F1 driver rankings 2024: Rating this season’s grid that includes Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and extra | F1 Information

So who starred and who struggled in a Method 1 season that produced no finish of dramatic, unpredictable and controversial moments in 2024? Working via the grid in last Drivers’ Championship order, see how the game’s stars rated for his or her performances this yr…

(Drivers with not less than 5 race begins within the season included)

Max Verstappen – 9.5

Championship place: 1st – 437 factors (9 Grand Prix wins, 8 poles)

World champion for a fourth successive season, however Verstappen was lastly pushed once more for the primary time since claiming his maiden title in 2021.

The Dutchman was greater than equal to the duty, responding to McLaren matching after which bettering Crimson Bull’s tempo 1 / 4 of the best way into the season by claiming a sequence of hard-fought essential victories at Imola, Montreal and Barcelona.

From there on it was harm limitation as he confirmed outstanding consistency to keep up a bonus over the hard-chasing Lando Norris, with among the performances to take second locations maybe extra spectacular than his dominant early-season victories.

The ending touches to his very good marketing campaign had been utilized with a shocking win within the moist at Interlagos from seventeenth on the grid and a primary dry-weather victory since June in Qatar to ship a reminder to his rivals that beating him will stay a formidable problem in 2025.

Verstappen’s marketing campaign wasn’t removed from good, however he let himself down in Mexico with a reckless, over-aggressive and unsporting strategy to battling Norris.

Lando Norris – 8.5

Championship place: 2nd – 374 factors (4 Grand Prix wins, 8 poles)

McLaren’s surprising soar to contending for race wins thrust Norris right into a highlight that the massively standard Brit hadn’t skilled earlier than.

He largely coped nicely, pouncing to say a genuinely-earned maiden F1 win in Miami earlier than going toe to toe with Verstappen all through the summer time.

Norris repeatedly confirmed he possesses the velocity to match Verstappen however made too many errors to use the Drivers’ Championship strain that McLaren’s tempo benefit over Crimson Bull most likely merited.

His largest concern was the beginning. On six of the eight events he began on pole, he had misplaced the lead by the top of the primary lap. His dominant win from pole to seal the Constructors’ Championship for McLaren in Abu Dhabi did not less than counsel progress has been made.

The opposite concern is that, given Verstappen seems to be the most important impediment to any of his rivals profitable a drivers’ title, Norris has thus far appeared unwilling to decide to the extent of ferocity in on-and-off observe fight that’s required to beat the Dutchman.

Charles Leclerc – 8.5

Championship place: third – 356 factors (3 Grand Prix wins, 3 poles)

As he ready to go face to face with Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc definitely confirmed indicators of progress in 2024.

He memorably overcame his ‘Monaco curse’ to lastly win his residence race in high-quality model, and usually minimize down the errors which have led some to beforehand query his standing as Ferrari’s chosen one.

Any frustrations the tifosi might have developed had been undoubtedly eroded when he triumphed for the second time in his profession in Monza, and he additionally added a 3rd victory of the season in Austin.

Leclerc was usually left pissed off, most notably in Qatar, over a notion he was being unfairly handled by Sainz and the staff, which can have been true. Going up in opposition to the wily Hamilton subsequent yr, changing into extra tactically conscious is probably the following key growth step Leclerc must take.

Oscar Piastri – 7.5

Championship place: 4th – 292 factors (2 Grand Prix wins)

In his second season in F1, the Australian confirmed extra of the qualities which have led many to earmark him as a future world champion.

He remained largely unable to match Norris for tempo over each one lap and race distance, however at instances upstaged his team-mate by way of racecraft.

Piastri’s maiden grand prix victory, on the Hungarian Grand Prix, was sadly overshadowed by a staff orders cleaning soap opera that took to the gloss of what ought to have been a particular second.

He would put that proper with an excellent victory in Azerbaijan as he got here out on high in an exhilarating battle with Charles Leclerc, which got here shortly after he had maybe mis-stepped in costing each Norris and McLaren with an excessively aggressive early go on his team-mate.

The query going into season three is whether or not Piastri can persistently discover that additional tenth or two that may make him a real 2025 drivers’ title contender.

Carlos Sainz – 7.5

Championship place: fifth – 290 factors (2 Grand Prix wins, 1 pole)

After beginning the season having acquired the bombshell that Hamilton can be changing him in 2025, Sainz delivered the absolute best response by remarkably rising from his sickbed simply two weeks after an appendectomy to win the Australian Grand Prix.

That second can be tough to high however he did declare what would show to be his last Ferrari victory, for now, in Mexico.

Extra typically, Sainz confirmed his class by recurrently matching Leclerc’s prodigious one-lap velocity in qualifying.

Maybe importantly for no matter follows his transfer to Williams, Sainz confirmed outstanding professionalism and consistency all through a marketing campaign the place it could have been simple to do in any other case.

George Russell – 8

Championship place: sixth – 245 factors (2 Grand Prix wins, 4 poles)

The brand new high canine at Mercedes made a press release along with his qualifying dominance over Lewis Hamilton and a few glorious victories.

Russell was rewarded for getting every thing out of his W15 in Austria as a Verstappen-Norris collision gifted him victory. One other virtually adopted in Belgium, however an underweight automotive cancelled out one other fantastic drive.

The Brit would money in on Mercedes’ Las Vegas dominance to win from pole, however was unable to repeat the trick as he gave up the lead firstly per week later in Qatar amid what would flip into an almighty feud with Max Verstappen.

Russell supplied loads of proof to counsel he belongs among the many high tier of F1’s present discipline, however maybe nonetheless has one other gear to seek out on Sundays if he’s to again up his speak.

Lewis Hamilton – 6.5

Championship place: seventh – 223 factors (2 Grand Prix wins)

It was all the time going to be a wierd one after the seven-time world champion’s transfer to Ferrari for 2025 was introduced shortly earlier than the beginning of the season.

As soon as the shock had worn off, the following largest shock was Hamilton’s sudden lack of qualifying kind, which noticed him dominated by team-mate Russell over one lap. There might be main focus firstly of 2025 on whether or not this was a blip, attributable to the W15, or whether or not he’s in for a troublesome time in opposition to Leclerc.

What wasn’t left in any doubt is that Hamilton stays a match for anybody when he’s zoned in on a Sunday, along with his massively emotional victory at Silverstone undoubtedly one of many moments of the season.

A barely unusual win – after his team-mate’s disqualification – in Belgium adopted, whereas very good comeback drives after poor qualifying efforts in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi will stop anybody from writing off the person who turns 40 in January simply but.

Sergio Perez – 3.5

Championship place: eighth – 152 factors

The Mexican’s fall from grace has been robust to observe. After a powerful begin to the season, he fully capitulated and seems set to pay the final word worth with the lack of his seat.

It is clear that the RB20 was nowhere close to as dominant as its predecessors, however Perez was capable of produce spectacular outcomes at instances earlier in his profession with out having one of the best automotive on the grid.

His qualifying kind was atrocious, with 9 failures to achieve Q3 leaving him an excessive amount of work to do on Sundays.

The very fact he survived till the top of the season mentioned extra about Crimson Bull’s lack of alternate options and maybe embarrassment across the misstep of giving Perez a contract extension in June simply as kind was starting to spiral.

Fernando Alonso – 6.5

Championship place: ninth – 70 factors

After the carrot was dangled to the veteran in 2023 with Aston Martin showing to be on the verge of gatecrashing the battle on the entrance, this season was extraordinarily sobering.

Alonso largely maintained his personal excessive requirements and unsurprisingly continued to comprehensively outperform team-mate Lance Stroll.

Nonetheless, some beforehand unseen errors did creep in, whereas a late-season well being concern might have the 43-year-old Spaniard contemplating how for much longer he cares to stay on the grid for.

Pierre Gasly – 7

Championship place: tenth – 42 factors

Via little fault of his personal, Pierre Gasly’s first 18 months with Alpine had been totally underwhelming because the French driver struggled to make an influence in a poor automotive.

Whether or not it was enchancment to the automotive or the mid-season information that his team-mate Esteban Ocon was leaving in 2025, Gasly got here to life within the closing phases of his marketing campaign.

Each he and Ocon drove beautifully in Alpine’s outstanding double podium in Brazil, however Gasly was then capable of flip in a sequence of nice performances within the dry, taking fifth in Qatar and seventh in Abu Dhabi, to get the staff over the road for sixth within the Constructors’ Championship.

Nico Hulkenberg – 7.5

Championship place: eleventh – 41 factors

The Hulk continued to indicate why Audi had been eager to snap him up for his or her 2026 entry to the game. He produced extra eye-catching performances in qualifying and was recurrently capable of again that up by scrapping for factors.

He completed 5 of the final seven races within the factors and on the age of 37, seems to be maturing like a high-quality wine.

Finally, if it weren’t for Alpine’s barely lucky double podium at Interlagos, Hulkenberg would have spearheaded Haas to a massively spectacular sixth within the constructors’ standings.

Yuki Tsunoda – 6.5

Championship place: twelfth – 30 factors

The Japanese driver appeared to win what was meant to be a shootout with Daniel Ricciardo for a Crimson Bull seat however then nonetheless did not get the prize.

He claimed three seventh-place finishes in an RB automotive that carried out under expectations, and was as dedicated as ever.

It was regular fairly than spectacular from the 24-year-old, however sufficient to persuade most within the paddock that he deserves a shot at being Max Verstappen’s team-mate.

Lance Stroll – 4

Championship place: thirteenth – 24 factors

It was one other underwhelming season for the Canadian, who did little to dispel the notion he’s solely maintaining maintain of his seat by advantage of his father being the staff proprietor.

Not solely did Stroll’s performances disappoint as soon as extra, however he continued to offer off the impression that he would fairly be wherever else on the earth however the F1 paddock.

It is exhausting to see what the top recreation is for Stroll, and with rumours Aston are within the combine to signal Max Verstappen additional down the road, issues do not appear prone to get any simpler for him.

Esteban Ocon – 5.5

Championship place: 14th – 23 factors

A barely unusual finish to Ocon’s five-year tenure with Alpine was not less than punctuated by his very good second within the moist at Interlagos.

It was in any other case a forgettable marketing campaign for the notoriously fierce competitor, who will hope to profit from a change of surroundings at Haas subsequent yr.

Kevin Magnussen – 6

Championship place: fifteenth – 16 factors

As he bids farewell to F1 for what’s probably the ultimate time, the Dane went out on his sword with a number of reminders of his uncompromising model.

That truly price him a race as he picked up a ban for amassing too many penalty factors over a yr interval, however Magnussen wasn’t altering his model for anybody, not even the rulebook.

His most memorable drives of the yr really did not yield any factors for him, as he magnificently backed up and fended off rivals to permit his team-mate to attain factors in Saudi Arabia and Miami.

Alex Albon – 5.5

Championship place: sixteenth – 12 factors

It was a gruelling season for Albon as Williams did not proceed on the constructive trajectory they gave the impression to be on in 2023.

The British-born Thai driver appeared to turn out to be slowed down within the staff’s struggles and let his personal requirements slip, with 4 DNFs coming from accidents.

Going up in opposition to new team-mate Carlos Sainz subsequent yr may in the end outline whether or not Albon will ever get one other shot in the direction of the entrance of the grid – the strain is on.

Daniel Ricciardo – 5

Championship place: seventeenth – 12 factors

It was a clumsy farewell for the favored Australian as he was as soon as extra solely capable of produce tempo in flashes.

The very fact he was unable to outperform Tsunoda persuaded the Crimson Bull hierarchy that there was extra worth in getting a have a look at Liam Lawson earlier than the season was over, than persisting with him.

Whether or not it was a scarcity of suitability to this era of vehicles or a easy lack of velocity, Ricciardo’s F1 profession seems to be over for good this time round.

Franco Colapinto – 5.5

Championship place: nineteenth – 5 factors

There was a lot drama throughout Colapinto’s nine-race cameo that you might make a Hollywood film in regards to the Argentine’s F1 story.

He burst on the scene with spectacular velocity, two factors finishes in his first 4 races and an enormous fan following, main many to consider he was on the verge of incomes an RB seat for 2025.

Nonetheless, a sequence of expensive crashes altered the paddock’s notion of the 21-year-old and he’ll now have to attend till not less than 2026 to get a full-time seat in F1.

Zhou Guanyu – 4.5

Championship place: twentieth – 4 factors

Method 1’s first Chinese language driver saved face by scoring Sauber’s solely factors of the season by ending eighth within the penultimate race in Qatar.

In any other case, it was a poor marketing campaign for the 25-year-old with no indicators of progress, leaving him out of the image for a drive subsequent yr.

Zhou is rumoured to be in line for a Ferrari reserve position in 2025, by that may be nearly as good because it will get for him in F1.

Liam Lawson – 6

Championship place: twenty first – 4 factors

As was the case along with his 2023 cameo, Liam Lawson confirmed confidence and potential after changing Daniel Ricciardo for the ultimate six rounds of the season.

The New Zealander seems to be set to be fast-tracked right into a Crimson Bull seat, however concerningly has but to indicate sufficient tempo to counsel he can get wherever close to Max Verstappen.

Valtteri Bottas – 5

Championship place: twenty second – 0 factors

The truth that essentially the most memorable achievement of Bottas’ marketing campaign was finishing an Ironman triathlon in his own residence tells you every thing it’s essential to learn about what occurred on observe.

The Finn was the one full-season driver to finish the yr pointless, which feels somewhat harsh as on the entire he was clearly a lot sooner than his Sauber team-mate, Zhou.

Bottas insists he nonetheless has one thing to offer to the game, however he did not present sufficient to persuade a high staff he’s worthy of a seat.

Logan Sargeant – 3

Championship place: twenty third – 0 factors

It was a tragic finish to Sargeant’s time with Williams as he continued to look means out of his depth earlier than being let go by James Vowles two thirds of the best way via the season.

The 23-year-old American went pointless and it could be a serious shock if he had been to be seen in F1 once more.

Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Method 1 season dwell on Sky Sports activities F1, beginning with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime