RACINGAWARDS 2019
ROOKIE OF
THE YEAR
LandoNorris
McLaren
HOWYOUVOTED
LandoNorris 54.9%
AlexAlbon 38.5%
GeorgeRussell 6.6%96 F1 RACING JANUARY 2020“I’m very happy, thank youvery
much. I’m grateful and clearly the
readers of F1 Racing are awesome
if I got 55% of thevote. That
means a lot and it’s been avery
enjoyable year. It’s the only season
I can win rookie of the year, so I’m
glad I’ve done it. Something like
this is a great confidence booster.”
LandoNorrisFormula1hasabrightfuture thanksto the
three rookies who graduated fromFormula 2
for the 2019 season. The two British drivers,
Lando Norris and George Russell, and the
London-born Thai Alex Albon, have all deserved
their place at the sharp end of the sport. If
their momentum continues they shouldenjoy
lengthy careers.
All three could have had a shotat winning
this award. Albon came intoFormula 1with the
leastexperience, but showed his worth when
he scored a point in China after amassive
practice shunt the day before.
By mid-season he was startingto regularly
outqualify his moreexperiencedteam-mate
DaniilKvyat. Hewas subsequently rewarded
with promotion fromToro Rossoto the Red Bull
seniorteam at theexpense of Pierre Gasly
from theBel gian Grand Prix onwards.
Since Williams has been firmly rootedto theback of the grid, the 2019Formula 2champion
Russell has in effect onlyhad one opponent
this yea r – histeam-mate RobertKubica. And
it’s fairto say over the course of the season,
Russell has blitzed the one-time grand prix
winner in both qualifying andraces.
It wasperhaps Norris at McLaren who hit
form the earliest – makingQ3 in his first
race. Norris started as high asfifth inAustria
and regularly outqualifiedteam-mate Carlos
Sainz (who had runVerstappen close when
theyteam-matetoge ther atToro Rosso).
However, Sainz’sexperience often shone
through on race day.
What probably justedges this award in
Norris’s favour is his age. He made his debut
in Melbourne at 19 (fouryea rs younger than
Albon and two year the junior of Russell) and
he’s driven assuredly andwith confidence
throughout the year.PICTURES
:ZAK MAUGER
;GLENN DUNBAR
;STEVE ETHERINGTON