F1 bosses vote Lewis Hamilton best driver ahead of third place Nico Rosberg

ByReuters

Published 30/11/2016 at 14:39 GMT

Formula One team bosses have voted Lewis Hamilton the sport's best driver, despite the Briton losing his title to Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg, in an annual Autosport magazine poll.

Lewis Hamilton waving after taking pole position in Abu Dhabi

Image credit: AFP

Germany's Rosberg, who won his first world championship in a tense Abu Dhabi season-ender last Sunday, was third in the secret vote behind Red Bull's 19-year-old Dutch sensation Max Verstappen. Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth.

Hamilton won 10 out of 21 races this season - the first time a driver has won more than seven and not ended up as champion -to Rosberg's nine.

Bahrain Grand Prix

Hamilton describes shock Ferrari move as 'hardest decision I've ever had to make'

23/02/2024 at 15:35

The triple world champion also ended up with 12 pole positions but lost out by five points to Rosberg, who enjoyed greater car reliability and was consistently on the podium.

Hamilton got more points in the 2016 Autosport poll, which asks bosses to name their top 10 and awards points to each driver according to Formula One's scoring system, than he did last year when he won the title with three rounds to spare.

Formula 1

Verstappen says Hamilton could face 'awkward, weird' last season with Mercedes

15/02/2024 at 23:54

Formula 1

'It is very surreal' - Hamilton reflects on Mercedes career ahead of Ferrari switch

00:00:54

14/02/2024 at 17:31

Season 2024

'Emotional' Hamilton determined for success ahead of Ferrari move as Mercedes launch new car

14/02/2024 at 17:32

Join 3M+ users on app

Stay up to date with the latest news, results and live sports

Download

Scan me