Alonso voted best driver of 2008

Fernando Alonso has been named the top formula one driver of the 2008 season by one of the leading media outlets covering the sport as well as the readers of AutoRacing1.com (see poll on Home page).

Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, the daily sports newspaper, said the Spaniard outclassed both Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa, despite the latter duo occupying first and second spots in the final drivers' classifications.

"Why Alonso? Because he was driving a Renault, which did not begin as the best machine, but in the last 6 grands prix no-one scored more points than him," the publication said of the 27-year-old. This also was the sentiment of AutoRacing1.com (AR1.com) readers.

"In wise and close collaboration with his engineers, he gradually improved to a level of high competitiveness that allowed him not only to win two races, but to do better than everyone from September onwards: 43 points for him versus 33 for Massa and 28 for Hamilton.