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.
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 perform as well, until the latest series where it became a semi-finalist. It was expected to do pretty well, 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.

A young, up-and-coming driver, Matt Vasquez didn't get to show his full potential with Splatter. However, with Whiplash, his driving skills truly shone. He went into his fights with fearless determination, 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.

One of the favorites from Series 3, SawBlaze certainly made a name for itself after getting unlucky in Series 2. The dustpan wedge and overhead saw design complement Jamison Go's super aggressive driving style. He never lets up, continuously pushing and slamming his opponents all over the arena.
I think it also says a lot that SawBlaze has only ever lost fights by judges' decisions, and even then, it was to strong robots like Bronco or Monsoon. (Razorback still should've lost *sigh*.)

Hypershock is like a giant RC car due to how fast it is, and watching Will Bales control it, he makes it look effortless. He runs rings around his opponents, and of course, who can forget the time he used a rake to swat a drone out of the air?
It's just a shame that the Series 3 version of Hypershock suffered from a rushed build schedule, and Will's driving skills never really got a chance to shine.
Will Bales is a driving legend. He will drive circles around you, destroy your bot, and if he feels like it, knock a drone out of the sky with a rake. The fight with Warrior Clan cemented the legendary status of Will Bales as one of the best robot combat drivers of all time.

While he may be best known for the hugely successful Robogames competitor Original Sin, Gary Gin has had BattleBots experience dating back to The Big B in the original run of BattleBots (which came in second in its debut series). Gary Gin then put a flamethrower and 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. While Gary Gin didn't take the competition too seriously, just seeing all the things he could make Free Shipping do was entertaining.

One of the most feared BattleBots competitors of all time, Minotaur is responsible for some of the most destructive fights (most notably its battle with Blacksmith). When Daniel Freitas is at the controls, he zones into full concentration mode, managing to maintain steady control of a robot with a weapon so powerful it can cause the robot to gyro if not careful.
Able to get under anything, even though they don't have a wedge or anything super low to the ground. They're able to get under, behind, or anywhere near the opponent's weaknesses.

Of course, the champion of Series 1 and 3 has to be included. I think it 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 originally envisioned, it proved just as successful (aside from another terrible judges' decision involving Chomp).
A great driver for a great robot.
THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS WON!!! There's nothing negative to say about Bite Force, except that no one else stood a chance against Paul. He's also able to keep his strong side facing the opponent, never turning around to expose a weakness.

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. The design is also extremely well done.

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. He achieved accurate strikes on Overhaul, beat Nightmare without a weapon, and even took Tombstone to a judges' decision.
It's a shame we may not see more of Beta, as John Reid also competes in China with Tanshe.
The best hammer ever, arguably. Why? That driver is the reason, of course. Being able to keep the wedge pointed at foes for so long is astonishing. Tactically, I may not always agree, but based on driving alone, John is one of the very best.

We all know Tombstone as being a destructive powerhouse of a robot, but it wouldn't have been as successful as it was without Ray Billings' driving skill. He's able to harness great control over a hugely destructive weapon, and despite the robot's design weaknesses (exposed wheels), Ray is very good at not letting them get exploited.
The kinetic energy in that blade makes it hard to control and maintain. If Ray can do it, and win a couple of Giant Nuts, then he's more than fit to drive any spinner.
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Skorpios was an okay robot, one that probably shouldn't have done as well as it did, but thanks to Orion Beach's driving, it found success. He consistently keeps the front end of the robot pointed at his opponents and has an aggressive driving style similar to Jamison Go.
His best performance was when he managed to beat Icewave without a working weapon purely through persistence and driving skill.

He won the Giant Nut. Enough proof for you?

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 maneuver, but it's able to perform some impressive feats. Its highlight was in a fight when it was upside-down. It used its own spinner to move around and then smashed into the side of Complete Control.
It's a difficult bot to drive. Only very experienced drivers can even hope to get that dragon to hit anything!



Victor is constantly working on Rotator to make it better, and he's created multiple variations of Rotator to use depending on his opponent. He's also very good at playing both offense and defense, effectively exploiting his opponent's weaknesses.
I voted for Rotator mainly because he's able to keep his spinner going and can basically do anything. He has the potential to beat many drivers on this list.


Greg Gibson is a man of simple pleasures. There's nothing this guy likes more than 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 its 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 an inch of metal off an opponent.



A very precise driver, Grant's control can be compared to the likes of John Reid and Jameson Go. Grant makes a less common weapon incredibly effective. A 4-0 record in Series 7? Spot on!


