Does the NFL hold the key to deciding a classic F1 debate?

Open, honest debate is vital for any society to function at its best. In the sporting arena, one of the most enjoyable debates should be - if done properly, avoiding the pitfalls of tribalism and the general cesspools of Twitter replies and YouTube comments - the question of 'who is the best?'

As is regularly acknowledged, trying to argue the case for the best Formula 1 driver ever is fraught with peril given the championship's long history and ever-changing nature. But declaring one driver to be the best over a season or a year is much more achievable.

It's not for nothing that top 10 rankings are popular across all sports, and Autosport's Top 50 Drivers of the Year feature resonates with fans and competitors alike - more than a few contributors to our annual list have tales of drivers expressing their gratitude or frustration at their ranking (or lack of it!).

F1 has happily borrowed ideas from other sports and entertainment divisions since Liberty Media's takeover was completed in 2017. The championship now has its own anthem, regular roadshows, and it finally embraced the positive aspects of social media.

So, given it's February and the wait for on-track action goes on, let's consider it taking one more popular element from another sport. Specifically, American Football and the National Football League's annual Most Valuable Player award.

First off, it's important to acknowledge that there are numerous differences between the two sports. But at the same time, apples and oranges are both fruits, so let's not just needlessly shut down an idea that at worst could be described as whimsical...

A driver's performance is harder to analyse than an American Football player's, simply because their work is harder to see

American Football is an athletic-based team sport, whereas motorsport (where F1 resides but isn't a sport in itself) is about highly developed machinery being driven in competition by individuals. But the cars are still made by teams working as one to try and get the best results.

In the NFL, individual players can make a difference on a much larger and more obvious scale. Consider the recent Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs recovered from a late-game deficit to beat the San Francisco 49ers.

The latter was probably the better team overall, but Chiefs's quarterback Patrick Mahomes made the difference - sparking his offense into life right when it mattered.

It's not too much of a stretch to say this was a performance along the lines of Fernando Alonso hauling the fundamentally weaker Ferrari into title contention against Red Bull in 2012 - although that did not have the same ending...

It is largely quarterback performances that change game outcomes in American Football, which is why they're so highly paid and dominate the history of the NFL MVP, with 31 different players taking the award. There are 32 NFL teams each season, represented - before injury or poor performance are taken into account as seasons develop - by 32 quarterbacks.

The 10 F1 teams are represented by 20 drivers, who enact performances from the machines built by their supporting cast. While they still rely on their engineers when on-track - in much the same way NFL players are in more-or-less constant communication with their offensive/defensive play callers - it is down to the drivers to make the fundamental decisions that will get, or lose, a result.

In both championships, money matters. And the better-run organisations will naturally do better over time.

A driver's performance is harder to analyse than an American Football player's, simply because their work is harder to see. In a race where track conditions and weather are not a limiting factor, the variables are more difficult to spot.

Plus, in F1, probably more than most other motorsport categories, the cars simply move around less when on the limit. NFL analysts also benefit from regular breaks in play, as well as deep analytics insight stemming from the number of variables that can be quantified in each game (passes, tackles, accuracy etc).

For what it's worth, this is the framework Autosport uses - formally established in 2019 - to rate each driver's performance after every grand prix.

Scoring System

Drivers are rated for their performance through the whole weekend, with the focus on qualifying and the race.

10 Exceptional performance, maximising the result and, either through overturning a major obstacle or dominance over rivals, excelling.

9 Outstanding performance, but without quite reaching the heights required for a maximum score.

A collated F1 team bosses vote is always in danger of allowing some drivers to have their scores artificially boosted by their employers

8 Very good performance with no major errors and a final result that, relative to circumstances, reflected the car's pace.

7 Good performance, perhaps one that's a little inconsistent in some aspects or without extracting the maximum from the car but still yields a reasonable result.

6 Solid performance but without getting the most out of the car or nailing it when it really mattered.

5 Patchy performance, not necessarily off the pace but failing to string together the weekend well and coming away short of a good result.

4 Disappointing performance, failing to get close to the maximum of the car and making mistakes at key moments.

3 Poor performance, either through struggling to get the most out of the car or, through some massive error, falling short.

2 Very poor performance, with mediocre pace and mistakes adding up to a wasted weekend.

1 Terrible. A performance with no redeeming features.

An F1 MVP equivalent award could be easily slotted in alongside other accolades. For example, Autosport's Top 50 encounters criticism from supporters of various series because of the need to rank categories when assessing driver performances.

For all the championship's strengths, winning a Formula E title is not the same as triumphing in F1. For one thing, the pressures that come with the differing levels of exposure for those series are vastly different.

A collated F1 team bosses vote - something Autosport organises annually, which isn't to say our awards are worth more than any others, just that they, at the very least, make for useful references - is always in danger of allowing some drivers to have their scores artificially boosted by their employers.

Top 10 rankings from series correspondents are wonderful places to find additional insight when done properly, but still boil down to one person's analysis and opinion. This is where an F1 MVP idea takes off.

In the NFL, it has been organised by the Associated Press since 1957, and is awarded to the player who comes out on top of a vote of 50 sportswriters covering the championship. If such an accolade could be introduced to F1, the same template should be adopted.

To ensure quality analysis, as well as rewarding media that are prepared to invest in covering the championship, those on the panel would have at least five years' experience working in the paddock (yes, this can be adjusted), and cover a range of nationalities and publication types.

Ideally, and there certainly are drawbacks to such an idea, this would encourage civilised debate and engagement with fans, media and competitors. At the same time, it would reward detailed analysis of the sport on display - something F1 does do well - and remove the PR-sheen that might put off fans that expect honesty and openness.

Turning to Autosport's Top 50 drivers once more - because that is a panel decision taken at the end of considerable debate across our editorial staff - it is interesting to look back at previous winners.

World Rally champion Sebastian Loeb finished ahead of F1 champion Fernando Alonso in 2005. Robert Kubica got the nod ahead of Lewis Hamilton in 2008 - despite Hamilton winning the title and therfore finishing ahead of Kubica in the points standings - with Hamilton beating Jenson Button a year later despite an opposite finish in the standings. Alonso got the accolade in 2012, which hopefully made up for missing the F1 title somewhat, while Daniel Ricciardo upset Mercedes' F1 success hegemony in 2014 and 2016.

It is easy to see the cases for different outcomes in those years, and while that award going Hamilton's way in 2017 and 2018 is surely indisputable given his major role in seeing off Ferrari's threat, there's a tantalising possibility an F1 MVP award organised along the lines outlined above could go the way of a certain Carlos Sainz Jr in 2019...