Driver of the Day 2022

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Introduced in 2016, the Driver of the Day award is voted for by fans during each Grand Prix and announced at the end of the race. Here's the 2022 season's winners...

FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2022

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He may not have been on the best strategy for his final Grand Prix, but Sebastian Vettel typically never gave up hope and battled his way to a world championship point for Aston Martin as he bowed out of F1 in true style. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sebastian Vettel - 56.6%
Sergio Perez - 9.1%
Charles Leclerc - 6.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 5.5%
Daniel Ricciardo - 4.8%

FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN GRANDE PREMIO DE SAO PAULO 2022

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An amazing race in Sao Paulo and an amazing afternoon for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. His team mate may have taken the win, but the seven-time champion battled his way back to P2 after falling to eighth following early contact with Max Verstappen. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lewis Hamilton - 17.1%
Fernando Alonso - 16%
George Russell - 12.5%
Charles Leclerc - 11.3%
Carlos Sainz - 6.4%

FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO 2022

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When Daniel Ricciardo picked up a 10-second time penalty for a clumsy contact with Yuki Tsunoda, his chances of points in Mexico looked slim. But the Honey Badger had other ideas, pulling off a series of trademark overtakes to come home seventh - and with sufficient margin to keep the place even after his penalty was applied. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Daniel Ricciardo - 24.4%
Sergio Perez - 16.7%
Max Verstappen - 12%
Lewis Hamilton - 10.6%
Sebastian Vettel - 5%

FORMULA 1 ARAMCO UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2022

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Yet again the four-time world champion showed that looming retirement has done nothing to blunt his race craft. Starting P10, Vettel led the Grand Prix at one point, before a 17-second pit stop prompted an amazing fightback, which culminated in the Aston Martin driver winning a wheel-to-wheel dice with Kevin Magnussen on the very last lap to finish P8. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sebastian Vettel - 18.4%
Lewis Hamilton - 18%
Fernando Alonso - 15%
Charles Leclerc - 10.3%
Max Verstappen - 10.2%

FORMULA 1 HONDA JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2022

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Sebastian Vettel loves Suzuka and the Japanese fans love him. In his final Grand Prix here before his F1 retirement, Vettel gave those fans what they wanted as he put in a stunning drive to take sixth place for Aston Martin. Viewers across the world recognised it too – here’s how the voting broke down…

Sebastian Vettel - 16.3%
Esteban Ocon - 14.5%
Max Verstappen - 13.2%
Nicholas Latifi - 9.7%
Lewis Hamilton - 7.3%

FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2022

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Starting from the front row on the Singapore streets, Sergio Perez seized the lead at the start and then spent what was a highly eventful race - at least for those behind him - soaking up relentless pressure from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. You rightly acknowledged a fine victory from the Red Bull man - here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 22.6%
Daniel Ricciardo - 16.8%
Charles Leclerc - 9.6%
Lando Norris - 9.4%
Sebastian Vettel - 7.9%

FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2022

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What a weekend for the young Dutchman! Subbed in on the Saturday for the sick Alex Albon at Williams, Nyck de Vries not only out-qualified his more experienced team mate, he then scored two points on his F1 race debut after a superb drive at Monza. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Nyck de Vries - 24.8%
Carlos Sainz - 21.1%
Max Verstappen - 13.2%
Lewis Hamilton - 11.1%
Charles Leclerc - 7.4%

FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2022

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Mercedes forced him to work for it, but in the end Max Verstappen and Red Bull made all the right calls, earning him his second consecutive home win at Zandvoort. The world champion took victory on merit - and your votes. Here’s how it broke down…

Max Verstappen - 22.6%
Lewis Hamilton - 20.1%
George Russell - 9.5%
Fernando Alonso - 8.8%
Charles Leclerc - 6.9%

FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2022

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The world champion - in combination with his Red Bull RB18 - was a force of nature around Spa-Francorchamps. Even after being demoted to P14 on the grid thanks to engine penalties, there was nothing anyone could do to stop Max Verstappen winning. And your voting reflected his imperious form - here’s how it broke down…

Max Verstappen - 31.9%
Sebastian Vettel - 7.6%
Alex Albon - 6.8%
Charles Leclerc - 6.5%
George Russell - 6.4%

FORMULA 1 ARAMCO MAGYAR NAGYDIJ 2022

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It was tough to argue with this one. He started tenth on the grid, survived a full 360-degree spin, and yet still Max Verstappen came through to beat everyone in Budapest to send Red Bull into the summer break on a high. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Max Verstappen - 34.2%
Lewis Hamilton - 16.4%
George Russell - 11%
Sebastian Vettel - 8.7%
Charles Leclerc - 6.6%

FORMULA 1 LENOVO GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE 2022

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The Ferrari may be a quick car, but coming from the back row of the grid to finish fifth is no mean feat regardless of your machinery - and you duly recognised the achievement of that feat at Paul Ricard by Carlos Sainz. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Carlos Sainz - 40.4%
Lewis Hamilton - 13%
Max Verstappen - 10.7%
Charles Leclerc - 6.4%
Sergio Perez - 5.4%

FORMULA 1 ROLEX GROSSER PREIS VON OSTERREICH 2022

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Mick Schumacher had already had a great weekend in Austria – seventh in qualifying, ninth in the Sprint – but he saved the best to last. With a superb race performance that included some excellent overtakes, the young German brought his Haas home a splendid sixth – his best F1 result to date – beating team mate Kevin Magnussen to boot. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Mick Schumacher - 24.5%
Charles Leclerc - 15.3%
Lewis Hamilton - 10.1%
Max Verstappen - 9.6%
Carlos Sainz - 8%

FORMULA 1 LENOVO BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2022

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On a tough afternoon for his Red Bull team, Sergio Perez defied the odds to fight back from the rear of the pack to finish a superb second at Silverstone. It came after the Mexican was forced to pit with damage after contact with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. You were rightly impressed with his recovery - here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 20.7%
Lewis Hamilton - 20%
Carlos Sainz - 11.1% Charles Leclerc - 9%
Mick Schumacher - 7.1%

FORMULA 1 AWS GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2022

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Starting from the back row thanks to engine penalties, it was always going to be a tough afternoon in Montreal for Charles Leclerc, but the Ferrari driver never gave up, battling all the way up to P5 to limit the damage in the title race. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 21.6%
Lewis Hamilton - 11.9%
Carlos Sainz - 10.6%
Max Verstappen - 10.2%
Fernando Alonso - 6%

FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2022

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A battling drive from seventh on the grid gave Lewis Hamilton an eventual P4 around the streets of Baku, despite not having the smoothest of rides in the Mercedes. It also gained the seven-time champion your admiration - here’s how the voting broke down…

Lewis Hamilton - 14.8%
Max Verstappen - 13.6%
Sebastian Vettel - 13.1%
Sergio Perez - 10%
Pierre Gasly - 9.3%

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2022

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He'd been the quicker Red Bull all weekend, and Sergio Perez pushed home that advantage in a thrilling, wet-dry Monaco Grand Prix, beating not only team mate Max Verstappen, but also both Ferraris, holding off a charging Carlos Sainz in the closing stages. You rightly loved his performance - here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 27.6%
Pierre Gasly - 10.5%
Carlos Sainz - 9.9%
Charles Leclerc - 8.8%
Fernando Alonso - 7.4%

FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO DE ESPANA 2022

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A remarkable recovery drive from Lewis Hamilton rightly impressed you, the seven-time champion fighting his way up to P5 at the flag after dropping to the back of the pack on the opening lap following contact with Kevin Magnussen. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lewis Hamilton - 22.8%
Sergio Perez - 16.3%
George Russell - 15.7%
Max Verstappen - 11.4%
Fernando Alonso - 6.9%

FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2022

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It wasn't the smoothest of weekends for the world champion, but when it counted Max Verstappen duly delivered for Red Bull, overhauling Charles Leclerc and holding off the Ferrari in the closing stages to win both the inaugural race in Miami and your vote. Here’s how the numbers broke down…

Max Verstappen - 18%
Mick Schumacher - 14.5%
George Russell - 12.7%
Charles Leclerc - 8.6%
Sergio Perez - 7.6%

FORMULA 1 ROLEX GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2022

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A faultless race to top off a faultess weekend at Imola for the reigning world champion. Max Verstappen dominated proceedings for Red Bull in Italy and few would argue with your decision. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Max Verstappen - 14.7%
Sergio Perez - 11.5%
Lando Norris - 11%
George Russell - 9.3%
Yuki Tsunoda - 8.7%

FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2022

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A faultless performance from Charles Leclerc saw him notch up his second - and most commanding - win of the season so far. With pole position and fastest lap to boot, no wonder the Ferrari man garnered your admiration. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 19.7%
Sergio Perez - 14.8%
Daniel Ricciardo - 9.4%
George Russell - 9.3%
Alex Albon - 8.2%

FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2022

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He may not have won the Grand Prix, but Charles Leclerc’s epic duel with Max Verstappen for victory in Jeddah thrilled F1 fans the world over – and you showed your appreciation for the Ferrari man’s race craft with your votes. Here’s how it broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 26.8%
Max Verstappen - 14.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 10.1%
Sergio Perez - 9.5%
Kevin Magnussen - 7.5%

FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2022

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What a way to start the season? First Charles Leclerc took pole position in Sakhir, then he controlled the race throughout to lead home team mate Carlos Sainz for a memorable Ferrari one-two. No wonder he got your nod. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 28.3%
Kevin Magnussen - 22.5%
Max Verstappen - 9%
Lewis Hamilton - 5.1%
Zhou Guanyu - 5%

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