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In this thread we look at how the rookies did in 2011 showing their average grid and finishing positions and comparing them to their teammates. You can vote for Rookie of the Year as well

Average Grid Position

Rank Driver Average position Best Position (times) Worst Position (times)
1. di Resta 11.68 6(1) 17(1)
2. Perez 14.00 9(1) 20(1) (took part in 17 races)
3. Maldonado 14.58 7(1) 23(1)
4. d'Ambrosio 21.95 20(2) 24(2)
5. Ricciardo 22.55 20(1) 24(2) (took part in 11 races)

Average Finishing Position

Rank Driver Average Finishing position Best position (times) Worse position (times) %DNF
1. di Resta 11.06 6(1) 18(1) 5.26%
2. Perez 11.69 7(1) 17(1) 17.65% (took part in 17 races)
3. Maldonado 14.62 10(1) 18(3) 31.58%
4. d'Ambrosio 18.13 14(2) 22(1) 15.79%
5. Ricciardo 19.25 18(2) 22(1) 18.18% (took part in 11 races)

Comparing the rookies with their teammates:

For the Grid:

1. Maldonado had a higher average grid position over Barrichello (+0.26)
It is also worth noting that Maldonado managed to make it into Q3 3 times while Barrichello never did
2. Ricciardo had a higher average gird position over Liuzzi over the 10 races they were teammates (+0.20)
3. di Resta had a slighlty lower average grid position than Sutil (-0.11)
It is worth noting that this is the closest gap between teammates for the entire field
4. Perez had a slightly lower average grid position than Kobayashi (-0.16)
5. d'Ambrosio had a lower average grid position than Glock (-1.16)

In terms of qualifying, the rookies of 2011 did extremely well with 2 managing to do better than their more experienced teammates and 2 were very close to their teammates.

For the races:

3 of the 5 rookies scored points

1. di Resta was outscored by Sutil 27 to 42 - A ratio of 0.64
2. Perez was outsored by Kobayashi 30 to 14 - A ratio of 0.47
It is worth noting that Perez didn't take part in Monaco and Canada where Kobayashi scored 16 points. If those points are excluded then they would be on equal points (14 each)
3. Maldonado was outscored by Barrichello 4 to 1 - A ratio of 0.25

Ricciardo and d'Ambrosio didn't score points and neither did their teammates so a comparison cannot be made

DNF ratio:

1. di Resta - 5.26% - 1 retirement out of 19
It is worth noting that di Resta has completed the most number of kilometres of the entire field just ahead of Alonso and Button
2. d'Ambrosio - 15.79% - 3 retirements out of 19
3. Perez - 17.65% - 3 retirements out of 17
4. Ricciardo - 18.18% - 2 retirements out of 11
5. Maldonado - 31.58% - 6 retirments out of 19

For me rookie of the year went to di Resta. Even though he was outscored by his team mate (Sutil) the ratio was reasonably close.

I went for Di Resta as well. I can see the argument for Perez, and I think he's talented, but Di Resta's had the better first season. The sixth in qualifying at Silverstone was a particularly good effort.