Tag: McLaren

Austrian Grand Prix – Driver Ratings

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JUNE 29: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 29, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Zak Mauger/LAT Images)

Lando Norris led home a comfortable McLaren 1-2 in the Styrian mountains following a pretty mundane Austrian Grand Prix. There was drama on the first lap, as Kimi Antonelli missed his braking point into Turn 3 and had to take evasive action, but in the process, he locked his rears and ran into the side of Max Verstappen, ending both their races, much to the agony of the large Dutch contingent that made the trip.

Once the two cars had been removed, the race fell into a rhythm with gaps appearing between the front runners and the chasing pack. The McLarens were in a class of their own, pulling a minimum of 0.3 seconds per lap to the rest of the field, and had a nice battle on Lap 11, swapping positions a few times before the first stops, with Norris coming out on top. From there, the gap stayed around 6 seconds, only narrowing through traffic but Norris wasn’t troubled to the flag.

Behind the McLarens, the Ferraris drove quietly to 3rd and 4th. Russell was 5th, also in a race of one, but behind was when the fun really began. A fantastic 6th place for Liam Lawson, and 7th for Fernando Alonso, who both expertly ran the one-stop, against all data recommendations. A double points finish for the Saubers in 8th and 9th, with Bortoleto grabbing his first F1 points in front of his teammate and Esteban Ocon rounded off the top 10, in front of his teammate.

It was far from a classic in Austria this year but the 3 DRS zones do guarantee us some action, and I am happy to see the track will be on the calendar until 2041. Its a classic which creates good racing, something that needs to be protected. Lets get into the driver ratings before the best weekend of the year next week: The British Grand Prix.

Lando Norris – 9.1

Lando bounced back beautifully from his clumsy move at the Canadian Grand Prix. He led every session he took part in, taking pole by over half a second and holding off pressure from his teammate to take a commanding victory in Austria. His race craft was on show, performing a lovely switchback on Piastri through Turn 3 as the McLarens did battle. The only mistake we saw was running wide at Turn 10, which allowed Piastri the chance to overtake. Once the pit stops gave him a 6-second lead, he kept Piastri at arm’s length to take a momentum-building victory before his home Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri – 7.9

Oscar was caught out by Gasly’s yellow flag in Q3, which left him lining up 3rd on the grid. He immediately jumped Leclerc at Turn 1 to set up the McLaren battle. Taking advantage of DRS, he kept in Norris’ shadow for the first stint, momentarily taking the lead on Lap 11 before losing it again. He made one last, slightly desperate lunge on Lap 20 into Turn 4, which was nearly disastrous as he narrowly avoided Norris’ diffuser. It was uncharacteristic of the usually unflappable Aussie, and he got a virtual slap on the wrist from the pit wall for it. From there, he didn’t get close to Norris and had to settle for 2nd.

Charles Leclerc – 8.5

It was a quiet afternoon for Charles, but he maximised the performance of the Ferrari in Austria. Once he lost 2nd place to Piastri, he was left in the distance by the McLarens but stretched away from Hamilton in 4th. Leclerc took his 5th podium in Austria, the most of any track for the Monegasque.

Lewis Hamilton – 8.2

A much more positive weekend for Lewis and it was nice to see him smiling post race, despite finishing 30 seconds off the lead. Another quiet race in a Ferrari, starting 4th and finishing 4th. He lost ground in the first stint to Leclerc, up to 10 seconds and he did close in slightly over the next two, but never getting within 5 seconds. A podium would have been lovely but lets save that for next weekend.

George Russell – 8.1

Mercedes knew Austria wasn’t going to be a strong weekend for their car. The hot temperatures causing high tyre degradation and as a result, Russell ended over a minute behind the McLarens. This was damage limitation for Russell and probably the best he was hoping for. The predicted high temps for the British Grand Prix could scupper any podium aspirations Russell has for his home event.

Liam Lawson – 9.2

A brilliant performance from Lawson and a thoroughly well-deserved 6th place in Austria. I’m sure he had a smile on his face to out-qualify former teammate Verstappen on Saturday. It could have been a very different race as he came extremely close to being caught up in the first lap collision and lost 3 positions, but once clear, he performed the one-stop beautifully to well and truly finish best of the rest, getting back up to his starting position.

Fernando Alonso – 9.1

Another points finish for the leading Aston Martin and another successful one-stop strategy to take 7th place. Alonso just missed out on Q3 but was able to leapfrog into the points and held off his client, Bortoleto, to hold onto 7th in the final laps. All Aston Martin needs is a second Fernando Alonso for their other car…

Gabriel Bortoleto – 9.2

Bortoleto got the result his driving has deserved this year. He has shown moments of quality and great qualifying performances previously, but it all came together in Austria. His first Q3 appearance was followed by taking his first points of his F1 career on Sunday. He showed consistent pace throughout the race and made good overtakes when he needed to, but couldn’t quite get past his manager, Fernando Alonso, in the final laps.

Nico Hulkenberg – 9.1

This is going to be a hard one to rate below his teammate. Nico started right at the back of the grid and came home 9th. Both Saubers showed great speed in the race, and the car is showing real signs of improvement. Nico undercut at the first stops and overcut at the second and finished 7 seconds off his teammate. It’s double 9s for the Saubers!

Esteban Ocon – 8.6

Another quality performance from the back of the grid! Ocon started 17th and bided his time early on, making up a few places early on but then hanging onto his tyres to create a nice offset. He used this to his advantage, overtaking his teammate for 11th before lap 30 and then overtaking Hadjar late on to take 10th and the final point.

Ollie Bearman – 8.3

Bearman just missed out on points in Austria with another good drive from lower down the field, taking advantage of the incidents ahead. He was the first person to pit on Lap 11, starting on the softs and used the double hards strategy well from there, keeping out of trouble but couldn’t quite take home any of the spoils.

Isack Hadjar – 7.5

An unusual weekend for Hadjar in his rookie season, he was comprehensively outperformed by his teammate. He qualified 13th and finished 12th, continuing this small mid-season slump for the Frenchman. He had to take avoiding action at Turn 3, Lap 1, which dropped him down the order and he wasn’t able to threaten the points from there.

Pierre Gasly – 7.6

A frustrating race for Pierre as he made it into Q3 on Saturday, but tyre issues hampered him in the race. He was one of the few at the top to start on the softs, which degraded quickly, and he found no grip when he switched to the hards. Unfortunately for Gasly, we only really saw him getting overtaken on Sunday.

Lance Stroll – 5.3

Lance continued his streak of getting knocked out in Q1 in Austria and didn’t really trouble the TV screens during the race. He was rudely bundled off the track by Tsunoda at Turn 3, but that’s about it really. Another inconspicuous event for the Canadian.

Franco Colapinto – 4.5

A bumpy race for Colapinto. Every time he was shown on TV, he was in a scrap with Tsunoda. Both would end up with penalties, Franco’s for driving Championship leader Piastri off the road on the exit of Turn 3, not realising he was there. He would be spun around by Tsunoda later on to leave him last on the road, but he got that position back when Tsunoda had to take his penalty.

Yuki Tsunoda – 3.1

A terrible race from Tsunoda. Say what you like about the 2nd Red Bull and its issues, but this performance wasn’t all car issues. Yuki was knocked out in Q1 again, but kept making silly mistakes in the race. His dive bomb on Lance Stroll was clumsy at best and stupid at worst. He came from way too far back but didn’t fully commit, pushing Lance off at the exit and getting a slam dunk penalty. He repeated the move on Colapinto, this time at Turn 4. Diving late to the inside, but not fully committed, he has Colapinto to thank for not crashing at the apex, but then Tsunoda understeered wide, clipping and spinning Colapinto on the exit. He got a 10-second penalty for that indiscretion which put him dead last.

Alex Albon – 6.9

Really unlucky finish for Alex, he made up 6 spots at the start, was running in 6th place and looking likely to end his pointless streak before a technical issue forced him to retire on Lap 14.

Max Verstappen – 5.0

Max’s 31-race points scoring streak ended on Lap 1 on Sunday, through no fault of his own. He was minding his own business on the outside of Turn 3 before an out-of-control Antonelli came flying in, taking them both out. Unfortunate for Max and the Orange Army at Red Bull’s home race.

Kimi Antonelli – 2.5

A rookie error from Kimi, which is going to happen…as he is one. He got caught out by the cars in front braking earlier than expected, locked the rears and couldn’t slow down before colliding into Verstappen. He gets 2 penalty points on his license and a 3 place grid penalty for the British Grand Prix for his troubles. He will learn from this.

Carlos Sainz – N/A

A rare Did Not Start for Sainz. He was unable to pull away for the formation lap, causing an aborted start. Once he did get going, he brought it back to the pits, only for his brakes to catch alight, ending his race before it could start. Really tricky period for the Williams team. Hopefully they can pick things back up at their home Grand Prix.

Alright, decent Austrian Grand Prix, but can’t wait for the best weekend of the year, the British Grand Prix. Get us to Silverstone, where I fully expect the McLarens to continue their championship battle. Mixed weather is forecasted as well, could be spicy. See you next time.

Canadian Grand Prix – Driver Rating

Canadian Grand Prix, Sonntag, LAT Images

George Russell fantastically won the Canadian Grand Prix, never being troubled by the chasing pack as he took his and Mercedes’ first win of 2025. He was closely chased by Max Verstappen, but the Dutchman was more focused on watching his mirrors than attacking Russell. Behind the McLarens were recovering after an off-qualifying session which left them 3rd and 7th, but would come together in the closing laps to see their Championship lead reduced for the first time this year. Overall, it was an exciting race, with the strategies creating a nice offset that concertinaed the pack towards the end. I’m running out of time to write this (FP1 of the Austrian Grand Prix is less than 12 hours away) so let’s get into it.

George Russell – 8.8

George took a great pole on Saturday and led the whole way on Sunday, it was a great drive, just as talk is building about his future at Mercedes with the Verstappen link not going away. George has arguably been the driver of the season and this victory was thoroughly deserved.

Max Verstappen – 8.5

A typical Verstappen drive, didn’t have the fastest car but maximised the result. He held off Antonelli around the pit stops to solidify 2nd and ran quite a quiet race to the chequered flag. This level of consistency is what makes Max, Max.

Kimi Antonelli – 8.7

Antonelli became the 3rd youngest podium finisher in F1 history with a fantastic drive. He overtook the championship leader at Turn 1, threatened Verstappen around the pit stops and was holding on well in front of massive pressure from the McLarens in the closing stages. He earned this podium!

Oscar Piastri – 7.6

A slightly off weekend for the whole McLaren team in Montreal. Oscar qualified well to take 3rd but couldn’t hold on at the first corner and couldn’t pressure Antonelli in front to create an overtaking opportunity. His teammate who started 7th was able to catch him by the end of the race and should have passed, but we will get to Lando.

Charles Leclerc – 7.5

Another tricky weekend for Ferrari as the car just isn’t gelling at the moment. The upgrades don’t seem to be having the desired effect either. Charles found himself in no-mans land in fifth, but not as much as his teammate.

Lewis Hamilton – 7.5

Too many times this season have we found Lewis in the middle of nowhere mid-race. This time it was due to damage he picked up on Lap 13 after hitting a groundhog. He was driving well before that, keeping up with the leaders. This damage was costing him 1/4 second a lap which left him on his own for much of the race.

Fernando Alonso – 8.1

Points are like London buses for Fernando this season, wait ages for one and suddenly they come thick and fast. It was a great drive from Fernando to take best of the rest.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8.4

A great drive from Hulkenberg, took advantage of some first lap swabbles to get into position to score points and did well to keep them. Dragging this Sauber into the points is a great achievement and Nico has the experience and skill to do that.

Esteban Ocon – 7.9

A great drive from Ocon and a great strategy from Haas helped get the Frenchman into the points in Montreal. Starting behind his teammate, Ocon was able to move up the field and take his first points since Monaco.

Carlos Sainz – 7.9

Sainz recovered after a horror Spanish Grand Prix to take a point in Montreal. A nice dive down the inside of Bortoleto was a highlight after staring 16th.

Ollie Bearman – 7.3

Ollie just missed out on points in Montreal and would be disappointed to be beaten by his teammate but a solid performance from the team.

Yuki Tsunoda – 6.9

Yuki received a 10-place penalty in practice for overtaking under red flags, so he started from the back. He battled back but wasn’t able to get into the points. His performances are starting to go backwards again.

Franco Colapinto – 7.1

Franco beat his teammate in Canada, which is always a plus for him to maintain a positive reputation within the team. He didn’t trouble the points but the car isn’t really in that fight at the moment.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 7.2

Bortoleto is doing a decent job but being outperformed by his teammate more regularly, or at least Nico is getting the stand out performance from this car. Gabriel is in the fight though and building confidence.

Pierre Gasly – 6.9

An off weekend for Pierre. He was always towards the back and got in a few scuffles, notably with Lance Stroll. Beaten by his teammate that doesn’t happen very often.

Isack Hadjar – 6.1

Isack’s worst race in a long time. The Racing Bull didn’t look quick at all in Montreal and Isack got penalised as well for impeding in qualifying. He made it into Q3 but went backwards from there.

Lance Stroll – 6.5

I think Lance’s 10 second penalty was harsh, he did drift wide and Gasly dipped onto the grass but is that really worth 10 seconds? I think Pierre bought that a bit. Last on the road for his home race isn’t the result he wanted and probably didn’t reflect his actual pace, especially after coming back from wrist surgery.

Lando Norris – 5.5

Lando, Lando, Lando. A dodgy Q3 put him into the pack and he did really well to fight back in the race until a lack of judgement when overtaking his teammate cost him dearly. He looked for a gap that wasn’t going to open in time, when he probably would have got past around the outside of Turn 1. It was clumsy collision with the wall that cost him 10 points. Points that he needs.

Liam Lawson – 4.5

Lawson started in the pit lane after his team made lots of changes to his car post Quali. His race didn’t get much better as he retired early after not making any impression on the field.

Alex Albon – 5.9

Another tricky one for Alex, having qualified in the top ten, he was running well after getting pushed off the track on the first lap, which may have led to the issues that caused his retirement. The weekend started so promisingly but didn’t translate for Albon.

Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 01: Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes takes the chequered flag to cheers from his team on the pit wall during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 01, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Sam Bagnall/Sutton Images)

The Spanish Grand Prix delivered a thrilling race filled with drama, strategy, and much controversy. Oscar Piastri led a McLaren one-two in the glorious sunshine, while Max Verstappen’s late-race antics stole most of the headlines. The fight at the front was relatively calm, with the two McLaren’s being slightly too quick for Max, while the Mercedes and Ferrari’s battled it out between themselves for the rest of the big points. Behind, there was some great action, in particular into Turn 1 and even some lovely moves around the outside at Turn 3. The safety car caused by Antonelli’s retirement caused even more drama: some good, some bad. Big shout out to Nico Hulkenberg for a fantastic 5th place after Verstappen’s penalty. A lot has already been said about his move, and all I can really add is – Are we really that surprised?

Oscar Piastri

Piastri continued his fantastic form this season, leading from pole and building a solid lead in the first stint. Despite a late safety car, he managed the restart perfectly and secured a comfortable victory. His calm and consistent driving under pressure is becoming a hallmark of his season.
Rating: 8.8

Lando Norris

Norris didn’t get the best start but eventually overtook Verstappen to secure second place. While he couldn’t close the gap to Piastri, his performance was solid and crucial for McLaren’s constructor championship lead.
Rating: 8.3

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc made the most of a late safety car to snatch third place. He was stuck behind his teammate early on, but once free, he capitalised on Verstappen and Red Bull’s mistakes to secure a podium finish.
Rating: 8.5

George Russell

Russell had a quiet race until the safety car restart, when he was the other half of Verstappen’s dodge-um attempt. While his initial move at Turn 1 was valid, Verstappen’s retaliation overshadowed Russell’s solid fourth-place finish.
Rating: 8.0

Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg was the driver of the day, climbing from 15th to fifth with a series of impressive overtakes. His two-stop strategy and tire management were flawless, marking one of his best performances in years.
Rating: 9.3

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton struggled for pace throughout the race, dropping back after a strong start. He was overtaken by Hulkenberg late in the race, highlighting another challenging weekend for the seven-time champion.
Rating: 7.1

Isack Hadjar

Hadjar continued his impressive rookie season with another points finish. His consistency is keeping Racing Bulls in the midfield fight, and he’s quickly becoming rookie of the year.
Rating: 8.5

Pierre Gasly

Gasly had a positive weekend, qualifying in Q3 and finishing eighth. When the Alpine works, Gasly is a force in the midfield, and this race was a much-needed boost for the team.
Rating: 8.5

Fernando Alonso

Alonso finally scored points in 2025 after a series of retirements. His creative overtakes and determination were on full display, earning him a well-deserved ninth place at his home race.
Rating: 8.0

Max Verstappen

Verstappen’s race ended in controversy after a promising start. The three-stop strategy backfired with the late safety car, and his frustration boiled over with a deliberate collision with Russell. A ten-second penalty was lenient for such dangerous driving, I think other drivers get disqualified for that.
Rating: 1.0

Liam Lawson

Lawson had another solid weekend, narrowly missing out on points. He’s showing progress, which is crucial as he battles to establish himself in Racing Bulls and to extend his F1 career, which was faltering.
Rating: 7.8

Gabriel Bortoletto

Bortoletto was unlucky with the late safety car but showed promise throughout the race. He outqualified his teammate and was in the mix for points, marking a step forward.
Rating: 7.6

Yuki Tsunoda

Tsunoda had a weekend to forget, qualifying last and finishing 13th. His struggles highlighted Red Bull’s ongoing issues with their second seat.
Rating: 4.5

Carlos Sainz

Sainz endured a tough weekend, struggling for pace and finishing 15th. Williams’ track-specific issues were evident, and Sainz will be hoping for a better showing next time.
Rating: 5.1

Franco Colapinto

Colapinto had a quiet race, was knocked out in Q1 and finished 15th. It was a weekend to forget for the Argentinian driver.
Rating: 5.1

Esteban Ocon

Ocon was invisible for most of the race, finishing 16th. It was a disappointing weekend for the Frenchman.
Rating: 5.1

Ollie Bearman

Bearman outqualified his teammate but struggled in the race, finishing 17th. It was a tough weekend for Haas overall.
Rating: 5.4

Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli retired with an engine issue but showed promise earlier in the race. His qualifying performance was a highlight, but his season has stalled slightly with a few mistakes and reliability issues.
Rating: 7.4

Alex Albon

Albon had a weekend to forget, retiring after multiple collisions and penalties. His qualifying performance was the only positive.
Rating: 5.5

Lance Stroll

Stroll did not start the race due to wrist pain so I’m not going to score him. It feels harsh if you retire due to injury.
Rating: N/A

The Spanish Grand Prix showcased McLaren’s dominance and the unpredictability of Formula 1. With Piastri extending his championship lead and Verstappen’s antics under scrutiny, the season continues to deliver excitement. Next up, the Canadian Grand Prix promises more thrills and drama.

Monaco Grand Prix Driver Ratings

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Third placed Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

The Monaco harbour was basked in its usual summer glow as Lando Norris won his maiden Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, but the action didn’t reflect the glorious setting. Formula 1 tried a different tactic to spice up the racing at Monaco, however, their mandatory two-stop rule only seemed to highlight that Formula 1 has outgrown Monaco and there isn’t anything they can do to fix their biggest issue. You just can’t overtake.

I liked the idea of F1 trying something different at Monaco as the traditional one-stop, track-position-is-king, procession has gotten very old. It came to a head in 2024 as a first lap red flag gave everyone the chance to conduct their mandatory tyre swap, all going onto the hards and going to the end. Ive watched pretty much every race since 1970 and this was the worst boring, by far.

Unfortunately, despite the chaos that the mandatory two-stop brought, it wasn’t the right chaos and didn’t fix the age-old problem for Monaco. The top 10 largely finished where they started, with the only actual overtake happening on track, on the last lap, as Stroll went around the outside of Hulkenberg.

Best to just get on with the ratings as we don’t need to review pit stops and Trulli trains (sorry Jarno)

Lando Norris

Lando Norris was the star of the weekend, securing a brilliant pole position and executing a calm, controlled race to take the win. His only misstep was a double lock-up into Turn 1, but he got away with it. Norris held off Charles Leclerc under pressure, showcasing his maturity and skill on the most demanding circuit of the season.
Rating: 8.8

Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc was in the hunt for victory all afternoon, staying within four to five seconds of Norris but unable to find a way past on Monaco’s tight streets. A strong qualifying performance put him on the front row, and Ferrari looked quicker than expected. A solid drive, but just shy of the top step.
Rating: 8.7

Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri claimed his second podium of the season with a solid third-place finish. He was a couple of tenths off Norris all weekend and looked a bit scruffy at times, which is uncharacteristic for the Australian. Still, he continues his impressive run of scoring points in every race this season.
Rating: 7.9

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen and Red Bull were a couple of tenths off the pace all weekend, which was expected given the circuit’s characteristics. Verstappen hung around in fourth, hoping for a red flag or safety car that never came. A relatively quiet weekend by his high standards.
Rating: 7.5

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton was one of the few drivers to make progress on Sunday. Starting seventh after a qualifying penalty, he used the overcut to jump Esteban Ocon and Isaac Hadjar in the pits. However, he was stuck in no man’s land for much of the race, too quick for the cars behind but too far back to challenge the leaders.
Rating: 7.7

Isaac Hadjar

Isaac Hadjar had another strong weekend, qualifying sixth and starting fifth after Hamilton’s penalty. His team used strategy effectively, with Liam Lawson holding up the field to help Hadjar build a gap. A well-executed race earned him a solid sixth place.
Rating: 8.1

Esteban Ocon

Esteban Ocon delivered an understated but impressive performance. He qualified seventh and finished seventh, rarely seen during the race but consistently quick. A great weekend for Ocon that went somewhat unnoticed.
Rating: 7.9

Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson played the team game early on, sacrificing his strategy to help Hadjar. He qualified ninth and finished eighth, earning solid points. A welcome result for Lawson, who showed both speed and teamwork.
Rating: 7.7

Alex Albon

Alex Albon qualified ninth and finished ninth, playing the team game with Williams. He was cheekily overtaken by George Russell when he deliberately skipped the Novelle chicane, and would receive a penalty. Albon’s two points were well-earned in a tricky race.
Rating: 7.0

Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz had a similar race to Albon, qualifying eleventh and finishing tenth. He initially let Albon ahead to play the team game, then swapped back to secure a point. A solid drive, but missing Q3 limited his potential.
Rating: 7.3

George Russell

George Russell had a disappointing weekend, retiring in qualifying due to an electrical issue and starting fourteenth. He made up positions to finish eleventh but was stuck in the Monaco train for most of the race. Mercedes missed a trick by not splitting strategies and he was rightly penalised for intentionally skipping the chicane to pass Albon in hope of improving his position.
Rating: 6.2

Ollie Bearman

Ollie Bearman qualified last and finished twelfth, stuck in the Monaco train for the entire race. A tough weekend with little opportunity to make progress, but took advantage of the Lap 1 virtual safety car to gain a pit stop over most of the midfield.
Rating: 6.0

Franco Colapinto

Franco Colapinto pitted early to gain track position but was also stuck in the Monaco train. He finished thirteenth in a race where overtaking was nearly impossible.
Rating: 6.0

Gabriel Bortoleto

Gabriel Bortoleto recovered well after a first-lap crash, pitting under the virtual safety car to gain time. He finished fourteenth, ahead of his teammate, in a race where his crash ironically helped his strategy.
Rating: 6.5

Lance Stroll

Lance Stroll made one of the few overtakes of the race, passing Hulkenberg around the outside at the Nouvelle Chicane on the final lap. A small but impressive moment in an otherwise uneventful race.
Rating: 6.8

Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg was unlucky with strategy, pitting early and dropping back to fifteenth. A decent qualifying session was the highlight of his weekend.
Rating: 7.2

Yuki Tsunoda

Yuki Tsunoda was involved in an early crash with Pierre Gasly, which left him with significant car damage. He finished seventeenth, stuck in traffic and unable to make progress.
Rating: 5.5

Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli crashed in qualifying and started near the back. He was stuck in the Monaco train all race, finishing eighteenth in a disappointing weekend for Mercedes.
Rating: 5.2

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso’s unlucky streak continued, retiring from sixth place due to an engine failure. He was on course for his first points of the season before the issue struck.
Rating: 7.7

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly’s weekend was ruined by a brake issue that caused him to crash into Tsunoda on the first lap. He retired early, making it impossible to grade his performance fairly.
Rating: 5.2

Overview

The Monaco Grand Prix once again highlighted the challenges of overtaking on the tight, twisting streets of the principality. While the mandatory two-stop strategy added some intrigue, it also emphasized the need for rule tweaks to make the race more exciting. Despite its flaws, Monaco remains the jewel in Formula 1’s crown, and its place on the calendar is secure. Next up, the triple header concludes in Barcelona, where McLaren and Verstappen are expected to battle it out on a circuit with medium to high-speed corners. See you there!

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Driver Ratings

IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 18: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and the Oracle Red Bull Racing team celebrate during the F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari on May 18, 2025 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202505180494 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen expertly won an interesting and absorbing Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday. Having started second, Verstappen performed arguably one of his best overtakes of his career, masterfully out-braking Oscar Piastri around the outside into the Tamburello chicane, holding it together with the Australian giving him space to take the lead into the first corner.

From there, Verstappen really had control of the race, which was helped by McLaren’s interesting strategic decisions. The race had the full safety car contingent, virtual and full safety car, which helped Verstappen in the first instance to extend his lead after Oscar Piastri took an early stop which did not work out for him. The full safety car bunched the field back up on lap 46 but still no one could get close to Verstappen as he drove away by six seconds. Behind him, both McLarens were two-three, Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri, which is becoming routine for the McLaren team now. Following that came a fantastic battle between the two Ferraris and Alex Albon towards the end. Lewis Hamilton took fourth, Alex Albon fifth for the second fifth in a row, really cementing his place as best of the rest in the driver’s championship, followed by Leclerc who was caught by the two behind him after staying on old hard tyres with the second safety car.

George Russell took 7th on a quiet day for the Briton, in front of Sainz, Hadjar and Tsunoda who came from a pit lane start to take the last point.

Overall this was quite an exciting edition of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by recent standards with the split strategy providing lots of opportunities for overtakes but Verstappen really was the class of the field.

Right, on to the ratings!

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen pulled off a fantastic overtake over Oscar Piastri into turn one and never really looked back. He pulled out a two-second lead before Piastri pitted early for the undercut, but Red Bull held on getting through the graining and Verstappen increased his lead. From there, it was all looking very easy, very rarely seeing the Red Bull driver. The late safety car brought the field back to him but didn’t bother him in the end. He just keeps reminding us why he’s a four-time world champion and in the echelon of one of the best drivers of all time. These types of performances feel routine for him and look routine, but I imagine they’re very much not.

Rating: 8.9

Lando Norris

Lando continues to be hampered by his Saturday performances, qualifying fourth in this Grand Prix and getting stuck behind George Russell in the first twelve laps. By the time he got past, he was seven seconds behind the front two and really that’s quite a big gap in this title fight. He was unlucky with the virtual safety car, pitting thirty seconds before it came out, and then got stuck behind his teammate after the second safety car. Once he was past him, he was six seconds back from Verstappen, which was too far.

Rating: 8.1

Oscar Piastri

Oscar will be kicking himself for breaking a bit too early in the first corner. From there, the team didn’t help him, pitting Piastri early for the undercut, but he got stuck behind traffic and wasn’t able to eat into Verstappen’s lead. If anything, he lost time post pit stop. He was running in a distant third once the virtual safety car and all had rolled out. McLaren decided to keep him out during the second safety car and wasn’t really able to challenge Verstappen on much older tires after the restart. Not a great Sunday for Piastri. It could have been very different if he’d kept the lead into turn one, but unfortunately, he didn’t.

Rating: 7.9

Lewis Hamilton

A much better Sunday after a disappointing Q2 exit on Saturday. Hamilton was much more at ease with the car at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Having been stuck behind Kimi Antonelli for much of the first half of the race, but once able to get past he made good progress. He put mediums on at the second safety car and was able to make up places over his teammate and Alex Albon to claim fourth. Generally, a much better race for Hamilton. He said after the race, it was the most comfortable he’d been, and he looked quick with some decisive overtakes.

Rating: 8.1

Alex Albon

Another fantastic weekend for Alex Albon and the Williams team. This is the second time in a row Alex has finished fifth and the third time all season. He was also a beneficiary of going long in the first stint. Albon took advantage of the virtual safety to pit, jumped Piastri and was running as high as third for much of the race. Piastri would then overtake him in between the two safety car periods. Albon pitted again at the second safety car and wasn’t quite able to hold on to fourth. So another fifth place for Alex Albon and a fantastic performance. Williams is really looking a very solid car.

Rating: 8.5

Charles Leclerc

A frustrating afternoon for Charles who thought he could probably get more out of the race after qualifying eleventh on Saturday. Made a good start, made a couple of places up, and was running nicely on the mediums in the first stint and triggered the first set of pit stops pitting on lap 11. Initially, this looked like a great decision as he undercut Russell and Piastri to take a net third on the road. But the safety car timings really screwed him with those around him taking a cheap stop. At the safety car, he decided to stay out as he had no fresh tyres available. This gave him track position, but left him vulnerable to Albon and Hamilton behind when he was eventually overtaken by both. So he finished sixth but a promising race for the Ferrari team overall, if not a bit frustrating for Charles.

Rating: 8.1

George Russell

A tricky weekend for Russell and the Mercedes team. Even though he started third on the grid after a great qualifying performance, the pace in the car really wasn’t there on Sunday. He suffered from high degradation in the first stint after being pushed hard by Lando Norris. He pitted early on lap 12, triggering the other two stoppers and was a victim of the safety cars. With the hot conditions causing Mercedes problems, we are going to see more of this.

Rating: 7.6

Carlos Sainz

Again, another solid weekend from Carlos. Argued that he was screwed by his team’s strategy putting on to the two stop when clearly the one stop was the right way to go on Sunday and was further exasperated by the virtual safety car coming out at the right time for the one stoppers. Another point scoring position could arguably have been sixth or seventh on another day.

Rating: 7.8

Isack Hadjar

Another point scoring position for the ever impressive rookie. Started eleventh, was running as high as fourth with Alex Albon during the early stages of the race, but wasn’t able to hang on to that position as the safety car and virtual safety car were not very well timed for him. He lost positions to Sainz and Russell during the safety car period and wasn’t able to make those positions back. More points for the young Frenchman.

Rating: 7.8

Yuki Tsunoda

A great recovery drive from Yuki from the pit lane after a humongous crash on Saturday, where he flipped his Aston Martin and was lucky to climb out of that uninjured. Went long in the first stint, made use of the virtual safety car and safety car to find his way back into the points at the flag.

Rating: 7.7

Fernando Alonso

Fernando was unlucky again, still not having scored a point in 2025. The Aston Martin looked much better after upgrades, and Alonso qualified fifth. However, an early pit stop and poorly timed safety cars left him unable to full recover, finishing eleventh.

Rating: 7.8

Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg had a great performance, running in the low teens for most of the race. He took advantage of the safety car periods and was running in tenth at the restart but couldn’t hold on, finishing twelfth.

Rating: 7.7

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly had a tough race, pitting very early and dropping back after battling with Charles Leclerc. He was running in the mid-teens for most of the race, finishing thirteenth.

Rating: 7.6

Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson had a quiet race, qualifying fourteenth and finishing fourteenth. He was thoroughly outperformed by his younger and more inexperienced teammate.

Rating: 7.1

Lance Stroll

Lance Stroll had an unfortunate race after qualifying in the top ten. He was caught out by the safety cars and finished fifteenth.

Rating: 6.5

Franco Colapinto

Franco Colapinto had a tricky weekend on his second debut, crashing in qualifying and finishing sixteenth. He was tentative at the start and never really recovered.

Rating: 6.1

Ollie Bearman

Ollie Bearman had a quiet race, running towards the back for most of it and finishing seventeenth. He was unlucky in qualifying with his fastest time in Q1 being chalked off due to the red flag coming out just before he finished his lap.

Rating: 5.8

Gabriel Bortoleto

Bortoleto finished last on the road, outperformed by his teammate, Nico Hulkenberg. He had a few good battles towards the back, but couldn’t move forward.

Rating: 5.5

Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli had a scrappy weekend, retiring on lap 46 while running around fifth to eighth. He had some good battles but ended his race prematurely.

Rating: 7.2

Esteban Ocon

Esteban Ocon retired on lap 28 with an engine failure, impacting the race more than his driving did.

Rating: 5.5

In what could be the last time Formula One arrives in Imola for a while, this iconic circuit produced a decent race with plenty of action into Turn 1. Verstappen takes the honours of four consecutive wins at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, tying off its inclusion in the calendar for now. Next, the second leg of the triple header takes us to Monaco, where a mandated two-stop race could see some crazy strategies. Verstappen leaves Italy very much in the title fight, putting down a marker to McLaren that he isn’t going anywhere.

Miami Grand Prix Driver Ratings

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 04: Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren and the McLaren team celebrate during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 04, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)

Oscar Piastri took the spoils on Sunday as McLaren completed the perfect weekend, winning both the sprint and the main race in Miami. Piastri capitalized on the first-lap drama, which saw Max Verstappen and Lando Norris go wheel-to-wheel into the first couple of corners. Verstappen forced Norris wide at Turn 2, gifting positions to Kimi Antonelli and Piastri. Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson collided at the first corner, causing the first virtual safety car of the race and ending Doohan’s day with a puncture.

Piastri delivered an assured drive in the clearly fastest McLaren. After getting ahead of Antonelli, he pursued Verstappen, made a decisive pass, and drove off into the distance. Norris recovered from the first-corner scuffle, which pushed him down to sixth, and managed to pass the two Mercedes and Verstappen after a great battle. However, Piastri had already built a nine-second lead by that time. Norris closed the gap to just over three seconds by the flag but couldn’t catch his teammate.

George Russell took the final podium position, benefiting from the second virtual safety car to leapfrog Verstappen in the pits. Williams had a much-improved weekend, with Alex Albon finishing fifth and Carlos Sainz ninth. Kimi Antonelli made history by becoming the youngest driver to take pole in any Qualifying format, and still has two years to break Sebastian Vettel’s record for the youngest pole-sitter for a main race.

The race in Miami was full of intrigue, with rain on Saturday spicing up the sprint. However, the threatened rain on Sunday never arrived, leaving the race humid and tense. McLaren’s dominance was clear, and they took full advantage.

1. Oscar Piastri

Piastri completed the hat-trick of wins in Miami, to overtake his teammate in the F1 wins list. He took advantage of the squabbling in front at the start, made decisive passes, and drove off in the fastest car. He extends his championship lead to 16 points and is starting to look like THE title contender.
Rating: 8.6

2. Lando Norris

The safety car helped Norris in the sprint, but there was no such luck on Sunday. After a better start than Verstappen, he was pushed wide at Turn 2 and dropped to sixth. He made some nice passes to recover to second but couldn’t catch Piastri in the end.
Rating: 8.3

3. George Russell

A great result for Russell, who took advantage of the virtual safety car to leapfrog Verstappen in the pits and secure third, despite not being fully on the pace all weekend. He held off the Dutchman to the end and even a Red Bull appeal post-race.
Rating: 7.9

4. Max Verstappen

Not Max’s finest race. Despite holding off Norris from pole at the first corner, he couldn’t keep the McLarens back once they found their groove and was unlucky to lose third during the virtual safety car. Max knows he needs to be aggressive against the McLarens as his car simply doesn’t have the pace to challenge in the long term.
Rating: 7.7

5. Alex Albon

A great result for Williams. Albon qualified seventh, had a nice battle with his teammate early on before pulling away and securing a comfortable fifth place at the flag. He was working around a water pressure issue all race, so this result is even more impressive. My driver of the day.
Rating: 8.7

6. Kimi Antonelli

A fantastic sprint qualifying saw Antonelli take pole, but he couldn’t hold the lead in the damp conditions. In the race, he started third but couldn’t keep pace with the frontrunners. He lost time in the pits, trying an undercut just at the wrong time, with the virtual safety car coming out the next lap. Helped his teammate jump Verstappen, though, so good inadvertent teamwork from the rookie.
Rating: 8.1

7. Charles Leclerc

A tricky weekend for Ferrari. Leclerc crashed in the sprint reconnaissance lap and ran in the lower points throughout the race. The most excitement seemed to come on the radio as the Ferrari drivers scabbled over who should lead their attack but neither was able to make an impression.
Rating: 7.3

8. Lewis Hamilton

A podium in the sprint was Lewis’ weekend highlight, but he cut a frustrated figure during the main race. He got stuck behind Ocon for the first half but showed great pace once on the mediums, but got stuck again, this time behind his teammate and Sainz. Once released, he wasn’t able to pull away and had to let Leclerc back through. Bit of a mess from Ferrari there.
Rating: 7.4

9. Carlos Sainz

A solid weekend with double points for Williams. He wasn’t able to keep his teammate behind and then got stuck behind the Ferraris to pick up ninth place. He is showing more consistent pace though, which is encouraging for him and the team as they secure best of the rest status.
Rating: 7.9

10. Yuki Tsunoda

A relatively under-the-radar weekend for Tsunoda, who qualified and finished tenth but is definitely heading in the right direction. They should have given him the second Red Bull seat from the start.
Rating: 7.5

11. Isack Hadjar

Another decent performance from Hadjar, who is battling Antonelli for rookie of the year honours. He was unlucky to miss out on points, finishing just 0.2 seconds behind Tsunoda.
Rating: 7.6

12. Esteban Ocon

Ocon qualified ninth but finished twelfth, unable to hold onto a points-paying position as some faster cars came past. A better weekend after being thoroughly outperformed by his teammate in Jeddah.
Rating: 7.4

13. Pierre Gasly

A solid recovery drive from eighteenth to thirteenth, but Gasly never troubled the points. This alpine is proving quite inconsistent.
Rating: 7.2

14. Nico Hulkenberg

Not much to say for Hulkenberg, who started sixteenth and finished fourteenth.
Rating: 6.9

15. Fernando Alonso

Another tough weekend for Alonso, who crashed in the sprint and finished fifteenth after a lazy spin in the early stages. Still no points in 2025 for the Spaniard.
Rating: 6.2

16. Lance Stroll

Stroll finished last on the road, continuing a season where he is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
Rating: 6.1

Retirees

17. Liam Lawson

Liam was involved in the first corner collision with Doohan, which put him to the back and the Aussie out of the race. He wasn’t able to recover before retiring on lap 37.

Rating: 5.5

18. Gabriel Bortoleto

Gabriel retired on lap 30 with engine issues after running towards the back until then. Did outqualify his teammate and got into Q2 but that’s where his weekend peaked.

Rating: 5.8

19. Ollie Bearman

A tricky weekend for Ollie, he qualified last and wasn’t able to finish the race, retiring on lap 27 with an engine failure. Never good when your biggest moment is the novelty of seeing an engine failure, which is rare nowadays.

Rating: 5.2

20. Jack Doohan

Another race for Jack that ended before it could get going. He did well to outqualify his teammate but collided with Lawson at Turn 1 as they tussled over the same piece of tarmac. Their contact caused a puncture, and he retired before he could complete one circuit.

Rating: 5.2

The Formula One circus now moves to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. Expect McLaren to be quick on this fast, flowing, old school circuit. See you next time!

Bahrain Grand Prix Driver Ratings

There we go, that’s much better! The Bahrain Grand Prix extinguished any memories of last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix to put on a show in the desert; showcasing the best of Formula One.

Oscar Piastri made it look easy at the front with a commanding victory from pole position, however, behind him was pure entertainment. Several competing strategies meant a mixed up order throughout with overtaking all over the track, and a safety car to bunch the field, giving us action all the way to the end. Lando Norris managed to climb back up to third after a poor qualifying session. The Ferraris looked quick, and Lewis Hamilton appeared to be getting on top of his car, while the Red Bulls still seemed a step behind.

A shout-out to the rookies, in particular Ollie Bearman, who came from last to earn points—a great drive from the young Brit. There were solid performances all around; Antonelli had a great race even though he didn’t score any points, and so did Jack Doohan, but strategy decisions derailed their races.

Overall, it was a great race, exactly what we needed and a timely reinforcement for my next article on why Formula One should enforce each car to use all three dry tyre compounds per race. Look out for that shortly.

Right, into the ratings.

Oscar Piastri

Oscar dominated the weekend, securing a commanding victory from pole position. He led from start to finish, easing into the race during the first stint before pulling away in the second and third. The safety car briefly brought the pack closer, but Piastri remained untroubled, showing great speed and consistency.

8.8/10

George Russell

George Russell had another strong weekend, qualifying second but starting third due to a strange team penalty for instructing their drivers to leave the garage before the pit lane opened in Q2 after Ocon’s crash. He made a great start, taking second in the opening laps and holding his position throughout the race. His strategy of soft-medium-soft worked perfectly, and he held off Lando Norris in the closing stages to secure second place.

8.8/10

Lando Norris

Lando had a scruffy weekend in Bahrain which started in qualifying, leaving him sixth on the grid, and then a five-second penalty for being out of his grid box at the start cost him valuable time in the race. Despite this, he fought back to finish third, but more points dropped. In a tight title battle, he needs to be more consistent.

7.8/10

Charles Leclerc

The Monegasque driver outperformed his car, qualifying third and starting second after Russell’s penalty. Ferrari’s alternate strategy of starting on mediums saw him lose positions early, but he fought back with strong overtakes when he had the tyre advantage later on. A late switch to hards cost him some pace, but he held off Norris for a long time before finishing fourth.

8.2/10

Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time champ had a better weekend, though qualifying remains an area he must improve upon, which is crazy to write. Starting ninth, he delivered a solid recovery drive, running medium-medium-hard, like his teammate. He showed strong pace in the middle stint, briefly climbing to fourth before settling for fifth. Progress with the car is evident, and he’ll look to build on this in Jeddah.


7.8/10

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen struggled with a twitchy Red Bull, qualifying seventh and finishing sixth. Brake issues hampered his ability to attack, and team operational problems in the pits cost him time. Despite these challenges, you’ve got to expect he extracted the most from his car, and did show great speed in bursts.


7.8/10

Pierre Gasly

Pierre was a standout performer in Bahrain, qualifying fifth and finishing seventh. He showed great pace throughout the weekend, battling with the top teams and narrowly losing out to Verstappen on the final lap. His consistency and aggression were impressive, making him my driver of the weekend.


9.1/10

Esteban Ocon

Ocon delivered a strong race, starting 14th after his Q2 shunt but finished seventh. An aggressive strategy of pitting early for fresh tires gave him a great undercut, and he maximized his pace in the Haas. This continues the team’s strong turnaround after a worrying start to the season in Australia.

8.5/10

Yuki Tsunoda

Yuki Tsunoda had a better weekend, qualifying tenth and finishing ninth. He was involved in battles throughout the race, including a collision with Carlos Sainz that ended the Ferrari driver’s race. Despite some setbacks, Tsunoda showed improved pace and consistency.

7.5/10

Ollie Bearman

Ollie Bearman was another star of the race, starting last after a poor qualifying but finishing tenth to score points. His overtakes and tyre management were exceptional, showcasing his potential as a rookie. This performance will boost his confidence moving forward.


8.9/10

Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli was another standout rookie, qualifying fifth and showing great pace throughout the race. Mercedes’ strategy cost him track position, but he fought back from 14th to finish 11th. His aggression and precision were impressive, even if he missed out on points.


8.1/10

Alex Albon

Alex Albon was unlucky to finish 12th after a strong race. He was on course for eighth before the safety car came out just after he pitted, dropping him down the order. Despite the setback, he showed good pace and made significant progress from 15th on the grid.


7.6/10

Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg finished 13th in what is likely the slowest car on the grid. He took advantage of the chaos and safety car to move up the order, but there’s little more he could have done given the car’s limitations.


8.2/10

Isack Hadjar

Hadjar had a tougher weekend, qualifying 12th and finishing 14th. A slow start and aggressive strategy didn’t pay off, and he struggled to keep up with the pack after the safety car. It was a decent performance but not up to his recent standard.


7.3/10

Jack Doohan

Jack was unfortunate to finish 15th after running in the points for much of the race. A poorly timed pit stop before the safety car cost him track position, but he showed good pace and progress after a slow and, accident heavy, start to his F1 career.


7.4/10

Fernando Alonso

Alonso had a quiet race, qualifying 13th and finishing 16th. Aston Martin’s struggles continued, and there was little Alonso could do to make an impact. They are quickly becoming the forgotten team in 2025.


7.1/10

Liam Lawson

Lawson finished 17th after a race filled with battles and penalties. A ten-second penalty for a collision with Bortoleto summed up a difficult weekend for the man from Auckland. He is being shown up by the other rookies and needs to put in a performance quickly, before Helmut Marko gets another bout of itchy fingers.

6.2/10

Lance Stroll

Lance Stroll qualified 19th and finished 18th, reflecting Aston Martin’s struggles. He was largely invisible during the race, and there’s little to say about his performance. Again, sums Aston Martin up at the moment.


3.5/10

Gabriel Bortoleto

Gabriel Bortoleto finished 19th after being involved in a collision with Lawson. He struggled to make an impression really and made up the backmarkers throughout the race.


5.5/10

Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz was unfortunate to retire after a collision with Tsunoda damaged his sidepod. He had a strong weekend, outqualifying his teammate and running in the points before the incident.


7.6/10

P.S.

Nico Hulkenberg was disqualified post-race for excessive plank wear, but his performance remains unchanged in the ratings.

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings

Max Verstappen led home the two McLarens at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, securing his first victory of the season. While this keeps my early bold predictions alive, the race itself was far from thrilling. Reminiscent of Monaco last year, there was very little action, as summed up by Oscar Piastri in the post-race debrief. The highlights were sparse, with only one change in the top 10 from grid to finish: Lewis Hamilton overtook Isaac Hadjar early on to claim seventh. Beyond that, there was minimal movement, making for a rather uneventful race.

The sweeping turns of Suzuka made it difficult for drivers to follow closely, and the lack of overtaking opportunities contributed to a race that was, frankly, a bit boring. One notable performance came from Kimi Antonelli, who led the race for the first time and became the youngest driver to do so. This was his last chance to beat Max Verstappen’s record as the youngest F1 winner, but he fell short.

Now, let’s dive into the driver ratings

Max Verstappen

Max won the race in qualifying, securing pole with a lap that edged out the McLarens by less than a tenth of a second. The damp conditions on race day helped mitigate overheating issues, a particular strength of the McLarens. Verstappen took a strong start, held off Lando Norris into the first corner, and maintained a measured pace throughout, keeping the McLarens in his dirty air. A slightly slower pit stop didn’t cost him, as he emerged just ahead of Norris and controlled the race to the finish. A consistent, mature drive.


8.5/10

Lando Norris

It was a case of “so close, yet so far” for Lando. The McLaren looked the fastest car all weekend, but Max got the better of them when it mattered. He got a great start, matching Verstappen, but couldn’t get alongside into the first corner. From there, he was stuck behind Max, unable to get close enough for DRS. McLaren’s decision to pit him on the same lap as Verstappen was questionable, and a faster stop might have changed the outcome. Still, a solid performance.


7.3/10

Oscar Piastri

Oscar’s fate was sealed in qualifying, where he couldn’t quite challenge for pole. Starting third, he was unable to make progress up the field. He looked quicker than Norris at times, threatening with DRS, but couldn’t capitalize. Pitting one lap earlier than the leaders didn’t help, and he came home third. A strong drive, but overshadowed slightly by his teammate.


7.2/10

Charles Leclerc

A lonely race for Charles, who qualified fourth and finished fourth. He outperformed the car slightly in qualifying, which set him up for a solid race. He finished 16 seconds behind Verstappen and 1.5 seconds ahead of George Russell. A decent drive, especially with his teammate down in seventh.


7.6/10

George Russell

The leading Mercedes driver all weekend, George qualified fifth and finished fifth. He was slightly disappointed not to be on the second row, as the Mercedes seems to be the second-fastest car at the moment. He followed Leclerc home, finishing 2.5 seconds behind. A solid but unspectacular performance.


6.9/10

Kimi Antonelli

Another strong weekend for Kimi, who qualified sixth and finished sixth. He led the race for the first time, becoming the youngest driver to do so, and finished just 1.3 seconds behind Russell. His consistent performances are proving Mercedes right for promoting him.


7.9/10

Lewis Hamilton

Another off weekend for Lewis. He started eighth on hards, hoping for a safety car, and overtook Hadjar early on as one of few on track overtakes. However, he struggled on fresher tyres after pitting out of sequence, finishing nearly 20 seconds behind Antonelli. Something isn’t quite clicking for Lewis this season.

6.5/10

Isack Hadjar

Hadjar scored his first F1 points after qualifying seventh and finishing eighth, solidifying his position as the best of the rest. He’s been consistently quick and easily outperformed his new teammate. A really strong start to his F1 career.


7.8/10

Alex Albon

Albon has been the standout performer for Williams this year. He qualified ninth and finished ninth, continuing his run of Q3 appearances. A solid, consistent drive, despite some angry radio messages.
Rating: 7.8/10

Ollie Bearman

Bearman continues to impress in his rookie season. He qualified tenth and finished tenth, outperforming his teammate Ocon, who finished eighteenth. A great performance to leave his Australian nightmare in the past.


8.1/10

Fernando Alonso

Alonso started thirteenth and finished eleventh, gaining two positions. He had a nice duel with Pierre Gasly on the opening lap but otherwise had a quiet race.
Rating: 7.3/10

Yuki Tsunoda

Tsunoda didn’t have his dream Red Bull debut, starting fourteenth and finished twelfth, at least he outperformed Liam Lawson in the Racing Bull. A decent performance at his home race, but not enough to challenge for points.
Rating: 6.9/10

Pierre Gasly

Gasly started eleventh and finished thirteenth. He’s been consistently around the points but hasn’t been able to break into the top ten. A solid drive, but the Alpine lacks pace.
Rating: 7.2/10

Carlos Sainz

A tricky weekend for Sainz. He qualified twelfth but received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Hamilton in Quali. He finished fourteenth, struggling with braking issues, especially into the final chicane.


6.2/10

Jack Doohan

Doohan had a tough weekend, qualifying nineteenth after a big crash in FP2. He made some progress in the race but finished fifteenth, 20 seconds behind his teammate.
Rating: 6.3/10

Nico Hülkenberg

Hülkenberg qualified sixteenth and finished sixteenth in the slowest car on the grid. A solid but unremarkable performance.
Rating: 6.8/10

Liam Lawson

Lawson was demoted back to Racing Bulls after just two races and struggled in Japan. He started thirteenth and finished seventeenth, going backwards throughout the race. He was thoroughly outperformed by his teammate, which can’t keep happening anymore.


5.5/10

Esteban Ocon

A poor weekend for Ocon, who qualified nineteenth and finished eighteenth. He was thoroughly outperformed by his rookie teammate Bearman.
Rating: 4.5/10

Lance Stroll

Stroll started last after a gust of wind ruined his qualifying lap and made little progress in the race, finishing nineteenth.
Rating: 4.5/10

Gabriel Bortoleto

Bortoleto had a tough weekend, qualifying seventeenth and finishing twentieth. He struggled with the slow Sauber and couldn’t recover after a poor start.
Rating: 5.1/10

Final Thoughts

The Japanese Grand Prix was a largely uneventful race, with minimal overtaking and little drama. The weather conditions didn’t help, making the race more predictable rather than spicing things up. While there were some standout performances, the lack of action left fans wanting more. Perhaps a two-tire rule, requiring drivers to use all three dry compounds, could inject some excitement into future races. Until then, we’ll have to hope for more thrilling weekends ahead.

Chinese Grand Prix Driver Ratings

F1’s first Sprint weekend of the year was by no means a classic. Still, McLaren will leave feeling pretty pleased with the way 2025 is shaping up as Oscar Piastri took a domination victory in China, leading home his teammate for an equally dominant 1-2 for the team in the main race. The Sprint was won in equally dominant fashion by Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari but Sunday turned into a disaster for the Scuderia as both cars were disqualified after post-race inspections.

While I will take into account the Sprint when picking my ratings, it’s the main race that really counts. I see the Sprint as equal to a qualifying session, it can help your score but isn’t going to define it. Lets get into it.

Oscar Piastri – 8.5

Oscar looked the quickest McLaren, and so the quickest car, pretty much all weekend apart from a few sectors in Quali but most importantly he was able to put the laps together when it counted, which Lando didn’t. Once Oscar defended Russell’s advances into Turn 1 and broke DRS to his teammate over the next lap or two, he wasn’t bothered again. This was a significant victory for the young Aussie, similar to Norris’ at Singapore last year. A mature, controlling drive from the front, to prove that they could do it. Finishing 2nd to Hamilton in the Sprint was a nice added extra, overtaking Verstappen late on to put that cherry on top.

Lando Norris – 7.1

A scruffy weekend for Lando as he got to grips with adapting his driving style to better suit the McLaren MCL39. He didn’t hook up the laps when needed in both qualifying sessions which left him out of ideal position. We are seeing Lando abandon final laps in Quali more regularly than the other top drivers, which will need to be remedied, those little mistakes can cost in a championship fight. He went backwards in the Sprint to finish 8th but came home with very solid points in 2nd for the main race, after nursing a brake issue late. Despite the scruffiness, 19 points is a good return.

George Russell – 7.9

Gorgeous George is living up to his name and driving beautifully at the moment. He has maximised his weekends so far in 2025. His final, front-row-securing lap in Quali was awesome (Lando take note) and set him up for his podium finish. He kept the McLarens honest throughout the race and even undercut Lando at the stops to take back 2nd. While he did lose it again soon after, he made sure that if the McLarens fell into problems, he would be the one to pick up the pieces, which very nearly happened.

Max Verstappen – 7.5

It’s hard to determine the outright speed of the Red Bull as his teammate is absolutely nowhere at the moment, but you have to assume that Max is pushing its performance as far as it can go. Which means that it is the 3rd fastest car in the field. So a 3rd and 4th place over the weekend for Max is essentially overachieving. He was really in no man’s land for most of the race. Not quick enough for the McLarens and George but fast enough to find his way past the Ferraris when needed. His highlight overtake of Leclerc around the outside of Turn 3 was simply lovely and his pace on the Hards will encourage Red Bull into Japan.

Esteban Ocon – 8.1

Ocon finds himself best of the rest after the Ferrari disqualification, in a fantastic 5th place. This was a really strong performance from the Frenchman, taking advantage of an optimised strategy with great pace on the hard tyre after pitting on Lap 11. His overtake on Antonelli into Turn 14 was really brave, putting half of his car on the grass and keeping his foot in. The adjustments Haas have made to their car have all been positive and Esteban took full advantage.

Kimi Antonelli – 7.3

Not quite as spectacular a performance as his debut in Aus, but another solid weekend. The performance gap between himself and Russell was 0.4 in quali which translated to around 40 seconds in the race but I think Kimi can be satisfied with that. No big mistakes and solid points again for 7th and 6th in the races, which is more than some of the other rookies. Another good foundational step for the young Italian.

Alex Albon – 7.5

Mr Reliable will be Albon’s new nickname I think. With 6 or 7 spots at the front accounted for through McLaren, Verstappen, Ferrari and the Mercedes, there are smaller points to fight for, for the likes of Williams, and Alex used his Williams well. Was comfortable with the medium wear in the first stint from 10th on the grid, and was consistent in the second to finish 9th on the road, which moved him up to 7th after the Ferraris DSQs.

Ollie Bearman – 7.7

Much better from Ollie in China! Which isn’t saying much after a disaster in Australia. After outqualifying his teammate for Sprint, he wasn’t able to get out of Q1 which we can put down to some rookie inconsistency and inexperience as others improved their setups in between the sessions. However, in the race he took advantage of the alternate strategy; starting on the hards and switching to the mediums and used his tyre advantage beautifully, setting multiple drivers up for lovely switchback moves at the Turn 14 hairpin to finish 10th and take his first points for Haas, which turned into even more once the DSQs were handed out. A great haul for Haas and a confidence booster for Bearman.

Lance Stroll – 7.1

Honestly, we didn’t see much of Stroll on TV this weekend but he did beat his teammate in both races! I know Alonso retired from one of them, but still! Stroll likes an alternate strategy and it worked for him in China. He gave the rest of the grid the green light to go to a 1 stop with his long stint on the hards and I did glimpse a nice lunge into the hairpin to overtake Lawson. Lance will take the points when he can get them in this Aston.

Carlos Sainz – 5.5

Sainz admitted himself that he was off the pace in China, and I agree with him. He is lucky to get his first point for Williams from the weekend and really only has the Ferraris, Alpine and Racing Bulls to thank. I say ‘only’ and then name a quarter of the grid, but DSQs and bad strategy gifted him this point. He never got close to Albon and the top half of any session. We will caulk it down to a learning weekend for the Spaniard.

Isack Hadjar – 7.4

Isack continued his strong start to 2025 (forget the incident we shall not mention last weekend), showing great pace throughout, even outqualifying Yuki to line up 7th! This Racing Bull is showing great speed, but it’s the strategy calls that are letting them down, and costing them points. Isack was on his way to them before the team called him in for a 2nd stop, which those around him didn’t take, saving them 25 seconds that Hadjar couldn’t claw back before the flag.

Liam Lawson – 3.2

Another struggle for Liam in China. This 2nd Red Bull is definitely the Bermuda Triangle at the moment but qualifying last in 2 of the three sessions so far this season is hard to explain away. His race pace wasn’t much to write home about either, he barely progressed in the race and only finished in front of Doohan and the two Saubers. This will be the last we see of Lawson in the Red Bull as the team has taken the extraordinary decision to replace him after two races, which even for them, this is pretty brutal. Lets see if Tsunoda can do any better.

Jack Doohan – 4.9

Another rookie that improved his performance in China, but was starting from a pretty low bar. Jack was more involved this weekend but still made up the bottom third of the pack. He out-qualified his teammate for the sprint but then went backwards over the weekend. He was the last driver on the lead lap at the chequered flag and got a slap on the wrist from the stewards for some late moves in defending from Hadjar, which was fair. Small progress, but with Colapinto waiting in the wings, and Red Bull setting the precedent, if Jack doesn’t improve quick, he could be the 2nd victim of 2025.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 6.7

A quiet but good weekend for Bortoleto. This weekend is unfortunately more a clear representation of the Sauber speed, likely the slowest car on the grid but Bortoleto completed THE objective, out-perform your teammate. He finished each session ahead of his more experienced and very fast teammate, despite a clumsy spin on the first lap which put him 10 seconds back from the pack.

Nico Hulkenberg – 5.2

A really quiet weekend from Hulkenberg. Never finished outside the bottom two runners across the competitive sessions. This is all I have to say! Beaten by his teammate consistently but I’m going to say that is more on Bortoleto doing a good job, than Nico doing a bad one.

Yuki Tsunoda – 7.9

Another weekend, another strategy call that cost Yuki points. He was driving beautifully and looking set to finish 6th before his team brought him in for a second stop, which everyone else decided against. This brought him out 16th and with lots of time to make up, and he was making some progress until his front wing failed, to add insult to injury, and forced him to pit for a 3rd time, ending the race in last. Yuki can take confidence though from these weekends, despite not collecting any points, and he is going to need it to tame the Red Bull he now finds himself in.

Fernando Alonso – 6.5

A very short race for Alonso in China, lasting only 4 laps before a fiery brake made him call it a day. He was in and around his teammate all weekend, both taking up positions at the fring of the points but not quite getting there, until the Ferrari’s were disqualified. That’s two DNFs in two to start 2025 for Fernando but neither were really his fault.

Charles Leclerc – 7.6

An interesting weekend for Charles, he was thoroughly outperformed by Hamilton in the Sprint section of the weekend but then thoroughly outperformed Hamilton in the race, despite knocking part of his front wing off on the first lap, after colliding with…Hamilton. These Ferraris are going to be entertaining this year. I don’t think Charles would have challenged for a podium, despite his claim of being held up by Lewis for a number of laps, as he faded towards the end and was overtaken by Verstappen. Its a moot point anyway, as his car was found to be underweight post race, which instantly disqualified him.

Lewis Hamilton – 7.8

The first half of the weekend was classic Lewis Hamilton. Out performed his car to stick it on pole, and then calmly led the race, managing his tyres masterfully before pulling away to make it look easy to win the Sprint. However, Ferrari made some set up changes for the race, to help with tyre wear but screwed with the car’s balance and Lewis’ performance dropped off dramatically. Never really being able to show strong pace in the race, he let Charles go and couldn’t hold onto him, finishing 6th on the road. Again, moot point though, as he was disqualified for excessive wear on his car’s plank, there to stop the cars running too low to the ground. A poor judgement mistake from the team, so absolutely no points for Ferrari in the main race in China.

Pierre Gasly -7.3

Pierre was also penalised for an underweight car in China. He didn’t lose anything but pride as he finished 11th on the road, for the second weekend in a row, which was good progress from his 16th place starting position. The car looks solid in parts in the hands of Gasly, who is pushing its limits which is back end of the points at the moment. He wasn’t quite able to get into them before his disqualification but he is proving himself as the clear team leader at Alpine, just needs a bit of luck.

A tribute to the Iceman

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 21: Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and McLaren celebrates after victory in the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at Istanbul Park on August 21, 2005 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

This year we said goodbye to one of the best. While he was seemingly looking forward to it, the majority of F1 fans, if not all, were sad to see him go. Lets introduce this F1 legend with the cold hard facts: He raced for five teams in his F1 career which included some of biggest names in the sport’s history. These teams were: Sauber (2001), McLaren (2002-2006), Ferrari (2007-2009 & 2014-2018), Lotus (2012-2013) and Alfa Romeo (2019-2021). He entered 353 races over 20 years, starting 349 (a record), winning 21, started on pole for 18, and finished on the podium after 103. His lone championship came in 2007, while he finished runner up twice and third 3 times with 3 of his teams. Statistically, it is one of the most note worthy careers in Formula 1 history. Culturally, Kimi Raikkonen’s is THE F1 career of modern times.

To me, he was the second in a Finnish-McLaren dynasty that started with the ‘Flying Finn’ Mika Hakkinen and ended by cementing my obsession with F1. The quiet, no nonsense and scarily quick Finns were the perfect counterpart to the organised grey machine that was Ron Dennis’ McLaren of the 1990/2000s.

Before this, Kimi burst onto the scene as a 21 year old who had only entered 23 single seater races in his junior career when Peter Sauber plugged him into his namesake team. He was instantly quick, scoring a point on his debut in Australia when points were only handed out to the top 6 places. Reports came out post-race that the young Finn could be found having a nap 30 minutes before the biggest race of his career so far and the legend of the ‘Iceman’ was born. Kimi and his teammate Nick Heidfeld lead the team to it’s best placing in the Constructors championship with 4th, both showing pace and flashes of brilliance, be it a quick qualifying lap or a brave overtake. This got them both swirled within the rumour mill for a move to McLaren with Mika Hakkinen retiring. The Mercedes backed Heidfeld was the bookie’s favourite for the drive. However, the Finnish connection paid dividends as Mika Hakkinen’s repeated recommendations convinced Ron Dennis to sign The Iceman for 2002.

I was having a shit

When asked why he missed Pele’s presentation to Michael Schumacher in Brazil, 2006.

The McLaren years of Kimi’s career are my fondest memories of him but they are also tainted with a hint of disappointment. He was instantly quick when strapped into a McLaren, scoring a podium on his first outing, but wins were hard to come by early on with Ferrari and Schumacher dominating. He came very close in France 2002 but was victim of an oil spill at the hairpin at Magny-Cours with a handful of laps to go and finished second to Schumi. His first win did come at the second race of 2003, at the Malaysian Grand Prix, in great style from 7th on the grid. He could have won the first race of the season if not for an electrical system failure which caused him to speed in the pitlane and get a drive through penalty, dropping him to 3rd. This would become a theme and it is the root of my previously mentioned disappointment. Kimi’s McLaren career was plagued by unreliability, so plagued it cost him a World Championship and basically wrote off the 2004 season. In his first three years at McLaren, Kimi didn’t have a car truly quick enough to realistically challenge for a title. This changed in 2005 when a regulations shake-up ended Ferrari’s grip on the sport so McLaren and Renault took up the fight. The McLaren in the hands of Kimi was the fastest package on the grid but too many times, while leading the race, his car let him down. He was comfortably driving away in Imola and Hockenheim when driveshaft and hydraulic failures stopped him in his tracks – I still have flashbacks to ITV coming back from an advert break to find Kimi going slowly at the top of the hill at the San Marino circuit. His other retirement from a leading position that year was suspension failure on the last lap brought on by vibrations after Kimi locked up heavily lapping Jacque Villeneuve. While you were not allowed to pit for fresh tyres during the race in 2005, they were allowed if a ‘punctured or damaged tyre’ happened for ‘clear and genuine safety reasons’. As the last lap crash which nearly took out Jenson Button’s BAR proves, this could be deemed one of those times – something later the FIA would confirm. A pitstop would have had him finish a comfortable 3rd. I am getting to my point I swear – each time Kimi retired from the lead, who was it that won the race? It was his title rival Fernando Alonso. While Kimi lost 26 point from winning positions, his title rival directly gained 6 points because of them. The final standing show that Alonso scored 133 points to Kimi’s 112. If we add 26 to Kimi’s and take 6 away from Fernando’s totals, the final standings are reversed in Kimi’s favour – 138 to 127. Job done, case closed.

Leave me alone, I know what to do!

When in the lead at Abu Dhabi 2012 and his race engineer reminds him to warm all four tyres.

2005 would be the best chance for Kimi to win a title at McLaren as in 2006 the car was quick but the old foe unreliability (and a dose of bad luck) meant the team did not record a victory in a season for the first time in at least 10 years. At the Italian Grand Prix of that year, my young self’s worst nightmares came true – my hero, Kimi Raikkonen, announced he had signed for the Empire, the Arch Nemesis, The Red Team: Scuderia Ferrari. However, it would turn out to be a career defining decision.

Kimi won his first race outing and the championship at the first time of asking with Ferrari in 2007, snatching it away from Lewis Hamilton after coming back from 17 points down with 2 races and 20 points left for the taking. This came with a sense of retribution for Kimi fans but also with a large dollop of irony as it was McLaren unreliability in Brazil that made it possible. Despite winning a title, his first Ferrari career never hit it’s potential as an inconsistent Kimi in 2008, who was beaten by his lesser teammate Felipe Massa, and a slow car in 2009 skuppering any chance of a championship run. Kimi flashed his blistering speed at times but was becoming disillusioned with the world of F1 and everything that came with the racing so decided to step away at the end of the 2009, despite having a contract with Ferrari through 2010. This was the unique quality about Kimi Raikkonen, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the circus of F1, and he didn’t seem to have to dedicate his whole life to stay in the sport. For Kimi, F1 was the hobby that paid the bills. Although, it did help that Ferrari paid his multi-million pound wage to not drive for them in 2010, being replaced by Fernando Alonso. During his hiatus, Kimi spent his time away from the sport taking part in the Word Rally Championship and racing snowmobiles under the pseudonym James Hunt, which shows his appreciation for the history of F1 and his affinity for drivers that did it their own way.

Why not?

When asked why he was returning to Alfa Romeo Sauber for 2019.

While I am sure Kimi enjoyed his time away from the sport, the allure of F1 was too much to bare and the offer of Lotus F1 to return for 2012 convinced him to come back. One defining feature of his return was a points bonus built into his contract which essentially bankrupted the team after Kimi and the car wildly exceeded expectations over his two year stretch with the team. Lotus agreed to pay Kimi €50,000 per point he scored and he called their bluff with 390 scored over the two years. This totaled €19.5 million on top of his multi-million salary.

He took a couple of races to get going but once he did, he was consistently amongst the title fight despite Vettel dominating the second half of the season. Kimi won Lotus’ first race since Ayrton Senna took the chequered flag at the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix, at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which is where the infamous “Leave me alone, I know what to do” quote comes from. To be fair to Kimi, his race engineer was talking a lot. He followed that up by winning the opening race of 2013 using his car’s better tyre management to great effect and won comfortably. His consistant pace meant he was again in the title fight but only really as a distant 2nd to Sebastian Vettel. His relationship with Lotus would end unceremoniously after Lotus didn’t pay his salary for the whole season, I wonder why…? He didn’t drive the last two races of 2013, electing to have back surgery to fix an issue sustained in Singapore. This opened the door for a sensational return to Ferrari for 2014 to partner Fernando Alonso in an all-World Champion line-up.

Like his first Ferrari career, his second one did not get going as he essentially became an experienced wingman to Fernando Alonso and then Sebastian Vettel. There were a couple highlights but mainly it was a frustrating time for the team as they were outclassed by the Mercedes juggernaut. Only one pole and one win came in that time, both during 2018, in Italy and USA respectively. Towards the end of 2018, it was announced that Charles Leclerc would move from Alfa Romeo to Ferrari, which meant that Kimi had to make way for him. He would switch seats with the Monegasque driver and partner Antonio Giovinazzi for the remainder of his career. That career would come to a quiet end at Alfa Romeo as the car was not up to standards. In classic Kimi style, he quietly predicted to himself that 2021 would be his last in 2020 using F1’s YouTube channel and left without a fuss with his family in Abu Dhabi.

What made Kimi Raikkonen special was his all-time natural speed, there was no time for thought, his style was just pure instinct and reaction. He admitted himself that he didn’t have brake markers, he just braked when he felt the moment was right. What made him a fan favourite was that he was unapologetically Kimi and his rejection of the media baggage that came with the sport. Mika Hakkinen told him early on that if you don’t engage with the media they will eventually leave you alone, and Kimi happily obliged. However, this only seemed to create a cult following, keeping the media at his door. His nickname ‘The Iceman’ fitted him perfectly: a seemingly unflappable personality off track with terminator-like ruthlessness on track. At his peak, he was the quickest driver in the world but unfortunately he didn’t have a car quick or reliable enough to prove it, however when he did, he usually won.

Kimi will be sorely missed in F1 and will go down as an all-time great. So for the final time: Kimi for President!