2016 European GP: Infinite Improbability Drive of the Race

[DemocalypseNow]

based on the assumption that, at any moment in time, there is a non-zero probability that even the slowest, most inexperienced and least reliable of underdogs might win the race. That under every rock, there might be a gold nugget. This is the award for that first podium that we all celebrate, for the overtake no-one was expecting, for Ericsson's first win. This is the award, in short, for the driver or team that makes you go "Woah! Where did THAT come from?!".

10 points for 1st pick and 6 for your 2nd pick, and the usual 48 hour deadline applies. In case you came to this thread before the ROTR thread, an explanation of the changes: the only votes that will count towards the total will be those submitted in the form below, to make things easier in regards to tallying the total votes at the end. You're still welcome to, and encouraged to, post your nominations and reasons for them in the thread.

[Aguaman]

10. Perez - Easily

6. Paul Di Resta - Just replace Brundle. Yes, I said it.

HM - Niki Lauda "Nico fixed it quicker than Lewis" and the track. It's not the track's fault for the procession.

[Waris]

Interesting, this form thingy. I like it.

[Barbazza]

This isn't going to count as an official entry, obviously, but I have one answer - all of them!

Yes, it made the race less interesting and rejectful than we'd hoped, but the fact that we had no crashes or serious incidents whatsoever proves that these are the best guys in the business. They made their mistakes in Practice and Qualifying and got it right in the race. Just look at the support races to see the difference!

[Bobby Doorknobs]

This isn't going to count as an official entry, obviously, but I have one answer - all of them!

Yes, it made the race less interesting and rejectful than we'd hoped, but the fact that we had no crashes or serious incidents whatsoever proves that these are the best guys in the business. They made their mistakes in Practice and Qualifying and got it right in the race. Just look at the support races to see the difference!

I submitted that as an official entry. Come on, we can win this!

[dinizintheoven]

Ten points to Sergio Pérez. Two podiums in a Force India now and we're only eight races into the season...

Six points to Manor for Rio's qualifying antics and Blockhead mixing it with much more competitive cars even if it all went wrong in the end for both of them. Even the commentators mentioned their names far more frequently than usual.

[Peteroli34]

Perez gets it been quick unlucky with the crash that cost him a front row start but a solid podium. Nasr had a strong race with 12th for Sauber especially as he has been outpaced by Ericsson so far this season. Wehrlein has a strong start to the race running the Manor in the points.

[andrew]

Perez, great drive great podium.

Antonio Giovanazzi,

[Spectoremg]

1. Perez, for passing Raikkonen anyway just to make sure.
2. No-one really.

[Enforcer]

I think in general we should have a clause that there wasn't an IIDOTR candidate. Or at least not two of them.

I know it's a feel good award, but the improbability is supposed to be infinite. Even accounting for the degree hyperbole in the title, we don't always fulfill its criteria. There was no one even slightly surprising (in a good sense) apart from Perez today, for example.

[UncreativeUsername37]

I think in general we should have a clause that there wasn't an IIDOTR candidate. Or at least not two of them.

I know it's a feel good award, but the improbability is supposed to be infinite. Even accounting for the degree hyperbole in the title, we don't always fulfill its criteria. There was no one even slightly surprising (in a good sense) apart from Perez today, for example.

The second choice is optional... and you can always just not vote. Or vote "nobody", as others have previously done.

[Bobby Doorknobs]

I think in general we should have a clause that there wasn't an IIDOTR candidate. Or at least not two of them.

I know it's a feel good award, but the improbability is supposed to be infinite. Even accounting for the degree hyperbole in the title, we don't always fulfill its criteria. There was no one even slightly surprising (in a good sense) apart from Perez today, for example.

The second choice is optional... and you can always just not vote. Or vote "nobody", as others have previously done.

Although I didn't vote for him Wehrlein is a good candidate. He's had a tendency to be somewhat underwhelming in qualifying compared to Haryanto, but just when I begin doubting him he starts picking fights with the Saubers, Renaults and the odd Haas, leaving Rio "pnowhere" in chatroom lingo.

Also, the fact that everyone in the field was able to keep themselves on the road barring the odd retirement would be considered highly improbable given how every session up to this point has gone.

[Fetzie]

1. Wehrlein, because he was fighting for position with the big boy cars.

2. The rest of the field, because everybody was expecting a demolition derby style race with 5 safety cars and two red flags, and instead we got a couple of mechanical gremlins that caused a yellow flag for thirty seconds each.

[Londoner]

1. Sergio Perez - Firmly putting himself at the front of the queue for a 2017 Ferrari seat.

2. The camera crew - The race was uneventful, but the camera work was top notch. You really got a sense of the speed these cars were doing around the circuit.

[RedEyes504]

Sergio Perez - Another podium, another great drive

Daniil Kvyat - For his qualifying performance (and the fact that no one else really stood out all weekend)

[novitopoli]

1. Sergio Perez - second podium in 8 races with a Force India, while his much acclaimed teammate doesn't even get into Q3.
2. Felipe Nasr - was actually somehow decent. Which is the best we could expect from him this year.

[Samster]

1. Force India - I'm actually giving the credit to Force India rather than Perez as they were a genuine 2nd best car this weekend and with a clean weekend ought to have been a 2-3 finish behind Rosberg. Therefore Perez being on the podium isn't so much of an Infinate Improbability, but Force India being 2nd best team is.

2. Felipe Nasr - First race all season that he's looked like his 2015 self.

[Cynon]

Perez -- CHECO!!!
Wehrlein -- He sucks in qualifying but he's a hell of a racer. Shame that he had a brake failure, he was making himself look good on that one stop strategy.