Vote for your driver of the European GP weekend
2011 European Grand Prix
Start, Valencia, 2011
Who was the most impressive driver throughout the European Grand Prix weekend?
See below for my pick of the best drivers in the European Grand Prix.
Review each driver’s race weekend in detail below and vote for who you thought was the most impressive driver.
For your consideration
Here are some of the drivers who impressed me during the European Grand Prix weekend:
Sebastian Vettel – Untroubled by the chasing pack, never looked like being beaten.
Fernando Alonso – His usual speed and consistency in the race allowed him to prise the leading Red Bulls apart.
Jaime Alguersuari – Has clearly turned a corner with the 2011 tyres, rising from 18th to eighth.
Adrian Sutil – Another driver who is thriving in the middle part of the season, in the points for the second time in three races after qualifying well.
Sergio Perez – A welcome return from injury, he almost scored a point with a well-executed one-stop strategy.
Compare all the drivers
Review what happened to each driver over the race weekend and compare their performances with their team mates using the links below:
Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber
McLaren: Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari: Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa
Mercedes: Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher
Renault: Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov
Williams: Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado
Force India: Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta
Sauber: Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez
Toro Rosso: Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari
Lotus: Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen
HRT: Narain Karthikeyan and Vitantonio Liuzzi
Virgin: Timo Glock and Jerome d’Ambrosio
Vote for your driver of the weekend
Which driver impressed you the most throughout the European Grand Prix weekend? Cast your vote below and have your say in the comments.
Who was the best driver of the European Grand Prix weekend?
- Sebastian Vettel (28%)
- Mark Webber (1%)
- Lewis Hamilton (3%)
- Jenson Button (0%)
- Fernando Alonso (33%)
- Felipe Massa (1%)
- Michael Schumacher (1%)
- Nico Rosberg (1%)
- Nick Heidfeld (0%)
- Vitaly Petrov (0%)
- Rubens Barrichello (0%)
- Pastor Maldonado (0%)
- Adrian Sutil (2%)
- Paul di Resta (0%)
- Kamui Kobayashi (0%)
- Sergio Perez (3%)
- Sebastien Buemi (0%)
- Jaime Alguersuari (26%)
- Heikki Kovalainen (0%)
- Jarno Trulli (0%)
- Narain Karthikeyan (1%)
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (0%)
- Timo Glock (1%)
- Jerome d'Ambrosio (0%)
Total Voters: 463
Loading ...You need an F1 Fanatic account to vote. Register an account here or read more about registering here.
Canadian Grand Prix result
Jenson Button was voted the best driver of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
1. Jenson Button – 61.0%
2. Michael Schumacher – 27.8%
3. Sebastian Vettel – 2.2%
Rate the Race: European Grand Prix
Don’t forget to cast your vote in the ‘rate the race’ poll as well:
Image © Red Bull/Getty images
Slr (@slr) said on 27th June 2011, 17:50
So… Where do we vote?
Todfod (@todfod) said on 27th June 2011, 17:54
LOL. I thought there was something wrong with my browser
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 27th June 2011, 17:57
Can you not see the poll?
Slr (@slr) said on 27th June 2011, 18:01
It’s okay now.
kowalsky said on 27th June 2011, 22:54
vettel without a doubt, pole, fastest lap and race win. What else?
Keith, jarno trulli said something interesting about how, perfect reliability, is hurting the sport.
What is your opinion on it?
spankythewondermonkey (@spankythewondermonkey) said on 28th June 2011, 8:27
yep, had to be SV. very nearly a perfect race weekend, so deserves the vote this time around. his only mistake was The Finger ;-)
mfDB (@mfdb) said on 28th June 2011, 18:38
My dad said the same thing during this race….It wasn’t that long ago that we had engines fail randomly which made things more exciting, but most importantly we had engine suppliers pushing the limits of engineering and design to get maximum power and reliability. Now they’ve been somewhat neutered.
Not to mention, we also used to have more than 4 engine suppliers. I seriously doubt any potential engine manufacturers are going to want to join F1 with the current limitations.
F1iLike said on 28th June 2011, 23:15
I think you hit the nail there. I really hope the rule changes will bring on some pushing the limits. Both from engines and other parts. I don’t like how spec-racing it’s been with the engine freeze.. Of course it’s nice other parts are being developed.. But still.. ALL parts should be pushed to the limit :)
Abuelo Paul (@abuello-paul) said on 27th June 2011, 17:54
I vote Jaime Alguersuari, well I would. Can ya put a voting tag in there somewhere please, thnx.
TommyB (@tommyb89) said on 27th June 2011, 19:02
Me too. It’s between him and Alonso for me but it’s rare I can give a Toro Rosso driver driver of the day so I did :P
Abuelo Paul (@abuello-paul) said on 28th June 2011, 9:46
How can anyone say that Vettel had a good “race”. He set off in front, drove the car forward and finished at the front. Thats not a race thats a training run. Button had a race in Canada. Alguersuari had to drive to get 10 places up on his grid position, thats RACING. Vettel is lucky he has such a good car. Thats all! Granted he has calmed down, and is now more capable of handling such a good car. But thats not racing. Start him from the vback and see if he has the ability to move through and win, thats the true test.
MarcusAurelius (@marcusaurelius) said on 28th June 2011, 11:23
Exactly! Vettel did nothing extraordinary to win the race. Just drive the best car of the field to its full potential.
Jaime outperformed himself and the Toro Rosso to get to 8th place and leaving better cars behind him.
mfDB (@mfdb) said on 28th June 2011, 18:39
WHAT! you contradict yourself quite quickly there…..
David A said on 28th June 2011, 13:49
You’re underestimating the skill it takes to qualidy well. Alguersuari’s drive was entertaining, but he screwed up his qualifying to start 18th in the first place. Vettel deserves praise, not criticism for being a great qualifier, which is why he never has to make up 10 places.
Nixon (@nixon) said on 28th June 2011, 14:17
How do we know if he is good qualifier, maybe the RedBull is faster than we think. And beating Webber isnt enough.
David A said on 28th June 2011, 14:38
Vettel’s proven himself as a good qualifier not just this year, but since his first race for BMW in 2007, where he stuck it 7th on the grid. There’s no way 17 poles out of the last 27 is all down to the car. And you’ve not even addressed the point about screwing up in quali like Alguersuari.
mfDB (@mfdb) said on 28th June 2011, 18:41
I agree with David A. Don’t forget the drives from Vettel in 2008 and 2009 in sub-#1 cars…
Oliver said on 27th June 2011, 17:56
Vettel should win technically this easily because he absolutely dominated the whole weekend, not a foot wrong.
But Alas he wont, because he made one BIG mistake…. He won 5 other races. Success always attracts flack & jealousy.
hey (@hey) said on 27th June 2011, 18:02
I can’t remember Vettel making a mistake this weekend? Especially not a big one.
Laranja Mecanica said on 27th June 2011, 19:28
Read it again… Having won almost every race this year, of course.
alex said on 27th June 2011, 22:25
I cant remember Vettel being “The Driver of the Weekend” in this website :)
US_Peter said on 28th June 2011, 6:45
Me either, even when he clearly has been. Surprised to see him ahead at the moment.
dave said on 27th June 2011, 18:03
the other ‘mistake’was being in comfortably the best car
VXR said on 27th June 2011, 18:46
That’s not a mistake. That’s called making the most of a good thing. He thoroughly deserves to be in the best car.
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 27th June 2011, 18:49
He put “mistake” in inverted commas, meaning he knows it’s not a mistake, rather people looking for any reason whatsoever not to vote for him.
VXR said on 27th June 2011, 19:50
My “mistake”. :) ;)
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 27th June 2011, 18:37
True. It seems everyone is being voted driver of the weekend apart from him, including the guy that hasn’t beaten him once in the same car.
mfDB (@mfdb) said on 28th June 2011, 18:44
Yea, it’s true. I think the best driver pole, much like watching the 2011 season, is becoming more about who is in 2nd place than 1st….
Becken said on 27th June 2011, 21:40
I voted in Fernando because I could SEE him fighting hard against the best cars and against the flaws of his own car.
Sorry for Vettel winning form. It is not jealousy from here, but it is a little bit easy start in front in one of teh best cars in F1 history and disapear in the sunset without any ‘resistance.’
Fernando made my day in a really BORING, DULL, race day.
He entertained me and that’s was what makes him special for me yesterday.
Pink Peril (@pink-peril) said on 28th June 2011, 12:00
If your job is ‘easy’, then how can you be the driver of the day/weekend/year? Because someone who is putting in the effort and getting there is always going to trump someone just coasting along because they don’t need to push any harder. Hence why I voted for Alonso.
David A said on 28th June 2011, 13:30
But at the same time, you could say Vettel is putting in the effort to start and finish first, while his teammate drives roughly at the capabilities of the car.
sw6569 (@sw6569) said on 27th June 2011, 18:03
I try not to vote for the winner unless I think they have been outstanding all weekend. In this case, Vettel was. Can’t fault him, great drive. Just a shame he’s untouchable right now.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 28th June 2011, 0:05
He certainly was, formidable again.
colinf (@colinf) said on 27th June 2011, 18:08
Well it has to be Fernando, obviously, as he truly out drove the capability of his car to beat at least one of the Red Balls.
George (@george) said on 27th June 2011, 18:34
+1
Vettel was good but he had the race covered, Alonso had to be at 100% to beat Webber.
dennis said on 27th June 2011, 19:31
Webber had a gearbox problem… Nice drive by Alonso… But he is one place too far up.
George (@george) said on 27th June 2011, 19:54
afaik the gearbox problem occured after his last stop, so he would of had to overtake anyway. The fact that Alonso was battling with the Red Bulls at all is enough to get my vote.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 27th June 2011, 18:39
I voted for Alonso as he kept Webber’s pace and, at times, Vettel’s, with an inferior car. His second place was very much deserved.
dennis said on 27th June 2011, 19:32
Vettel drove just as fast as he needed to. No point in making the same mistake he did in Montreal by losing a 10 second gap due to a safety car and then losing out with worn tyres.
Copersucar (@copersucar) said on 27th June 2011, 19:59
Near the end of the race, when Seb hadn’t pitted yet but Alo and Web had I thought, there’s gonna be a SC now and Seb is gonna finish 3rd. Well, no SC, of course. And Seb pitted for the last time, I guess mostly to be safe, hys tyres seemed to be still OK.
Dutch_Alex said on 27th June 2011, 18:40
Three votes for Hamilton now. Why? Probably because he managed a whole weekend without penalties.
glue said on 27th June 2011, 19:40
at the previous poll, he got 13 votes, which was more than what Webber got and one less than Vettel..so what can you expect
n/a said on 28th June 2011, 4:13
four votes for massa now. Why? Probably because he bla bla la
four votes for schumacher now. Why? Probably because he bla bla bla
four votes for Karthikeyan now. Why? Probably because he bla bla bla
etc ;)
Nixon (@nixon) said on 28th June 2011, 14:21
Four votes for the indian guy?
TED BELL said on 27th June 2011, 18:43
SebVet was the best and will repeat as champion. The RedBull jugernaught will run on until rule changes and a new generation of cars come into existance. Seems unlikely that anyone will touch what has become so familiar in 2011, RedBulls leading and everyone else hoping for somekind of a mistake from the 23 year old. Enjoy what is happening as this kind of history making comes only once in a while. I also wonder if he really is that good or is it more about how good the car is??
VXR said on 27th June 2011, 18:48
The rules aren’t likely to change much over the next two years. We will just have to get used to it.
mfDB (@mfdb) said on 28th June 2011, 18:47
We already did from 2000 to 2004….
sam3110 (@sam3110) said on 27th June 2011, 18:46
I always look to who has achieved more than we expect from the car they are in, and this weekend it was Alguersuari and Alonso, and there’s no coincidence that they are both Spaniards either!
Though they have had problems and made many mistakes, and even seemed to be off the pace before, I would also like to give a special mention to Schumacher and Massa, who seem to have up their respective games recently, and I hope we see both of them push higher up in rest of the races now
dyslexicbunny (@dyslexicbunny) said on 27th June 2011, 18:49
Alonso beat the driver who just doesn’t have any pace in comparison to his teammate that had gearbox problems. While it’s fantastic to see him and his car improve, eh.
Lewis didn’t crash so that’s impressive but I don’t expect him to so voting for him is silly.
Alguersuari did a great job but the fact that he can’t do anything Saturday is just disappointing.
Unfortunately (as I don’t like him at all) I ended up voting Vettel. Hopefully it’s the only time I do.
Santi said on 28th June 2011, 8:56
I don’t see which race did you see, but Webber had the exact same pace as Vettel until the very end when he had the gearbox problem…
Alex said on 28th June 2011, 15:12
We are talking about Valencia 2011? Exactly the same pace? During the warmup lap or at which time did you meassure this?
1. It doesnt make any sense if you are on P1 to rise up the gap to P2 to more than a few seconds. If something happens and the sc must come out you lost everything including your tyres. This year with these tyres you simply must managed your tyres to stay alive as long as your direct competitors are going to pit. And then, surprise, you also going to pit as well because of the safety car risk. F1 racing is different this year and Vettel managed this very well.
2. Webber got his gear box problems AFTER losing position against Alonso. Btw C. Horner mentioned that it wasnt serious problems but they decide to slow down at that time when the realized that they cannot catch Alonso. You cannot blame it on the gearbox.
Steph (@) said on 27th June 2011, 18:55
Vettel was faultless but so was Alonso. I plumped for Alonso because I really don’t think he should have beaten a Red Bull.
Nods to: Vettel for dominating but in a way that left me thinking that he was taking it easy and to Jaime and Sutil for good races.
dyslexicbunny (@dyslexicbunny) said on 27th June 2011, 21:41
Because I’m curious and I thought it a typo at first. Is using plump as a synonym for voting/choosing used specifically in a certain region of the world?
Google pulled up a couple Australian (and I presume English as well) examples and I’ve never heard it used stateside. I asked a couple other colleagues and they hadn’t either. The common response was “plumped?”.
Pakkalo said on 27th June 2011, 22:23
google “plump for”.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/plump+for
dyslexicbunny said on 27th June 2011, 23:18
Thanks but I already had the definition. I was interested in the region of use. Based on what was in the periodical archive from the link, I presume it’s a British/Australian idiom?
Dan Thorn (@dan-thorn) said on 28th June 2011, 8:43
I can’t vouch for its use in Australia, but it’s a pretty common turn of phrase here in the UK.
mrgrieves (@mrgrieves) said on 27th June 2011, 19:07
Went for Alonso at the time, brilliant drive to live with the Red Bull’s. Put him just ahead of Alguersuari who put in a brilliant drive.
Dan Thorn (@dan-thorn) said on 27th June 2011, 19:21
Between the 2 Spaniards for me, both were exceptional but I went for Jaime. Great drive under pressure.
Steph (@) said on 27th June 2011, 21:00
I wanted to vote for Jaime but I just couldn’t because I just wasn’t impressed with his performance on Saturday.
Laranja Mecanica said on 27th June 2011, 19:26
I should vote for Seb Vettel, flawless but so boring… Alonso lost his chance to challenge him but it was mostly due to the team’s bad timing with the pitstops. I will go for Jaime this time.
MVEilenstein (@mveilenstein) said on 27th June 2011, 19:31
Perez made a good of himself this weekend.
Marco said on 27th June 2011, 19:34
My “invisible” vote goes for Jaime… :) It is the third time in a row that I am happy about his race perfomance… I am curious about Silverstone, when the “hards” will be back at action… If the tyre management will be so good as in Valencia, then he is back to the great shape from the end of 2010 season…