After all the excitement of the F1 season finale it’s the right time for a F1 2016 Season Review before we forget about F1 for a few months.
But we are far too lazy to do a proper F1 2016 season review. They don’t pay us enough to do that. Or anything. If any.
The 2016 season had a lot of parallels to one of our favourite seasons – 1989. Hell, the rivalry between Rosberg and Hamilton has already been compared to Senna and Prost all season. Hamilton mirroring his hero Senna, and Rosberg his father’s McLaren team mate.
It also featured a car that was massively superior to the rest of the field, and like 1989 it was a year where neither championship protagonist did an especially wonderful job all year.
Both drivers had runs, but also had bad luck, and some off days. There was even a collision too in Spain, Unfortunately that wasn’t championship deciding like the dramatic one at Suzuka, but the go slow provided enough controversy.
Lewis sportingly claimed that he lost the title due to mechanical interference. But he had some bad days himself and although Rosberg isn’t as fast according to most you can’t deny over the entire year he doesn’t deserve to be champion.
But there was more to the year than the Mercedes. So it is Onto our F1 2016 season review.
Like our race reports from the season, and unlike Luca Badoer’s career, our review is in point form.
We have our thoughts on the top few good, bad, and ugly things for the year.
In addition to the main points of the season, we determine our driver of the year based on the Good, Bad, and Ugly from each Grand Prix.
F1 2016 Season Review – The Good
MERCEDES – Produced the best car and engine package yet again. Bolted in Constructors and had the drivers championship sorted between themselves after two races.
RED BULL’S DECISION TO PROMOTE MAX VERSTAPPEN – The decision to drop Kyvat mid season seemed a little harsh but the end result has put any doubt to bed. maybe other teams will be more ruthless and promote young talent.
MAX VERSTAPPEN – Still very young and rough around the edges, but produced some of the season’s highlights like in Spain and Brazil.
DANIEL RICCIARDO – Robbed of victory in Monaco, and the best of the rest on most other occasions. Stepped up a gear with the arrival of Max Verstappen, and will need to continue that when Red Bull produce a rocket next season.
MERCEDES EARLY SEASON STARTS – Gave fans a chance of enjoyment when the Mercs bogged down at the start of several races early in the season.
GIVING YOUNGSTERS A GO – In addition to Red Bull’s promotion of was the names of Wehrlein, and Ocon getting their chance.
F1 2016 Season Review – The Bad
QUALIFYING IN AUSTRALIA – Everyone said the new knockout format wouldn’t work. And it didn’t. Time for a Top 10 shootout running order to be chosen by Q2 times by the drivers/team.
QUALIFYING IN GENERAL – A by product of Mercedes dominance is that Qualifying is a foregone conclusion and becoming less worth staying up late for.
FERRARI – This was the year they were meant to close the gap, and have ended the season further back. And saw Red Bull overtake them.
RENAULT’S RETURN – Former World Champions returned officially after being a sort of Lotus Renault.
SAUBER – Got the points in Brazil they needed to finish 10th in the standing, but their pace in general and in relation to perennial struggler Manor was at time embarrassing.
COVERAGE OF CELEBRITIES DURING COVERAGE – Teams have sponsors who pay plenty for TV coverage. Most F1 fans aren’t interested which pissweak celebrities are in the whoever’s team.
PODIUM INTERVIEWS – Went from pointless to just dreadful, and Daniel Ricciardo’s shoe drinking aside, total unwatchable. The crowbarring of celebrities confirms they’ve lost the plot.
F1 2016 Season Review – The Ugly
SEBASTIAN VETTEL – Had some real sooks on the radio this year as he got more and more frustrated. Although the F*** You Charlie spray in Mexico was highly entertaining.
MOST RACES – It’s a tough gig to stay awake for some of the races in 2016.
F1 2016 Season Review – The Overall Good Bad Ugly Driver of the Year
Here we have added up all the goods, bads, and uglys from the 2016 season.
Feel free to go back and peruse but we have summed up the scores for our view on best and blurst.
We have awarded 2 points for a Good, Minus 2 points for a Bad, and minus 1 point for an ugly. The total is added up and a driver of the year awarded.
TOP TEN
NICO ROSBERG: 15 points
MAX VERSTAPPEN: 15 points
DANIEL RICCIARDO 12 points
LEWIS HAMILTON 9 points
SERGIO PEREZ 6 points
CARLOS SAINZ 6 points
KIMI RAIKKONEN 3 points
FERNANDO ALONSO 3 points
VALTERI BOTTAS 2 points
PASCAL WEHRLEIN 2 points
SELECTED OTHERS
ROMAIN GROSJEAN 0 points
NICO HULKENBERG 0 points
SEBASTIAN VETTEL -2 points
JENSON BUTTON -4 points
ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ -4 points
JOLYON PALMER -6 points
DANI KVYAT -8 points
