Driver Of The Season - 2008

[rumblestrip 0]

I voted for Alonso, whom I don't really care for much, but he's done a great job with a crap car.

Vettel was my other vote, of course, especially after that drive in the wet on slicks in Brazil. Just wow.

[Max Mosley 2]

Still.

There's another post I look forward to dragging up again in the near future. Remind us how Kova is better than Lewis, Maure!

[Fed up 0]

In the second half of the season Lewis scored the most points followed by Alonso. Kubica scored a mere 5 points more than his team mate during this same period. Kubica did well to begin with, but his performances were lacking towards the end. All those that laud the driver when everything is going well then blame the team when it is not are clueless. The driver is part of the team and should share the plaudits and the responsibility when things are not going well. It would also have been part driver decison to risk slick tyres on the formation lap, why? This stupid gamble cost him 3rd in the WDC

Vettel, on the otherhand has the potential to be the real deal. he outscored his fancied team mate 35 points to 4

The only test for him will come when he is at the front and expected to deliver day in day out. If he copes with the pressure and delivers he has the potential to become a WDC. Unfortunately he will be in a Redbull for the next 2 years so I fear his talent will be wasted - Ferrari for 2011 is my prediction unless he fcuks up at RBR

Alonso did a fantastic job in the 2nd half of the season. If driver of 2008 was split into 1st and 2nd half, Kubica would get the 1st half, nando the 2nd. As it is the WDC over the season has to be the driver of the year because he would have had to be consistent throughout the year.

Just my view

[pabloh20 1]

In the second half of the season Lewis scored the most points followed by Alonso. Kubica scored a mere 5 points more than his team mate during this same period. Kubica did well to begin with, but his performances were lacking towards the end. All those that laud the driver when everything is going well then blame the team when it is not are clueless. The driver is part of the team and should share the plaudits and the responsibility when things are not going well. It would also have been part driver decison to risk slick tyres on the formation lap, why? This stupid gamble cost him 3rd in the WDC

Was a strange decision, for sure.

Vettel, on the otherhand has the potential to be the real deal. he outscored his fancied team mate 35 points to 4

The only test for him will come when he is at the front and expected to deliver day in day out. If he copes with the pressure and delivers he has the potential to become a WDC. Unfortunately he will be in a Redbull for the next 2 years so I fear his talent will be wasted - Ferrari for 2011 is my prediction unless he fcuks up at RBR

Alonso did a fantastic job in the 2nd half of the season. If driver of 2008 was split into 1st and 2nd half, Kubica would get the 1st half, nando the 2nd. As it is the WDC over the season has to be the driver of the year because he would have had to be consistent throughout the year.

Just my view

Yep, I would agree with that.

[mikathegreat2 2]

I voted for Hamilton, Massa & Vettel! Hamilton for winning the championship & being very consistent, Massa for being on his a$$ since Melbourne, or maybe after Sepang & Vettel for doing brilliant in the little STR & bringing back the German-Italian national anthem combo heard 72 times before the 2008 Italian GP, maybe even a little more than 72!

[maure 1]

There's another post I look forward to dragging up again in the near future. Remind us how Kova is better than Lewis, Maure!

Sad, sad liar.

There was a time that, regardless the heavier car and disdain Kova suffers at McLaren, Kova out qualified Hamilton. It was such blasphemy that Kova's spirit was squashed over and over until little has been left of him. Even Alonso, on an inferior car, has run loops around the poor guy.

Is Kova better than Hamilton? Impossible to tell since one has to take into consideration the terror in McLaren to pair Hamilton on equal footing with another driver. That palpable terror is enough to understand why Vettel, for example, does not have a place in McLaren next year...

[Max Mosley 2]

I see. So Kova being beaten by Alonso in an inferior car is proof of your views that (1) Alonso is no good and (2) Kova is better than the reigning WDC in the same team.

[F1 FANatic 1]

I mistook this poll for DoD at Interlagos so I didn't vote right, but:

I think Vettel, Kubi, and Massa really were the three that gained the most from this season

Vettel consistently showed he was a really really good racer, and with that he is very grounded.

Massa improved dramatically, he finally was consistent most of the time and always kept a cool head.

Kubi, I think Kubi did the best job of the season. race 16 and hes still in title contention and that in the BMW, sure the BMW is the best of the rest but it still is far from up there with Meclaren or Ferrari. I think had BMW not tried to solve Nick's quali problems and then shifted their focus to 09 after Canada but instead pushed for Kubi like Ferrari and Meclaren did for their guys Kubi could have had a real shot at taking home the title. I think BMW will see this season for a long time as a "what could have been". I really hope they do better next year.

As for the other guys well:

Kimi, what is there to say, off year I think everybody hopes

Alonso, he showed he still has it and that he no longer blames the team for everything. To me that is the last bit that he always missed to go from good to great.

Hami, well he showed us that he is pretty much just like last year. He can drive the wheels off the car but he is still immature and childish when it comes to on- and off-track antics and playing with the media. Good thing though that he has won the title now because his head will just explode with ego and we wont have to deal with him any more

[LabradoRacer 2]

Felipe, Kubica, Lewis, Vettel in that order. As for Alonso, yes I grudgingly admit he's done well in a crap car, but I still can't fathom how good luck takes a shine to him.

[pabloh20 1]

Felipe, Kubica, Lewis, Vettel in that order. As for Alonso, yes I grudgingly admit he's done well in a crap car, but I still can't fathom how good luck takes a shine to him.

One of the older golfers (someone like Player or Trevino, I think it was) once said 'the more I practice, the luckier I get'

[Rainmaster 7]

Great post, I agree with every word

* Thanks George you saved me some valuable time!!!

Glad to be of service!

Are you sure??? Agreed he started well but seemed to lose his mojo towards the end, unlike Vettel who just seemed to get better. And Piotr before you send a plague of frogs in my direction, I think Kubi is good, but not sure if I would call him driver of 2008 because of the drop off in his performance.

I'm not sure, I'm certain! Nah Kubi did well, he was in contention for a long time, and I think BMW slowed developments a lot in the second half of the season. It's difficult to say since I don't know what goes on in these teams, but I still think that on balance Kubica did the best job this year (even if other drivers put in some more impressive performances).

One of the older golfers (someone like Player or Trevino, I think it was) once said 'the more I practice, the luckier I get'

That is a good one, is that!

[NeoData 0]

The absurdity of F1 is such that you could make a strong case for any of Vettel, Alonso, Kubica, Felipe or Lewis being the best over the season. Imho Lewis had the best best races but also the worst worst ones; finally he came good in the last 2 races. Vettel was outstanding in wet conditions but his teammate was often almost as special, which suggests that that STR was largely responsible. Alonso came closest to eclipsing Hamilton's disasters, but also had some very impressive results and consistency in the latter stages of the year. Kubica was perhaps the most consistently impressive but with his teammate's awful qualifying pace, it's hard to gauge just how well he did. Overall I'll vote for Alonso and Kubica, but I think Lewis has the potential to beat both of them.

Thanks for saving me the time of posting all that.

My vote goes to Alonso, Kubica and Vettel.

Lewis and Felipe almost made my final cut but I feel they both made too many mistakes.

[freaky2 1]

I mistook this poll for DoD at Interlagos so I didn't vote right, but:

I think Vettel, Kubi, and Massa really were the three that gained the most from this season

Vettel consistently showed he was a really really good racer, and with that he is very grounded.

Massa improved dramatically, he finally was consistent most of the time and always kept a cool head.

Kubi, I think Kubi did the best job of the season. race 16 and hes still in title contention and that in the BMW, sure the BMW is the best of the rest but it still is far from up there with Meclaren or Ferrari. I think had BMW not tried to solve Nick's quali problems and then shifted their focus to 09 after Canada but instead pushed for Kubi like Ferrari and Meclaren did for their guys Kubi could have had a real shot at taking home the title. I think BMW will see this season for a long time as a "what could have been". I really hope they do better next year.

As for the other guys well:

Kimi, what is there to say, off year I think everybody hopes

Alonso, he showed he still has it and that he no longer blames the team for everything. To me that is the last bit that he always missed to go from good to great.

Hami, well he showed us that he is pretty much just like last year. He can drive the wheels off the car but he is still immature and childish when it comes to on- and off-track antics and playing with the media. Good thing though that he has won the title now because his head will just explode with ego and we wont have to deal with him any more

Hahah, if only it was that easy. I'm afraid we have Hamilton for a while T_T.

[Fed up 0]

As usual these polls reflect the general lack of understanding herein and the way most vote based on personal favourites or hatred.

- Massa was driving the fastest car, didn't score in the first 2 races and was gifted 7 points by the FIA and escaped sanction in Valencia for unsafe release. He was appalling in Silverstone yet most on here see him as the driver of 2008 - yeah right!

- Kubica drove consistently in the first half, but was mainly clueless in the 2nd half. When the pressure really told he was found wanting. Why BMW chose this primadona over Vettel will come back to haunt them in the future

- Vettel was very good and deserves to be high up in he votes.

- Lewis had to contend with unfathomable pressures, FIA bias and his peers openly stating that they would assist his competitor if given the chance. Of the top 5 classic drives of the season Lewis and Vettel featured highly. Massa inherited 2 wins and really only demnstrated supreme class in Hungary.

Alonso was good in the second part of the season. How? who knows. One minute they are complaining that their engine is signifciant down on power to BMW, Ferrari & Mclaren the next they're ahead on BMW. Odd, but Nando did well.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions I guess, but the winner of the WDC over a 17 race season has to be the driver of the season.

Each to their own

[Max Mosley 2]

Thanks for saving me the time of posting all that.

My vote goes to Alonso, Kubica and Vettel.

Lewis and Felipe almost made my final cut but I feel they both made too many mistakes.

No problemo, amigo.

[Rainmaster 7]

As usual these polls reflect the general lack of understanding herein and the way most vote based on personal favourites or hatred.

Oh the irony almost hurts. It was pretty obvious people would be biased in this, like you say 'as usual', so there wasn't much point in this thread.

[Kopite Girl 0]

As usual these polls reflect the general lack of understanding herein and the way most vote based on personal favourites or hatred.

- Massa was driving the fastest car, didn't score in the first 2 races and was gifted 7 points by the FIA and escaped sanction in Valencia for unsafe release. He was appalling in Silverstone yet most on here see him as the driver of 2008 - yeah right!

- Kubica drove consistently in the first half, but was mainly clueless in the 2nd half. When the pressure really told he was found wanting. Why BMW chose this primadona over Vettel will come back to haunt them in the future

- Vettel was very good and deserves to be high up in he votes.

- Lewis had to contend with unfathomable pressures, FIA bias and his peers openly stating that they would assist his competitor if given the chance. Of the top 5 classic drives of the season Lewis and Vettel featured highly. Massa inherited 2 wins and really only demnstrated supreme class in Hungary.

Alonso was good in the second part of the season. How? who knows. One minute they are complaining that their engine is signifciant down on power to BMW, Ferrari & Mclaren the next they're ahead on BMW. Odd, but Nando did well.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions I guess, but the winner of the WDC over a 17 race season has to be the driver of the season.

Each to their own

I'm sorry, I just read inane babble in the first two paragraphs. Your clear hatred and dislike for anything Ferrari clouds your own judgement on what can be read as perhaps THE most improved driver in F1. Yet you fail to see that.

So, lets see. Lewis contended with unfathomable pressures. Yes, he did. Both of them called the left side and the right side of his brain. The boy brings most of it upon himself. I am not denying that he is a world class outstanding driver - he is just that.

The winner of the WDC does not have to be the driver of the season in any which way or form. In that case - you must concede that Schumacher has been your driver of the season for seven years, Alonso for two, Raikkonen for one and so forth.

I voted Massa because I believe him to be the most improved. He might not be the most talented - but he has tried a lot harder than other drivers, including our world champions.

[Fed up 0]

I'm sorry, I just read inane babble in the first two paragraphs. Your clear hatred and dislike for anything Ferrari clouds your own judgement on what can be read as perhaps THE most improved driver in F1. Yet you fail to see that.

So, lets see. Lewis contended with unfathomable pressures. Yes, he did. Both of them called the left side and the right side of his brain. The boy brings most of it upon himself. I am not denying that he is a world class outstanding driver - he is just that.

The winner of the WDC does not have to be the driver of the season in any which way or form. In that case - you must concede that Schumacher has been your driver of the season for seven years, Alonso for two, Raikkonen for one and so forth.

I voted Massa because I believe him to be the most improved. He might not be the most talented - but he has tried a lot harder than other drivers, including our world champions.

Sums you up love...the title of the thread is driver of the season not 'most improved driver'...but, as you say, you are entitled to your opinion. I don't have a bias against Ferrari, Michael Schumacher remains my all time favourite driver ever and he is a ferrari legend. I don't follow teams I follow drivers.

No need to be so aggressive.

[Kopite Girl 0]

Sums you up love...the title of the thread is driver of the season not 'most improved driver'...but, as you say, you are entitled to your opinion. I don't have a bias against Ferrari, Michael Schumacher remains my all time favourite driver ever and he is a ferrari legend. I don't follow teams I follow drivers.

No need to be so aggressive.

I'm not being aggressive! If I was, you'd know! I'm sorry you feel that way. And there's no need for the love comment really, eh?!! And I will re-iterate - I voted Massa as the driver of the season because thats exactly what improving is for me. Like I said, he may not be the most talented, have the best raw natural speed or just gifted than the other top drivers but he is willing to work hard to give him the championship and that for me is why he was the best driver of 2008. A true zero to hero in a season. We've seen it all with Felipe this year.

I really do think you do have bias, its clear to me. I will admit I do towards none other than Honda (yes, I know....)

But we're never going to agree, are we sweetheart?

[freaky2 1]

Sums you up love...the title of the thread is driver of the season not 'most improved driver'...but, as you say, you are entitled to your opinion. I don't have a bias against Ferrari, Michael Schumacher remains my all time favourite driver ever and he is a ferrari legend. I don't follow teams I follow drivers.

No need to be so aggressive.

And your hope that Hamilton would win the poll hands down sums you up.

[Quiet One 15]

Kubica. Best all around. The guy battled against his own team stupidity. In that sense, just like Lewis, except Lewis was (George help us) trying to be helped by Ron. I wouldn't be so sure Dr. Mario gave a damn about Kubica. The guy surely doesn't owe much to anybody. The good and the bad was something he won by himself.

Alonso. 7 drivers got their 5 minutes of fame this year. Of all them, Nando was the only one who shone the whole 5 minutes he was given. When he got the chance to deliver, there were no more mistakes. Rain or dry, there were no blunders when he sensed the sweet smell of a podium.

Lewis. WDC (not that winning is any excuse). Silverstone. The signs of an immense talent is there. He won't be the next Schumi, or Senna, though. I think he could be the next G.Villeneuve. He hasn't improved as much as expected, though. Oh, and he was beaten on the last race BY A ROOKIE! Toma!

Massa. I hated the guy even more than Lewis, if possible. But, with the season over and looking back, the guy really improved a lot. He stopped being so obnoxious. He compensated his lack of natural talent with hard work and he became a gentleman (he wasn't right until last year). His behavior these past days were everything I think a true sportsman should be. After the race, he made Lewis, Nando et al. look like stupid, childish egomaniacs. He even cared for Glock after the race. My utmost respect for him.

Vettel. Another god-chosen kid. Glad to see he was up to the expectations. I hope this is just the beginning for him.

Trulli. When he got the chance to be fast, he was blindingly so.

Naka. Nobody expected much of him, yet he didn't do that bad. Not his fault that those Williams suck big time.

Rubinho. Old, forgotten, but still fighting.

In a season with ups very high and lows very low, the final result was good overall. There was sloppy driving aplenty, but also some heroic drivings (Silverstone stands out again). Drivers' role this year was more protagonic than in previous seasons when it all came to Ferrari engine and Bridgestone tires.

On the team's side, I will follow my heart: Renault for once again doing what they do best. Start with a crappy car and work again and again until they can turn things around. Both Macca and Ferrari always start with an edge above the rest. Renault (not for the first time) started with almost nothing and ended up on a high note.

F1, even with all the crap, I will dearly miss you for the next months

[Fed up 0]

And your hope that Hamilton would win the poll hands down sums you up.

How can I 'hope' hamilton will win it - it is a popularity contest and he is not very popular. This forum is populated in the main by Alonso supporters, most are still upset that Lewis thrashed their beloved in his rookie year so it is nigh on impossible expecting them to vote hamilton. Felipe was never popular until he was up against Lewis, then he is fantastic blah blah blah.

It is of no consequence to me who anyone votes for because I don't really care. Lewis IS the WDC and no matter how the votes are cast it will never change that fact.

Does that sum you up

[freaky2 1]

How can I 'hope' hamilton will win it - it is a popularity contest and he is not very popular. This forum is populated in the main by Alonso supporters, most are still upset that Lewis thrashed their beloved in his rookie year so it is nigh on impossible expecting them to vote hamilton. Felipe was never popular until he was up against Lewis, then he is fantastic blah blah blah.

It is of no consequence to me who anyone votes for because I don't really care. Lewis IS the WDC and no matter how the votes are cast it will never change that fact.

Does that sum you up

Well, that's what your desperate comments regarding the people in the forums and the drivers suggested. Forgive me if I was wrong (no, you actually don't have to). But anyway, it's the people's opinions, and I can safely guarantee you that those of the people here are way less biased than anywhere else, if you'd just open your eyes to see it (actually you're one of the most biased, but at least you openly admit to it). Oh, and I actually also voted Hamilton. Well, I took the easy way out and voted for all the drivers who made this season interesting, but there you go, he was one of them, unfortunately.

And on a last note: it's hard to sum up someone that you've just noticed the existence of

[Fed up 0]

Well, that's what your desperate comments regarding the people in the forums and the drivers suggested. Forgive me if I was wrong (no, you actually don't have to). But anyway, it's the people's opinions, and I can safely guarantee you that those of the people here are way less biased than anywhere else, if you'd just open your eyes to see it (actually you're one of the most biased, but at least you openly admit to it). Oh, and I actually also voted Hamilton. Well, I took the easy way out and voted for all the drivers who made this season interesting, but there you go, he was one of them, unfortunately.

And on a last note: it's hard to sum up someone that you've just noticed the existence of

You must be the female version of Maure, a wind up merchant. If you voted for Lewis what is your beef with me. I voted Lewis, Vettel & Massa. The poll was deliberately multiple choice so that some could vote based on their preference/popularity and some could vote on merit. That the wdc has very few votes is proof positive (IMHO) that the vote is not for driving reasons.

Just my view

[cavallino 2]

You must be the female version of Maure, a wind up merchant. If you voted for Lewis what is your beef with me. I voted Lewis, Vettel & Massa. The poll was deliberately multiple choice so that some could vote based on their preference/popularity and some could vote on merit. That the wdc has very few votes is proof positive (IMHO) that the vote is not for driving reasons.

Just my view

I don't know when or how or why you've become so irrational. Read Murray's post, there are perfectly good arguments to be made for a few drivers to be considered the best. Your self righteousness and attitude are annoying, and you look pretty stupid for coming back to the forum after the huge fuss you created and left. From when you created this thread, I knew that you would use it to attack people for not voting Hamilton the best. You're not a victim, and most people here are as neutral as can be. You are the Lewis loving version of maure for your constant bitter attacks on every member.