Driver(s) of the Day - 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

[UnlikeUday]

For me,

Verstappen, Ricciardo, Gasly

[Greenman]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

[Invade]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

There are barely any votes in, and only one person before you actually contributed a post.

[KingVoid]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

Max took pole in what was probably not the fastest car yesterday. Mercedes were quickest in all three sectors but Max just hooked up the lap perfectly. That should give him some bonus points over a traditional lights to flag win in the best car.

[Alienturnedhuman]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

Max took pole in what was probably not the fastest car yesterday. Mercedes were quickest in all three sectors but Max just hooked up the lap perfectly. That should give him some bonus points over a traditional lights to flag win in the best car.

The Red Bull was clearly the fastest car this weekend, with Albon's proximity to the Mercedes duo and the comfortable nature of Verstappen's win clearly demonstrating it's. The margin wasn't on the scale of the peak Mercedes pace earlier this season, but you don't win an uneventful race by over 15 seconds in the second fastest car.

For whatever reason, and it's almost certainly engine related but I doubt Mercedes are going to be forthcoming with the weakness, the Mercedes pace was not present this weekend.


Nonetheless, I voted for Verstappen, Norris and Ricciardo - as I feel they put in the best performances today. I think that Hamilton actually demonstrated today what a top level athlete he is today, as I didn't think he was going to complete the race distance, given the effects that COVID19 has on people's stamina. To be able to match Bottas's pace, with it looking like he actually would have been faster in clean air, for an entire race, after being hit by a fairly substantial case of covid is remarkable. However, I feel that while it did affect his performance, the driver of the day poll should reflect the performance given, regardless of the circumstances.

[KingVoid]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

Max took pole in what was probably not the fastest car yesterday. Mercedes were quickest in all three sectors but Max just hooked up the lap perfectly. That should give him some bonus points over a traditional lights to flag win in the best car.

The Red Bull was clearly the fastest car this weekend, with Albon's proximity to the Mercedes duo and the comfortable nature of Verstappen's win clearly demonstrating it's. The margin wasn't on the scale of the peak Mercedes pace earlier this season, but you don't win an uneventful race by over 15 seconds in the second fastest car.

Qualifying pace does not equal race pace.

Here are the sector times from qualifying:

https://www.racefans.net/2020/12/12/alb ... ning-role/

Mercedes quickest in all three sectors. Verstappen simply put his three best sectors together on his final Q3 lap, which neither Merc drivers did.

On race pace today Red Bull was indeed quicker.

[Alienturnedhuman]

.

Oh look !

Every time that Hamilton starts in P1 and just chugs around in the lead, most people here say "oh he just led, NOT the driver of the day" - but as soon as Verstappen does it people think it qualifies as driver of the day.

Hypocrisy.

.

Max took pole in what was probably not the fastest car yesterday. Mercedes were quickest in all three sectors but Max just hooked up the lap perfectly. That should give him some bonus points over a traditional lights to flag win in the best car.

The Red Bull was clearly the fastest car this weekend, with Albon's proximity to the Mercedes duo and the comfortable nature of Verstappen's win clearly demonstrating it's. The margin wasn't on the scale of the peak Mercedes pace earlier this season, but you don't win an uneventful race by over 15 seconds in the second fastest car.

Qualifying pace does not equal race pace.

Here are the sector times from qualifying:

https://www.racefans.net/2020/12/12/alb ... ning-role/

Mercedes quickest in all three sectors. Verstappen simply put his three best sectors together on his final Q3 lap, which neither Merc drivers did.

On race pace today Red Bull was indeed quicker.

Ah, because this was a driver of the day poll, which usually relates to the race, I read missed the part specifying pace in qualifying. I would argue Mercedes and Red Bull were roughly even in qualifying, with Max doing the cleanest, and best run. This is because if how close Albon and Lando were, and the fact that while Hamilton might have been slightly hampered by covid - thinking of scruffy details like damaging his floor in the final turn - I don't think it had as big as impact as in the race, so I think the Mercedes laps were fairly representative. Bottas's weakness is during Sunday, his qualifying pace has always been excellent and his lap was generally pretty decent. Max's was just better.

[Mort Canard]

Max, Daniel, Lando.

Honorable mention to Carlos and Lewis. As fit as Lewis is, he had to have been wrung out and used up after the race.

[Schermerhorn]

Max....he maxed it on race day when it counted.

Shame for Perez that he retired.

Lance is Mr Unreliable. You cannot trust him to deliver the goods at all.

Ferrari...woeful. Only 1 point single Turkey....jeez.

[tootsie323]

Verstappen made it work. I expected a challenge fro both Mercs but that didn't transpire. Whilst there were some good performances elsewhere I have to give it to Max.

[SlipstreamF1]

I was impressed with Albon trying to chase down Lewis. Although he showed his true limits struggling for pace, he gave it his all in his last race,

[Exediron]

I voted for Gasly and Ricciardo -- Gasly for being one of the few people who actually seemed able to overtake, and RIcciardo for his extremely strong opening stint and the wisdom to not pit under the VSC.

I think the Red Bull clearly had a sizable pace advantage today, so I didn't vote for either Max or Alex.

[Fiki]

On the F1 site, I voted Latifi, and did so again here. I felt he did well yesterday.
So did Alexander Albon. I would have liked to see him overtake Hamilton, but it wasn't to be. (I didn't like him asking where Lewis was slow though, it is time the drivers return to driving the car alone and unaided. Fat chance of that happening...)
My final vote went to Kimi, who once again finished ahead of the two Ferraris. I hope to see him again next year, and would be fascinated to learn what he thinks of the new formula for 2022, should we be so lucky as to see him then.

[TheGiantHogweed]

On the F1 site, I voted Latifi, and did so again here. I felt he did well yesterday.
So did Alexander Albon. I would have liked to see him overtake Hamilton, but it wasn't to be. (I didn't like him asking where Lewis was slow though, it is time the drivers return to driving the car alone and unaided. Fat chance of that happening...)
My final vote went to Kimi, who once again finished ahead of the two Ferraris. I hope to see him again next year, and would be fascinated to learn what he thinks of the new formula for 2022, should we be so lucky as to see him then.

The thing is about Kimi is about half the time, Giovinazzi has looked about as good as him. Does this mean Giovinazzi deserves to be on the grid now.

Answering that myself, I think giovinazzi was just not good enough a year or two back, but he's steadily getting better each year and is good enough now IMO.

[Fiki]

On the F1 site, I voted Latifi, and did so again here. I felt he did well yesterday.
So did Alexander Albon. I would have liked to see him overtake Hamilton, but it wasn't to be. (I didn't like him asking where Lewis was slow though, it is time the drivers return to driving the car alone and unaided. Fat chance of that happening...)
My final vote went to Kimi, who once again finished ahead of the two Ferraris. I hope to see him again next year, and would be fascinated to learn what he thinks of the new formula for 2022, should we be so lucky as to see him then.

The thing is about Kimi is about half the time, Giovinazzi has looked about as good as him. Does this mean Giovinazzi deserves to be on the grid now.

Answering that myself, I think giovinazzi was just not good enough a year or two back, but he's steadily getting better each year and is good enough now IMO.

He does seem to have come along well, especially this year. I believe that a driver's real potential could be more easily fathomed in the old days, before drivers became remote controlled appliances. (I'm not going to criticize race engineers or teams for the way they use "strategy" here. Suffice to say I think radio should be banned for controlling races from the pitwall, let alone from two continents away.) But the modern acceptance of altering races using "safety" as an easy alibi, may be even more of a hindrance to us finding out how good a driver really is as a total package.

Giovinazzi enjoyed Ferrari's and Sauber's trust these two years, as did Kimi. And I think for good reason. I will be glad to see them both back next year.