Driver of the Day 2021

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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 this year's winners so far...

Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021

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He didn't make half distance at Yas Marina before his Alfa Romeo succumbed to technical problems, but this wasn't just any race for Kimi Raikkonen - it was the final race of the 2007 world champion’s long and illustrious F1 career. You duly recognised that - here’s how the votes were counted…

Kimi Raikkonen - 42.8%
Sergio Perez - 21.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 10.9%
Max Verstappen - 7.6%
Valtteri Bottas - 4.9%

Formula 1 stc Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021

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Two restarts, a Safety Car, numerous Virtual Safety Cars, a five-second time penalty and contact with his championship rival - eventful was not the word for Max Verstappen's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. After all that the Red Bull man came home second, but topped your vote - here's how it broke down...

Max Verstappen - 26.7%
Lewis Hamilton - 24.6%
Esteban Ocon - 12.9%
Daniel Ricciardo - 6.6%
Kimi Raikkonen - 4.1%

Formula 1 Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix 2021

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With Fernando Alonso third on the grid, we were expecting fireworks from the famously fast-starting Spaniard, and we got them – he kept his Alpine ahead of everyone bar the two title protagonists and managed his tyres superbly to secure his first F1 podium since 2014. No wonder he got your vote – here’s how it broke down…

Fernando Alonso - 28.6%
Sergio Perez - 16.6%
Lewis Hamilton - 13.7%
Max Verstappen - 13.5%
Lando Norris - 5.6%

Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2021

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What a weekend Lewis Hamilton had in Brazil - disqualified from qualifying, a five-place grid penalty for an engine change, but then somehow fighting his way all the back to front to win the race for Mercedes and keep his title challenge very much alive. No wonder he got your vote. Here's how the numbers broke down...

Lewis Hamilton - 36.8%
Max Verstappen - 21.6%
Lando Norris - 6.4%
Nikita Mazepin - 5.3%
Pierre Gasly - 3.4%

Formula 1 Gran Premio de la Ciudad de México 2021

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It wasn’t quite the fairy tale home win for Sergio Perez, but the Red Bull man came pretty close, pushing Lewis Hamilton all the way as he secured third place, in the process becoming the first Mexican to finish on the podium in Mexico. You recognised his gutsy performance and here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 36.9%
Max Verstappen - 13.5%
Pierre Gasly - 7.4%
Lewis Hamilton - 6.5%
Lando Norris - 5.9%

Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix 2021

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He may have lost the lead at the start, but Max Verstappen never had any intention of losing the win in Austin - even with title rival Lewis Hamilton breathing down his neck for the closing laps. The Dutchman withstood the pressure in style and duly extended his championship lead. It was a drive worthy of award - and you gave it to him. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Max Verstappen - 22.7%
Lewis Hamilton - 17.1%
Daniel Ricciardo - 8.7%
Sergio Perez - 8.2%
Charles Leclerc - 7.2%

Formula 1 Rolex Turkish Grand Prix 2021

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He had his work cut out, starting from 19th on the grid after an engine change, but Carlos Sainz did not shy away from the task at a damp Istanbul Park, steering his Ferrari deftly through the field to claim an impressive P8 at the flag. You acknowledged the Spaniard's skill accordingly. Here's how the voting broke down…

Carlos Sainz - 25.7%
Sergio Perez - 14.8%
Charles Leclerc - 10.6%
Valtteri Bottas - 10.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 10.3%

Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix 2021

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He drove a near faultless race, starting from pole, losing but regaining the lead, and then controlling a charging Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages. Only the late rain proved his undoing - unlike Hamilton, he made the wrong call to stay on slicks - but it was nonetheless a highly impressive performance from McLaren's Lando Norris - and you rightfully acknowledged it. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lando Norris - 33.9%
Max Verstappen - 13.9%
Lewis Hamilton - 9.9%
Sergio Perez - 6.5%
Carlos Sainz - 5.9%

Formula 1 Heineken Gran Premio d’Italia 2021

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It hasn't been the smoothest of transitions to McLaren for Daniel Ricciardo, but at Monza it all came good and the Honey Badger was truly back, with a faultless drive to victory in a drama-filled Italian GP. Here’s how your voting broke down…

Daniel Ricciardo - 34.5%
Valtteri Bottas - 28.6%
Lando Norris - 8.5%
Sergio Perez - 5.1%
Max Verstappen - 4.6%

Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2021

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Even in a Red Bull, scoring points after starting from the pit lane is a tough ask, especially when passing is as hard as it is at Zandvoort. But Sergio Perez delivered - and you duly recognised his superb charge to P8. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 27.7%
Max Verstappen - 19.4%
Lewis Hamilton - 8.5%
Pierre Gasly - 8%
Robert Kubica - 7.8%

Formula 1 Rolex Magyar Nagydíj 2021

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On an amazing day for Alpine, when Esteban Ocon took the French squad's first win, it was team mate Fernando Alonso's superb drive to P5 - in which he held off a much quicker Lewis Hamilton for lap after lap to assist Ocon - that understandably caught your eye - and got your votes. Here's how it broke down...

Fernando Alonso - 28.2%
Esteban Ocon - 17.8%
Lewis Hamilton - 12.6%
Sebastian Vettel - 9.7%
Carlos Sainz - 5%

Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix 2021

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After starting fourth, he led almost every lap of the race, nursing engine issues along the way in his Ferrari. In the end he couldn't quite hold off a charging Lewis Hamilton, but Charles Leclerc's superbly judged Silverstone drive understandably got your nod. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 34.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 13.4%
Max Verstappen - 12.9%
Lando Norris - 6.7%
Sergio Perez - 6%

Formula 1 BWT Grosser Preis von Osterreich 2021

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He may have started on the front row, but he wasn't expecting to finish ahead of the Red Bulls and Mercedes in the race. In the end McLaren's Lando Norris beat one of each with a spectacular drive to P3, despite picking up a time penalty in a Lap 1 wheel-to-wheel battle. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lando Norris - 31.6%
Kimi Raikkonen - 15.7%
Max Verstappen - 9.2%
Daniel Ricciardo - 8.5%
George Russell - 7.7%

Formula 1 Grosser Preis Der Steiermark 2021

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There are battling drives and there are battling drives. In Styria, Charles Leclerc's was firmly in the latter camp. Starting seventh, the Ferrari star clashed with Pierre Gasly on Lap 1 and had to pit for a new front wing, dropping him to 18th. Then his amazing fightback began - all the way back up to P7 at the flag. No wonder he won your plaudits. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Charles Leclerc - 28.4%
George Russell - 13.1%
Max Verstappen - 12.4%
Sergio Perez - 7.8%
Carlos Sainz - 7.2%

Formula 1 Emirates Grand Prix de France 2021

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He started on pole, but lost the lead on lap 1 - and boy did Max Verstappen have to work hard to recover it, hunting down seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to regain P1 on the penultimate lap, having stopped twice to his rival's once. Your votes reflected the Red Bull man's superb drive - here’s how it broke down…

Max Verstappen - 22.9%
Daniel Ricciardo - 19%
Lando Norris - 14%
Lewis Hamilton - 8.4%
Sergio Perez - 6.9%

Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021

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Just 11th on the grid, he did a long first stint, led the pack mid-race and then put in two stunning restarts to give Aston Martin their best finish yet. No wonder your votes poured in for Sebastian Vettel, who is your Driver of the Day for a second consecutive race after his stunning P2 in Baku. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sebastian Vettel - 41.9%
Sergio Perez - 18.1%
Max Verstappen - 9.1%
Lewis Hamilton - 4.9%
Pierre Gasly - 3.5%

Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2021

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After a tough start to the season, four-time champ Sebastian Vettel rediscovered his mojo in Monaco, making up three places to finish fifth on the famous streets for his first points with new team Aston Martin. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sebastian Vettel - 23.6%
Sergio Perez - 17.3%
Lando Norris - 14%
Carlos Sainz - 12.1%
Max Verstappen - 9%

Formula 1 Aramco Gran Premio de España 2021

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You justly rewarded another masterful performance from Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona, as the Mercedes world champion was forced to call on all his experience to overcome the Red Bull challenge from Max Verstappen. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lewis Hamilton - 22.6%
Max Verstappen - 19.7%
Charles Leclerc - 12.3%
Nikita Mazepin - 7.3%
Daniel Ricciardo - 6.5%

Formula 1 Heineken Grande Prémio de Portugal 2021

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He may have just missed out on a podium, but a battling drive to P4 in only his third race for Red Bull meant Sergio Perez secured his best result yet for his new team - and got your plaudits as Driver of the Day, after a rollercoaster of a race for the Mexican over 66 laps in Portimao. Here’s the top 5 from fan votes...

1 Sergio Perez - 15.4%
2 Lewis Hamilton - 12.2%
3 Max Verstappen - 10.6%
4 Daniel Ricciardo - 10.3%
5 Fernando Alonso - 10%

Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio del Made In Italy e dell'Emilia Romagna 2021

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In hugely testing conditions at Imola, the McLaren star held his nerve to show maturity well beyond his years and beat both Ferraris to the podium. No wonder you gave Lando Norris the nod. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Lando Norris - 32.3%
Max Verstappen - 15.5%
Lewis Hamilton - 13.9%
Charles Leclerc - 7.2%
Carlos Sainz - 4.9%

Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021

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'Never give up' has to be a motto of any F1 driver, but Sergio Perez truly embodied it in Bahrain. Forced to start from the pit lane after a technical glitch on his formation lap, the Mexican battled his way back to P5 on his Red Bull debut - and you duly recognised his feat. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Sergio Perez - 27.7%
Max Verstappen - 16.8%
Lando Norris - 13%
Lewis Hamilton - 7.5%
Yuki Tsunoda - 7%

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