Driver of the Year: Sebastian Vettel
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1st: Sebastian Vettel
Could it be anyone else? The car has helped, but Vettel dominated the season, finding pace in the Red Bull that Mark Webber could not.
15 poles, 11 wins and three fastest laps. That says it all, really.
The rest of the grid will need to rise to the challenge for 2012—but if the Red Bull is dominant again, we're in for another dull year.
2nd: Jenson Button
Jenson Button finished the season second in the Championship, driving a McLaren that was usually no match for the Red Bull. The highlight was his astounding drive in Canada, coming from last to win in the changeable conditions he thrives in.
Some will say Lewis Hamilton was off-key, and that the shredding Pirellis played into Button's hands—but they'd be ignoring the simple fact Jenson had an excellent season, and ran Vettel close for my driver of the year.
3rd: Fernando Alonso
His teammate hasn't been much of a comparison, and the 2011 Ferrari wasn't a good car, but Fernando Alonso got as much out of it as anyone could have hoped.
In what was the third best car for most of the season, Alonso managed a race win and nine podiums.
It's been five years since Fernando claimed the second of his two World Championships. If he maintains this form, he could well add a third in 2012—if Ferrari provides him with a better car, that is.