.64  The ability and the fighting spirit are still there!

6.     (9) Perez 7.55  No Max, but a quite solid performance

7.     (6) Sainz 7.27  Very uneven start of the season, gaining confidence later on

8.     (3) Norris 7.23  Very solid but less exceptional than last year

9.     (12) Vettel 7.10  Finishing at a high note

10.   (10) Ocon 6.91  A just about top 10 driver

11.   (-)  Albon 6.90  Maybe just too good for his car

12.  (12) Bottas 6.64  Surprised me with his refreshed start of the season, withered away a bit later on

13.  (-) Magnussen 6.45  Maverick journeyman with some great and some less great days

14.  (-) Zhou 6.41  Pretty good rookie season

15.  (16) Stroll 6.32  Performed at his level

16.  (5) Gasly 6.18  Disappointment of the season!

17. (17) Schumacher 5.86  Sympathetic but erratic

18. (17) Tsunoda 5.55  A promise not fulfilled

19. (10) Ricciardo 5.27  OK, that’s another serious disappointment

20. (19) Latifi 4.50  Sank deeper and deeper which makes his strong race at Suzuka even more remarkable

 

 

(de Vries 9.00)

(Hulkenberg 6.00)



#93 Blackjack1967

Blackjack1967
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  • 97 posts
  • Joined: February 17

Posted 24 November 2022 - 16:39

1# Max (obviously)

2# Leclerc.The fastest on qualifying but the unluckiest.

3# Russell. Very close to Charles. With him, the two drivers who have to stop Max the next seasons.

4# Pérez. Very solid season. Until half season resisted quite well Max.

5# Alonso. Awesome granda. Ridiculously fast at his 41.

6# Lando. Crushed Ricci again but this year seemed a bit more plain but by McLaren loss of performance

7# Magnussen. This guy was on hollydays. Was called. Destroyed Mick. First pole for an US team in 47 years. Haas 8th of the championship after a ZERO year in 2021. I´m not fan of him but please, recognise his hell of work.

8# Hamilton. Was expected a decreasing in his performance but he was more mentally penalised than George by Mercedes downfall at the preseason. Anyway, 13th podium in 17 races in Silverstone.

9# Vettel. Danke Seb but you were not the same after 2019. Anyway, professional until the end.

10# Bottas. Everybody excuses Zhou rookie season but he defeated the chinese by 49 to 6. Alfa have a 6th in the championship due the finn.

 

I´m spanish and I let Carlos for the 11th. :cry:

Too many mistakes at the beggining. Charles fairly and clearly faster in race pace during early and mid phases of the races. First win (finally!) but he needed to munch time to appear comfortable with a championship car. :|

I´m convinced that the finish ahead Charles in points in 2021 was a bit false (something like Fernando an Ocon) and didn´t help him for his mentally approach to 2022.

Carlos is smarter and better strategist but if he fail in consistency, wouldn´t have any option with a pure racer as Charles. I hope he´ll start colder in 2023 :up:


Edited by Blackjack1967, 24 November 2022 - 16:41.


#94 F1Frog

F1Frog
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  • 631 posts
  • Joined: August 21

Posted 27 November 2022 - 20:28

I wrote full explanations for my rankings, and awards:

https://f1frogblog.w...river-rankings/



#95 lewislorenzo

lewislorenzo
  • Member

  • 3,768 posts
  • Joined: March 14

Posted 27 November 2022 - 20:46

1# Max (obviously)
2# Leclerc.The fastest on qualifying but the unluckiest.
3# Russell. Very close to Charles. With him, the two drivers who have to stop Max the next seasons.
4# Pérez. Very solid season. Until half season resisted quite well Max.
5# Alonso. Awesome granda. Ridiculously fast at his 41.
6# Lando. Crushed Ricci again but this year seemed a bit more plain but by McLaren loss of performance
7# Magnussen. This guy was on hollydays. Was called. Destroyed Mick. First pole for an US team in 47 years. Haas 8th of the championship after a ZERO year in 2021. I´m not fan of him but please, recognise his hell of work.
8# Hamilton. Was expected a decreasing in his performance but he was more mentally penalised than George by Mercedes downfall at the preseason. Anyway, 13th podium in 17 races in Silverstone.
9# Vettel. Danke Seb but you were not the same after 2019. Anyway, professional until the end.
10# Bottas. Everybody excuses Zhou rookie season but he defeated the chinese by 49 to 6. Alfa have a 6th in the championship due the finn.

I´m spanish and I let Carlos for the 11th. :cry:
Too many mistakes at the beggining. Charles fairly and clearly faster in race pace during early and mid phases of the races. First win (finally!) but he needed to munch time to appear comfortable with a championship car. :|
I´m convinced that the finish ahead Charles in points in 2021 was a bit false (something like Fernando an Ocon) and didn´t help him for his mentally approach to 2022.
Carlos is smarter and better strategist but if he fail in consistency, wouldn´t have any option with a pure racer as Charles. I hope he´ll start colder in 2023 :up:


What season were you watching😂Perez 4th. KMag 7th😂