F1 2018 Brazil GP Driver Ratings: Verstappen on Top Form as Leclerc Quietly Impresses

Lewis Hamilton won after already becoming champion for the first time in his career with a brilliant victory in Sao Paulo yesterday. Interlagos is one of Hamilton’s bogey tracks (if he even has any) but his 72nd win in Formula 1 didn’t come without a stroke of luck. Max Verstappen was leading before colliding with the already lapped Esteban Ocon, one of the most controversial moments of the season so far. There were some decent drives throughout the field, but who impressed us and who disappointed us in South America? Keep reading to find out!

#10 Williams

Williams

were

predictably off the pace again in Brazil

Sergey Sirotkin – 16th

Williams can’t wait for 2018 to end. To his credit, Sirotkin did make it into Q2, an impressive feat in his lacklustre car. The Williamses, though, were found out during the race and spent the whole Grand Prix as backmarkers, finishing last and third to last. Sirotkin did finish ahead of Fernando Alonso, though, and this will give the Russian a better rating, but won’t save him from a poor one.

Driver’s rating: 4/10

Lance Stroll – 18th

For once, Lance Stroll had a better race than the man he’s going to replace at Force India (Ocon), but it was very far from a good display. He was out-qualified and out-performed by Sirotkin in the sister Williams and ran around at the tail of the field for almost the entire race. Nothing to write home about.

Driver’s rating: 1/10

#9 Toro Rosso

Hartley had a decent weekend in Brazil

Brendon Hartley – 11th

Brendon Hartley is still within a shot of retaining his seat at Toro Rosso in 2019, and performances like this won’t hurt him. The Kiwi was thoroughly out-qualified by his team-mate (16th to Gasly’s 9th), but Hartley came alive in the race, gaining five places through the Grand Prix and only finishing outside of the points by a single position. Another good showing in Abu Dhabi will put him in good stead for an F1 drive next year.

Driver’s rating: 6/10

Pierre Gasly – 13th

Gasly will feel downcast to not be in the points after his excellent show in qualifying. The Honda-powered Toro Rosso doesn’t suit Interlagos’ two long straights but he managed to make it into Q3 and even out-qualified a Haas. Things went downhill in the race, though, as tyre struggles made forced the Frenchman further and further down the field, eventually ending up in P13.

Driver’s rating: 4/10

#8 Sauber

Leclerc impressed us all once again on Sunday.

Charles Leclerc – 7th

The weekly title of best of the rest goes to Charles Leclerc in what was arguably been the performance of the weekend. He lined up seventh on the grid and converted that starting position to a seventh placed finish, with a mature and impressive drive. Leclerc will have no trouble in adapting to the Ferrari next year, even holding up his future team-mate Sebastian Vettel for a few laps.

Driver’s rating: 9/10

Marcus Ericsson – DNF

Leclerc was actually out-qualified by his team-mate Marcus Ericsson after the Swede put in a sensational performance on Saturday, and lined up in sixth on the grid on Sunday after penalties were applied. Unfortunately, though, Ericsson was caught up in a first lap incident, lost a section of his front wing and from there, it was an uphill struggle, sinking to the bottom of the pack before being forced to retire with damage from that collision. Ercisson has speed, but not the consistency to back it up.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

#7 Force India

Force India's Esteban Ocon was probably the worst performer on Sunday.

Sergio Perez – 10th

Sergio Perez continues to quietly impress in his Force India, scoring points again on Sunday. With McLaren’s poor form, the Silverstone outfit were still eyeing up 6th place in the constructor’s championship. A solitary point, though, realistically ended their chances, but they’ve had a fine season and would be in arm’s reach of Renault had it not been for their points being wiped.

Driver’s rating: 6/10

Esteban Ocon – 14th

Ocon won’t be very welcome in the Netherlands after Sunday’s events. The Frenchman was having a solid if unspectacular race but spun leader Max Verstappen around in what was a shocking display of driving. Yes, Max didn’t leave him much space, but when you’re a lap down, you have to be extra careful, as it isn’t something the slower car would expect. Ocon was slapped with a 10 second stop/go penalty, the very least he deserved for a very poor day at the office.

Driver’s rating: 1/10

#6 McLaren

Vandoorne put in another solid performance on Sunday.

Stoffel Vandoorne – 15th

Like Williams, McLaren can’t wait to see the end of 2018. A season which started with so much promise has delivered little more than midfield mediocrity. Qualifying was the team’s worst since their dark days in the early 1980’s, Fernando Alonso in 17th and Stoffel Vandoorne 20th a last. It was the Belgian who enjoyed a more favourable race, though, overtaking both Williams cars and finishing in 16th, a solid afternoon for Vandoorne.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

Fernando Alonso – 17th

Fernando Alonso announced that he’ll be racing at the Indianapolis 500 next year, and the Spaniard will be looking forward to returning to Indy Car, especially after these past few races. A poor pit-stop (whether he stalled it because of a mechanical issue or not is unclear) doomed any slim chance of points in the race and to add insult to injury, both Maccas received a five-second penalty reach for ignoring blue flags. An average if not poor day for the double world champion.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

#5 Haas

Romain Grosjean solidified Haas' fifth place with a solid eighth place finish

Romain Grosjean – 8th

Haas got another double points haul yesterday thanks to solid performances from their two drivers. Romain Grosjean lead the pair home after qualifying eighth on Saturday and the Frenchman even held the leaders up at stages during the race. Haas seem to be set for a fifth place in the constructor’s championship, a huge improvement on their first two years in Formula 1.

Driver’s rating: 6/10

Kevin Magnussen – 9th

Like Grosjean, Kevin Magnuseen had a solid Sunday afternoon drive in Brazil, overtaking Pierre Gasly to finish the race in 9th place and just over a second behind his team-mate.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

#4 Renault

Hulkenberg and Sainz clashed on the first lap

Carlos Sainz – 12th

Renault struggle in Brazil, the long straights and wide twisty corners not suiting their car. Carlos Sainz only just made it into Q2, and didn’t make it much further, ending up in fifteenth. A good start put the Spaniard on the back of his team-mate, but after some wheel-banging, Carlos had to settle for second best in that particular affair. He was aided by a few retirements further up the order but still couldn’t creep into the points by the finish.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

Nico Hulkenberg – DNF

Nico Hulkenberg’s excellent run of points finishes came to an end in Brazil, as the warm weather and high altitude proved to be too much for his Renault motor, which overheated and retired just before the half way stage of the race. Hulk was outside the points anyway, and would’ve struggled to make it into the top 10 by the finish, there’s only so much you can do when you don’t have the machinery at your disposal.

Driver’s rating: 6/10

#3 Red Bull

Verstappen was fuming with his race result.

Max Verstappen – 2nd

Max Verstappen is a polarising figure in Formula 1. The Red Bull driver possesses incredible speed and is now getting more consistent as he matures in the sport and as a man. He started from fifth place, but quickly overtook both Ferraris on his faster Supersoft tyres before eventually passing Valtteri Bottas into second place. Verstappen was still behind Lewis Hamilton after the pit-stops, but fresher rubber aided him in powering past the world champion and from there, the race seemed to be done and dusted for Max. Nobody predicted what happened next…

Esteban Ocon was already a lap down, but was one of the fastest cars on the track thanks to fitting new Pirellis. Nothing can excuse the Dutchman’s actions after the race, though, physically confronting and repeatedly pushing Ocon in the weighing room. Although, this doesn’t affect his overall rating for the weekend.

Driver’s rating: 9/10

Daniel Ricciardo – 4th

It was always going to be challenge for Ricciardo to make the podium, something he hasn’t done since Monaco, but the Honey Badger nearly managed it after a respectable recovery drive. The Aussie initially qualified sixth but had to start in P11 thanks to a new turbocharger being fitted. The Red Bull man wasted no time in climbing the order, though, and was soon on the back of the rest of the top 6. Stopping later benefitted Daniel, surpassing Vettel and Bottas thanks to decent moves and climbing all over the back of Raikkonen at the end, but the Finn held him off to the finish.

Driver’s rating: 8/10

#2 Ferrari

The 2007 world champion was back on the podium

Kimi Raikkonen – 3rd

The Iceman got another podium on Sunday, and it was very well earned. After Vettel’s mistake let his team-mate through, it sadly wasn’t possible for Kimi to challenge Hamilton and Verstappen, but he did get close. His best work, though, was his defence against Daniel Ricciardo, a brilliant piece of rear-guard action. If he stands on the podium again in Abu Dhabi, he’ll match his best tally of top 3’s during a season.

Driver’s rating: 8/10

Sebastian Vettel – 6th

Ferrari have come out in the media and claimed that Vettel’s car had an issue on it since the start, and that’s something that the German will certainly hoping was the case. He lined up on the front row alongside Lewis Hamilton, but that’s as close as Seb got to his championship rival. Bottas overtook him at the start, Verstappen flew past a few laps later, before Raikkonen also squeezed through thanks to a mistake from Vettel. Daniel Ricciardo also overtook Vettel later in the race, a poor day’s work for the four-time champion.

Driver’s rating: 5/10

#1 Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton was celebrating once again on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton – 1st

Lewis Hamilton did something he’d never accomplished before by winning a race after he had already won the driver’s world championship. His tenth win of the season, and his second ever in Brazil also secured the constructor’s championship for Mercedes, their fifth in a row. Lewis got off to the perfect start and it seemed to be heading for a Merc 1-2 after Bottas had made it into second at the first corner. Max Verstappen’s charge eventually caught up with Hamilton, and the Brit had no answer to the Red Bull’s pace. Despite lucking into the win later in the race, Hamilton was sublime yet again, his pole lap on Saturday underlining his class.

Driver’s rating: 9/10

Valtteri Bottas – 5th

Bottas has come under some criticism for his performances this season and his display on Sunday will have done little to sway his critics. The Finn, though, can call himself part of a championship winning side for the second time, he’s had a very important role to play. That being said, he struggled throughout the race, despite a good start,

Driver’s rating: 5/10