Top Six Formula 1 debut/rookie seasons since 2000

There will be five drivers will make their Formula 1 debut in 2013 starting at this weekends Austrian Grand Prix, as follows Esteban Gutiérrez at Sauber, Valtteri Bottas at Williams, both Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi at Marussia and Giedo van der Garde at Caterham. This post will be a top six Formula 1 debut/rookie seasons since the year 2000, starting with at number six:

Number 6: Mark Webber, 2002
Story: Got the Minardi (nowadays Toro Rosso in 2013) drive for the 2002 season. In his first grand prix at his home grand prix the Australian Grand Prix, took an underpowered Minardi to fifth place after a first lap crash that took nine F1 drivers out . Which took Mark Webber to sixteenth in the drivers standings and took Minardi to ninth in the constructors standings ahead of all-mighty Toyota that season.



Number 5: Kimi Raikkonen, 2001
Story: Only had 23 car races to his credit before his career in F1. Kimi Raikkonen was the surprise choice for driving for Sauber in 2001. Took a point in his first race at the Australian Grand Prix. Best results that season was taking two forth place finishes at the Austrian Grand Prix and the Canadian Grand Prix. Which took him to tenth place in the drivers standings that season and took 10 points that season and a McLaren drive for the 2002 season as-well replacing Mika Hakkinen.



Number 4: Juan Paulo Montoya, 2001
Story: Very unreliable Williams car for the former Champ Car champion for his debut. When the car was reliable he was impressive, should have won the Brazilian Grand Prix that season only for Jos Verstappen crashing into him. Took three pole positions' that season and a race win at the 2001 Italian Grand Prix. took 31 points that year and sixth in the drivers standing as-well.



Number 3: Fernanado Alonso, 2001
Story: Despite taking no points that season, Fernando Alonso was very impressive that season. In a very underpowered Minardi that season, Alonso was the third-youngest driver ever to start a Formula 1 race when he made his debut for Minardi. Best result was a tenth place finish at the German Grand Rix that season. Also, at the final round of the season at Suzuka he finished in eleventh place, ahead of likes of Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the Prost, the BAR of Olivier Panis, the two Arrows and his team-mate Alex Yoong, even Minardi team manager Paul Stoddart, described his race as "53 laps of qualifying". Now that's an impressive season with the worse car on the grid that season.



Number 2: Jenson Button, 2000
Story: Got the Williams drive, despite only having only two season before that in Formula Ford and Formula Three. Almost score a point before his engine failed 11 laps from the finish on his debut race at the Australian Grnad Prix. Meanwhile a sixth-place finish at the next race in Brazil made him, at the time, the youngest driver ever to score a point. Best finish was at the German Grand Prix finishing in forth place. Took 12 points that season to finish in eighth in drivers' standings for that season.



Number 1: Lewis Hamilton, 2007
Story: His rookie season was at McLaren in 2007 teaming up with double world champion Fernando Alonso that season. He almost won the Drivers' World Championship despite only one DNF that season, only losing the championship by a single point to Kimi Raikkonen. Scoring 109 points, second in the drivers' standings, six pole positions and four race wins in that season.



Good luck to the new rookies for this season.

End of post/blog for now, new post soon. Bye.