2012 Speedhunters Awards: Driver Of The Year

We’ve had a whole lot of awards for cars so far in the 2012 Speedhunters Awards. Racers, street cars, modifieds, crazy builds… So much for the metal: what every car needs is a driver. The proverbial nut behind the wheel. 2012 has been a rich season, with down-to-the-wire fights in most of the major championships. So, who has been the stand-out driver? Time to choose from…

Sebastian Vettel

How many plaudits does one man need? Well, what he’s receiving could only just be the start. Now a three-time Formula One World Champion with a one-in-four win/race ratio, Sebastian is still only 25 – which means that his stats collection (youngest champion, youngest driver on pole, youngest winner, and so on) is only likely to grow.

Fernando Alonso

Taking a car that everyone had all but written off come the start of the 2012 Formula 1 season, Fernando consistently delivered the goods during the year to finish just three points behind champion Vettel after the final race in Interlagos. Three wins and stunning racecraft kept him in contention; accidents in the run up to the finale robbed him of points and a fairytale end to the season. He’s still considered as the most complete driver on the F1 grid.

Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi’s foray into the world of rallying seemed to have tarnished his reputation, to the media at least. But the fans – and the man himself – knew full well that his underlying performance was as fast as ever. Although not exactly anonymous in the races, Kimi kept his head down early on and just kept scoring points; it was almost a shock to see his name so far up the driver rankings come mid-season. But the win in Abu Dhabi silenced any final critics. Leave him alone, he knows what he’s doing!

Daigo Saito

He came, he saw, he conquered. Daigo’s open-top smokebomb of a Lexus SC430 powered to the top in the 2012 Formula Drift series. Kicking off with podiums in Long Beach and Road Atlanta, Daigo hit the top step in Palm Beach – and notice was served. Despite a relatively weaker mid-season, Daigo brought all his experience of Japanese drifting to bear and delivered when it counted, winning both the final round at Irwindale and the overall title. Whilst taking on the best in the US, he somehow also found time to take the FD Asia Championship and took third in D1GP!

Vaughn Gittin Jr

It was so close for Vaughn: one of drifting’s most iconic figures, he was on the cusp of taking his second FD title and had gone into the final round leading the points table. But that doesn’t detract from what was an incredibly strong season: Vaughn and his roaring RTR Mustang were still highlight of any FD round. The tyre slayer extraordinaire.

Sébastien Loeb

As with Michael Schumacher in his heyday, there’s almost relief that Loeb is bowing out of full-time rallying. Will someone else finally have a day in the sun? 2012 saw Loeb sail past 70 wins at the top level. Then 71. Then 72. And they kept coming. He finishes his main World Rally Championship career with an enormous 76 wins to his name, and nine championships. He is a simply stunning driver. WRC’s relief will be leading to a sharp intake of breath in the GT and WTCC worlds: that’s where he’s aiming next, as both a driver and team manager.

Jamie Whincup

Now a four-time champion of the Australian V8 Supercars series after taking the title in 2012, he’s also a four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 and the first driver in the modern era to have won in both Ford and Holden machinery. Jamie is still the form man of V8 Supercars: 12 race wins over 2012 included clean sweeps of both races at Townsville and all three at Yas Marina.

Rob Huff

After so many years of being the bridesmaid, Britain’s Rob Huff took the 2012 World Touring Car Championship – despite making things as difficult as possible for himself at the finale in Macau, a track where he has previously excelled. The battle was always going to be between the trio of factory Chevy Cruze, but with veterans Alain Menu and Yvan Muller as the opposition Huff’s victory hardly came easy.

Bruno Spengler

Like Rob Huff, Bruno had come close to winning a series title several times only for it to be snatched away. To Huff’s Muller was Spengler’s Paffett, but a switch to the BMW squad for 2012 proved the correct choice, with his brutal M3 DTM carrying him to four wins and the DTM trophy.

André Lotterer

André (left) cut his teeth in the Japanese Super GT series – a series in which he still competes part time – but it’s in prototypes that he’s really made his mark. As part of the Audi LMP1 factory squad he finished second on his 2010 debut (the year after a privateer outing), and then followed that with a clean sweep of wins in 2011 and 2012. Add to that winning the inaugural World Endurance Championship, and it shows that Lotterer represents the new generation of sportscar stars.

Alex Wurz

It’s tough to pick out a single driver with endurance racing teams, where the squad has to work as one unit to achieve victory. As with Lotterer and his team-mates, so Alex was paired up with some excellent drivers (Nicolas Lapierre in particular), but proved that he had the hunger and raw speed still on tap in the Toyota TS030 Hybrid. Alongside his previous life in Formula 1 he’s also won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice, including on his debut in the TWR Porsche in 1996, and is still a class act.

Brad Keselowski

To take on five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and come out on top is fully deserving of praise: Brad headed into the Homestead final of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at the top of the points table, and knew what he had to do to take the title. Quoting the story of Senna crashing out of the ’88 Monaco GP in the build-up to the race, he put that lesson into practice – though his 15th place finish was still cutting it mighty fine…

Tanner Foust

The multiple Drift champion has fully embraced the loose stuff: his joint attack on both the European Rallycross Championship and the Global Rallycross Series ended with second and the overall title respectively, against ferocious opposition on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tommy Milner

Tommy moved up to the factory Corvette GTE team in last year’s American Le Mans Series, and alongside team-mate Oliver Gavin took his first ALMS victory at Long Beach in 2012. That was just the start, and he’s now regarded as one of America’s brightest sportscar talents. Three more wins followed and the GTE title was tied up with a round to go – more silverware to add to his 2011 class win at Le Mans.

Frank Stippler

Frank’s multiple campaigns during 2012 netted him two of the most prestigious 24-hour race wins going: he drove to victory in both the Nürburgring and Spa 24 Hours with the Phoenix team. With a full-time drive in WRT’s Audi R8 LMS ultra in GT1 World Championship as well, you’d think that he wouldn’t have much spare time – yet he could still be found on any given weekend hammering around a track somewhere in a historic racing car. One of the old school.

Jonathan Moore

Speedhunters Awards 2012

[polldaddy poll="6780588"]

ADVERTISEMENT

Comments



Comments are closed.

236 comments

by Oldest
by Best by Newest by Oldest
1

no Junior WRC entry ??

2

no Junior WRC entry ??

3

no Junior WRC entry ??

4

why isn't rhys millen listed again?

5

why isn't rhys millen listed again?

6

why isn't rhys millen listed again?

7

@NicMichuda He was shortlisted but there were others we felt did better,

8

@NicMichuda He was shortlisted but there were others we felt did better,

9

@NicMichuda He was shortlisted but there were others we felt did better,

10

Kimi Kimi Kimi Kimi!

11

Kimi Kimi Kimi Kimi!

12

Kimi Kimi Kimi Kimi!

13

@RodChong understandable. i just feel like he had an amazing year winning pike's peak, competing in FD with the same car, as well as competing in WRC

14

@RodChong understandable. i just feel like he had an amazing year winning pike's peak, competing in FD with the same car, as well as competing in WRC

15

@RodChong understandable. i just feel like he had an amazing year winning pike's peak, competing in FD with the same car, as well as competing in WRC

16

Why not Antonio Felix da Costa??????

17

Why not Antonio Felix da Costa??????

18

Why not Antonio Felix da Costa??????

19

wanted to vote for jamie whincup yet thea was no voting button for him, very dissapointed!!

20

wanted to vote for jamie whincup yet thea was no voting button for him, very dissapointed!!

21

wanted to vote for jamie whincup yet thea was no voting button for him, very dissapointed!!

22

Whoever voted for Saito should stick to playing COD

23

Whoever voted for Saito should stick to playing COD

24

Whoever voted for Saito should stick to playing COD

25

No option to vote for Jamie Whincup??!

26

No option to vote for Jamie Whincup??!

27

No option to vote for Jamie Whincup??!

28

Hey guys, I can't vote for Jamie?

29

Daigo Saito is a good drifter. Alonso and the other drivers are athletes.

30

I voted Kimi for being Hilarious towards the end of the season

31

No Hamilton? He put in a stunning season, only to be let down by car and team reliability...

32

Try again now! Sorry, we had an update error...

33

@Mark Reyes Jamie's there now. Sorry about that!

34

@KevGC8 Sorted – try again now.

35

@NicMichuda  @RodChong Vaughn Gittin Jr made it but not Millen. is this best drifter or DRIVER. I can see leaving Millen out but to put others in that are so one sided, is wrong in my book.  Pikes Peak record + 3ed in FD > 2nd in FD

36

@Garyman7 we took the top 3 in the standings

37

@Defcom69 have you seen him drift in person? It's something to behold...

39

@zamm333 Haha, good joke!

40

@RodChong thanks, I guess its the fair way to do it.. I just think he deserved wins/seconds in Singapore, Abu, Catalunya, Valencia, Bahrain and points in Spa, but lost out, not through driver failings, but team and car reliability issues and people playing bumper cars around him, but I am a fan so thats a bit biased!

41

@Jonathan Moore  @KevGC8  Thanks Jonathan. V8SC a series where all cars on the grid are near on identical, car setup and driver are key. Jamie Whincup stands the proven champion four out of the last five seasons showing no sign of stopping! Multiple Bathurst wins to boot.. can't knock the man, world class!!

42

Almost forgot Interlagos, with Hulkenberg and the Force India bulldozer

43

It can only be Alonso gave 101% on every lap of the year just RELENTLESS the real WDC this year and deep deep down I bet Seb feels the same way

44

To me António Felix da Costa is a great driver should take part of this list...

45

Go Fousty , Fousty , Fousty , Fousty ... !!!!!

46

Kimi for me, he doesn't let the F1 media bandwagon get to him and he's a total legend. His and Alonsos driving is really something to behold every race weekend, beautiful driving and total commitment 100% of the time. Loeb is also a deserving nominee, although I don't really follow WRC that much these days, I do feel lucky to have seen one of the greatest that sport will ever see dominate such a fierce sport!

47

Daigo Saito?!
You guys must be joking...
 
That wing is so offensive that he shouldn´t even be here in the nomines...

48

@RodChong  @Defcom69  that's exactly what I think

49

seriously? daigo sato? loeb does that blinfolded

50
walterakagtkiller

@AustinCabot I voted for him also for that reason, and his come back to F1.

51

Loeb, just too good of an all around driver to not get some major votes.

52

Daigo Saito is a rookie, this is a good opportunity for him, he may be in more international competitions.

53

Suzuki Under should be on this list...for breaking the Tsukuba lap record @ 52.6s https://www.facebook.com/undersuzuki

54

@MichalCiomek I would have put in Mads Østberg..

55

@Chris Nuggets I agree with Chris. If there's a man who deserve a spot light, that's Suzuki and Takemura. Those two guys set the impossible, with a VERY small budget compared to all the people listed.

56

@JosephPereyra  @RodChong  @Defcom69 Rod, Drifting live is spectacular because it's a show, it's entertainment, not a sport. The drivers are not athletes. The drift runs last a few minutes tops, real racing is always a test of endurance. I honestly think people want to just connect to drifting as a sport, but in reality, it's just because they *can* connect. If layman had a chance to attempt to even drive an F1 car, I think people would realize that driving an F1 car is utterly insane to the mind and body. It is the surreal-ness that disconnects the public. However, as professional bloggers in the field of "speed" , you guys should realize that F1/WRC etc is on another level than drifting. Real racers need to train. All credit to Saito as a drifter, but I'm sorry, you can't put any drifter in the same league as these real drivers. All the voting for Saito proves that Speedhunters covers and emphasizes way too much on drifting, rather than...ironically, the actual racing sports that are truly about speed. It is sad to see drifters being put in the same category as real racing drivers..and does little service to real drivers.

57

This is impossible.
2 Sebastians, a Fernando, and a Kimi.
Hard to argue with Loeb.
 
Whincup, while he won the V8 SC championship, did absolutely dreadful in the RoC. Even in the EuroCar. Was surprised to see him here.

58

Wow! Foust is beating the likes of Sebastien Loeb?! Wow! Loeb terrorised all of those Rally Cross drivers when he raced against them this year at his FIRST try...There's absolutely no comparison when you really follow these guys' backgrounds.

59

Are you kidding me?
The vast majority of the people who voted must be 15 and only watch one or two types of motorsports.
Saito, a rookie drifter who can't hold a candle to Gittin, and Tanner Foust, who won at X-Games Nascar and pretends he's a competent rally driver.

60

Foust beating Loeb. WTF! Really guys, really? This is insane and not right.

61

How is Under Suzuki not here?!

62

Woohoo !!! Fousty U ROCK !!!

63

Go Vettel !!! ... Go Kimi !!! ... Go Foust !!! ;)

64

Go Vettel !!! ... Go Kimi !!! ... Go Foust !!! ;)

65

Kristensen > Loeb > Hamilton

66

Loeb did a great job for a first time at the X-Games, that's true, but Foust had a broken power steering, and actually, he had beaten loeb's time at practice... so, I guess you can say he was faster than Loeb.

67

This list consists of a bunch of drifters with an unlimited budget, that tried to break in to other disciplines of racing, but are having a hard time keeping up with the actual drivers. I'm looking at Ken Block, Tanner Foust, Vaughn Gittin, and- well actually, all the "drifters" and "hoonigans" that tried to break out into REAL racing, yet fail to create any real impact, or a podium finish for that matter.
 
I don't hate drifting, in fact I enjoy cars going side ways, but to make an entire competitive discipline out of it is just laughable. Having a point scoring system, with judges that determine who wins, it's like gymnastics in the Olympics, you'll never see North Korea give South Korea 10/10, even if it was an actual perfect set.
 
Who has the most HP? Daigo Saito has a 1200HP car, letting him speed ahead of competition, as well as literally SMOKING the person behind him. There are no REAL regulations in drift cars, it's like an unlimited battlefield on who has the bigger weapon. 
 
Rally cross is a an insult of a discipline, with the usual figure 8 and jumps, that hold no danger to if you have a lapse in judgement, the most you will do is have a short/long landing on the jumps, bringing your car out of commission.
 
Rallying on the other hand requires 100% of your concentration at all times, and if you decide to turn too late, you're out of the stage, maybe even out of the entire rally. 
 
F1 requires you to have a peak physique in order to even drive the damn car, with lateral G's that could black out an average human being, and braking G's that could have a red-out, every single one of the drivers in F1 are more deserving to be on this list, than any of the glorified drifters.
 
GT1/2/3 drivers are on a lesser scale as F1 drivers, but the length of concentration they have to go through is even more epically brutal, with races that can go from a few hours, all the way to 24 hours, like the 24 NBR race.
 
The biggest thumbs up/cheers/kudos/knod goes to the privateers, who use their own funds, their own time, and their own car to do what they love, I'm concerned you decided to cut out the biggest privateer of this decade, Suzuki-san.
 
I understand you must write blogs and feature cars that cater to your demographic, who are the youngsters that buy into the very trendy things, but to even call this blog "Speedhunters" any more is just not right, having most of your attention towards drifting, and cars that have more stickers, and camber, than actual usable horsepower. I've followed you guys since the start of it all, you have de-evolved yourself to what your sponsors want to see, and I'm saddened by it. 
 
This list is a joke, cutting out some of the most prominent drivers that can easily replace the so called "drivers" that you guys have chosen, has the fad of illest, hellaflush, and fatlace really gone this far? What happened to real racing? I wish the best of luck to you guys in the future, I can't bare to see.

68
RobertoGtrRojasMorales

vamos tanner eres el mejor man !!TANNER FOUST IS THE BEST DRIVER IN THE WORLD ... others only handle with f1 or cars drifting ... tanner does with anyone can make it to drift Many times shown on Top Gear and it may be better than STIG hahahago TANNER

69

@RearSlip Saito is only a rookie in Formula D, he's been in D1 for years already. Saito's an OG, my man.

70

This poll is a complete joke.  Tanner Foust, really?? I'd like to see him compete against Fernando, Vettel, Kimi, Loeb, even Wurz, Lotterer or Spengler.  He wouldn't come close to any of these guys.  He's even a crappy TV host.

71

@RearSlip Saito is far from a Rookie. I do however agree that this list is VERY trendy as much of the poles are. Under Suzuki just officially set the RECORD for Tsukuba in the 52 seconds range.....which means with modern aero and tire tech he has beaten the king HKS EVO.....in a RWD car......a privateer(a Pharmacist with deep pockets by the look of the half dry carbon and paying mr brilliant whom people are googoo ga ga over his Solidworks/CFD simulations.....) To me that's driver of the year because hes gotta motivate himself......F1 drivers are INCREDIBLE but they have staff and millions to keep them going...this guys gotta get meds ready for people then clock out and head over to build a record breaker after putting in work at the day job.....in a chassis that's not really known for being a winner.....Suzuki Under Driver of the damn year man.

73

Saito and Foust are great drifters but they can't come even close (as drivers) to future legends as the Sebastians, Kimi or Alonso. Most of these drivers will be forgotten in a handful of years. Drift is fun, but all-out racing during several hours is more of a test for a driver. There's a difference between showing your value during a couple of minutes and for a whole, let's call it "old school race".

74
IoanaAlexandraTerchea

Tanner is the best driver! he deserves to win more than anyone! #TeamFoust  #VoteTanner

75

SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT IF THEY ARE NOT F1 DRIVERS THEY SUCK? FUNNY THAT YOU ALL KNOW WHO THE OTHER DRIVERS ARE, THEIR DISCPLINES, AND HOW THEY DRIVE. SO FROM A FAN OF THOSE 'OTHER' DISCPLINES GET OVER YOURSELVES. YOU SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF WHINY CHILDREN WHO ARENT GETTING THEIR WAY! TAKE A LESSON FROM YOUR OWN DRIVERS AND HAVE RESPECT FOR ALL THE DRIVERS AND THE HARD WORK THEY ALL PUT INTO THEIR DISCPLINE. SO LET'S GET BACK TO WHAT THIS POLL IS REALLY ABOUT - GOOD FRIENDLY NATURED COMPETITION.

76

@tiggatee have you seen his performances in the Race of Champions? He beat Schumacher once!

77

@JDMized @Chris Nuggets Suzuki was short listed but we decided to honour his achievements more as a drifter.

78

@JDMized @Chris Nuggets Suzuki was short listed but we decided to honour his achievement more as a builder. This list is more about straight Motorsports.

79

Leob has dominated wrc for NINE years is there anyone else in the list that has dominated their disciplines.for as long as him? NO!! The man deserves to top this list people who say other wise are seriously blinkered. I'm a massive fan of all the above Motorsports buts lets call a spade a spade here.

80

Leob has dominated wrc for NINE years is there anyone else in the list that has dominated their disciplines for as long as him? NO!! The man deserves to top this list people who say other wise are seriously blinkered. I'm a massive fan of all the above motorsports buts lets call a spade a spade here.

81

Leob has dominated wrc for NINE years is there anyone else in the list that has dominated their disciplines for as long as him? NO!! The man deserves to top this list people who say other wise are are a bit blinkered in my opinion. I'm a massive fan of all the above motorsports buts lets call a spade a spade here nine years is a long time to be number one.

82

Leob has dominated wrc for NINE years is there anyone else in the list that has dominated their disciplines for as long as him? NO!! The man deserves to top this list people who say other wise are a bit blinkered in my opinion. I'm a massive fan of all the above motorsports buts lets call a spade a spade here nine years is a long time to be number one.

83

yes, yes ,yes, errrrr, its a no for kimi :( which is a shame, and for Vettel and Alonso. Huffy's worth a mention, he'd been behing Yvan Muller all seaon. Then theres Daigo Saito, i dont really follow Formula D on here, but for a "rookie" to win, it takes something.
But every year i vote Sebastien Loeb and he dosn't win, and nothings gonna change this year.

84

@KarynKrukow my ears!

85

@ElizabethFoust Well, if that's the kind of votes we're getting.... fuck.

86

We decided to put the first two drivers from the 2013 Formula D Championship to pay respect to what we think is the championship's increasing importance in motorsports. If you look at the scale of their events, the size of the fan base, the level of their TV productions etc, it's up there with many of the best national and continental based championships.
 
We have been to so many "international" level events with empty grandstands in the past few years, we think that Formula D is definitely going places as the "new kid on the block". It will likely take the motorsports establishment many more years to accept the relevance of Formula D, but for us, we definitely stand behind what they re doing.
 
And believe me, we are definitely hardcore "traditional" motorsports fans.
 
That said, we were very focused on keeping the focus for this list on international motorsports. There are only two FD drivers on the list. If you were to complain on anything, you could say that we have focused a bit more Europeans than Japanese or American drivers.

87

@Richie11 He was shortlisted but we thought that it was best to honour him as a builder, rather than a driver.

88

@JoshAlicea  @RearSlip We thought his acheivement was more about building his car. This category is more for professional drivers.

89

@JosephPereyra  @Defcom69
 
Yes we recognize that the WRC, WEC prototypes and F1 are another level, I don't think anyone would disagree with you there. But this poll is a way for the audience to have their voice, the results are often surprising and not straight forward.
 
I realize that a traditionally minded motorsports fan may not "get" drifting, and I would also say that yes we have focused a LOT of coverage on drifting over the past few years, but I don't think this should take away from us giving respect to Vaughn Gittin JR and Saito's achievements in 2012.

90

@roebyThats the problem with silly public votes. Its not an expert commitee. Given that Speedhunters has more drift followers than F1 its a given that votes will favour the drifters. Daigo has done a great job btw. But so did Alonso and Loeb.

91

where's Gordon Shedden?

92

@RodChong  @Richie11
 good. WTAC and other time attack series is too small yet.

93

@JosephPereyra  @RodChong  @Defcom69 Talking about athletes.. 100meter sprinters is just showmen then? naa..  it doesnt work like that.

94

@IoanaAlexandraTerchea ahahaha Tanner Foust doesn't have hopes against Sebastien Loeb

95

where's Gary Paffett?  i think he's at least the best DTM driver this year. Better than Bruno

96

@MatsNorway @roeby and I suppose Tanner is still riding on his fame as a drifter when it comes to votes here, even tho he is now contesting a more interesting series =P but it's Jamie all the way for me, as an Aussie. Tho if his teammate Craig was here I'd vote for him =)

97

Loeb of course, his record is so amazing i believe it will take many decades to break

98

Brain while I can see your point I think you are forgetting one important thing. Every one of the guys on this list is at the top of the profession through hard work and dedication. While the little guy who saves all his money to buy a car, tyres and fuel to enter a lower category of motorsport does deserve a mention those drivers and the fans that go to watch them aspire to be the very people on this list.
 
Whether you agree with the people on the list or not the fact is drivers and fans alike want to be these people. When I was growing up I wanted to be McRae and so did the rally driver I used to work for. The legacy of Senna is still far reaching with loads of people starting motorsport to be like him.
Due to drifting, Foust with the Hot Wheels challenges and Block with Gymkhana a whole new bunch of drivers for people to inspire to have come about and deserve their place on this list.
 
Maybe the fact that Loeb is not top is due to the fact that the WRC has not had as much coverage as Gymkhana or F1.

99

Kimi, of course! My favourite current F1 driver, plus it's nice to see another Finn in the black and gold car again (looking at you Mr Hakkinen).

100

Side note, who misses the tobacco company liveries? Say what you will about smoking those liveries have always been personal favourites of mine :)

101

I really like Tanner Foust or Daigo Saito, but this isn't the best driver in America, this is best driver of the year; how can it be Foust or Saito?

102

Thank you, thank you so much for not puting Block in here... :)

103

Kimiiiiiiii. Coolest man alive let alone driver. But I voted for him because he truly did have a great year - 1 win, 7 podiums, 19/20 points finishes and the only man to finish every race this season. What a comeback for him.

104

Foust is winning? I guess it doesn't say "Best" or "Most Talented" driver of the year. If I were able to switch places and live the life of one of these drivers for a day, Foust would be almost dead last on the list. He is FAR more talented at driving than I will ever be, and all the other drivers on this list are  FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR more talented than he will ever be. That's not even up for discussion. Yes he worked hard to make it to where he is now, but who on this list didn't? He hasn't competed in any top form of motorsport in any capacity. Drifting is a judged sport, and rallycross, or at least the version he competes in, is just a tv show. Why he's winning is beyond me.

105

Surely its between Daigo and Loeb? No idea why they put Gitten Jr on the list, since he Daigo was clearly the better driver, winning two championships and a 3rd place finish in another while Gitten Jr came runner up in one championship. I don't mean to belittle the achievement of coming second, but Daigo achieved a LOT more this year.
But my vote went to Loeb - 9 consecutive titles.

106

Don't you don't see merit in European Rallycross?

107

im sorry but how can Tanner Foust win this? i love Tanner, i love who he drives for, and i love his sponsor Etnies but come on guys? its eiher Loeb, Alonso or kimi none of the others even come close, Drifting is a minnow in the motorsport world F1, WRC, DTM these guys are at the top of their games, and no one could hold a candle to any of them in any form of motorsport.
 
i Voted for Kimi for the best come back ive ever seen
.

108

If common sense prevails then Loeb, winner of 9 consecutive WRC titles will be the winner of this.  WRC may not be the most popular, in terms of instant gratification or publicity - after all what true speedhunter isn't drawn to the awe (and tire smoke!) of drifting but WRC does consistently give birth to some of the most skilled, competent and generally well rounded drivers the whole motorsport scene see's within any given generation.

109

@TomHoward JR was absolutely mighty at many of the FD events and has raised his game greatly this year.

110

There are many ways of looking at things. We think that Formula D is here to stay.

111

@InnerToxicity  @MatsNorway  @roeby Lets not forget the Top gear series hes fronting.

112

You guys should just change the name to DRIFTHUNTERS--it's clearly who your demographic is.  Look at who or what is getting the majority of votes in almost every category so far:  drifters or drift cars.  I'm not that into it, but if that's your audience then that's what you should cover.  Kimi got my vote. 
 
"Leave me alone.  I know what I'm doing!"

113
RobertoGtrRojasMorales

@AndreaD FOUST a ganado años seguidos ORO en los xgames :D ...vota por foust claramente es el mejor piloto del mundo ;)

114
RobertoGtrRojasMorales

@Jason Hardy are choosing the best driver that handles the driver not in the best category ... is the best in its class handles .... Tanner is two gold at xgames .. Mundian longest jump record .. clearly is the best driver in rally cross category, DF even in the category it is good not only how others handle only f1 car and the other cars? TANEER is the best driver in the world

115

@RodChongOk makes sense, makes sense, I just felt that he had a phenomenal year! He's done a lot for Time Attack especially being a privateer.

116

I really have to vote Rob Huff seeing as he grew up in the same village as me.

117

I think everyone whining about how the drift drivers are winning this competition (I should just call it a popularity contest, since that's all it is) should ask themselves WHY they're winning. Obviously either the fans of those drivers are more dedicated and motivated to vote, which is telling in itself, or there are greater numbers of them on this forum. Either way, the stats speak for themselves, and if you don't like it maybe you should find another place to hang out, since this one is clearly being 'overrun' by those of us who appreciate drift racing for the exciting, entertaining sport that it is. Just a suggestion.

118

Has to be Loeb for me, with Vettel very close. Two men at the top of what I consider the most challenging and difficult form of motorsports. Loeb has dominated the most skill-and-talent-based form of driving for almost an entire decade.
 
What an amazing driver. Fan of WRC or not, the man should officially be crowned the GOAT in rally. Greatest of All Time.

119

Kimi was my choice. For years he was back of the grid every race. Now he is doing much better. Most of the other diver options don't make sense. I love drifting, but Daigo has been on fire for some time now so he doesn't get my vote.

120

ive grown fond of aasbo this year and followed him aot. sad to see hes not on the list

121

@RodChong 
 
It is the highest form of entertainment, with show girls, booths, ads in your face, the amount of money thrown into promoting Formula D is huge, period.  This will appeal to anyone more than sitting in the cold waiting for the next heat to come around.
 
If the actual racing events had better marketing, better accommodations, better support from the community, I can guarantee the same level of effect F-D has on the motor sport scene. Unfortunately, no one wants to sit in the stands and wait for the cars to come by every 5 minutes, it doesn't have the same level of punch as drifting, sad to say. 
 
The way to win is to create the most smoke, entertain the crowd, and stay close to your competition with a car that has no restrictions, all while at the end of the day, are tallied by points, given by judges. I tried getting into the whole new fad, watching it online, watching videos, and attending a few events, while it was exciting at most, watching tires fly, smoke billow and cars being destroyed on barricades, I saw no actual value in it.
 
For me, this entire drifting thing is a trend, if it had some actual restrictions on usage of cars, with an actual way of winning, I'd be all over it. It's a form of entertainment, at it's highest level, I just don't see the real competition in it when it has the same merit as Gymnastics.
 
I see you are discriminating against Canadian drivers, I see not a single one on that list! (This is sarcasm, don't take the last line seriously.)

122

@RodChong Please do a separate list next time. One for REAL drivers, and one for the small time drifters. Also, why pollute this list with the GRC driver Tanner? Have you forgotten that there literally isn't any competition there? that the entire field is just a bunch of bmw bike rider posers?
 
Like how WRC is for boys and Group B is for men, drifting is for boys and DRIVING is for men.
 
21st century legends like Alonso and Vettel on the same list with drifters like Saito or Gitten Jr?? Thats an insult to F1 drivers! Even the slowest of F1 drivers can easily spank the top drifters. Karthikeyan could EASILY RUN CIRCLES around Saito.

123

@TomHenwood we love Fredric but he would have needed to have taken first or second in the FD Championship to get on this list.

124

@DaltonMenoncin Speedhunters team are just a bunch of weeaboos. Thats why.

125

@RodChong  @JDMized  @Chris Yeah, because Suzuki is just a builder, not a driver. And clearly someone like Vaughn has accomplished more as a driver this year than Suzuki. I didn't realize if you get nominated for one category, you can't get nominated for another. Oh wait, I'm seeing that everywhere in these polls.
 
Facepalm, faceplant, failhunters.

126

@Richie11@RodChong
Yeah, because Suzuki is just a builder, not a driver. And clearly someone like Vaughn has accomplished more as a driver this year than Suzuki. I didn't realize if you get nominated for one category, you can't get nominated for another. Oh wait, I'm seeing that everywhere in these polls.
 
Facepalm, faceplant, failhunters.

127

why is Tanner Foust leading??? he hasn't done anything fantastic this year like some of the other stand out drivers..Daigo Saito won 2 world championships and came in 3rd on the third championship just this year!...the only other guy I would give it to would be Loeb.. He's finishing with WRC after 76 wins and 9 championships!!! come on, I like Tanner but he's bottom of the barrel in this group

128

@shufflz To his credit, Foust won the GRC & finished second in the ERC. That's no mean feat.

129

this was more tough to vote than i expected! for me it had to be leob...this guy should leave WRC and join something else!!! its not fair on the other drivers! 9 championships?!

130

@shufflz agreed, i mean, i love Tanner too hes an exeptional driver, funny and really versatile, or so it seems... but Loeb... cmon... hes a GOD at driving...and like Nikhil_P said, he should try something else... and i could bet my life he would destroy at it...

131

loeb of course. only man on this list who could (and should) step into any of the motorsports of the other men, and still win handily

132

It's really tough to pick, because all of them are amazing drivers. I could add Argentina's Pechito López, who won the Super TC2000 convincingly, and Brazil's Cacá Bueno, who collected his fifth Stock Car title, thrid Copa Fiat Liena and a GT Brasil vice-championship.

133

LOL, Tanner Foust deserve a 1st. spot and Loeb 2nd? What are you guys smoking?

134

@PaddyMcGrathSH Ok Paddy, not a small feat by any mean.
Now compare what Loeb did in his ENTIRE career (AND this past year) and put it up against what Tanner Foust did in his entire career (AND this past year)!!!
I think Foust is a great driver. I think Loeb is an out-of-this-world-awesome driver. Despite what I think, and the ACTUAL FACTS (facts that matters) peeps on here don't seem to know much about motorsport, and the poll reflects that!!!! How fucking sad!

135

Vaughn est le meilleur pilote de drift la as a cherché !!

136

Another point that HAS to be cleared is:
I am sick and tired of hearing "professional drifters", that is a HIGHLY misleading concept!
The FD guys participate to 7-8 events in a season (one season a year that is). I guarantee you they don't make enough money to support themselves solely on drifting alone! MANY of them (the majority actually) have a side jobs, either their own little garage/ tuning shop, or other jobs. Some of them participate in other drift events other then the FD.
Either way, they don't survive only with drifting alone! Based on that, stop saying they're "professional drifters", because by definition a "professional drifter" HAS to be able to survive (financially speaking) only by his endorsements with sponsors and various paycheck from winning titles, and THAT'S it! Running a tuning shop to back up the hobby is NOT considered part of the deal.
So, while some of these guys can certainly drift, most of them (if not all of them) remain amateurs! 
Now, compare WRC which runs about 20 stages in a season; sometime 25 (about 3 times as many from FD). Those guys ARE professional drivers, and many of them rely entirely on their endorsement with their sponsors to survive.

137

voted for vaughn, keep rocking and slappin the base. GO JR!!!!!!!!!

138

The two Sebastians definitely belong on top.

139

@MatsNorway  @RodChong I use to be a regional 100m sprinting champion. You do not understand how much physical training it takes to sprint 100m to what you would think is "quick".  Your quick and my quick is another level. So no, I do not think 100m sprinters are showmen. Yes, drifters practice a lot, and kill lots of tires, and it takes courage (I've done drifting before in a KAT 240sx), so I'm not biased here. I do love the show, the thrill and the WOT opposite lock. But I speak objectively. Honestly, driving serious rotax karts is 10000x more demanding physically and mentally then drifting. I also raced motorcycles with multiple podiums for the past 3 years. So I'd say I have more than average background in racing. I feel I can make this drifter - racer caparison and legitimately say that drifters just cannot be put on the same level as the other racers. 
 
Rod I totally understand you have to pay tribute to drifters, but perhaps just in another poll like "best drifter of 2012". I don't think anyone is disregarding any drifter's accomplishments in their respectful field. However, like you said, you are putting them on the polls because of how big the FD show/scene has got, rather than actually putting them on there because of their athletic ability/accomplishments in racing. People are now saying if you're not an F1 driver you're nothing. That's an extreme. You and I probably both know that even if an average person tried to drive a Formula 3 car they would shit themselves before they realize they've hit armco. Again, I respect all drivers of all disciplines.

140

Rob Huff needs some props he is a FIA World Champion for cripes sake same as the Seb and Seb duo!!

141

@RodChong Sorry Rod, just another thing about the coverage. I admire that you admit you guys have done lots of drifting coverage (maybe too much). You guys also do a lot of touring car which is great. It is all the more curious how Bruno Spengler only has 2% votes. What he accomplished in DTM is incredible. BMW's triple crown is almost crazy accomplishment. This again may show that perhaps there's just a tad too much emphasis on drifting.

142

I voted for Kimi, but Hamilton deserves the nod. Consistently out qualified the grid by a large margin but was let down multiple times by his car.

143

Wow. I know Speedhunters caters to A LOT of drifters and drift fan boys, but making a "Best Driver" competition including Tanner Foust, Daigo Saito, and VGJ in the running against Loeb, Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen, etc...and leaving out others that should be included?! SMH.
I know people like a variety, but it's like nominating Drake, Katy Perry, and Nikki Minaj alongside Adele for a Grammy nod...it's ridiculous.
Everyone knows WRC and F1 Drivers can run circles around drifters, I would have thought this was common sense. Clearly all the 12-18 year olds are voting for drifters.
Sebastien Loeb.

144

Let me make this pole a lot simpler: Is Sebastien Loeb the best driver of 2012?
 
a: Yes.
 
b. YES.
 
Your welcome. And while Formula D is great, this many FD drivers even being put up for nomination in this category is highly questionable. Before finalizing this poll I would definitely keep in mind that it could have been spammed with votes.

145

Why did you only include Lotterer? Tréluyer and Faessler contributed just as much to the World Championship as he did.
And really, drifters are included are included alongside WEC, WRC, Formula 1, WTCC and DTM drivers? Wurz, Lotterer and Alonso are paid by companies with tremendous motorsport heritage to drive their racing cars. These companies rate these drivers highly enough to entrust them with the companies' reputations. And you've included drifters.....

146

Write in!  UNDER-SUZUKI

147

@JDMized Usually I oppose your posts but I gotta say this is right on the money. Professional drivers show up with helmet, drive, go home. And make enough at just that to do only that.

148

Though I do contend with certain drivers being on this list, its not about what sport they drive in, its more about if they were winners! Get the hell over the drift hate. This poll is Driver of the Year, not FASTEST driver of the year. So racing or drift driver is moot. As in, what driver had the best season? Loeb, who utterly ruled but is that really a suprise by now? Or hard for him? Vettel started bad and overcame for the win. But he's not my vote either. Daigo DID have a very good season. 2 titles and 3rd in another top series. Milner is my vote though. Watching him mature and get better and better has been great, and this year he really proved he is knocking on the top level drivers' doors.

149

As I mentioned in the caption, it is difficult to divide up drivers in endurance racing, but Lotterer did seem to have that little bit extra: vis his immense performance in qualifying and the race at Le Mans. But, you could consider a vote for Lotterer as a vote for the #1 Audi crew (and the same with Wurz and his co-drivers).

150

@ToneDiez I think you guys are under estimating the skill it takes to throw cars at walls, while being blinded by smoke. Very few people in the world have the skills to do this. It's a specialization that is definitely deserving of respect.
 
F1 drivers are obviously the pinnacle of circuit racing, WRC rallying and Formula D drifting... very simple. As each year passes, we see Formula D growing by leaps and bounds and the championship has joined the ranks of the world's top national level championships in our view. We do not see this type of growth happening in too many other types of motorsports.
 
Of course you are free to put your weight behind WRC or F1 drivers which is why this is a vote :>

151

@ChristianClark  @JDMized Most of the drifters in Formula D are privateers yes, but there are several  drifters in Formula D who making full living as professionals. We are well aware of the difference between the two.
 
So no I am not sure what you are trying to say Alex. We know who are making livings as professionals and who are doing it as amateurs. It's pretty basic.

152

It's exactly why I voted for Loeb. I don't think most will appreciate his talent for quite a long, long time as he makes it look so easy. He's not just a nine time world champion but a nine time consecutive world champion.

153

Voted for Daigo... he won 2 championships, 3rd in D1gp + lot of other events... I know Vettel, Loeb or Alonso should get more votes but Tanner Foust in the lead? ... are you serious ?

154

@RodChong I'm not saying drifters don't have skill, I'm just saying it's obvious that F1, WRC, Endurance, Touring drivers have MUCH more skill which is much more refined. An F1 or WRC driver can and does do what a drifter can do, plus much more. It's not even a contest. Drifters may be very skilled at their discipline, but their discipline is basically a grassroots motorsport, whereas F1, WRC, and Touring racing are the absolute highest accolade one can hope to reach. F1, you're talking about a driver that PILOTS a $5m+ car like a jet, versus a drift car that can be made for ~$50k, and that's generous, most amateurs have cars worth $10-20k...and the playing field between amateurs and "professionals" isn't so spread.

155

how dose tanner get driver of the year? global time attack is terrible!!!

156

@hollywood  He can do multiple kinds of races and dominate all of them!!!

157

@ChristianClark Oh, so winning is no longer a challenge for people like Loeb and Vettel...why don't we just hand them the trophies at the beginning of every season then. You sound ridiculous. It's not about who's fastest, it's about who's most skilled and successful over a season. I'm sorry, but just because Daigo won three titles it doesn't equal or surpass the F1 World Champion title or WRC title, that's insulting. There are much more Drift series' then there are F1/WRC series', OBVIOUSLY. The fact is drifting is a grassroots motorsport and, when compared to ACTUAL RACING, is more like an ice skating competition. I would say Time Attack drivers have more skill than drifters, but we skipped right over them in this poll didn't we. Getting judged by a panel? How about getting judged by the clock and getting the fastest time possible. Of course Loeb and Vettel have to work hard to retain their titles, are you saying Sam Hubinette and Rhys Millen didn't have to work hard to keep dominating the early days of Formula D? Please.
 
Comparing Drifters to F1, WRC, Endurance, Touring drivers is like comparing Middle school softball players to MLB players.

158

Yeah, Tanner Foust is the best driver out there

159

@ToneDiez Hey, fan boy. Look whos winning!!!
TANNER FOUST

160

@TEAMFOUST34 Yes, because children like you voted for him.

161

@SMRacing Kosciuszko maybe?

162

@ToneDiez I'm only talking about the top end professional Formula D drifters here. The top of the pyramid machine in Formula D are just as expensive as a top line GT3 car for example. You are off by several hundred thousand dollars when you are talking about a high end FD machine :>
 
Formula D has come a long way in the past few years, and it's time for the traditional motorsports community to think differently here. 
 
Yes there is a massive spread between the big teams and the amateurs, but that's what we love about Formula D, a highly skllled drifter can make a big difference, it's not only necessarily about spending the most money.

163

@TEAMFOUST34  @ToneDiez he also made a big deal out of it on FB mobilising all the 13 year old girls;]

164

@TEAMFOUST34 And don't forget, the only time Loeb and Foust actually went head-to-head, in the 2012 X-Games Rally, Loeb spanked Foust effortlessly. There's your 1-on-1 on a level playing field.

165

@hollywood  he hasn't got the win just yet... loeb is gaining ground...

166

@RodChong Why you continue to persist with this ridiculous comparison, I have no idea. Like I said in reply to that Tanner Foust fanboy, Loeb spanked Foust in the 2012 Xgames if you need an example of the 2 drivers head-to-head on a level playing field. Loeb is a better driver, period. You honestly think Loeb couldn't hop in a FD car and win competitions? It would be too easy. Starting to think you've never watched any WRC stages. Most of what they do is drift...on tarmac, on gravel, in snow, in rain, in ice....it's a ridiculous comparison.

167

@RodChong Why you continue to persist with this ridiculous comparison, I have no idea. Like I said in reply to that Tanner Foust fanboy, Loeb spanked Foust in the 2012 Xgames if you need an example of the 2 drivers head-to-head on a level playing field. Loeb is a better driver, period. You honestly think Loeb couldn't hop in a FD car and win competitions? It would be too easy. WRC is just a nearly year long season and any time between stages is spent preparing learning every single turn with their navigators, practicing, and considering weather conditions. Starting to think you've never watched any WRC stages. Most of what they do is drift...on tarmac, on gravel, in snow, in rain, in ice....it's a ridiculous comparison.

168

@ToneDiez I don't think it's possible to directly compare drivers in different disciplines. I am not saying that Saito and JR are on the same playing field as the F1 and WRC champions. All I am saying here is that they definitely deserve to be on the list.
 
So what is your commentary about Foust beating Button at the ROC in 2008 and Schumacher in 2009?

169

@ToneDiez Foust had no power steering at all, and i dont mind leob, but i like Foust better

170

@RodChong  @ToneDiez SMACKDOWN

171

@RodChong  @JDMized Didnt say there were NO pro drifters

172

@RodChong You're going to bring the ROC "exhibition" into a competitive discussion?
Ok, Foust beat Button...and Coulthard beat Foust...and Loeb beat Coulthard to win the title.
As for 2009, Foust got a better time than Schumacher, but Foust didn't even make it out of his group and into the knockout stages, whereas Schumacher made it to the final.
What's your point judging from 2 individual times against 2 individual drivers?

173

@ChristianClark  @RodChong What "smackdown"? Anyone with a mind and love for motorsports knows F1 and WRC are superior to ANY drifting series. If Tanner Foust and Saito were "Better Drivers", since this IS a "Driver of the Year" poll, then they'd have been snapped up by a Manufacturer team by now. Skills of F1/WRC drivers can easily translate to use in drifting...the same cannot be said the other way.

174

@ToneDiez  @ChristianClark 
I am going to bring ROC into a discussion to show that Tanner Foust has international level abilities as a professional driver. The formula for ROC is to provide equal machinery so the drivers can compete only on skill. Many drivers show up to that event and get roasted. That didn't happen to Tanner.
 
Tanner Foust is a factory Ford Driver and is sponsored by them with programs in Europe and North America. You are not aware of this?
 
Again to repeat: I am not attempting to say that any one driver is better or worse than another. Nor am I saying that FD drivers are on equal terms to the WRC and F1. Am also not saying that Formula D drifters on mass equal F1 and WRC skill levels
 
All I am saying here is that we stand behind the 15 drivers we have selected as candidates for driver of the year. I do not agree with your attempts to discredit the drifters (Saito and Gittin) and former drifter (Foust) we have put onto this list.

175

@PaddyMcGrathSH I am quite excited to see what Loeb is going to do in GT racing next year!

176

@ToneDiez  @ChristianClark  @RodChong This is so stupid, "Anyone with a mind and love for motorsports" would have appreciation for all motorsports and would hopefully understand that one being "superior" to another is completely subjective.

177

@MichalCiomek Hmm i havent been following wrc that mutch, and he is probably a great driver.. I know Mads will get a drivers seat at ford the next year and that proves to me that he has done something right.. and I also think ford did good in not letting Solberg be one of their drivers.. he is to unconsistant for a championship like wrc...

178

Tell us what happened when he raced Leob,  @TEAMFOUST34

179

@hollywood  Foust doesn't compete in Global Time Attack.

180

@ToneDiez  @ChristianClark You obviously forget the fact that this isn't the motorsports category of the year, but the driver of the year poll.
 
In the end you may still vote for your favourite driver. People don't have to follow your preferations in motorsports categories.

181

@RodChong  @ToneDiez
Hey RC/SH, stop being so Drift biased and making it out to be so hardcore, its just some guys with a bit of talent  simply skidding some cars around a handful of corners, and to throw a car at a wall you cant see is tantamount stupidity, so please stop making it out to be so dramatic and hardcore as its simply is not. Drift has a place but that place is not real world, it is a fantasy world driven by industry types playing to a specific demographic who knows no better and wants to belong to something which by wearing a relative t-shirt, sneakers, baseball cap or simply a sticker they do. Its pure marketing not pure motorsport.  
 
And yes of course Vettel is the best 'driver', well at least to those who understand and appreciate what constitues a 'real driver' that is, by the way I am not a hardcore F1 fan as I actually enjoy watching other motorsport as well, including a bit of Drift I might add !

182

@DomoKun  @TEAMFOUST34 his power steering was broken so he had to use all of his strength to just make it around the turn.

183

@TEAMFOUST34  @DomoKun Ok, obviously you're just a fanboy who has never been on track. While power steering can make DRIFTING easier, due to need for counter steering, there are many people that prefer to drift and/or road race without power steering. No power steering gives better feedback from the road, frees up a little power by taking stress away from the engine, and saves weight. MANY race cars are setup without power steering. If you're saying this was the deciding factor in why Loeb beat Foust, then obviously he's not capable of being a better driver than him.

184

@TEAMFOUST34  @DomoKun Ok, obviously you're just a fanboy who has never been on track. While power steering can make DRIFTING easier, due to need for counter steering, there are many people that prefer to drift and/or road race without power steering. For the most part, power steering does nothing past ~10mph. No power steering gives better feedback from the road, frees up a little power by taking stress away from the engine, and saves weight. MANY race cars are setup without power steering. It's really down to personal preference of the driver. If you're saying this was the deciding factor in why Loeb beat Foust, then obviously he's not capable of being a better driver than him.

185

@ToneDiez  @TEAMFOUST34  @DomoKun nope, you're wrong there. Rallycross uses power steering because they need to go lock-to-lock in just about a second, while braking and/or defending his place. I want to see you do that without a power steering. (obviously, Loeb had his power steering working)

186

@RodChong  I think you are a fan boy! Get off drifters' nuts!

187

@taluva  @RodChong  @ToneDiez Taluva, VERY well said!!!!

188

It would be too easy to just pick Vettel and call it a day.

189

@BadHouse  @ToneDiez  @RodChong Damn, you guys get a response from His Chongness himself here in the forums and you can only argue with him. Rod, thanks for SH, and as director of this site you can choose whoever you want for these 15 drivers. Its what sets the SH poll apart from one elsewhere. If you guys don't like SH's choices, by all means take your eyes elsewhere but damn have a little respect. Calling these guys "stupid" and crying like they don't know motorsports. Buddy, I don't see millions of eyes on YOUR auto blog.

190

sad foust sucks asshole lips compared to loeb

191

I used to enjoy Speedhunters in general, but lately I've been so disgusted by the crass, offensive and crude comments on these pages that I'm pretty much done coming here. Everything has to degrade to name-calling, juvenile pissing matches and displays of ignorance. If I wanted to see that, I'd turn on prime-time television. Ugh.
 
Put the rulers away, boys. Nobody cares.

192

I used to enjoy Speedhunters in general, but lately I've been so disgusted by the crass, offensive and crude comments on these pages that I'm pretty much done coming here. Everything has to degrade to name-calling, juvenile pissing matches and displays of ignorance. If I wanted to see that, I'd turn on prime-time television. Ugh.
 
Put the rulers away, boys. Nobody cares.

193

Kimi is certainly my favorite driver, hum no that's sure! But Sebastien Loeb is now THE WRC LEGEND! 9 titles, 76 wins! 
And to conclude, when he was at X Games, he won it and when I check the repay of the final, whatever happen, he was one level up than other drivers...

194

People tend to fall in love with personalities... Then equate their love for that person with how good they are... Sad.

195

Tanner may be best driver of video games but this is real!

196

Loeb with more votes than Vettel? I would like to see Loeb in another team! He hasn't proven anything except that Citroen WRT is a better team! Even in Citroen he had the whole team working for him!
I still think that Autosport's 8th best driver in 2012 should be in the list! A. Felix da Costa won Macau and is doing better then Vettel did in his time!

197

Loeb with more votes than Vettel? I would like to see Loeb in another team! He hasn't proven anything except that Citroen WRT is a better team! Even in Citroen he had the whole team working for him!
I still think that Autosport's 8th best driver in 2012 should be in the list! A. Felix da Costa won Macau and is doing better then Vettel did in his time!

198

Loeb with more votes than Vettel? I would like to see Loeb in another team! He hasn't proven anything except that Citroen WRT is a better team! Even in Citroen he had the whole team working for him!
I still think that Autosport's 8th best driver in 2012 should be in the list! A. Felix da Costa won Macau and is doing better then Vettel did in his time!

199

While this is a vote for the readers of speedhunters and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, why do people feel the need to shove their opinions all over the board, Yes Loeb is an outstanding driver, Tanner Foust is too, hell all of the guys on this list are gonna be a damn sight better than most of the people on this board. Once you voted, you've had your say on who you think is best, so just take a deep breath and go grab a beer, I doubt the drivers are going to be losing any sleep over who wins, so why whine on here about it.

200

While this is a vote for the readers of speedhunters and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, why do people feel the need to shove their opinions all over the board, Yes Loeb is an outstanding driver, Tanner Foust is too, hell all of the guys on this list are gonna be a damn sight better than most of the people on this board. Once you voted, you've had your say on who you think is best, so just take a deep breath and go grab a beer, I doubt the drivers are going to be losing any sleep over who wins, so why whine on here about it.

201

While this is a vote for the readers of speedhunters and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, why do people feel the need to shove their opinions all over the board, Yes Loeb is an outstanding driver, Tanner Foust is too, hell all of the guys on this list are gonna be a damn sight better than most of the people on this board. Once you voted, you've had your say on who you think is best, so just take a deep breath and go grab a beer, I doubt the drivers are going to be losing any sleep over who wins, so why whine on here about it.

202

@MichaelKN hes good at video games because he has more experience with real driving than all of the other drivers combined

203

@MichaelKN hes good at video games because he has more experience with real driving than all of the other drivers combined

204

@MichaelKN hes good at video games because he has more experience with real driving than all of the other drivers combined

205

I can't help but get in on this a little after the comments I've read. I think people are only looking at Tanner's career as of the past several years where his popularity has sky-rocketed (which for this vote, I understand), however if we're just going to compare his actual driving skills to others I don't think that is entirely fair. He has also competed in the Pike's Peak Hill Climb, ice driving events, and rally events as well as his GRC, ERC, and Formula D claim to fame. Not to mention the Gymkhana and stunt driving stuff which, yes, I know are not exactly major motorsport events or even one at all, but it's still driving experience and still requires the ability to handle a car. I would also like to point out that his second place in ERC is with several missed events.
Obviously all of these drivers have immense talent, that goes without saying. They wouldn't be here if they didn't. Loeb is, without a doubt, already a legend thanks to WRC, but Tanner is also one of the most consistent drivers I have ever seen and I, personally, enjoy watching his style and watching him drive. And it's unfortunate that his power steering failed at the X Games, and I would love to see a repeat if it hadn't. Would it have turned out with Loeb on top again? Probably, but I bet it still would've been a damn great race.
I also hate to admit that Tanner does have an entire slew of a female fan base that just like to look at his face and could give a shit less about what he does...which is just preposterous but we can't get around it anyway so it's just something we have to deal with when it comes to a vote like this. I usually avoid votes like this for this reason. You shouldn't judge a driver by his fans, though. I don't think it's fair to say that he is at the bottom of the pack.
I would also like to make a nod at the Formula D drivers. I've noticed several people judging them based on the fans and not the actual driving. I understand where everyone is coming from in terms of their skills not necessarily transferring across to other events and that it's more about the entertainment, however I'm sick of the Formula D-hating in general. Drifting does take skill and immense car control, and just because they're not big-time road course guys doesn't mean they're not great drivers. I don't care for Daigo Saito as a driver and I don't think the judges made the right call in his first run with Matt Field at Irwindale, but I still respect that he is a skilled drifter. Yes, drifting appeals to a generally younger audience, but I think it's still a lot about the fun and style in it, and I don't see anything wrong with that. So people need to pull their heads out of their asses and just have a little fun with watching it. Because there is something magical about throwing a car sideways against the door of another car. ;) As much as I love Vaughn's style, he wouldn't have my vote for this category.
And as for people nagging about SH "catering" to Formula D or whatever, just calm yourselves. It's still a relatively young Motorsport and appeals to a younger audience...and who is, generally, on the Internet more? Oh! A younger audience!
But anyway, I think I've gotten that off my chest and feel a bit better...but what is the Internet for if not to take a stand on our soap boxes for a while? It's really difficult to compare drivers from so many different events...but it's kind of interesting to see the turn out.
Anyway, let the hate continue.

206

I can't help but get in on this a little after the comments I've read. I think people are only looking at Tanner's career as of the past several years where his popularity has sky-rocketed (which for this vote, I understand), however if we're just going to compare his actual driving skills to others I don't think that is entirely fair. He has also competed in the Pike's Peak Hill Climb, ice driving events, and rally events as well as his GRC, ERC, and Formula D claim to fame. Not to mention the Gymkhana and stunt driving stuff which, yes, I know are not exactly major motorsport events or even one at all, but it's still driving experience and still requires the ability to handle a car. I would also like to point out that his second place in ERC is with several missed events.
Obviously all of these drivers have immense talent, that goes without saying. They wouldn't be here if they didn't. Loeb is, without a doubt, already a legend thanks to WRC, but Tanner is also one of the most consistent drivers I have ever seen and I, personally, enjoy watching his style and watching him drive. And it's unfortunate that his power steering failed at the X Games, and I would love to see a repeat if it hadn't. Would it have turned out with Loeb on top again? Probably, but I bet it still would've been a damn great race.
I also hate to admit that Tanner does have an entire slew of a female fan base that just like to look at his face and could give a shit less about what he does...which is just preposterous but we can't get around it anyway so it's just something we have to deal with when it comes to a vote like this. I usually avoid votes like this for this reason. You shouldn't judge a driver by his fans, though. I don't think it's fair to say that he is at the bottom of the pack.
I would also like to make a nod at the Formula D drivers. I've noticed several people judging them based on the fans and not the actual driving. I understand where everyone is coming from in terms of their skills not necessarily transferring across to other events and that it's more about the entertainment, however I'm sick of the Formula D-hating in general. Drifting does take skill and immense car control, and just because they're not big-time road course guys doesn't mean they're not great drivers. I don't care for Daigo Saito as a driver and I don't think the judges made the right call in his first run with Matt Field at Irwindale, but I still respect that he is a skilled drifter. Yes, drifting appeals to a generally younger audience, but I think it's still a lot about the fun and style in it, and I don't see anything wrong with that. So people need to pull their heads out of their asses and just have a little fun with watching it. Because there is something magical about throwing a car sideways against the door of another car. ;) As much as I love Vaughn's style, he wouldn't have my vote for this category.
And as for people nagging about SH "catering" to Formula D or whatever, just calm yourselves. It's still a relatively young Motorsport and appeals to a younger audience...and who is, generally, on the Internet more? Oh! A younger audience!
But anyway, I think I've gotten that off my chest and feel a bit better...but what is the Internet for if not to take a stand on our soap boxes for a while? It's really difficult to compare drivers from so many different events...but it's kind of interesting to see the turn out.
Anyway, let the hate continue.

207

I can't help but get in on this a little after the comments I've read. I think people are only looking at Tanner's career as of the past several years where his popularity has sky-rocketed (which for this vote, I understand), however if we're just going to compare his actual driving skills to others I don't think that is entirely fair. He has also competed in the Pike's Peak Hill Climb, ice driving events, and rally events as well as his GRC, ERC, and Formula D claim to fame. Not to mention the Gymkhana and stunt driving stuff which, yes, I know are not exactly major motorsport events or even one at all, but it's still driving experience and still requires the ability to handle a car. I would also like to point out that his second place in ERC is with several missed events.
Obviously all of these drivers have immense talent, that goes without saying. They wouldn't be here if they didn't. Loeb is, without a doubt, already a legend thanks to WRC, but Tanner is also one of the most consistent drivers I have ever seen and I, personally, enjoy watching his style and watching him drive. And it's unfortunate that his power steering failed at the X Games, and I would love to see a repeat if it hadn't. Would it have turned out with Loeb on top again? Probably, but I bet it still would've been a damn great race.
I also hate to admit that Tanner does have an entire slew of a female fan base that just like to look at his face and could give a shit less about what he does...which is just preposterous but we can't get around it anyway so it's just something we have to deal with when it comes to a vote like this. I usually avoid votes like this for this reason. You shouldn't judge a driver by his fans, though. I don't think it's fair to say that he is at the bottom of the pack.
I would also like to make a nod at the Formula D drivers. I've noticed several people judging them based on the fans and not the actual driving. I understand where everyone is coming from in terms of their skills not necessarily transferring across to other events and that it's more about the entertainment, however I'm sick of the Formula D-hating in general. Drifting does take skill and immense car control, and just because they're not big-time road course guys doesn't mean they're not great drivers. I don't care for Daigo Saito as a driver and I don't think the judges made the right call in his first run with Matt Field at Irwindale, but I still respect that he is a skilled drifter. Yes, drifting appeals to a generally younger audience, but I think it's still a lot about the fun and style in it, and I don't see anything wrong with that. So people need to pull their heads out of their asses and just have a little fun with watching it. Because there is something magical about throwing a car sideways against the door of another car. ;) As much as I love Vaughn's style, he wouldn't have my vote for this category.
And as for people nagging about SH "catering" to Formula D or whatever, just calm yourselves. It's still a relatively young Motorsport and appeals to a younger audience...and who is, generally, on the Internet more? Oh! A younger audience!
But anyway, I think I've gotten that off my chest and feel a bit better...but what is the Internet for if not to take a stand on our soap boxes for a while? It's really difficult to compare drivers from so many different events...but it's kind of interesting to see the turn out.
Anyway, let the hate continue.

208

whats with this poll?? drift guys in a poll for the best driver?what? foust competing agaisnt loeb?? man im disappointed in you guys, i though speedhunters knew better...

209

whats with this poll?? drift guys in a poll for the best driver?what? foust competing agaisnt loeb?? man im disappointed in you guys, i though speedhunters knew better...

210

whats with this poll?? drift guys in a poll for the best driver?what? foust competing agaisnt loeb?? man im disappointed in you guys, i though speedhunters knew better...

211

@drivemycam Loeb must be a bit tired of Citroen by now. he's been with them for, i don't know, 7 years? And i like your question: "Loeb with more votes than Vettel?" That is one thing i dont understand.

212

@drivemycam Loeb must be a bit tired of Citroen by now. he's been with them for, i don't know, 7 years? And i like your question: "Loeb with more votes than Vettel?" That is one thing i dont understand.

213

@drivemycam Loeb must be a bit tired of Citroen by now. he's been with them for, i don't know, 7 years? And i like your question: "Loeb with more votes than Vettel?" That is one thing i dont understand.

214

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant.

215

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant.

216

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant.

217

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, forgetting past years altogether, who was most successful THIS YEAR.

218

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, forgetting past years altogether, who was most successful THIS YEAR.

219

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, forgetting past years altogether, who was most successful THIS YEAR.

220

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title. Vettel ALSO won the team competition with Schumacher at the 2012 ROC.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance. Loeb also won the 2012 X-Games Rally Gold.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, this award is for who was the most successful driver THIS YEAR of 2012.

221

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title. Vettel ALSO won the team competition with Schumacher at the 2012 ROC.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance. Loeb also won the 2012 X-Games Rally Gold.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, this award is for who was the most successful driver THIS YEAR of 2012.

222

I believe the title of this award is "Driver of the YEAR" for the "2012 Speedhunters Awards"...Was Tanner Foust the best or, and I'll pander to the drift fanatics by saying, most successful/impressive driver in his "particular discipline" this year? No.
Why do people keep looking into the drivers' past successful seasons? There were PAST awards for PAST years.
In 2012, Vettel came from behind, winning 4 GP's in a row along the way, to take his 3rd consecutive title. Vettel ALSO won the team competition with Schumacher at the 2012 ROC.
In 2012, Loeb won 1st in every stage of the WRC except 4...that's a pretty impressive display of dominance. Loeb also won the 2012 X-Games Rally Gold.
Whether they are the usual/predictable winners or not is irrelevant. Just because they dominate their discipline doesn't make their fight to win year after year any less meaningful. They're still world champs, that's still significant. Again, this award is for who was the most successful driver THIS YEAR of 2012.

223

I wasn't addressing the award in this case, I was simply addressing his ability as a driver.

224

I wasn't addressing the award in this case, I was simply addressing his ability as a driver.

225

I wasn't addressing the award in this case, I was simply addressing his ability as a driver.

226

Vettel or Loeb, period. Even if this was an all time award, they'd be worthy.

227

Vettel or Loeb, period. Even if this was an all time award, they'd be worthy.

228

Vettel or Loeb, period. Even if this was an all time award, they'd be worthy.

229

@drivemycam It's actually more than 9years! 11 (2002-2012)! The thing is that he is a fantastic driver, but he never had a chance to prove his value by competing in another team! He has always been in the best team! Vettel is also on the best team, but when you look at his past and the way he drives, you see his talent!
Alonso is good, but he has Ferrari and Massa working for him!
Btw, Tanner is also an excellent, versatile driver, but not the best!

230

@TEAMFOUST34  @MichaelKN Are you for real my god

231

@DomoKun  @MichaelKN what do u mean

232

Loeb and Vettel hands down, miles ahead of the rest and have been consistently for years!

233

@drivemycam What uninformed drivel. Yes Loeb has always been with Citroen, but lets look at that. The Best Team in WRC without a doubt so they have their choice of drivers and Loeb is picked to be #3 (beating out Philippe Bugalski - the only man to win a WRC event in a Citreon at that point) behind Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, who he promptly blows into the weeds. First full season he finishes 2nd in the drivers championship, losing out to Petter Solberg in the final event. 2004 his sophomore year he wins the title.
 
Vettel meanwhile came to F1 in a Red Bull Jr before being promoted to the main team where he has been all along - so where is the comments about Vettel needing to drive for another team? You say look at his past and see his talent lets look at Mr Loeb's past again. Didn't start rallying until 1998 thats right 6 years from total novice to World Champion! When did Vettel start racing?
 
"Alonso is good but he has Ferrari and Massa working for him."  And what a wonderful job they both did in the first 2/3rds of the season. That Ferrari was a PIG for the first half of the season and had no right being anywhere near the results Alonso got it. (BTW you might want to check out what the pro writers and drivers think as to the best driver in F1 for 2012 - for most it is not finger-boy)

234

Let's go by parts. By that order of ideas, maybe we should consider Ogier that in 2011 did a better season than Loeb, but Citroen just didn't let him win. It was funny to see him smash that car in the last event just to piss off Citroen! But all of this is history. We are talking here about the best driver in 2012 and Loeb simply cruised in that car watching Ford crash and break! (And let's not talk about the car because in the only rally where they have the guts to inspect cars in detail, Citroen got a penalty.)
Loeb is maybe the best WRC driver ever, but this year I didn't see him doing his best, or anything extraordinary for that matter! Maybe he didn't need it because he was in the best team, had the team working for him and the competition was falling apart! But this year he didn't prove anything!
If I'm not mistaken, Vettel did 2 years in Sauber! He didn't land in F1 just because he had money. You might not know this, but there are only two ways of getting into the F1. By having loads of money, (Alonso, Massa, Webber, etc) or by being an out of this world driver. In the last case you only get there if Red Bull sees you. That's way I spoke about his past, Red Bull Junior Team only picks up the best of the best for F1! I've seen them throwing amazing drivers into other categories or firing them just because they weren't the best.This year he managed to get a 3rd World Title in a row, that is Fangio and  and Schumacher level!
 
Oh! The whining Spaniard. You know, the car wasn't really that bad! It's funny because Alonso sometimes complained about speed and you could see that the car had the highest top speed and incredible acceleration in some GPs! I really like Ferrari, but they have been managed like crap! Even more funny is that Ferrari had the chance to develop the car, they did it more times than they were allowed and FIA closed their eyes!
I watched the GPs and that doesn't let me get influenced by some the writers! I'm not saying that Alonso is bad, it's just that he is a sour loser that blamed it on the car!

235

@RodChong @TomHenwood Drift is a B class movie, especially FD, just for show

236

Something is off with these votes and comments, the amount of newly created accounts to comment in Foust's favour is not normal, nor is the amount of caps lock use of "TANNER".
 
I wonder how the result would look if you'd take away the votes from US IPs. Don't get me wrong, I've got lots of love for the US, but I fear the result might be awfully different due to some weirdness here.

OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS