Presented by DHL First awarded 2007 | Reward(s) Trophy Currently held by Nico Rosberg | |
Awarded for Most fastest laps in a Formula One season | ||
The DHL Fastest Lap Award is awarded to the driver with the most fastest laps in a Formula One season. The trophy, inaugurated in 2007, was the first such award to honour drivers with the most fastest laps. According to Bernie Ecclestone, the award, "recognises the very things that make Formula 1: speed and organisation."
Contents
The award is sponsored by DHL Express, as part of their role as logistics partner of the sport. Ken Allen, chief executive officer of DHL Express explained why DHL sponsors this award, "The fastest lap in a race is always a challenge. This is the result of speed, precision and teamwork. Winning the DHL Fastest Lap Trophy adds continuity and reliability to this. All these attributes found the basis for DHL's express business as well."
Tiebreak
In the event of a tie, there is a countback, with the most amount of second-fastest laps, third-fastest laps, and so on, being considered until a winner is found.
History
In the nine-year history of the award, there have been three tiebreak situations; in 2007, when Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa tied with six fastest laps, and two second fastest laps, in 2009, when both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber had three fastest laps at the end of the season, and again in 2010, with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton each having five fastest laps.
While most of the early years of the award have been closely fought, there were a few exceptions; in 2008 Räikkönen had ten fastest laps, ahead of second placed Massa with three, and in 2012 Vettel had six fastest laps, ahead of Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button and Kimi Räikkönen, who each had two. Notably, eleven different drivers managed to get a fastest lap throughout 2012.
The 2009 edition of the award was particularly close, with Sebastian Vettel only setting the fastest lap that would win him the award on the penultimate lap of the final race of the season.
Mark Webber secured the DHL Fastest Lap award for the 2011 season after setting an unassailable number of fastest laps at the penultimate race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With another fastest lap at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, he beat Hamilton, Jenson Button and World Champion Vettel seven fastest laps to three.
Vettel won again in 2013 with two more fastest laps than runner-up, and 2011 winner, Webber. 2014 brought a new winner of the award, with Lewis Hamilton winning the award ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg. By winning the award, Mercedes ended a seven-year stranglehold on the award from rivals Red Bull and Ferrari.
Winners
(WC) indicates that the driver won the World Championship in the same season.