Top 10 Best Battlebots Drivers

One of the most important aspects of robot combat is driving, because whilst one robot can be better on paper, a better driven robot can sometimes make all the difference. These are the Battlebots drivers that stand out the most for their driving skill.
The Top Ten
1 Donald Hutson (Lockjaw)

One of the most experienced drivers in all of robot combat, Donald Hutson has been responsible for some of the most popular and successful robots, from Tazbot to Diesector. Lockjaw initially didn't do as well, until the latest series where it became a semi-finalist. It was expected to do pretty good, but no-one saw it getting as far as it did, winning the Desperado tournament and even beating Son of Whyachi.
Donald Hutson's excellent driving skills took a pretty decent robot and made it hugely successful.

2 Matt Vasquez (Whiplash)

A young up and coming driver, Matt Vasquez didn't really get to show his capabilities much with Splatter. With Whiplash however his driving skills shone through. He went into his fights with a fearless drive, giving a very brave effort against Tombstone, and even dominating Bronco (and he claims he didn't have to drive all that well).
I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Whiplash, and young Matt is only going to get better.

3 Jamison Go (SawBlaze)

One of the favourites from series 3, SawBlaze certainly made a name for itself, after getting screwed over in series 2. The dustpan wedge and overhead saw design goes well with Jamison Go's super aggressive driving. The way he never lets up and just pushes and slams his opponents all over the arena. I think it also says a lot that SawBlaze has only ever lost fights to judges decisions, and even then it was to good robots like Bronco or Monsoon (Razorback still should've lost *sigh*).

4 Will Bales (Hypershock)

Hypershock is like a giant RC car because of how fast it is, and seeing Will Bales control it, he makes it look so simple. The way he just run rings around his opponents, and of course who can forget that time he used a rake to swat a drone out of the air?
Just a shame series 3 Hypershock suffered from a rushed build schedule and Will's driving skills never really got to shine.

Will Bales is a driving legend. He will drive circles, destroy you bot, and if he feels like it knock a drone out of the sky with a rake. The fight with Warrior Clan just cemented the legendary status of Will Bales as the best robot combat drivers of all time.

5 Gary Gin (Free Shipping)

While he may be best known for the hugely successful Robogames competitor Original Sin, Gary Gin has had Battlebots experience back with The Big B in the original run of Battlebots (which came second in it's debut series). Gary Gin then put a flamethrower forklift on Original Sin and called it Free Shipping.
Seeing such an awkward and unwieldy looking robot drive so well was always fun to watch, and whilst Gary Gin didn't take the competition too seriously, just seeing all the things he could make Free Shipping do was entertaining.

6 Daniel Freitas (Minotaur)

Able to get under ANYTHING even though they don't have a wedge or anything super low to the ground; able to get under things, behind things, anywhere near weaknesses.

One of the most feared Battlebots competitors of all time, Minotaur is a robot responsible for some of the most destructive fights (most notably it's Blacksmith fight). When Daniel Freitas is at the controls of Minotaur he just zones in to full-on concentration mode, and manages to maintain steady control of a robot with a weapon so powerful it can gyro the robot if not careful.

7 Paul Ventimiglia (Bite Force)

THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS WON!!! There's nothing negative to say about Bite Force except the fact that no one else could stand a chance against Paul. He's also able to keep his good side facing the opponent and never turns around to give an opening of weakness.

Of course the champion of series 1 & 3 has to be included. I think it really speaks volumes that Paul was able to win Battlebots with a robot design he didn't initially intend to make (he wanted a spinner, but used a control bot instead). Then when he did get to make the robot he wanted it proved to be just as successful (apart from another terrible judges decision involving Chomp). A great driver for a great robot.

8 Mike Gellatly (Witch Doctor)

Mike is so skillful. His bot is cool, but really only middle of the pack. He's the reason Witch Doctor is as successful as it is.

He's made it to the finals twice in a row. That design is also extremely well done.

9 John Reid (Beta)

With twenty years of experience, that's outlasting half the builders in the sport! He competed in Robot Wars and had the most successful hammer robots in the competition!

The best hammer ever, arguably. Why? THAT driver is the reason, of course. To be able keep the wedge pointed at foes for so long is astonishing. Tactically, I maybe don't always agree, but on driving alone, John is one of the very best.

John Reid has always been one of the best robot combat drivers, and his performance with Beta showed why a hammer bot can still be competitive. Getting an accurate kill shot on Overhaul, beating Nightmare without a weapon, and even taking Tombstone to a judges decision.
It's a shame we probably won't get to see more of Beta, as John Reid also competes in China with Tanshe.

10 Ray Billings (Tombstone)

The kinetic energy in that blade would make it hard to control and retain. If Ray can do it, and win a couple Giant Nuts, then he'll be fit for a job of driving any spinner!

We all know Tombstone as being a destructive powerhouse of a robot, but really it wouldn't have been as successful as it was without Ray Billings driving skill. He's able to harness such control over a hugely destructive weapon, and despite the robot's design weaknesses (exposed wheels) Ray is very good at not letting it get exploited.

The Contenders
11 Orion Beach (Skorpios)

Skorpios was an OK robot, one that probably shouldn't have done as well as it did, but thanks to Orion Beach's driving it was able to find success. The way he's always able to keep the front end of the robot pointed at his opponents and he has a similar aggressive driving style to Jamison Go. His best performance was when he managed to beat Icewave without a working weapon purely through persistence and driving skill.

12 Jack Barker (End Game)

Won the Giant Nut. Enough proof for you?

13 Ian Lewis (Warhead)

Another one of the most experienced drivers around, Ian Lewis may be better known for Razer, but he also drives Warhead. It's such a strange looking machine that seems hard to get around, but it's able to do so much cool stuff. It's highlight was in a fight when it was upside-down, it then used it's own spinner to move around and then smash into the side of Complete Control.

It's a difficult bot to drive around. Only very experienced can even hope to get that dragon to even hit anything!

14 Alex Hattori (Uppercut)
15 Aren Hill (Tantrum)
16 Victor Soto (Rotator)

I voted RotatoR mainly because he's able to keep his spinner going, do anything basically and has potential to beat many drivers on this list.

Victor is constantly working on Rotator to make it better, and he's created multiple different variations of Rotator to use depending on his opponent. He's also very good at playing both offensive and defensive and is able to exploit his opponent's weaknesses effectively.

17 Greg Gibson (Yeti)

Greg Gibson is a man of simple pleasures. There's nothing this guy likes more then being the first one to throw a punch before the opponent gets the chance. His aggressive driving nature coined the saying "Yeti Smash", as the bot just rams into all it's opponents. Plus when the drum fails he knows how to improvise, making Yeti a difficult bot to beat.

Great aggression, stunning speed. Yeti has a great reputation for at least shredding one inch of metal off an opponent.

18 Al Kindle (Blacksmith)
19 Tyler Nguyen (Perfect Phoenix)
20 Zachary Lytle (Skorpios)
21 Grant Cooper (Quantum)

A very precise driver, the control of this driver can be matched with John Reid, Jameson Go, etc. Grant makes a less common weapon so unbelievably good, 4-0 in series 7? Spot on!

22 Matt Spurk (Kraken)
23 Thomas Brewster (Monsoon)
24 Aren Hill (Blip)

So good, he's on here twice, for two different robots.

25 Hal Rucker (Duck!)
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