Picking up where he left off in 2017, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won the 2018 Australian Grand Prix and immediately took the lead in AutoSportsNation’s annual Formula One driver rankings. ASN’s 2017 defending champion, Vettel, took advantage of a timely deployment of the virtual safety car to surpass Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton mid-race and then held off the pole-sitter Hamilton for the remainder of the race on the notoriously-difficult-to-overtake circuit in Melbourne. Third place is awarded to Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen for a staunch effort that brought him to the podium for the third and final spot.
The Pastor Maldonado Driving School Award for the 2018 Australian Grand Prix was claimed by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who spun himself in the middle of the race in classic Maldonado-esque fashion.
The Kimi Raikkonen “Leave Me Alone! I Know What I’m Doing!” Award goes to Hamilton for his mid-race tantrum – “What just happened guys? Why didn’t you tell me Vettel was in the pits?”
The Bernie Ecclestone Doofus Moment Award also goes to Hamilton for his no-brain attempt at smack-talking Vettel when he informed Vettel that he was waiting to put in a good lap and claim the fastest qualifying time to “wipe the smile” off Vettel’s face after he held the previous fastest time.
2018 ASN Formula One Rankings [after Australian Grand Prix]
1] Sebastian Vettel – three points
2] Lewis Hamilton – two
3] Kimi Raikkonen – one
2018 Pastor Maldonado Driving School Award
1] Max Verstappen – one point
2018 Kimi Raikkonen “Leave Me Alone! I Know What I’m Doing!” Award
1] Hamilton – one
2018 Bernie Ecclestone Doofus Moment Award
1] Hamilton – one