Vote for Rosberg X Racing: gridplay.extreme-e.com/ and help us win the race in Sardinia this weekend...thank you!!! Top comment question for the win: Who’s the driver of the season so far and why? Subscribe for the next F1 preview: www.bit.ly/NicoRosbergYT
I think the driver of the season is Fernando Alonso....now many will say that he didn't win a gp, how could I select him. It's because he is the king of the middle order in every race this season....His car may not be a merc or a red bull honda but he has given a v.v. tough time to both mercs and the red bulls which was evidently seen in the Hungarian gp and I think this is peak fernando because he is fighting on a driver to driver level knowing his car is underpowered. I have a huge respect for that guy also.... And why shouldn't I? This guy has won le mans twice😌👏🙏
Max is the driver of the season so far. He has dominated the season, even though the points don't reflect it as much as they should. However, a case could be made for Lando as well. I love seeing the McLarens in the mix. Lando should have had that win a couple weeks back, but the gamble on the rain/tires didn't pay off.
Alonso, despite being his rookie season, he's driving is like he's been in f1 for 15 years, especially vs Lewis in Hungary, world champion class defence
How does that make you respect him? It is his hobby, sport and passion. This guy has all the time of the world. Dont see him work 9 to 5 .. Ofcourse he can take the time for this video
For me it's Lando Norris. Scored points in 14 out of 16 races so far, 4 podiums, incredible consistency and challenging the top cars on the field. Definitely a potential World Champion in the future. Also I think he is one of the best drivers on the field when it comes to brining F1 closer to the fans.
Agreed 👍 let's hope with regulation changes mclaren put something together. #3 is still a good driver I believe would be awesome if they lodge themselves between mercedes n redbull
Pierre Gasly. While drivers have had their races; Gasly has consistently preformed exceptionally, especially given the car he’s in. Very underrated driver.
@@daithigallagher9077 Leclerc should have won Monaco. Without mistakes Leclerc would be 30+ points clear of Sainz. Still impressive on Sainz end but if Charles can clean up his brutal errors he would be fighting for 3rd in the drivers championship
Gasly has to be the driver this season. Constantly putting the car at a position it isn't meant to be at. Especially how he bounced back from his red bull days, he has been splendid imo.
Max, Showing us the effort and work it takes to challenge to become an F1 World champion, dealing very well while under preasure and delivering consistently, which is a dream of every team owner. Very capable driver who is finally delivered a very well made car to challenge for championship, he made this season refreshing and entertaining and brought many fans eyes to the sport.
My heart went out to Checo. I live in Austin, and despite being used to the heat, when I heard his drinking system malfunctioned before the start my heart sank.
Merc or redbull should have signed him, his belief on top of his skill outs him right up there with verstappen and Hamilton for me. As good as George is I think lando has the advantage of being a considerate team mate .
@@lancealex382 Sainz has been getting better and better too, in his first season at Ferrari he already outpaces his teammates and drags that shitbox up on par with the McLaren which is much faster
My driver of the season so far has to be Carlos Sainz. It would obviously be easier to choose max or Lewis, but I think Carlos has over performed everyone’s expectations this season. Coming into a new car against one of the best drivers on the grid and not only keeping up with him, but actually beating him (as of right now) is crazy impressive.
Nico's ability to explain the corners and apexes for the common folks, is simply amazing. Thank you Nico sir for bringing us this 'how to master' episode for the US GP.
i think Alonso is doing an enormous job with that truck he has. In his came back to f1 is giving us great moments, and of course we are trusting on EL PLAN
@@Firebolt1729 it is just luck mate, nothing else. George didnt even race to win his podium. And Alonso has more points than Vettel, which shows that when there is no chaos he is below Alonso. Props to Gasly tho he has been fantastic.
George is standing out the most for me, he's made Q2 a habit and Q1 isn't a shocker anymore. Consequently he earned his mercedes seat and is ready to fight for wins in less than 12 month gap from the race he cried for his first points in Williams. Everyone loves him.
Max fan here, but agree the steps George made this year is just insane with such a car! Excited for next year, a three way battle 😍 George isnt going to play second violin just as bottas.
Max, by far the best driver this year. He's proving how much his mental game is strong. Never flinches even in the hardest situations. He definitely deserves the championship.
He is doing so well it makes me wonder what Red Bull want out of him to get back to the main team. They will lose him once a seat at another top or best of rest team becomes available.
Driver of the season is definitely Sainz but people won’t recognize it. He has shifted teams all over the grid, he has been underrated and yet is beating an experienced and massive talent Leclerc. Moreover, he has been on the podium already three times and despite him being under the radar, he fights every weekend delivering consistency and pace. Not an easy Ferrari to drive as well. Carlos is really making his own name. Thanks for the video Nico!!
Definetly Carlos. Going to a new team, being tied with Charles with 6 races remaining (who was expected to be nr. 1 in the team giving his performances in the last few years), also performing better that any other driver that went to a new team, I think he is by far the best choice for "Best performing driver". Lando is a solid second, but having the continuity with Mclaren is a big advantage over Carlos.
I’d say verstappen is truly the best driver I’ve seen this year. Being with how much he’s matured in this season with the title fight. And just being able to handle all the pressure he’s faced this year to win.
I think sainz has done an incredible job this year, he’s been consistent and he’s going up against a future world champ in Leclerc who is very quick. So for me Sainz is the standout driver of the year
Man you're a world champion, sitting in front of camera and explaining every corner, every detail, all that for free. That modesty is something "so german" and makes you champion in humanity too, besides F1. Greetings :) 🇧🇦🇧🇦🇧🇦
Roman Grosjean (Indycar) is the best performing driver of the year. Secured a spot on a top team, exceeded all expectations, and had a great performance in his first oval race.
Kimi, because the man is 42 years old and is still in a race series of the top 20 performers in the world. How many people can age that graceful? That's a type of performance in of itself. Ok yeah so what if I'm biased 😤
carlos 100%, he’s adapted so quickly to that Ferrari and he’s managed a few podiums, all with a car that hasn’t necessarily been Ferrari’s best model. so proud of him!!
Max has been performing the best by far this season. Just compare the amount of laps led, he has led more laps than half the grid including HAM combined. Considering Max only leads by 6 points that just emphasizes how unlucky he has been throughout the season.
Verstappen is best this season. Every time he didn't crashed with someone or didn't have an external problem (e.g. tyre blow) , he ended up being 1st or 2nd in the race. Quite extraordinary in my opinion.
For me as to be Max, with Lando and Gasly pretty close. They have been dominating their teammates with little to no mistakes pretty much all year. But for me what stands out for Max is how well he's handling this tittle battle with such a young age. The comparison of performances/mistakes between him and Lewis just shows he is handling it so much better than a guy who has the experience of being in the top of the ladder for years and that for me it's the deciding factor.
The fact that nico knows that up hill means less braking distance and down hill requires more braking distance is mental! Once again, makes perfect sense but never really thought about it before, thanks for the video from us mere mortals Nico!
Fernando has to the best driver for me this season.. After 2 years out of the sport still managing to be the same consistent, dependable driver that he is is amazing..
@@Firebolt1729 getting that alpine up there itself is a feat... You only have to compare him with ocon... And also I was talking about the race day .. not quali
@@Firebolt1729 ocon's results after winning : 1 7 9 10 14 10 alonso's results in the same interval : 4 11 6 8 6 16 fernando ahead in the standings by 12 points (58 - 46) im by no means a fernando fan (seb stan for life) but the results speak for themselves
also fernando held back lewis so that ocon can claim his maiden win, playing the team game, having consistent points scoring and as usual over driving an underperforming car, hungary for ocon was a result of a strategy masterclass by alpine and also his talent combined with my man seb's never ending streak of bad luck
Definitely Carlos Sainz. Out of all the drivers who switched team this year he’s been the one who managed to adapt to the new car the quickest, matching Leclerc in many occasions. Such an underrated driver.
Id say Lando is the best performing Driver of the year. I mean 2 years ago we barely saw McLaren anywhere close to the podium so the fact that he kept at it so strong throughout the whole season is amazing and no wonder they offered him a longer contract.
I personally think max is the driver of the season so far because he’s challenging Hamilton toughly this year in a red bull and it’s becoming very exciting race by race and has been super consistent can’t wait to see what happens at the end of the year as the battle is still going on
Honestly, one of the drivers that has been giving consistent performances throughout this year and last year is Pierre Gasly. He's been motivated, focused, committed and self-assured in his performance and truly astounded many people that had their doubts about him. He has matured over a short period of time and we can only see more improvement from here on out.
I can’t tell you how much these videos have helped my driving in F1 2021. I’m still new to the game, and i’ve struggled so much trying to avoid collisions and spin outs… but after watching your walkthroughs, I go from struggling to even finish a race at 30 difficulty, to consistently finishing in the points on 50-60 difficulty. Keep it up Nico, your content is amazing!!
I know the contest it's probably over but for me it has to be Max. Him and Lewis are just on a league of their own, it's amazing to watch. Just the other day was thinking about how we are witnessing history of F1 being made. Such incredible drivers. Lewis has made some mistakes though (Imola, Baku) meanwhile Max has been driving in such a high level, mad pace, consistent, etc... just unlucky on some occasions (Baku, Silverstone, Hungary) so he only leads by 12 points now. The way he drove those last laps in COTA under massive pressure was unbelievable. Just wanted to say thank you Nico for this series. When I watch these videos I miss having you on the grid, you were always a gentleman. I remember in every GP you talked in spanish with Juan Fossarolli from Fox Sports which was always very nice for us latin american fans. Good memories. Hope you're doing great!
FERNANDO ALONSO is for me Simply the Best performer of the year 2021 because Fernando in this season is even more consistent than Gaslight, by managing to finish in top 6 almost every quali and every race in the 12 or more last races - This is really amazing given the car he has..!
George Russell has done something that no one expected out of Williams at the beginning of this year. He has consistently qualified well, held onto point scoring positions on overtaking tracks where he started at the front of the grid. Moreover, I think Mercedes' tradition of promoting Williams' drivers from yourself Nico, to Valtteri and now Russell is a proven model of success. This has given Russell enough time to adjust to nuances of Mercedes PU and as he himself put it " this year has improved his understanding of the technical aspects of F1 racing". Combined with the glimpse of yesteryear, getting into the Mercedes car, preparing for less than a week, asking for setup directions until the start of the race and then giving a phenomenal performance. This is someone who will, in all likelihood, be in contention for driver's championship next year.
Max Verstappen.He is at his best this season and he is in a very tense battle with Lewis,I personaly want Max to win the championship because he showed that he deserves a tittle.A stunning performances 🇳🇱 Edit:Lando and George were amazing this season as well🏴
Except he doesnt know how to hold his adolescent tongue and behave like a professional. Flicking other drivers off needs to stop. I wish he had more class because I really do admire his skills on the track. Alas, he's still too hot headed for my tastes.
I was looking at that as well, I think it's muscle memory dealing with G forces, it reminds me when I'm in the passenger seat, I still move my head even when someone else is driving :D
I should say that it is Lando,.. just like u said, the guy is already performing well and possibly taking a world championship later. His races were consistent, and not just by being in the top ten, but bringing a fight into the top 3. Class performance
I think Lando Norris for his age and time in F1 has already over achieved people's expectations by far, it is really great to watch him develop and I am very excited to follow along through his career!!!
For me George has been the most impressive driver so far this year. Qualifying alone he has made massive improvements over last year and even qualified P2
Netflix sent me here.. I must say after watching the show I became a fan. I even went back and rewatch the Top Gear F1 Laps in the Reasonable Price Car !! Power !!!
In a season where many drivers have gone to new teams with barely any preseason practice, and incredibly strong teammates, Sainz has not only managed to be on pace but extremely competitive.
I genuinely believe that Latifi has gotten so much better from last year, and managed to drag that hunk of car into the points several times. The true GOAT
Definitely Lando Norris. The amount of professional and emotional growth he has shown from last year to this year is outstanding. He is able to consistently get great points and he had grown up and was content in focusing on a great result for the team in Italy.
Man, I was never able to get that first corner right... until I saw this video. I have always done it too "close"... excellent, great video, thank you so much Nico!!!
George has been a lot of fun to watch. Q3 with a williams and almost a pole is incredible considering the car performance. He's either getting extremely confortable with the car after a few years or he is just a genius
George Russell. He has been outstanding on the track especially on Qualifying he putted Williams into Q3 4 times this season and most importantly outqualified Sir Lewis Hamilton twice. That's extraordinary tbh hopefully get to see him on Mercedes next year. Great Performance GEORGE ❤️
i’ve been most impressed by Carlos Sainz, we’re seeing how good lando is this year and we know how good charles is. to have beaten lando twice and being very close to charles in points is massively impressive
Lando Norris for sure, he's been the most consistent driver this season, scoring 4 podiums and almost winning at Sochi. He is showing that he at least have the potential to be World Champion. That's my opinion anyways.
It's gotta be Sebastian. He is driving a midfield car beyond what most could and 2 podiums (if you count Hungary) is really amazing. He is showing that he has still got it at near 40!
I think Pierre as he has set the standard so high for yuki this year and is performing to a level where he starts in the top 6 and no one notices as it is normal for him to achieve despite being the arguably the 5th or 6th fastest car on the grid.
Hard to answer , depends on objectivity, I'd personally go for Gasly. Super consistent, wipes floor with teammates and certainly loves 6th place on the grid.
East or West Nico is the best..!! Really sad that Nico you left F1 early. I really want to see you against Max side by side and beat him on a track. But yeah you're such legend man. Whatever you've in your Mind you always saying direct and genuinely to audience. Love You from INDIA 🇮🇳 ❤️
So fascinating for me to see just how your racing driver brain works as you pick apart a lap. Just brilliant!! Plus you add setup insights and I just nerd out hard ! Thank you 🙏
Sainz is probably the best driver this year in my opinion. His tyre management is so impressive especially in Sochi where he basically maintained his position with the oldest tyres on the circuit. However, LANDO is the a CHAD!!!
He's been class and so is his tyre management but I think Sainz had to pit at the same time as most in Sochi no? It wasn't his fault though, it was the car. If I remember correctly it was Lando that stayed out for ages in the lead before making the wrong decision with the rain.
Many people have been suggesting Pierre, but I believe that Carlos Sainz has shown us his immense amount of talent more than anyone else this season. Let's cast our mind back to the days of Charles at Sauber; remember how he blew the world away with his talent, perseverance, ferocity and mental fortitude. Now Charles has spent three years at Ferrari, but this is the first season Carlos has raced there and has been matching or surpassing Charles throughout the season. I do understand that Pierre has been sensational, but he is also quite experienced with his team, whilst Carlos has shown that he can contend with past, present, and future world champions at the first time of asking.
@@sheldoniusRex All part of the game. Anticipate. Keep out trouble. Know when to yield. Look at the long game... He's getting there, to match his extraordinairy skill.
@@pSynrg303 you really think him only being a few points ahead (when he should be like ~+20) is a bad showing by max? it shows how unlucky he's been this season despite driving very well. and on top of that, it really seems like he didnt let that get to him, still focuses on every race and delivers.
I think Lando is doing a marvellous job, he is being very very consistent and impressing at almost every race, and for that he is my prefered driver of the season
Gasly has been superb this season. Consistently putting his car up there among teams that have a far bigger budget than his. Hope he gets a race winning machine soon.
The standout driver this year has got to be Gasly. The discrepancy between him and his teammate is ridiculous, to consistently achieve P6 quali in a Alpha Tauri is mindblowing
Got to be lando, he's got some great results this season, he got podiums and he was close to get his first win in F1 plus he's fighting for 3rd place in the drivers' championship
Considering the circumstances he is in, I consider Carlos Sainz to be the best performing driver this season. That Ferrari was made for Charles, and still Carlos manages to beat him, furthermore, the architecture of the Ferrari is much different to that of the McLaren he drove last year and he still keeps his consistency. I can't recall any mistake this season, and basing the results off of Charles I can see the only wrongdoings have been made by the team.
Best performing driver for me will be Gasly. It'd muchh easier to pick literally anyone else,but Gasly has sort of gone under the radar and has been phenomenal so far. He's managed to be super good and consistent this year. Putting aside the DNF's and Russia, he's consistent finished in and around the top 10. Even putting his AlphaTauri in the top 6 at times. Definitely made a strong case for getting back that Red Bull seat or moving on to a better team next season
He's actually got more points than Charles right now which is insane to me. LeClerc has definitely had more pace over the course of the season, but interesting that Sainz has (very slightly) more points
For me it is Checo because, he has adjusted to the way that the redbull car behaves fast and is really awesome for a driver who drove a car similar to the mercedes do the same brilliant job in a redbull car which from many years we have seen drivers struggle to get it right on.
Great video on a lap of COTA. As my ‘home’ track, and one that I’ve done several HPDE on, you taught me a few things about the track that I did not know. Hopefully this will improve my laps in the future.
Last year the revelation was Carlos Sainz for me, and this year it has to be Lando Norris. The kid is driving like a champion, and has stepped up his game a lot. Amazing driving and always delivers, just fantastic.
I think Verstappen, because he's so young and is on his way to the world championship, but the main thing is he's fighting against such an experienced and talented driver Lewis....
Mazepin deserves to be recognized for what he is, the greatest of all time. Nobody on the track can do what he’s doing on a regular basis so flawlessly
This is my first time finding one of your videos but I have to say I really appreciate the way you explain every corner on the track. I’m into sim racing lightly and your input really helps give me perspective and understanding on what to do. You make excellent content and I can’t wait to see more
almost all of the midfield drivers have been extremely good so far, Carlos, Pierre, Lando, Leclerc. They've been consistent throughout the season and challenged the top 2 for wins at times as well
Best performing driver of the year? I have to go with 2: George Russell: George has managed to put that Williams in places where it should not be. You see Latifi always in Q3, best case Q2... George has become a regular in Q3 he has got a front row start and a 2nd row start as well. Plus the Spa podium, in conclusion he is doing miracles. Sergio Pérez: Checo has proven everyone that he can be in the Red Bull team, he has the results and performs very well on sundays and has become what Red Bull has been looking for 6 years, Max's ideal teammate and accepting a 2nd fiddle role without underperfoming.
As much as I love Norris, and how much hes performed this year, I gotta give it to Carlos Sainz. Hes so underrated and has been beasting recent GPs with great performances. I just feel like he is not talked about enough this season.
