LONDON: A top-ten poll conducted by Autosport with each of the 12 team principals revealed Fernando Alonso as the driver of the year, beating this season’s champion Sebastian Vettel convincingly in the survey.
The Ferrari driver lost the title-battle to the German at the season-finale Brazilian Grand Prix last month by three points but the Spaniard was 71 points ahead of the Red Bull driver in the poll.
All 12 team principals were asked to assign points – as assigned in a race – to their top ten drivers of the year, following which the cumulative figures displayed the overall top ten list.
“I was pleased to be chosen by the team principals as the best driver of 2012,” Alonso said.
He added that Red Bull will be favourites again next season.
“I think it will be very difficult to repeat what was almost a perfect season this year, but we will try, which isn’t saying much, but it’s true!
“Of course, next year I would prefer to win the title, happy to leave this prestigious yet idealistic award to one of my peers,” he added. (AP)