After racing in as various national championships in Russia, Petrov gets his start on the world stage in 2004 with limited success in Formula Renault 2000 Italia and Eurocup and F3000 Euro series. In 2005 he was Formula 1600 Russia champion and Lada Revolution Russia champion, then in 2006 third overall in Euroseries 3000 and F3000 Italy series. Makes GP2 debut with DPR team in 2007.
9. Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 42 points
Sutil finished ninth in the standings, best among drivers not from the four premier teams – Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes – but it wasn’t enough to retain his race seat at Force India. Sutil learned after the season that he had been replaced in the team’s 2012 race driver lineup by Nico Hulkenberg, whom the team promoted from reserve driver. Sutil’s best and perhaps only remaining option for 2012 is the second Williams seat alongside Pastor Maldonado.
8. Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) 76 points
Schumacher’s second season since coming out of retirement largely mirrored his first as the seven-time World Champion failed to post a single podium finish. Schumacher did lead three laps after leading none in 2010, and finished one position better – eighth – in the standings from the previous season. The 2012 campaign is the last of Schumacher’s three-year deal with Mercedes but the German has hinted at possibly continuing on with the team at least through 2013.
7. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 89 points
For the second straight season, Rosberg finished one position better in the standings than his veteran teammate Michael Schumacher. While such a feat is a notable accomplishment, Rosberg failed to make any major improvements on his first season at Mercedes. The German finished in the same points position – seventh – and didn’t secure a podium after finishing among the top three on a trio of occasions in 2010. With no wins in 108 GP starts, questions about Rosberg’s long-term potential have quietly begun to emerge.
6. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 188 points
Despite once again failing to live up to the expectations of his Ferrari team, Massa enjoyed a successful season – at least compared with most the competition. The Brazilian finished sixth in points, matching his finish from 2010, but recorded no podiums compared with five the previous year. Massa also led just nine laps, down from 42 in 2010. Without considerable improvement, 2012 will likely be his last season in Maranello.
5. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 227 points
It was feast or famine for Hamilton in 2011 as the McLaren driver scored wins in China, Germany and Abu Dhabi but was plagued by wrecks and overall inconsistency that quickly put to rest any hopes of a second World Championship. Hamilton spent most the season in the shadow of teammate Jenson Button, who made a strong case to be considered the Woking-based team’s No. 1 driver. Part of Hamilton’s struggles was admittedly mental as the 26-year-old dealt with a highly-publicized late-season breakup with his girlfriend, pop artist Nicole Scherzinger. Hamilton also faced adversity through multiple run-ins with Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.
4. Fernando Alonzo (Ferrari) 257 points
Alonso picked up a huge win on Red Bull’s home turf at Silverstone in July but the victory proved to be the highlight of an otherwise disappointing season for the Spaniard and his Ferrari team. Alonso never seriously challenged for victory again, and finished a distant fourth in the championship fight a season after winning five races and finishing a close second in points. Team principals in Maranello are counting on a stronger 2012.
3. Mark Webber (RBR-Renault) 258 points
The season was in many ways a disappointment for Webber but the affable Australian still finished third in the driver points, giving Red Bull two of the top three positions and helping the team earn another constructors’ title. After playing second fiddle all season to teammate Sebastian Vettel, Webber finally broke through in the season finale at Interlagos to notch his lone victory.
2. Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) 270 points
While Vettel was undeniably the season’s top performer, Button was hands-down No. 2. With victories in Canada, Hungary and Japan, Button was Vettel’s most consistent challenger as the Briton finished a fairly comfortable second in the driver championship standings. Button finished in the points at every race except Silverstone and Germany, and concluded the season with eight podiums in the last nine outings.
1. Sebastian Vettel (RBR-Renault) 392 points
Vettel won 11 of 19 races and failed to finish on the podium just twice in becoming Formula One’s youngest two-time World Champion at age 24. The German notched an incredible 15 poles, breaking Nigel Mansell’s 19-year-old record for most in a single season. Outside of the season’s penultimate race at Abu Dhabi where Vettel wrecked on the first lap, the young driver completed every lap of competition in his Red Bull RB7.
View the complete list at Formula One
