F1: How table would look without the top-3 teams

The headlines of Formula One are often dominated by the big-3 – Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. It’s among these three teams that the wins of the 2018 F1 calendar are shared. All the six divers consistently manage to outpace the other teams in almost every race of the season. Force India’s Sergio Perez is the only driver outside the top-3 teams to have secured a podium in 2018, which reiterates the dominance of the three teams. This clear divide between often leads to unentertaining races at the top of the grid.

However, the midfield is a completely different matter, featuring tight battles and some breath-taking overtaking manoeuvres. These teams are not as fast and competitive as the ones on the top but still offer loads of exciting racing action, and many fans affectionately call these battles as Formula 1.5. Taking out the top-3 teams from the Formula One picture would open a range of possibilities along with a much closer battle for the drivers’ championship. Additionally, it would help some of the younger drivers to secure the very first podium finishes of their career.

Some interesting results would include Fernando Alonso in the sixth place, Pierre Gasly in eight and future Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in the ninth place. Unfortunately, things would not have improved for both the Williams drivers and Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley as they would still find themselves at the bottom of the table.

Without further ado, let us look at the how the top-5 positions of the Formula One drivers’ championship would’ve looked in the absence of the top-3 teams.

#5 Kevin Magnussen – 177 points

Magnussen would have won the Spanish and the French Grand Prix

At number five, it would be Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, 21 points above Fernando Alonso. The driver from Denmark would’ve secured six podiums, including two race wins. His first win would have been at the Spanish Grand Prix while his second would come at the French Grand Prix.

In all but the two races held so far, Magnussen would’ve finished tenth or better in all but two races that he managed to see the chequered flag. His two retirements at the Australian Grand Prix and the Japanese Prix remain unchanged, though.

Magnussen’s best finish in the current grid is fifth, and the Dane is currently eight in the championship with 53 points, alongside Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg.

#4 Carlos Sainz Jr. – 184 points

Carlos Sainz would have secured a podium at the Singapore Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz would take the fourth spot in the championship despite failing to secure a race win in the 2018 Formula One season (until the Japanese Grand Prix). Seven podium finishes along with consistently being the points in all but two races would fetch him 184 points and help his climb to the top.

Sainz’s brilliant drive at the Singapore Grand Prix would’ve earned him his most-recent podium position. The only race the Spaniard would've finished outside the points would the Russian Grand Prix apart from the lone retirement at the British Grand Prix.

In the current championship, Carlos Sainz Jr. is at the twelfth place, 10 points behind Force India’s Esteban Ocon. His best finish this year is a fifth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku Street Circuit.

#3 Esteban Ocon – 186 points

Ocon would have won the iconic Monaco Grand Prix

Force India’s Esteban Ocon would have edged Renault’s Carlos Sainz by two points to take the third spot in the drivers’ championship with 186 points. Despite outracing his teammate in most of the races this season, the French driver’s multiple retirements would have restricted him to the third place in the championship.

Eight podiums along with two race wins would have aided his hunt for the championship. The Frenchman's first win would have come at the iconic Monaco Grand Prix while his second would have come at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix.

The current season features Esteban Ocon languishing in the eleventh place, one point behind McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. The Frenchman’s best finishes this season include a sixth place at the Monaco Grand Prix, Austrian Grand Prix, Italian Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix.

#2 Sergio Perez – 187 points

Sergio Perez would have claimed three wins so far

Sergio Perez would have taken the second spot by a fine margin. The Mexican driver would have 187 points to his name, leading his teammate by a single point. Perez would have secured three race wins so far – one at the Baku Street Circuit in Azerbaijan, one at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium and the other at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan.

Apart from these three, the Mexican would have found himself on the podium at the German Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix. A thirteenth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix would be his only race outside the points other than the solitary retirement at the French Grand Prix.

The current season features Perez in the seventh spot with 53 points. The Mexican’s third-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is his best finish of the 2018 Formula One season.

#1 Nico Hulkenberg – 193 points

With four race wins, Nico Hulkenberg would take the top spot in the drivers’ championship. With a strong start to the 2018 season, the German driver would lead the table with 193 points, 7 points ahead of Sergio Perez. Interestingly, Hulkenberg would have taken the top-stop despite retiring from five races in the seventeenth races held so far (until the Japanese Grand Prix).

Apart from the five retirements, the German driver would have managed to score points in every race of the season. The German driver’s first win would have come at the Chinese Grand Prix before following it up at the Canadian Grand Prix. Two consecutive wins at Silverstone and Hockenheimring would have been his last podium finish of the calendar.

Currently, Nico Hulkenberg is in the ninth spot with 53 points. The fifth place at his home Grand Prix is the German’s best finish of the season.