[Official] Driver of the Grand Prix: Russian Grand Prix 2015

[Born Racer]

Who is your driver of the Grand Prix?

[TrapezeArtist]

Lulu. Running and hiding again. Didn't get a chance to see how he would have dealt with Rosberg. Yes, he is in the best car but that's just his good fortune (and planning).

Vettel seemed quite feisty as well. He's rising in my estimation this year.

Perez? Not really. He would have been fifth if it weren't for the Finnish Fratricide.

Bottas was doing OK. Actually even Raikkonen was looking pretty good at times but he seemed to take his brain out before the race had ended.

Nasr looked pretty good early on too.

[Lancsbreaker]

Lewis for not putting a foot wrong - wish we could have seen a race-long battle with Nico.

Honourable mention for Perez who handled a challenging strategy very well, and to Bottas who deserved much better than being bundled off......

[Rennen]

Bottas for me, some excellent overtakes and keeping ahead of the Ferraris, but for a late pit stop and Kimi, he would have been on the podium in 2nd or at least 3rd!

Robbed, by a desperate move from a faded star!

[Paradise City]

Bottas was tested and past that test.

Even if he was ultimately sank by a below-the-belt torpedo from the good ship Ferrari.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Button, for getting that dog of a McLaren Honda into the top ten and into the points.

[gert]

Perez, would have been my pick even if he was 5th at the end.
Hamilton was the second best Mercedes driver all weekend long.

[Razzzor]

Originally Posted by gert

Perez, would have been my pick even if he was 5th at the end.
Hamilton was the second best Mercedes driver all weekend long.

Yep my thoughts exactly. Sure he might have got passed, but if the race was a lap shorter then he was a legit 3rd place anyway, so he drove very well. A far cry from quali when it was looking like he might be an early exit.

Also shout out to Nasr, who's been on a roll of average drives lately. But 6th place in the Sauber that's quite something, particularly because the strategy didn't seem to be a good one, when he pitted quite late he was behind everyone, but made pretty quick work of passing them all back and pulling away.

[stripedcat]

Both McLaren drivers should get a mention, for overcoming a lack of power on the straights and getting them to the end. Sure - they had a little luck with some of the DNFs - but I think they both did good today.

Lewis - well, yeah decent and steady race from him. We did get robbed of a battle here. He claims that he could have stayed close to Nico around here - that might have been interesting. Anyway, no-one troubled him really.

Nico - yeah, I know he got a mechanical gremlin - but, I am going to mention him. Got pole yesterday - that helps. Managed a good start, and held Hamilton back on two attempts. He did seem to have some his mojo back - it's just a shame the car let him down.

Vettel - 4 podiums in a row. Plus, he overtook his teammate, took second place and also moved up into second position on the WDC. The runner-up spot on that, could be his. Not a bad day's work.

Kimi - Actually, one of his stronger races. Had some decent battles - and his tussles with Vettel were interesting - it's just great seeing two Ferraris battle. Probably could have had the second place on the podium - if not for the late pitstop. He might have made it to the third spot - but then his rather risky move on Bottas put end to that.

Bottas - A strong race from him. Decent battles and he seemed to have a good pace. Could have had third, but it wasn't his fault.

Perez - It's Chico time! I am going to give him DOTOR. One of his best performances. He knows how to look after tyres. Sure - he was helped by the Kimi and Bottas tussle - but I can't take away that he took a midfield car to third. His best performance since Bahrain last year. I wonder what he'll be like in Mexico?

[F1Pete]

Kimi 100% He was aggressive right from the start and right up until the last lap. Bottas should have looked in his mirror and expected Kimi to be there.....bad judgement on Bottas' part.

The one and only downside of Kimi is that I feel he has poor re-starts. He always hangs way back before the safety car is released. I can never understand that. Oh well, it's best to leave him alone, he knows what he's doing.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Hamilton did another pullaway, this tine it's his 3rd pullaway this season. You know what I mean guys.

But my vote just got to Pérez, I would never believe he and Force India would get a podium.

[GT6]

Would have given it to bottas but Kimi made that impossible so Perez for me this time

[chunterer]

Checo.

If Sainz had finished 7th he would be DOTR by some margin.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by gert

Hamilton was the second best Mercedes driver all weekend long.

And yet....didn't he win the race? So doesn't you statement fall over right at that point?

[bauble]

Originally Posted by JamesH

And yet....didn't he win the race? So doesn't you statement fall over right at that point?

Winning does not necessarily equate to the 'best'. Was Bottas better than Massa on Sunday? Massa finished fourth, while Bottas retired!

Just one example.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Checo.

If Sainz had finished 7th he would be DOTR by some margin.

but Sainz did not manage his brakes enough en caused them to fail, even after beeing warned by the team he set his fastes lap of the race.

[Adam43]

I didn't realise he'd ignored an instruction from the team. We like a driver who ignores his team.

[Aysedasi]

Perez for me. Raikkonen last for such a crass move..... Come on Pete - bad judgment by Bottas? In the words of another well known sportsman - 'You cannot be serious!'....... 😉

[Mekola]

Perez did an excellent race and got my vote.

[Born Racer]

Another vote for Perez here. I was tempted to opt for Felipe Nasr, who drove a really decent race, but he finished in front of Maldonado by 4.5 seconds and then he had just Raikkonen behind (accident), two McLarens, Verstappen (reasonable to beat him, I suppose) and the Marussias. All in all, the Saubers blow hot and cold so to finish in front of those with 2 safety cars bunching the field up wasn't enough for me; not his fault, of course.

Perez just seemed to again surprise me as he does on occasion with the tyres.

Hamilton had no competition from Rosberg and Nico was ahead before his retirement so, although perhaps again not Lewis's fault, because we didn't get to see what he could do, I can't vote for him.

It's good to see Bottas doing well again.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Just realised I hadn't voted! In my eyes, it was between Hamilton and Perez for outstanding drives. Vettel did a fine job to escape the rest and come home 2nd, whilst Nasr and Button just outdrove their cars completely (also credit to Alonso, but he was behind JB all race, so can't really be put into the same 'category')

[F1Pete]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Perez for me. Raikkonen last for such a crass move..... Come on Pete - bad judgment by Bottas? In the words of another well known sportsman - 'You cannot be serious!'....... 😉

You know me....I call it as I see it.