At the end of the season Max Verstappen was finally crowned world champion. The Dutchman now has another honour to add to his resume, namely the title of 'best F1 driver of 2021' according to the team bosses.
Every year the team principles - with the exception of Ferrari's Mattia Binotto - are asked by Autosport.com to make a list of their top ten drivers. The points distribution is the same as for a Grand Prix, so 25 points for the number one, 18 points for the number two driver and so on. This year Max Verstappen received the most points, 188 in total, and is according to the team bosses the best F1 driver of 2021.
Just like in the championship, Lewis Hamilton came in second a short distance from the Dutchman. The Briton managed a total of 174 points. With that, he has not been able to continue his winning streak. In both 2019 and 2020 he was on top of the list.
The big risers
The two biggest risers this year are Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. Both drivers have risen four places compared to last year, with Norris in third with 100 points and Sainz fourth with 70 points.
A 'new' name on the list is Fernando Alonso, who received 63 points for his return to Formula 1. The Spaniard has clearly made an impression, despite two years away from the sport. The top ten is completed by Charles Leclerc (58 points), Pierre Gasly (56 points), George Russell (44 points), Valtteri Bottas (43 points) and Esteban Ocon (41 points).
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