Our Top 50 drivers of the year… (40th to 31th)

Our journalists have elected their 50 best drivers of the 2022 season, all categories combined. At the end of a long process of selection, consultation and votes, here is our verdict.

Published on 27/12/2022 à 12:00

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Our Top 50 drivers of the year… (40th to 31st)

AUTOhebdo invites you to discover the second part of its Top 50 with the drivers ranging from 40th to 31st place. ©DR

40 – Edoardo Mortara (Italy-Switzerland)
3th in the world championship Formula E 2021/22 with Venturi (4 wins)

A frustrating season for the Swiss, already vice-world champion of Formula E in 2021. He still failed very close to the goal with a 3rd place overall. On the evening of the Marrakech E-Prix, however, the Venturi driver was the man to beat: three victories in ten events and the lead in the championship as a bonus. Unfortunately, a catastrophic weekend in London shattered his title hopes in the face of the consistency of Stoffel Vandoorne. With four wins, Mortara was the most successful driver in Formula E.

©Julien Delfosse / DPPI

39 – Josef Newgarden (United States)
Vice champion IndyCar 2022 with Penske (5 wins)

Luck favors the brave. This adage does not hold true in IndyCar, where the best performer of the year narrowly missed the title. Despite five successes, acquired on circuits with varied terrain such as Gateway, Iowa, Texas (ovals), Long Beach (urban) and Road America (road), the American had to settle for the third consecutive time with the rank of vice-champion. , behind his teammate Will Power. We will remember his fantastic comeback during the Laguna Seca final. Starting 24th, the Nashville native made some daring overtakes until stopping… in second place, of course.

©IndyCar / Penske

38 – Isack Hadjar (France)
4th in the FIA championship F3 2022 with Hitech Grand Prix (3 victories)

The Frenchman was one of the revelations of the F3 championship where he was making his debut. If he narrowly misses the honorary title of best rookie in favor of Oliver Bearman, his pole position and his three victories, in a Hitech team that he managed to sublimate, have finally convinced Red Bull of Hadjar's talent. The Horner-Marko duo believes in themselves a lot. It's up to Isack to confirm Formula 2 where he will play next year.

37 - Dorian Pin (France)
Champion Trofeo Pirelli Europe 2022 in Ferrari Challenge with Iron Lynx

At 18 years old, “Pocket Rocket” has continued to impress this year by climbing the ranks at the same speed as she swallows the tarmac on the track. Dominator in Trofeo Pirelli Europe of the Ferrari Challenge, the Frenchwoman became the second woman to win this championship after her teammate Michelle Gatting in 2021. She especially stood out each time she sat in a pink Iron car Ladies: victory in the Gold category at the 24 Hours of Spa, victory at the 4 Hours of Portimão in ELMS, pole position and podium during the Lamborghini Super Trofeo finals in a car she barely knew. Real champion seed!

36 – Tomoki Nojiri (Japan)
2022 Super Formula Champion with Honda (2 wins)

A specialist discipline at an extremely high level, Japanese Super Formula is not easy to conquer. However, it is with a good lead over his runner-up Sacha Fenestraz that Tomoki Nojiri won his second title in the premier category of the car in the Far East. With 8 podiums, including 2 victories, in 10 races, the Honda driver has shown great consistency at the wheel of a car that is difficult to tame.

35 - Nyck de Vries (Netherlands)
9th in the 2021/22 Formula E championship with Mercedes (2 victories), 9th at the Italian GP for his debut F1

Only 9th in Formula E with two victories while he was the title holder, the Dutchman did not secure 35th place in our Top 50 thanks to his electric performances. He owes it to his incredible feat in Formula 1 at Monza (Italy), when he brilliantly replaced Alex Albon plagued by health concerns (appendicitis). Climbed into the Williams At short notice, he qualified for Q2 in the worst car in the field, and scored 2 points the next day (9th) for the team. A performance that opened the doors to himAlpha Tauri for 2023.

34 – Frédéric Makowiecki (France)
Winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans 2022 in GTE Pro with Porsche

The Northerner waited for his 12th participation in Le Mans to add the Sarthe double clock to his prize list, even though he is not competing in the full season of the WEC. Once again associated with Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz, the Frenchman was brilliant on the track to bring the Porsche 911 RSR-19 to victory in the GTE Pro category. Proof of the confidence placed by the German manufacturer in the native of Arras, “Mako” was chosen to install in one of the 963 LMDh in 2023.

33 – Sheldon van der Linde (South Africa)
Champion DTM 2022 with BMW (4 victories)

Among the Springboks, there was first the pioneer Jody Scheckter, 1 F1979 world champion with Ferrari. The next generation is Sheldon van der Linde. At 23, he became the second youngest champion in DTM history. The BMW driver resisted pressure from René Rast and Lucas Auer to capture his first title in the German touring championship. Let's not forget the historic double with his brother, Kelvin, on the Nürburgring (Germany).

32 – Sarah Bovy (Belgium)
3rd in the 2022 ELMS championship in LMGTE with Iron Lynx (1 victory)

After several seasons in the shadows, the 33-year-old Belgian has taken on a new dimension by asserting herself as one of the fastest Bronze drivers in the WEC and ELMS. In Monza (Italy), she became the first polewoman in the history of the WEC, then the first in the history of the ELMS in Portimão (Portugal), an event which she won with her teammates Michelle Gatting and Doriane Pin . Despite a new pole in Bahrain, victory in the WEC is still denied to the Iron Dames. But for this Brussels resident, success in the Gold category at the 24 Hours of Spa was already symbolic.

31 - Kevin Magnussen (Denmark)
13th in the 1 Formula 2022 world championship with Haas (1 fields)

Author of an unexpected return to Formula 1 after the ouster of Nikita mazepin at Haas, the Dane did not miss the opportunity to make an impression. Qualified in the Top 10 from the opening race in Bahrain (March 18-20), he moved straight into the Top 5 the next day! Other points finishes will follow in Saudi Arabia, then in Imola (Italy) before the American team falls into line. Magnussen, however, was not finished with his winning comeback as he took a pole position that was as memorable as it was popular during a masterfully managed qualifying session at Interlagos (Brazil).