F
ormula 1 drivers are a unique group of people, but who are the best of this decade?
Lewis Hamilton
Love him or hate him, Lewis Hamilton has shown to be one of the best drivers of not only the decade, but of all time. His debut season was a memorable one – the rookie was in contention for the championship and battling against Kimi Raikkonen and his teammate at the time Fernando Alonso. Despite not winning that year, he didn’t have to wait long to win his first title, ultimately becoming a 4 time World Champion and is the hot favourite again this year. How many more championships and records will Hamilton collect during the rest of his career remains to be seen but one thing’s for sure, he has helped put Formula 1 on the map this decade.
Fernando Alonso
While Fernando may not have won a championship since 2006, he’s been one of the most popular drivers since his debut in 2001. Since 2008, Alonso has driven for Renault, Ferrari and McLaren and has been in contention for the title more than once. While his return to McLaren hasn’t been as fortuitous as he and fans may have hoped, his radio transmissions during the race ensures he’s still getting as much screen time as ever. It just goes to show- being a good driver means getting results regardless of the car around you and Fernando Alonso has proved he is a top driver.
Sebastian Vettel
You can’t discuss the top drivers of the decade and not mention a certain German driver. No, not Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel. Vettel dominated the sport with 4 World Championships wins between 2010 and 2013 and has always been someone to keep an eye on. His first race pole and win was with with Toro Rosso at the Italian Grand Prix in 2008. His talent shone through and he was bumped up to the Red Bull team the following year after David Coulthard’s departure. He ended 2009 as the youngest runner up in a championship year. His departure from Red Bull for Ferrari in 2015 was controversial at the time, and he took the seat left vacant by his long-time championship rival Fernando Alonso. The Ferrari team have had their ups and downs since then, with reliability and discipline issues costing Sebastian the championship in 2017 but one thing is for sure, like Alonso, Sebastian always outdrives the car around him.
