Brawn names 'truly exceptional' Hamilton as top 2020 driver

Formula 1 director of motorsport Ross Brawn predictably singled out Lewis Hamilton as his top driver for 2020, insisting the "truly exceptional" Briton had set a new benchmark this season.

Hamilton's banner year is well chronicled, the Mercedes star conquering his seventh world title and the record previously owned exclusively by Michael Schumacher.

The 35-year-old and BBC 'Sports Personality of the Year' also surpassed the great German's victory tally of 91 wins in F1, planting the landmark at 94 Grands Prix victories.

Asked to nominate his top driver of 2020 on the latest F1 Nation podcast, Brawn's justified the reasons behind his predictable choice.

"I think it has to be Lewis, and I say has to be in the sense that he has set a new benchmark in terms of world championships," Brawn argued.

"I think it’s very easy for people to assume that he had the best car. It’s an easy exercise and it’s far from the case. He definitely won races he shouldn’t have won."

Brawn singled out the Turkish GP, where Hamilton bided his time after starting P6 to overhaul all his rivals and win a race that also sealed his championship title.

"We think of Turkey, probably the most difficult race of the year, and he sat there quietly getting on with it until the opportunity came and there he was in the pound seat and he won the race," said Brawn.

"He just endorsed what we already knew, that he is a truly exceptional driver. Definitely in the higher echelons of the Schumacher’s and the Senna’s, he’s in that group, there’s no doubt about it."

• Read also - Hamilton: Unique 2020 led to 'year of growth' for me

Brawn also commended Max Verstappen - a two-tome race winner in 2020, highlighting the Red Bull driver's personal development this season.

"I thought Max matured very well this year," added the F1 boss. "If we think back to the Max of a couple of years ago…

"He was pretty unlucky this year, I have to say. There were a couple of times the car didn’t quite [perform] and he got caught up in accidents that were not his fault and we were deprived of seeing some great races from him."

Finally, Brawn awarded a mention to F1's current crop of impressive young talent as embodied by one-time Mercedes substitute George Russell.

"We’ve got a really great run of drivers and I think we were all massively excited by George Russell getting in the Mercedes," lauded Brawn.

"That was a fairytale story that didn’t quite happen but I don’t think we will forget that. We’ve had some great stories this year.

"I’m optimistic with the group of drivers that we have, that we are going to have some great races in the future, particularly when we are going to try and improve the cars and the competitiveness of the teams and the ability to follow."

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