Verstappen voted Driver of the Year for third year in a row by RaceFans readers

57 comments on “Verstappen voted Driver of the Year for third year in a row by RaceFans readers”

1. 

   Simon (@donsimoni)
   25th December 2023, 18:46

   It’s been said countless times before in all kinds on contexts: well deserved, Max.

   The field overall looks closer considering lap times. There’s a bunch of excellent drivers that could be champion given the right circumstances (or have been alredy). And one driver has been at sharp end more often than anyone else. Hasn’t made a lot of mistakes in 2023 and no costly ones at all. A bit curious that he didn’t get all that many dotw wins, but he won’t care.

   Sidenote: I want the race winners list in 2024 look like this year’s dotw list. Pretty please!
   1. 

      Esploratore (@esploratore1)
      25th December 2023, 23:24

      He didn’t get driver of the weekend wins cause of the car obviously, he didn’t really have to do a lot, and verstappen himself, like everyone, makes less mistakes under 0 pressure than in a 2021 situation example.
      1. 

         SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
         26th December 2023, 9:45

         Yep, that’s why Checo made no mistakes all season either, great car, much leisurely driving.
         1. 

            SteveP
            26th December 2023, 10:59

            Yep, that’s why Checo made no mistakes all season either, great car, much leisurely driving.

            Checo seemed to be doing fine until there was a tweak in the car build/setup that suited Max.
            1. 

               SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
               26th December 2023, 12:36

               Please provide proof of said tweak.
            2. 

               pcxmac (@pcxmac)
               27th December 2023, 7:07

               about the same time Max’s family accused Checo of infidelity, and started throwing a huge fit in the media.
            3. 

               Ferdinand
               27th December 2023, 8:12

               Really? This has been debunked countless times, even by Checo himself.
         2. 

            Ferdinand
            27th December 2023, 8:11

            +1, I feel it is fair to enjoy and celebrate his achievements. Isn’t that after all why we watch the sport? To see it be executed at the highest level?
         3. 

            Ferdinand
            27th December 2023, 8:14

            I agree. I feel it is fair to celebrate Max achievements, after all that’s why we watch; to see the sport be played at the highest level by the best athletes.
            1. 

               Robert Henning
               27th December 2023, 13:35

               It’s the same old drivel by the same old folks. SteveP, Michael, the new 447 person and so on.

               Yes the car obviously helps immensely but like unlike 2019/2020 or even 2018 to some extent where Verstappen’s consistency brought him into discussion about being the best driver on the grid even without the best car, since 2021 that discussion has also died given that he’s just as consistent driving cars capable of competing every race weekend, and that hurts the above folks. Because afterall one excuse back then was how would he deal with title pressure, etc etc.

               And while @Esploratore has a point, which is indeed very valid, they have always remained consistent on this matter of car v/s driver and always maintained that a good car makes a driver look better.

               We should appreciate Max but the standouts for me are the races in Zandvoort, Monaco, Vegas, COTA and Suzuka personally where Verstappen did show it was not all the car. The other races, frankly were quite boring and a procession.
2. 

   Johns
   25th December 2023, 22:42

   Just 2 months left and we will see all the new cars that are Red Bull clones.
   But Max’s accolades are well deserved. His Dad and Mom raised him right.
   1. 

      Michael (@freelittlebirds)
      26th December 2023, 13:11

      Say what? :) By far the funniest comment on any F1 forum…
   2. 

      Checker
      26th December 2023, 18:49

      Are you actually serious? Please use a search engine e.g. assault charges.
      1. 

         Mayrton
         27th December 2023, 8:17

         Maybe the reference is to his athletic sports achievements? No denying they did a stellar job there. Why would you ever get involved (or be interested for that matter) with someones personal life?
   3. 

      Moshambles (@moshambles)
      27th December 2023, 21:05

      What an odd thing to say
3. 

   Silent but Deadly
   25th December 2023, 22:58

   But surely – it’s the car. I’m certain that the majority of frequent commenters were completely agreed on this, at least they used to be, for many years previous to the last 3 or so. I wonder what could have changed their opinions?
   1. 

      Esploratore (@esploratore1)
      25th December 2023, 23:28

      My opinion at least didn’t change, the car makes a driver look better, I don’t remember hamilton being considered one of the best drivers ever before the 2014 season started, even though his debut season was one of the most impressive ever.

      I think verstappen’s most impressive title so far is 2021, there was no competition at all in 2023 and for a big part of 2022, though his ability to maximise the stats to the extent he did is something hardly any driver in history would’ve done, surely drs is a help compared to 13+ years ago, but hamilton in 2020 wasn’t able to do something like this for example, despite a really dominant car and bottas as a team mate, and drs.
      1. 

         Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
         26th December 2023, 10:45

         2021 Hamilton showed him up in a slower car, it took Masi and Todt to concoct a way of rigging the race which they did, Latifi did them the favour and they pitted Checo who was underfuled and was going to stop on track anyway. Biggest stitch up in F1 history. Race Fans like Planet F1 is a site full of 33 fans anyway so it’s no surprise, he doesn’t deserve it and never has, 3years of cheating and the cosy Ben S relationship. Can’t wait to see him lose which is coming as the Karma train will be rolling into town
         1. 

            G
            27th December 2023, 1:50

            So by “showing him up” you mean by sliding into the gravel at Imola and knocking his own front wing off trying to rejoin the track? (to only be saved by a red flag to pinch 18 points) Running on at T1 at Baku with another mistake? A poor showing at Monaco finishing 7th and over 1 minute behind? Ramming Max at Silverstone? (only to be saved by yet another red flag and pinch a further 26 points while Max DNF’d)?
            Remember Max only benefitted from 7 extra points at AD with a bit of overdue luck??

            All while Max had more DNF’s but finished either 1st or 2nd in the races that he didn’t have terrible luck or was taken out by a Mercedes?

            If Lewis was half as consistent as Max he would have taken the title in ’21 due to Max’ extra DNF’s. He only has himself to blame that year and showed himself up if anything.
            1. 

               Mayrton
               27th December 2023, 9:03

               I am afraid these facts can be repeated endlessly without convincing some..
            2. 

               Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
               27th December 2023, 11:12

               Clueless gibberish
            3. 

               G
               27th December 2023, 11:26

               @fourfourseven
               Just facts my friend.
               Facts you obviously can’t seem to deal with. I wish you wouldn’t try and cope by posting all your hate on here.
            4. 

               Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
               27th December 2023, 13:53

               Opinions are not facts.
            5. 

               G
               27th December 2023, 14:28

               So Lewis didn’t make all those unforced errors? Was the video evidence all a lie?
               As I said, Max finished either 1st or 2nd in the races where he didn’t have car/tyre failures or was taken out by Hamilton or Bottas.
               The fact Lewis got to AD tied on points, even though Max had a few more DNF’s, shows that Max had to perform at a higher and more consistent level in the races that he could score points.
            6. 

               Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
               27th December 2023, 19:07

               Again! Your opinions are not facts
            7. 

               G
               28th December 2023, 12:21

               Which of my points aren’t facts then?
      2. 

         SteveP
         26th December 2023, 11:16

         I think verstappen’s most impressive title so far is 2021

         I think you mean “only impressive season, although with a tendency to collide with his opposition” – not that the latter was anything new, and had been commented on by Horner a year or so earlier.
      3. 

         Silent but Deadly
         26th December 2023, 19:00

         the car makes a driver look better

         Will the driver matter again when your driver isn’t winning everything at a walk?
      4. 

         Kingshark (@kingshark)
         27th December 2023, 8:51

         @esploratore1

         I don’t remember hamilton being considered one of the best drivers ever before the 2014 season started, even though his debut season was one of the most impressive ever.

         At the end of 2013, Hamilton had one title and 21 race wins. That’s not enough to be considered the best ever, his standing in the sport was similar to Verstappen in at the end of 2021.

         And Hamilton did beat Alonso as a rookie, very impressive, but a lot of goodwill was lost when he lost to Button five years later as a much older and more experienced driver. No GOAT should be losing to Button, so that’s why there were more question marks over him at the time.
   2. 

      Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
      26th December 2023, 10:40

      It is the car, once he has to actually race someone he will crumble.
      1. 

         Kingshark (@kingshark)
         27th December 2023, 8:54

         @fourfourseven

         He was easily the best driver in 2019 and 2020 with the third best car so I doubt it.
         1. 

            Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
            27th December 2023, 11:16

            Yet he cant handle pressure, goes long at corners and drives them off track, soon as he has to race anyone in a car that’s not a Newey DRS great he won’t manage it. Dirtiest driver on the track gifted three titles for what exactly, ah yes the cosy Ben S relationship and uncle Masi.
            1. 

               osnola
               28th December 2023, 23:25

               Poor boy, delusional till the bone ;)
   3. 

      Ferdinand
      27th December 2023, 9:01

      Incomparable situations have changed their minds. For starters the advantage in performance of the RB19 was nothing compared to the most legendary and dominant cars in F1’s history. Secondly -and underlining the first- the nr2 driver did not regularly finish races in 2nd like for instance Webber and Bottas did in dominant material. Thirdly the level of consistency was not achieved by any other driver before with a car just as dominant or actually ‘with cars even more dominant’.
4. 

   Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
   26th December 2023, 10:47

   Car of the year, The 2023 Newey DRS champion. Press pedal lead from the front, hello Vettel 2.0 average driver in a fast car. Yawn.
   1. 

      Mayrton
      27th December 2023, 9:06

      I guess if you do not like Max, you do not like him, which is totally fine. It is also an option just to state that.
      1. 

         Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
         27th December 2023, 11:18

         Max isn’t the problem, his driving style and team however are the pro lem.
         1. 

            G
            27th December 2023, 13:03

            Your hero put moves on Rosberg similar to the ones you dislike Max doing. The problem for you, is that the bully finally got bullied himself. I can see how that is hard to take when you completely idolise someone.
            First lap, T1, COTA 2015 for one of many examples.
            1. 

               Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
               27th December 2023, 13:55

               You haven’t got one clue who my hero is. Take your keyboard warrior Isms somewhere else.
            2. 

               G
               27th December 2023, 14:30

               It’s not hard to work out @fourfourseven.
            3. 

               Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
               27th December 2023, 19:09

               For you it is, keep guessing.
         2. 

            Ferdinand
            28th December 2023, 7:25

            I understand you are probably referring to 2021. Yes, that was different from the processional wins from Lewis with his wing man right behind and people making sure to get out of the way. It was quite a shock to see actual wheel to wheel action coming back to F1, at least for some, who had gotten used to 8 years of routine Sunday’s seeing Mercedes driving off into the distance. I personally like wheel to wheel action instead of political or power unit or budget advantages, but hey that’s just me.
5. 

   Michael (@freelittlebirds)
   26th December 2023, 13:05

   For Verstappen, 2 factors are important to finishing a race and winning it. First that he has a car that disappears after turn 1 and second that he has no pressure in terms of potentially losing the race or championship. Even so,he’ll do weird things like pass people in the pit lane, push people out on track or dive into them. The strangest part is that he seems to have more immunity on track than Al Capone prior to being convicted. He breaks the rules with impunity and remarkably even gets other drivers to receive penalties on his behalf.

   Very polarizing driver. Fast yes, good racer, in the words of John McEnroe “you cannot be serious!”
   1. 

      Ferdinand
      27th December 2023, 9:07

      Like @kingshark said:

      He was easily the best driver in 2019 and 2020 with the third best car so I doubt it.
   2. 

      osnola
      27th December 2023, 9:41

      Very polarizing driver

      Yep, that’s how it works. You have to cross the finish first to really polarize.
6. 

   Electroball76
   26th December 2023, 13:48

   “Max has been faultless and no-one can take that away from him.”
   “He and the team have been phenomenal. They’ve raised the bar.”
   – Lewis Hamilton (2023)
   1. 

      Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
      27th December 2023, 11:33

      That’s just a quote when accepting a trophy, it means it’s the car.
7. 

   Haas Khan (@haas918)
   26th December 2023, 19:11

   Was there every a doubt that he’s going to win this?
   1. 

      Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
      27th December 2023, 11:36

      Not on this site, none so blind.
8. 

   Shimks (@shimks)
   27th December 2023, 9:29

   The comments on this site are devolving into childish nonsense. I wish some of you would grow up.
   1. 

      Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
      27th December 2023, 11:35

      Just because people have opinions you don’t agree with has nothing to do with being grown up, you sound like a Tik Tok member, doesn’t like opinions that don’t agree with yours or people telling you no!
      1. 

         David (@nvherman)
         29th December 2023, 12:06

         @fourfourseven you are the worst offender by far currently. Even worse than @freelittlebirds and SteveP.

         Every time you reply or post you reveal just how little you understand about F1 or racing in general.
         I’d block you if it was an option.
   2. 

      Ω (@omega)
      27th December 2023, 14:28

      For real @Shimks, it has not been a good year for racefans.net in this regard unfortunately.
   3. 

      Severin (@severin)
      28th December 2023, 15:17

      Agreed. It seems the days of interesting discussion and debate are gone and it seems to be driving away some of the more thoughtful posters too.
9. 

   Stephen Taylor
   27th December 2023, 14:04

   Well deserved award
   1. 

      Four Four Seven (@fourfourseven)
      27th December 2023, 19:09

      It’s an award, deserved is another story.
      1. 

         osnola
         28th December 2023, 23:26

         Agreed, another story and an even better one ;)

Comments are closed.