11. Alexander Rossi - 7.20/10
Admittedly, Rossi’s limited amount of races has helped him in terms of ending with a more rounded average score which propels him above a gaggle of closely-matched drivers, but he at least deserves credit for grabbing his chance when it was presented to him. The Manor is a tough car to drive and it’s easy to dismiss the performances of those at the back of the grid, but he beat Stevens in four of their five races together despite his team-mate’s experience in the car and rarely made a mistake.
Knew he would be strong in Singapore thanks to his GP2 experience on the street circuit - something Stevens didn’t have - and inherited a position from his team-mate late in the race in Japan, but his home race was a standout drive. Amid huge interest for someone in a car which is off the pace, Rossi was strong throughout a weather-disrupted weekend, though he hit Stevens early on which eventually ended his team-mate’s race. Strong again in Mexico, Rossi’s struggles in Brazil were the sort of hiccups all new drivers would have on a few occasions over the year and a reminder that he needs more races to prove himself fully.
The rundown of drivers from places 10-1 will appear on F1i tomorrow (December 24)
2015 F1 season: F1i’s teams review
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