Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has secured the prestigious “Driver of the Year” title for the third consecutive year, as voted by his fellow Formula 1 competitors in the official F1 poll.
In the sixth edition of the Drivers’ Driver of the Year vote, drivers confidentially ranked their top 10 performers of the 2023 season, adhering to a system where they could even vote for themselves.
The scoring mirrored the F1 points system, with the leading driver earning 25 points and descending to one point for the 10th-ranked driver.
Verstappen’s dominance throughout the season, culminating in his title-clinching victory in Qatar with five Grand Prix wins and two F1 Sprints, solidified his position at the pinnacle. Red Bull celebrated their first-ever 1-2 finish in the drivers’ standings, with Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, claiming second place.
Contrary to Perez’s on-track success, the drivers’ poll placed him in 10th position, two places lower than the previous year. Notably, it was Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen’s former title rival, who secured the second position in the poll, a climb from his 2022 ranking. Despite a challenging season with a performance-limited Mercedes, Hamilton secured third place in the drivers’ standings.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso impressed in the eyes of his peers, claiming the third spot, a significant jump of three places from the previous year. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Alonso each notched up eight and seven podiums, respectively, in fiercely competitive individual campaigns, earning them fourth and fifth positions in the poll.
Charles Leclerc, who held the second spot in the previous year’s ranking, settled for fifth place, leading his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz in sixth. Sainz shared the sixth spot with Alex Albon, who contributed significantly to Williams’ seventh-place finish in the constructors’ championship.
Rookie sensation Oscar Piastri demonstrated his prowess with an impressive eighth position in the McLaren, while Pierre Gasly made an entry in ninth place, surpassing his drivers’ championship ranking in his debut season with Alpine by two places.
Verstappen’s hat-trick of “Driver of the Year” titles underscores his continuous excellence on the track, leaving an indelible mark on the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Source: AFP
