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Formula 1 team bosses have voted Lewis Hamilton the clear winner in Autosport's annual poll to name the year's top 10 drivers.

Autosport asked all 11 F1 teams' bosses to rank their top 10 drivers, based on on-track performances over this year's 21 races.

Points are awarded using F1's scoring system of 25 points for first place, down to one for 10th.

Votes are kept secret, not only to make sure team bosses can take part, but also because it allows each to offer their honest opinion of drivers up and down the grid.

Hamilton won 10 races this season but was hampered by mechanical failures and missed out on the world championship by five points to Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

He collected a total of 234 points in the poll - five more than he achieved last year - from a possible maximum of 275 to retain top spot.

Hamilton finished 51 points clear of runner-up Max Verstappen, who took his maiden win in his first weekend with Red Bull at Barcelona and subsequently impressed with a string of eye-catching drives.

Despite winning his first world championship, in a season that included nine race victories and only missing the podium five times, Rosberg was ranked third.

Daniel Ricciardo, who was one of only four drivers to win a race in 2016, moved up five places from 12 months ago to fourth, ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

Fernando Alonso's performance in an ever-improving McLaren was recognised with sixth, just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, who enjoyed his best season since 2012.

Sergio Perez was eighth after breaking the 100-point barrier for the first time in his career as he helped Force India finish a team-best fourth in the constructors' championship.

Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz Jr, the list's only new entry with Daniil Kvyat dropping out, completed the top 10.

AUTOSPORT'S 2016 TEAM BOSS'S TOP 10

1 Lewis Hamilton, 234 points (No change)

2 Max Verstappen, 183 (Up two places)

3 Nico Rosberg, 176 (No change)

4 Daniel Ricciardo, 133 (Up five)

5 Sebastian Vettel, 90 (Down three)

6 Fernando Alonso, 67 (No change)

7 Kimi Raikkonen, 61 (Up three)

8 Sergio Perez, 52 (No change)

9 Valtteri Bottas, 26 (Down two)

10 Carlos Sainz Jr, 25 (New entry)

WHO VOTED

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Christian Horner, Red Bull

Maurizio Arrivabene, Ferrari

Vijay Mallya, Force India

Claire Williams, Williams

Eric Boullier, McLaren

Franz Tost, Toro Rosso

Gunther Steiner, Haas

Fred Vasseur, Renault

Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber

Dave Ryan, Manor