Lewis Hamilton
In his last four years with McLaren, Hamilton continued to score podium finishes and race victories. Hamilton entered the final round of the  season with a chance of winning the title, but ultimately finished fourth as Sebastian Vettel won the race to take his maiden drivers' crown. The following year was the first season he had been out-scored by a teammate, as Jenson Button finished runner-up to champion Sebastian Vettel, during a year in which distractions in his private life and run-ins with FIA officials saw Hamilton finish a lowly fifth in the standings, after which he vowed he would return to form for 2012. Hamilton achieved four race-wins in the  season as he finished fourth in the standings. Before the end of the year, Hamilton announced, to much surprise, that he would be joining Mercedes for the  season, replacing the retiring Michael Schumacher.