2014 Driver of the year.

[Zico]

At risk of this thread being a tad premature. Who has impressed you most this year and why?

Kyviat has shown a few glimpses of his undeniable raw talent but as a proper rookie still looks like has a bit of learning and reigning in to do, next year will certainly be very interesting indeed at Red Bull. We all know what Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg and the others are capable of and so their performances this year have not impressed me half as much as Daniel Ricciardo.
The hugely likable Aussie has produced a series of stunning drives completely eclipsing his 4 time WDC team mate, has made very few mistakes if any?... while showing the speed, maturity and racecraft up there with the very best but more experienced WDC's on the grid. He seems to have all the atributes required and with a bit of luck with being with the right team at the right time he looks to be a real contender for future WDC crowns.

Your thoughts?

[airshifter]

Not at all premature if you ask me.

Without a doubt the stand out driver to me is also Ricciardo. Impressive and mature driving beyond his experience in the sport, and has hardly made a mistake all year. All that much more impressive when we see who he is teamed with, and they fact that he can out drive Vettel in the same equipment.

I think for me, the #2 pick would be Bottas. Though much more quiet and reserved he has also soundly beaten a driver with a solid track record, though nowhere on the level of Vettel. And he's another guy that is easy to like and just seems to get the job done. Another flying Finn in the making as long as he can keep a good car under him.

And #3, only due to not knowing if it was humanly possible to do better.... Alonso. We've come to expect him to get more out of the car than the car is capable of, and he continues to do so. Among the crew of previous and contending WDC's, he is consistently the guy I would want in my car if I owned a team.

Another solid year for Vettel, Button, Hulk, and maybe even Felipe. Button in particular has impressed me this season, quietly doing well in the McLaren. Not to take anything away from Lewis and Nico at the front of the pack, but with such dominant cars it always leaves me wondering just how hard they have to battle at all, and where their current drivers skill set is as as compared to the rest.

[Zico]

Not at all premature if you ask me.

Without a doubt the stand out driver to me is also Ricciardo. Impressive and mature driving beyond his experience in the sport, and has hardly made a mistake all year. All that much more impressive when we see who he is teamed with, and they fact that he can out drive Vettel in the same equipment.

I think for me, the #2 pick would be Bottas. Though much more quiet and reserved he has also soundly beaten a driver with a solid track record, though nowhere on the level of Vettel. And he's another guy that is easy to like and just seems to get the job done. Another flying Finn in the making as long as he can keep a good car under him.

And #3, only due to not knowing if it was humanly possible to do better.... Alonso. We've come to expect him to get more out of the car than the car is capable of, and he continues to do so. Among the crew of previous and contending WDC's, he is consistently the guy I would want in my car if I owned a team.

Another solid year for Vettel, Button, Hulk, and maybe even Felipe. Button in particular has impressed me this season, quietly doing well in the McLaren. Not to take anything away from Lewis and Nico at the front of the pack, but with such dominant cars it always leaves me wondering just how hard they have to battle at all, and where their current drivers skill set is as as compared to the rest.

Wow, we are definately on the same wavelength.. that is 100% my exact feelings with regards to #2 and #3 also, I really couldn't add anything to your driver appraisal.

[dj_bytedisaster]

At risk of this thread being a tad premature. Who has impressed you most this year and why?

Kyviat has shown a few glimpses of his undeniable raw talent but as a proper rookie still looks like has a bit of learning and reigning in to do, next year will certainly be very interesting indeed at Red Bull. We all know what Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg and the others are capable of and so their performances this year have not impressed me half as much as Daniel Ricciardo.
The hugely likable Aussie has produced a series of stunning drives completely eclipsing his 4 time WDC team mate, has made very few mistakes if any?... while showing the speed, maturity and racecraft up there with the very best but more experienced WDC's on the grid. He seems to have all the atributes required and with a bit of luck with being with the right team at the right time he looks to be a real contender for future WDC crowns.

Your thoughts?

I disagree. There's no denying that Danny has driven way better than even the insiders expected, but I think his achievements are sort of inflated. First of all, it was left to his team mate to have most of the DNF's, so VET has been beaten 'under value', much like Webber in '12 and '13. Add to that, that RB hedged all their hopes early on on RIC. For instance he was given the first in-season test at Bahrain all to himself. Vettel never got to test until after Barcelona. Add to that that the win in Canada was Vettel's. RIC was gifted the win by the team bothching up the pitstop of the German. They publicly appologized, but the history books wll still say he was beaten by RIC wen he actually wasn't (on the track at least). The same happened again at Monza - not for the win - but the team gave Vettel a risky strategy that backfired.
In the second half of the season RIC manages to score a measly 10 points more than VET and that included a win and VET being shafted by the SC in Hungary and by the team in Monza. Realistically, Vettel has been the stronger one after the break as has happened so often in the past.

[rjbetty]

I disagree. There's no denying that Danny has driven way better than even the insiders expected, but I think his achievements are sort of inflated. First of all, it was left to his team mate to have most of the DNF's, so VET has been beaten 'under value', much like Webber in '12 and '13. Add to that, that RB hedged all their hopes early on on RIC. For instance he was given the first in-season test at Bahrain all to himself. Vettel never got to test until after Barcelona. Add to that that the win in Canada was Vettel's. RIC was gifted the win by the team bothching up the pitstop of the German. They publicly appologized, but the history books wll still say he was beaten by RIC wen he actually wasn't (on the track at least). The same happened again at Monza - not for the win - but the team gave Vettel a risky strategy that backfired.
In the second half of the season RIC manages to score a measly 10 points more than VET and that included a win and VET being shafted by the SC in Hungary and by the team in Monza. Realistically, Vettel has been the stronger one after the break as has happened so often in the past.

Man, can you work your magic on the Alonso-Fisichella situation at Renault in 2005-06 for me, and make Fisi out to really have been the better driver? Pleeeeeeeease!

[Zico]

I disagree. There's no denying that Danny has driven way better than even the insiders expected, but I think his achievements are sort of inflated. First of all, it was left to his team mate to have most of the DNF's, so VET has been beaten 'under value', much like Webber in '12 and '13. Add to that, that RB hedged all their hopes early on on RIC. For instance he was given the first in-season test at Bahrain all to himself. Vettel never got to test until after Barcelona. Add to that that the win in Canada was Vettel's. RIC was gifted the win by the team bothching up the pitstop of the German. They publicly appologized, but the history books wll still say he was beaten by RIC wen he actually wasn't (on the track at least). The same happened again at Monza - not for the win - but the team gave Vettel a risky strategy that backfired.
In the second half of the season RIC manages to score a measly 10 points more than VET and that included a win and VET being shafted by the SC in Hungary and by the team in Monza. Realistically, Vettel has been the stronger one after the break as has happened so often in the past.

It's amazing how differently we see things, I suspect you are in the tiny minority here.

Man, can you work your magic on the Alonso-Fisichella situation at Renault in 2005-06 for me, and make Fisi out to really have been the better driver? Pleeeeeeeease!

We are all entitled to our opinions however amusing they might seem. There is/was? a forum member on here with a sig that sald you cant argue with results, DJ has just demonstrated once again that they really ought to change that sig..

[truefan72]

It's amazing how differently we see things, I suspect you are in the tiny minority here.






We are all entitled to our opinions however amusing they might seem. There is/was? a forum member on here with a sig that sald you cant argue with results, DJ has just demonstrated once again that they really ought to change that sig..

lol

I'm still here,

just very quiet these days with work and stuff, plus I don't want to get my blood pressure up before the finale.
I will have plenty to say after the race tomorrow, however it turns out.I'll let others do the talking for now

As to DJ, he might want to apply that same logic to his boy for the 2013, 2012, and 2011 years
anyway, its all about hailing the german drivers above all kind of reason for him. I've never seen this kind of dedication to warping reality to fit an agenda.
It is one thing to believe them in your heart, it is another to go on a crusade, post after post to convince others of this delusion
ok I've said my peace

[Doc Austin]

I'm betting if someone adds up the responses to this thread, Alonso will be the winner.

Ricciardo has been utterly brilliant, and probably most deserving of DOTY.

However, I'm going to go with Hamilton instead, just in case he manages to lose the championship after winning 10 races. If Hamilton does win the championship, I'm going to switch to Ricciardo.

All of this is, IMHO, but of course.

[Doc Austin]

I disagree. There's no denying that Danny has driven way better than even the insiders expected, but I think his achievements are sort of inflated.

Three wins in anything but a Mercedes is a pretty good tally, especially considering that Rosberg only has five, and that IS in a Merc.

[Tazio]

I tend to agree with Dj that DR is a little over rated. He has had a fantastic year, but with the recent revelation that RB have been cheating their asses off, his accomplishments are now tainted. I think he may be the driver of the year but these things are massively difficult to decipher. Why has The Hulk suddenly become a below average driver? Kimi a piece of shyte, Slash even worse!!The Boss is being taken to the wall by NR. Alonso is still ahead of Bottas and Felipe baby (who drive a rig that is slipperier than an Italians princess' hoochie in heat) in a car that is so top heavy I'm surprised him or Kimi haven't rolled freakin' it yet.
Driver of the year:

Slamiltononsobergmasiardotasttelnado-Butyatanchijean