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Daniel Ricciardo - 2018 Singapore Grand Prix, RV
Press. (Image source: grandprix.com)
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Watch out Kiddies', they're Back! It's time for
another rousing No Fenders
rendition of Tomaso's personal choices for the Formula 1 lads...
WINNERS
2018 F1 World Champion: Lewis Hamilton
2018 Constructors Champion: Mercedes
2018 Monaco Grand Prix: Daniel Ricciardo
CATEGORIES
1. Driver of The Year
Winner: Daniel Ricciardo
Yeah, I know the answer's Golden Child, nee
Lewis Hamilton, but I'm not a fan of his, and probably never will be; but I
digress...
And even though Y'all might say that Danny
Ric' had way too many DNF's to garner this award, you'd have to say he had
Horrendous luck upon his side. But I find his driving to be absolutely superb,
especially when he puts on a Passing Clinique!
Ricciardo probably should have had three W's
instead of just two, as he definitely had the better 'O Maximus Hothead', nee
Max Verstappen, his Hot-headed Niederlander' team-mate who Turfed Him Off at
Baku, when Daniel had gotten the better of him!
(twice)
But his victories at Shanghai and Monaco were
masterful, especially his performance of
holding off the superior Mercs' on the Principality's Streets, especially with
a stricken racecar way down on Horsepower due to a Battery issue...
Other
Choices
The "Usual suspects," a la Golden Child',
, 'lil Sid Viddle', nee Seb Vettel, et al...
2. Biggest Disappointments of The Year
This is a Tie for Mwah, since although I grew
to tolerate the season's long bungled, regurgitated laconic Sky sports TV
Broadcasts on thou myriad 'O ESPN Channels. Nevertheless, I wasn't overly
impressed by this letdown in Stateside television coverage.
And although I don't know if the Headline was
taken out of context? But it surely worked! Infuriating my Dander towards the
ultimately Pompous attitude of Herr Wolff. As Toto drove me Barking Mad with
his insanely STUPID Handling of Valtteri Bottas, most notably with the
repugnant order to Move Over for Golden Child in Russia.
3. Race of The Year
Winner: U.S. Grand Prix
How can you argue against thee
"Iceman," nee Kimi Raikkonen's fine performance of finally finishing
P1 after 113-tries! As it was a very gripping race for Mwah, yelling at the Telescreen for Kimi
to not falter the last 20-laps...
Other
Choices
Chinese Grand Prix, Monaco, Austria and Brazil...
4. Most Improved Team of the Year
Winner: Renault
Although Americres' Haas F1 would be a worthy
candidate, and they've got a somewhat valid point regarding their disdain over
Force; Err Racing Point force India's claiming Constructors prize money after
becoming a new team. But the way they've gone about this annoys me. Not to
mention Herr Guenther's
(Steiner) bluster over Renault.
thus, I'm giving the nod to le Reggie', nee
Renault for their move Up the Charts as 'Ol Casey Kasem would say; Hya! Up from P6 to fourth
Overall in this year's F1 Constructors Standings, largely upon thee shoulders
of "The Incredible Hulkster's," aka Nico Hulkenberg finishing
"Best of the Rest," P7 in the Driver points Colum.
5. Most Disappointing Team of the Year
Winner: Williams
My first choice was gonna be McLaren, but
Team Willy's performance this year is far more disappointing! As I've got NO
Clue over why the once mighty Grove based outfit's basically Tanked. But obviously
it's gotta be Aerodynamically induced, especially since they've got Mercedes
PU's, albeit Customer power units, but! Those PU's haven't held back Force
India...
6. Most Improved Driver of the Year
Winner: Marcus Ericsson
Funny how arguably the Swede' would have his
best season the year he gets tossed out in favour of Ferrari protégé Antonio Giovinazzi.
Although he was definitely outclassed by rookie team-mate Charles Leclerc, but
then again that's expected for somebody Ferrari bound...
7. Most Disappointing Driver of the Year
Winner: Stoffel Vandoorne
Unfortunately, the former GP2 Champion really
never got a decent chance in Formula 1, first having to sit out a year's time
before being thrown to the Wolves in a recalcitrant McLaren with woeful Hondre'
power. And then being pitted against Fernando Alonso his entire F1 career;
YIKES!
But it seems odd that he never once out
qualified Alonso, not to mention usually finishing behind the Spaniard, which
isn't really a fair measuring stick. As it'll be interesting to see how he
progresses in Formula E this coming
season.
8. Most Impressive Driver of The Year
Winner: Charles Leclerc
The HotSchue' Monegasque
lad seems like a very special driver, who certainly wrung the neck out of his
Sauber chassis this year. Making it perform far better than expected.
Leclerc's pedigree is definitely suited for
F1 Stardom, as a former GP3 and F2 Champion during his rookie campaigns.
And it'll be most interesting to see how he
handles the extra pressure of being a Scuderia Ferrari driver, especially up
against Sebastian Vettel, who the team's molded around.
As will Leclerc be
forced to mimic Raikkonen's Domestique' role in the second Ferrari next year?
9. Performer of The Year
Winner: Max Verstappen
Love him or Hate him, you cannot say that Max
Dutchboy' Verstappen, who I'm now calling Maximus Hothead instead is a very
talented driver, who after a somewhat rocky first half of the year, Hunkered
Down and really performed exceptionally well during the season's second half.
Max ended up winning twice this season,
albeit looking like a lock to win his third race at Mexico City before tanglin'
with his Bosom buddy, former F3 rival Esteban Ocon, and had to settle for an
Uber Disappointing runner-up finish, before sulking off to the F1
"Weighbridge" to have a friendly Chat with esteban...
10. Rookie of The Year
Winner: Charles Leclerc
Otay, so this really wasn't a competition
this year, especially with the only other rookie competitor being Russia's
S-Squared', nee Sergey
Sirotkin in the woeful Williams.
And I Don't remember where it was, other than
towards the end of the Season. Perhaps in the ultra thin air of Mexico City,
Ci?
But Leclerc's true character for Mwah was revealed
in that Qualie' session, when he was failing to make the Top-10 Cut with the
team telling him to Box-Box-Box. But instead he said I'll go another lap and
Wallah! He improved to P7 to once again advance to the Pole Shootout's Q3
Qualie' session, which earned him the admiration of Martin Billybob' Brundle
during the TV Broadcast No less...