All good things come to those who wait, or so the saying goes. And so, about a month after the rest of Patty's 2010 season review was posted, The Foot has put pen to paper (or toes to keyboard) to hand out his own end-of-season awards.
1) Driver of the YearWhile Mark Webber may have been on mind all year, and Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel at the forefront of the final championship showdown it was Lewis Hamilton who stood out for me this season. He was consistently faster than his world champion teammate, and always a threat. He had great drives all season long, and compared to the other championship contenders his Fail of the Year (Bumping Massa at Monza) was pretty tame.
2) Team of the Year
Hard to go past Red Bull here, while they may have lacked a little something on the pitwall, and had some trouble with their driver and PR management, they're still a fizzy drink company who waltzed into F1 only a couple of years ago. The year's quickest car and both championships is just reward for a team who could, medium term, muscle in on the Ferrari/McLaren duopoly, since Williams have decided not to go to the trouble.
3) Surprise of the Year
Mark Webber - I think it's fair to say that very few people thought Mark Webber would survive 2010 with an F1 seat, let alone a top one. This was the year that Vettel was going to kick on finally bury the old timer journeyman. And while he ultimately lost the championship, Webber certainly surprised a lot of people with his speed and consistency, looking more like the young chap turning heads in the Jaguar as he won prestige events like Monaco and Silverstone, and putting the dire years of Williams finally behind him.
4) Flop of the Year
Felipe Massa - This was the Felipe Massa of old, slow and not in contention. Fernando Alonso isn't a teammate that is easy to compare to, and returning from injury is never easy, but Massas showing in 2010 was a sad sight indeed. It's a curious reflection on Massa and peoples true belief in his abilities, that his results were seen as more of a guide to Kimi Raikkonen's ultimate status among the greats than his.
5) Race of the Year
Turkey - For nail biting you've-paid-for-your-seat-but-you-only-need-the-edge action, it was Turkey that far and away won these season's best race. A four way battle for the lead between McLaren and Red Bull ended into two collisions between teammates and a memorable win for Lewis Hamilton. Add in some nice racing further back, and Schumacher spluttering to his team that he's not a weatherman, and you have a good race!
6) Drive of the Year
Mark Webber, Monaco - To go to a drivers track and beat the guy who will ultimately become champion in the same car is a special moment. That the moment was Monaco and the guy doing the beating was Mark Webber, well, it can't get any better than that! A mature, old-pro drive if ever there was one, Webber made all but Kubica look silly that weekend, and then Robert went and ruined it by taking his helmet off.
7) Fail of the Year
Jenson Button, Korea - It was almost as though Button knew that there should only be four drivers in the championship contenders picture. Being the gentleman that he is, Jenson went ahead and removed himself from contention with an epic fail of a drive, in conditions that should have suited him. Disclaimer: Me having $5 on him for the win have nothing to do with this award being given.
8) Quote of the Year
"How the f*#k is Mark in front?!" Sebastian Vettel, Hungarian GP. It brought me lulz.
9) Memory of the Year
Unfortunately for me, when I think of the 2010 season, I think of Sebvet crying on the podium at the final race of the year. What little joy I get from seeing him in tears is quickly flooded out by the recollection of what he's crying about, and the sudden urge to jump from a very high spot onto a very hard surface.
10) Hope for the Future
More seasons like 2010, less champions like Seb Vettel. Also, Google will buy Patty and I'll retire to an island somewhere, with Mark Webber clones serving me strawberry milkshakes all day.
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