Debate: Which driver deserves the title?

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One race, three drivers separated by seven points. They’ve all driven blinding races this year, but they’ve all made mistakes as well.

So which one deserves it most – Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso or Kimi Raikkonen? Have your say below

Lewis Hamilton

Wins: Four – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Indianapolis, Hungaroring, Fuji Speedway
Points: 107
Best moment: Faultless win under pressure in pouring rain in Fuji.
Worst moment: Staying out a lap too long in Shanghai and turning a possible win into his first ever DNF.

Fernando Alonso

Wins: Four – Sepang, Monte-Carlo, N??rburgring, Monza
Points: 103
Best moment: Passing Felipe Massa in the dying laps of the European Grand Prix to win.
Worst moment: Several off-track moment in Montreal before being shafted by the appearance of the safety car.

Kimi Raikkonen

Wins: Five: Melbourne, Magny-Cours, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, Shanghai
Points: 100
Best moment: Vital win in tricky conditions in Shanghai to keep his title hopes alive.
Worst moment: Crashing in qualifying at Monte-Carlo.

Photo: Ferrari Media

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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65 comments on “Debate: Which driver deserves the title?”

  1. Kimi.

    not because he’s done anything particularly special this year. but because year in, year out, he’s driven the wheels off of everything he’s ever been given. he’s probably the only true racer in the field, and he’s a man a made who remains thoroughly unaffected despite years of having to drive under Ron Dennis.

    plus it’ll be one in the eye for Ron, who was daft enough to replace him with the motorhomewrecker.

  2. “The Iceman”.

    Because he never gives up even in the worst case scenarios. He’s a genuinely the fastest racer out there. Place him on any place at the grid and he fights till the end for a podium finish.

  3. I agree. A win for Kimi would be great to shut McLaren up for a while.

    I vote for Alonso taking out Hamilton in Brazil on turn one to let Kimi win.

    I am very sick of McLaren… ALL of them. Get over yourselves.

  4. All three of them deserve it, but as of today it has to be Lewis, after all he has led the championship for most of the year.

    Alonso and Kimi have both made several driver errors that have cost them points and probably the chance of a win, Hamilton has made errors too, but has been more consistent with the points.

  5. Alonso,

    no doubt for me about it.
    – He has to compete without the support of his team (read Ron Dennis words after China)
    – He has been punished when he has broken no rules
    – He has demostrated he can win even in Renault. (Where is Renault now? Where was McLaren last year?)

    Althougt I have to admit there could be other drivers (as Vettel) that have shown great things but has no car to demostrate it.

    Hamilton is amaizing, I have to admit too, but in my opinion has been receiving many favours maybe unneeded from the Fia.

  6. Alonso, just to stick it to all those people complaining that he’s a whining, backstabbing *******. ;)

  7. Ah, but Alonso IS a whining, backstabbing *******!!

  8. I agree with Magnus and Cristina. Ron Dennis has tried to undermine Alonso by planting false stories about him in the press and sabotaging his effort in the team. Plus the media and F1 power structure are so biased in Hamilton’s favor. Alonso refuses to answer a question and they make all kinds of accusations against him. Hamilton threatens to leave F1 and they give him a pass.

  9. I did feel for Alonso when he said that he expected an equal car in Brazil. He said it was very uncomfortable being in a team where the manager said he thought of the other driver as a son, and who refuses to speak to you.

    I would really like Kimi to win it. His do or die attitue may break cars, but it’s only the points system (which is bogus) which stops that from working as a strategy. I think Kimi believes that you should either win or crash trying.

  10. Hamilton has driven well this year, so I wouldn’t be too upset if he won the title.

    However, I think Alonso has had an awful lot to cope with (maybe some of it has been of his own making, but nevertheless the pressure on him has been immense at times) and the feeling of not having any support from the people meant to be on your side must just crush your confidence so I think I’d prefer him to win.

    Without the safety car debacle in Canada and the stupidity of the Hungarian qualifying penalty then he would be up at the front already on merit.

    As for Kimi, the fact he will have won most races come the end of the year (assuming he wins the title by winning in Brazil) would mean that noone could complain that his was an undeserved title.

    So basically, either Alonso or Kimi would please me best! Probably Alonso though as he seems to have had the toughest battle to get to this position…

  11. Alonso

    Kimi and Lewis have done extremely well this season but they have had to fight only on the track! Alonso was hailed by Mc Laren by his commitment at the start of the season… but nobody mentioned his work after thier two drivers were neck to neck, most importantly for lifting Mc Laren to where it is.

    If Lewis does win the championship this year then he would owe a lot of gratitude to the Spaniard.

  12. They’ve all had their good moments and they’ve all had their bad moments. I think you can find a case for any of them to deserve the WDC.

    Having said that, I’d like Hamilton to win it, and if not then Kimi.

  13. kimi;
    he really deserve that championship.
    its mere bad luck that kept him away from the title in2005.
    now in 2007 he had done best winning 5 races.
    so he is the one who should be the favourite.

  14. Alonso,
    Cause he is the driver who has most potential among all the three… He fights even when his manager don’t bother about him!! None of the drivers walk around the circuit twice but Alonso!

  15. Kimi for sure.

    McLaren do not deserve to get a title this year because they have shown very little respect for the fair play.

    They have been excluded from the constructors’ championship. Why the drivers are allowed to get benefit from the illegal actions of their team?

    Additionally they show race after race favouritism towards one of their drivers … and Mr. Hypocrite Dennis keeps saying something about “equal opportunities”. Ferrari is much fairer than McLaren with the drivers and they have not needed so many headlines to justify the attitudes and actions of the team members.

    It gives the impression that Ferrari is a team and McLaren a bunch of mercenaries.

  16. I agree with you Guillermo, but we are talking about the drivers…

  17. I want Kimi to win. I think he deserves it most out of anyone, and he should have won the championship in 2005 but he was so unlucky. Now is his time. He’d be a far better champion than either Alonso or Hamilton could be. (If only I could choose Button, he’d be a good champion)

  18. Hamilton. hes outpaced and at times out raced a double world champion in the same car! in china he was fighting like hell to keep the lead when he didnt really need to

  19. Alonso I believe, deserves to win it, he has no support in the team, did you notice how he was left to change his tyres and refuel his car all by himself. He even designed the car all by himself and runs the wind tunnel after each race. He does the work of everyone in the team and gets no recognition for it. He deserves the title

  20. The one from the team that doesn’t cheat, cause that will be the fairest. Guess who else?

  21. Has to be Hamilton or Kimi. Hamilton because you can’t ask for much more from someone in their rookie year and he has probably made the least mistakes of anyone.
    Kimi because I have been supporting him for years and he has been so close on a couple of occasions. BUT he does have a habit of breaking his car, and if he had turned up at the start of the year he could probably be in the lead now, time and again he tends to really only turn up properly halfway through the year, by which time it is too late.
    Alonso, well he just becomes more and more of moaner, last year’s tirade against Renault was nothing on this years! He reminds me of Mansell who although he won the title never got my admiration because he was always complaining! If he would just get on and drive then maybe, just maybe he would have the support of the team, amazing what supporting your team does for their support for you, just ask Michael!

  22. Here we go – Kimi & I even have the scenario. Slyonso to take Hamilton out and allow Ferrari to get the win. Sly gets sacked by Ron & is given a juicy contract by the Prancing horse next year..

  23. Kimi is pretty good but not really shined this year, just an average performance – considering who he is and the car he’s in.

    Alonso has been all over the track and off at any corner he can too many times.

    Hamilton has been so steady and reliable all season (asides from China of course!) that he alone can and must deserve the championship.

    That said, I cant say Id be devastated if Hamilton missed the win this season and was that much more fired up next season along with whoever his teammate will be (surely not Alonso)

  24. I will continue to cheer for Alonso, just because I always had.

    Even if this is the first year I have started to like Kimi, despite the fact that he doesn’t know how to open his mouth while he talks. So if not the spanierd, then my finish naighbor.

    For some reason I just don’t like Lewis, enev if he is bloody impressive.

  25. Alonso,

    the most complete one.

  26. Kimi, because if McLaren had information about Ferrari’s car neither Hamilton nor Alonso deserve it. I can see Hamilton and Alonso crashing against each other in Brazil while Kimi wins the race, that would be the perfect ending for this odd season.

  27. The question asked “Which driver DESERVES the title?” and we the people then commensurated on who we would LIKE to win the title.
    Ah well, these are OPINION comments, ………….. Kimi !

  28. hamilton!

    he’s been the best all season(the points alone tell the story) and if he misses out i’ll be gutted!

    pure and simple :)

  29. oh or kimi…

  30. Hamilton has got the best from a double world champion, who got the best of a 7 world champion. So, for sure, if he wins will be very well deserved.

    But emotionally I go for Kimi, he has the worst luck of all drivers, with the probably exception of Webber and Wurz.

    As for Alonso, complaining that Hamilton is getting better equipment but demanding it for himself? Backstabbing his team when they don’t agree to that? I really hope he goes to Renault and they do a Toyota.

  31. Hamilton deserves the title. He’s kept his car between the white lines more than the other two & has really only messed up in a race twice. As the points system seems to reward consistency and he’s been the most consistent driver, I guess that makes him the most deserving of the three.
    .
    Most of the commenters here seem to have conveniently forgotten the fact that Kimi struggled badly for the first part of the season:- *yes* he’s a true racer and he’s thrilling to watch, but he’s not really been Mr Consistency again this year, has he?

  32. Of course Kimi deserves it, for many reasons you all know, I think Alonso deserves more respect and he has had a horrible season, fighting against his own boss, english press, Fia, etc….but he betted for Mc Laren and he failed. Lewis is an amazing rookie yes, but every body has supported him further than legality, Fia, Mc laren, Press and Media in general, I think just beacuse he is a great bussines for them all, but F1 (I hope ) still is a sport.

  33. Almost all of alonso’s problems have been of his own making – he is lucky to even be still driving the car, given that he has behaved so badly towards the team, and his accusations of favouritism sound hollow when he was complaining at the beginning of the season that Mclaren were being equal to both drivers when they should be favouring him!

    Alonso is simply highlighting something I have known for 3 years now – he is a great winner, but a terrible loser, and always blames the team or his team-mate for his own problems – if he is slow it is because the team are tampering with the car or pitstops. If Hamilton wins a race then it is because he is lucky and Alonso was not.

    Last year he blamed Renault for hampering his progress, and also said that Fisi should be doing more to help him win.

    Lets face facts, Alonso thought he would have a walk in the park this year with a rookie learning the ropes, and it turns out that the rookie is faster and makes less mistakes.

    So think about this Alonso fans – imagine how much faster and more experienced Hamilton will be next year… Alonso has already won his last championship – the next few years will be all about Kimi and Hamilton.

  34. Whoever wins in Brasil should get the title.
    I’d like Alonso to win it, but he should prove us all he is the best by bitting them on track.

  35. Kimi deserves it most.

    Simply because he has had his fair share of reliability problems this year and the other two haven’t had a mechanical problem in a race this year.

  36. Easy Kimi off course.

    If it wasn’t for his 2 mechanical failures he would have been in the lead. Since he has adapted to his team(which he did extremely well), he has been on fire and the highest scorer. His drive in Fuji was simply brilliant from last to 3rd place, he made something like 8 passes in the worst of conditions. He has guts and determination. And no he doesn’t brake cars.

    He has acted the with the most respectability, between the contenders. He never says anything bad about anyone, and has always shown great sportsmanship. Kimi is the real deal racer on the track, he wins boat and snowmobile races in his spare time. He does donuts at the end of races, and off course dresses up in a gorilla suit to have a few drinks. How refreshing, I would love to see a champion like him.

    He deserves it the most, and after him it has to be Alonso.I cant wait for next season, without traction control, I bet it is going to be a straight fight between Kimi and Lewis.

  37. I agree with you completely Nellyweb. His first gripe with the team was that certain team members cheered more for Hamilton. How small minded can a person get. I’ve always wanted Alonso to win over Schumacher and Kimi. Even this year I wanted him to win it. He cannot accept the fact that a young rookie in his first race can be a match for him with his over five years of racing in Formula1.

    He should ask Ferrari what happens when a team do not like you,…you will never have complete set of tires.

    If you notice he has said recently that the cars are the same and he gets equal equipment, I believe, Bridgestone showed him the data on tyre pressures and temperatures because they have all the records. That made him pause a bit.

  38. Deserves? Oh, Jenson Button deserves the championship more this year than any of them.

    But, if you’re limiting me to the chosen three, of course it has to be Kimi, even though he’s driving for the wrong team. Apart from anything else, he knows how to keep his mouth shut when it matters. And, as these comments demonstrate, he’s a racer through and through.

    But Button deserves to be champion after the year he’s had…

  39. I think that no one “deserves” the championship more that another. This is an award given out for achievement not just in one person but a team. The award is not given to a driver we think “should” have it. But just for fun it would be nice if Kimi won. He is a very capable driver that had it not been for the two misfortunes ealier in the season would probably be in the lead. Kimi appears to be a perfect gentlemen. Controversy does not surround him and he doesn’t have a bad thing to say about his team and/or his competition. Problem is he doesn’t have much to say period. That in itself speaks volumns about his personality. I agree with Clive that the only problem with Kimi is that he is on the wrong team. Alonso proved to me that he does not deserve it when he began to criticize his own team. Some say that it is paranoia and I agree. Fact is though that I think that Hamilton, deserving or not will win the championship next week at Brazil.

  40. ALONSO.

    He’s fighting against ALL elements.
    (And elements you can think what you want…)

  41. By the way…
    Who will have extra lap in Brazil?
    I think it’s Alonso who should…

  42. Kimi. Followed VERY closely by Alonso.

    I’m sick of the new points system, where it shows nobody needs to really win (they should award winners 12 points if they wish to keep points for 8 places). Although consistency is good, Kimi has made the best out of a bad situation with DNFs and Monaco Qualification by fighting for the front.

    Anything bad happens, he moves on, he knows there’s not a lot he can do except do the best he can the next race – and you have to admit he’s had a lot of unlucky times with McLaren and, even more unfortunately for him, at Ferrari as well now which could prove to cost him another championship. But also bear in mind he’s in a new team, where he has Schumacher’s team, but has been many reports of isolation and took him the first half of the season to acclimatise not just with the team, but the tyres.

    I’m not sure how long Kimi has in F1 left, but he could go down as one of the greats that never won – not to say it should be handed to him, but I think he’s made a strong comeback to deserve it. To win the championship by such a deficit, in a season where his rivals have had the reliability and consistency, will be well deserved.

    Alonso’s has had acclimatisation problems as well – new team, new tyres . . . new team mate who has the advantage over him in both these respects, but is a rookie – an underestimatation in terms as it turned out. Fighting against a McLaren and a Ferrari, with another Ferrari as a TEAM-playing car, he’s got his work cut out for him heading to Interlagos. But a 3rd consecutive title is the making of a great F1 marque, and I relish in watching. Especially after this year, and probably for a while, he may not be in a championship winning car.

  43. Who DESERVES the title: (that was for you Number 38 )
    RAIKKONEN

    Who do I WANT to win the title: Heidfeld ( maybe next year )

    I don’t want a Ferrari driver to win the title but,the Iceman is so cool I don’t mind it too much.

  44. KIMI KIMI KIMI KIMI
    Stayed outta controversy, not slagged off team or fellow drivers.
    I like a grafter who lets his work do the talking, unlike the other 2 tubes who like to blow their own trumpets.
    There is nothing I would like to see more than the 2 McClarens take each other out, that for me would sum the season up….perfectly!

  45. AmericanTifosi
    8th October 2007, 22:22

    KIMI!!!
    Remember 2003? Remember 2005?
    He is a racer. Not just a good driver. I could list my numerous reasons for disliking Hamilton but it would take too long. Alonso would be my next driver to win. He makes me laugh.

  46. Please don’t make this like Oscars.

    The deserving driver will take the trophy in Brazil.

  47. Alonso follower
    8th October 2007, 23:44

    Craig has really made the point

    >

    Alonso should win, just as McLaren should win the builder’ championship. I have not followed F1 long enough to assert this, but this season we’ve seen clear unfair decisions that have distorted the result to a point that it is not fair to accept that the “best” driver is going to win.

    And if Alonso does not win, Kimi deserves the title much more than the brilliant but baby sitted Lewis. Hamilton has proven that he is a very good driver, but both Alonso and Kimi have shown how many things you can fight with at the same time besides the road itself. In those situations, your experience and nerves are really stressed. Both Alonso and Kimi have proven to have lots of that this season.

    It should take more than just driving skills to win the championship. For example, the experience to know when you should stop trying to block someone who is determined to overtake you and does not have any influence in the final championship result and go for the pit stop and change tyres.

  48. Kimi.
    Although I am a great fan of Lewis, Kimi is the best driver at the moment. He put hinself to the limit, trying to get not only podium but also the 1st place.
    Others, like Lewis and Alonso, drive with a calculator in their hands, avoiing dangerus situations bing happy with second and third place but counting points.

  49. Err? Lewis ended up in the gravel on sunday precisely because he was NOT driving with a calculator in his hands (or maybe he was fiddling with his calculator and that’s why he missed the turn…).

  50. Lewis didnt drive too fast into the pits, the car refused to slow down. Even if he was slower, the car would still have refused to turn into the corner. An his car had too much oversteer thats why the tyres got worn coupled with the fact he had to push harder considering his lighter load.

  51. dennis coldicutt
    9th October 2007, 13:53

    What did Ron Dennis offer Alonso to get him to leave Renualt, No 1 driver ? Strangley Mclaren start to win races when he joins and Renualt don’t.

  52. Alonso left Renault because at the time Renaults new new Head, was not looking like someone who had any interest in motosport. If Renault had pulled out, he may have been forced to sit out the season or get into a lower team, he was sort of forced to move to Mclaren it was the only top team with a seat available, since Ferrari’s door was shut tight.

  53. Why do people think Alonso will struggle without TC? Before joining F1, all junior classes are without TC and the Minardi he drove in 2001 had no TC cos they had no money, and he brought them to grid positions it doesn’t deserve to be in. Even if a current modern driver hasn’t drove an F1 car without TC, i believe i will only take him a few laps to get used to it. They are 22 of the best drivers in the world(well mostly).

  54. I want Kimi to win because I backed him for a few years now. If not I like Levis to win. I like to see Alonso loose to shut up such a bad whinner.

    I really believe McLaren blew it by trying to race for a win in Shanghai. How stupid that was. If Lewis wins it will be great for F1.

    If Lewis wins in same car it will show how over-rated Alonso is. He was just lucky to have best car in 2005/2006 and a crap team mate.

  55. Kimi ‘I’m a Man, the IceMan’ Raikkonen.

  56. i think lewis hamilton 100% diserves the title simply because he is a rookie and he has been very impressive this year even with alonso breathing down his neck. The preformmance in fuji summed his talent all up this year. It think raikonen deserves second place simply because he has won the most races and has showd himself as probably the winner of the title next year.

  57. Kimi because he has done the best at his team without bickering with his teammate. On the Alonso thing, I don’t think he will struggle without TC but I think that the true racers, like Raikkonen, Hamilton and even people like Trulli and Webber will shine next year.

  58. Fernando is a thief(same as Pedro de la Rosa)
    It would be disgrace if Lewis takes championship because you have all seen how did he ended last race. that`s not champions driving.
    Kimi is the only one who diserve the title.

  59. It looks like we’ve got several pro-drivers ready to give their opinion, and a policeman.

    I’m with you Loki (42), the points system sucks, whoever wins in Brazil should be the winner. Being the first should be more awarded.

  60. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Kimi deserves to win it, as much as I dislike his ability to never smile, I can’t deny what he has done this season. He has taken the championship into a three way battle, when much of the season was between Alonso and Hamilton. As much as I would love to see Hamilton win it, I just can’t see it happening.
    It’s a shame really, I was hoping Ralf Schumacher would win it this season.

  61. Dimitrije:

    Its goin a bit too far to call Fernando a thief. He didnt steal anything, and neither did Pedro. From the way they chatted freely about this in their emails, it makes it seem like such things happen regularly in F1. And you shouldnt not mix up the car’s weight distribution, with the Ferrari dossier, they are completely different things that some how got tied up together.

  62. alonso for sure,he’s fought for it real hard without much support from his team.

    if he cant do it then it’s got to be kimi. he’s missed out on it too many times an deserves it.

    cant stand hamilton an the hype that goes with him even if he’s good.

  63. i think kime deserves the title only because mccalren should not be in the hunt after using illegal data.

    1st preferecne would be webber that is unlikely ever to happen unless all the planets align and red bull produce a car worthy of webber’s pace (i know that sounds biased, but you have to admit it would be intersting to see how he would go in a competative car) he hamilton wins it will be a tainted title if alonso wins it will be tainted if kimi wins it might be argued as undeserved but probably justice so its going to be controversial either way.

  64. i think it shuld b alonso.the guy is an out of the world driver.breathtakin move at the nurburgring and amazin races at monaco and malaysia.
    where wuld hamilton b without alonso’s setups of the car.as for kimi -was good this year as compared to the last but still failed to impress but a very good driver .maybe next year kimster.

  65. I would like to say Lewis, but he has shown a big flaw in his ability, regarding chosing the right time to go for slicks, once way too early, and once way too late.

    Alonso just plain does not deserve it, He thought he was going to get an easy ride, and when that didn’t happen, he threw his toys out of the pram. I cannot see any circumstances where he can still drive for Ron next term.

    So it has to be Kimi, It will be tough from 7 points back, and he will have to rely on Hamilton and Alonso falling over, but he is the most deserving, based on this years performance. In my opinion.

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