Hamilton adds Driver of the Weekend to Malaysia grand slam

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton was voted Driver of the Weekend after scoring his first ever ‘grand slam’ in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Hamilton’s dominant drive was enough to earn him over half of all votes and easily twice as many as second placed Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg’s defensive driving against Fernando Alonso was a highlight for many fans while Sebastian Vettel was voted in third for his ‘best of the rest’ result behind the two Mercedes.

1. Lewis Hamilton

Started: 1st
Finished: 1st

Mercedes looked a class apart in the final practice session and it looked to be a straight fight between them for pole, but the torrential rain that arrived just prior to qualifying closed the field up tremendously. Despite aborting his final run after he found himself too close to Hulkenberg, Hamilton held on to claim his second pole position in as many races this season.

A solid start – firing on the full six cylinders, unlike the five he was left with in Australia – meant this time he kept the lead into turn one and never looked back. He’d already opened a four second gap up by the end of lap three.

The only time Hamilton was headed in the race was when he exited the pits behind the two-stopping Hulkenberg, but passed him before he had chance to cross the line in the lead.

Hamilton’s advantage was so comfortable that much like his teammate in Australia, he asked if there was anything he could do to help look after the engine.

There’s only one answer here, right?

Lewis’ performance was the most brutally efficient I’ve seen by a non-Vettel driver since Silverstone 2008.
@Alehud42

Drove a very fast and controlled weekend. Handled the torrential qualifying conditions to take pole on what was supposed to be a banker lap.

He then converted the pole into a superb drive on Sunday. Drove more fuel efficiently, and was faster than anyone, finishing the race with considerably more fuel in hand than anyone else.
Chris (@tophercheese21)

Hamilton, for an emphatic win – all the while conserving his fuel better than almost anyone. You just can’t not vote for a grand chelem.
Max Jacobson (@vettel1)

2. Nico Hulkenberg

Started: 7th
Finished: 5th

Another solid qualifying from Nico Hulkenberg got him firmly into the top ten when his teammate fell in Q2.

Hulkenberg then got away well to fight the Ferrari’s into turn one before settling down and making a two stop strategy work while everyone else at the pointy end drove a three. Was the only man other than Hamilton to lead – even if it was only for half a lap – and his defensive driving against Fernando Alonso was one of the highlights.

Hulkenberg however brought that car to another spot where it should not be. He really is champion material. With the words of Ben Edwards: “There asn’t been a race where I wasn’t impressed by Hulkenberg.”
Sam (@Ardenflo)

I’ve gone for Hulk. Doesn’t matter whether he’s in a Williams, Force India or Sauber, he still manages to fight towards the front.
@Craig-o

3. Sebastian Vettel

Started: 2nd
Finished: 3rd

Vettel could well have snatched pole on Saturday, but after being surprised by Rosberg at the final corner, slowed too much and missed the line by two seconds. A poor getaway saw him fall behind Rosberg and team mate Daniel Ricciardo, but Vettel recovered to hassle Rosberg throughout the race and finish best of the rest behind the Mercedes cars.

I voted for Vettel. Hamilton had such a dominant car he could do little else but cruise around in front. Vettel had to ring the neck of the Red Bull car to even challenge Rosberg. He drove a flawless race in an inferior car.
David Bretz (@Cynical)

2014 Driver of the Weekend results

RaceFirstSecondThird
AustralianKevin Magnussen (48.38%)Valtteri Bottas (24.49%)Daniel Ricciardo (14.05%)
MalaysianLewis Hamilton (54.3%)Nico Hulkenberg (24.0%)Sebastian Vettel (6.5%)

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix

Browse all 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix articles

Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei

7 comments on “Hamilton adds Driver of the Weekend to Malaysia grand slam”

  1. I do like @cynical‘s assessment of events – even though I evidently don’t agree he was driver of the weekend (see above), I admire that his ability to drive a car which was inferior has been acknowledged.

    1. @vettel1 Seb did a great race but even though RB10 lacks power, I’d come short of branding it a bad car because it doesn’t look like Seb and Dan are struggling to put the car where they want because RB10 looks well balanced.

  2. Hamilton won driver of the weekend fairlt easily, but Hulk’s defence on Alonso was a class act, though certainly nowhere near that of Lewis’s defence on Nico at Bahrain.

  3. If you look at the race in itself I think either Vettel or Hülkenberg deserves it. But when we look at the weekend, can you really not give a grand slam the DOTW…?

  4. bit late on this article eh?!

  5. He drove superbly. I didn’t really enjoyed the race, but his performance is not to be denied. Kudos to him!

  6. Ok so DOTW is a constitution here at F1fanatic and for good reason, is one of the best columns. Also most of the times I agree with the outcome although this year instead of Mag/Ham/Ham i went for RIC/HAM/PER these first 3 races.
    I understand that every week needs to be a DOTW crowned, but my question is how many really great performances have we witnessed? For me only one Perez in Bahrain, yes we have witnessed some great battles mostly in Bahrain but the driving itself is hugely car oriented. Nooones outdrives its car by any measure and bahrain was evedence, cars running in formation due to a sc. What Perez did and was for me great was that after 2 disastrous races he beat 2 redbulls faster than Force India in the previous races and something Hulkebberg hasn;t done, beat his illusrious team-mate the way a seasoned veteran teaches a rookie a few lessons, had a fantastic qualifying and when strategy brought him behind took the places back on track. Now that is what I call a great performance something noone else has come close this year. And I am not a perez fan in fact I thought he was mediocre – not Chilton level just like Button having an average year was the peak of what Perez could ever achieve.

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