F1 Spanish GP Driver Ratings: Hamilton and Mercedes dominate, Ferrari Struggles

Before he entered the 2019 Spanish GP, Lewis Hamilton was trailing Valtteri Bottas, his teammate. But as Lewis Hamilton leaves Catalunya having painted it silver and gold with his class and commitment, he now stands on top of the 2019 driver standings.

It's that familiar figure right on top, once again! In so doing, Lewis also now holds a 7-point advantage over his Finnish teammate meaning it's the other Mercedes driver who has to play catch-up to the pro.

In a race that utterly belonged to the five-time world champion, Hamilton proved yet again why he's so highly rated after all. Giving no chances whatsoever to Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton's drive was commanding and one that showed full intent.

Not a driver that backs out of challenges. Not a driver that feels content in being second-best, Lewis Hamilton didn't just win the Spanish contest; he got voted the driver of the race. And a lot about his doggedness at Catalunya wrote the headlines as also the body copy of the 66-lap contest.

But that said, how did the entire grid fare and what was in it for the drivers?

#10 Williams

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica- 18th

It was another day of struggle out there for the grid's weakest team out there at the Spanish Grand Prix. While it wasn't any fascinating to note that neither of the Williams drivers were able to score a single point yet again, there was only a marginal improvement at the track, so to speak.

While Robert Kubica, mostly a backmarker on the grid would manage a way to end at the rear end on the grid, that he stood eighteenth on the grid can in no way be called a fine race-isn't it?

Driver Rating- 1.5/10

George Russell- 17th

You've got to feel about the rookie driver, one driving for a weak team first up in the season. Isn't it?

Everyone's interested in knowing as to what really is Russell's true F1 potential but unfortunately, it's the car that he's driving in that is unable to give anyone any seizable answers.

That told, at Spain, what was most impressive about George Russell was that he was able to finish a place above his more experienced teammate.

And for that effort, he must be lauded.

Driver Rating- 2/10

#9 Racing Point

Lance Stroll - Crash

Lance Stroll- DNF

Lance Stroll didn't really have a great race at Spain, to be frank. Not only did the youngster fail to finish the race but what spoiled his contest was that he had to endure a race-retirement owing to an accident for no apparent fault of his own.

One wonders, if he'd have something to say about Lando Norris, the rookie driver from McLaren?

That said, being at the receiving end of a collision didn't really help the Racing Point driver's case in any way. But that said, one also has to admit that the fact that Stroll wasn't in any way running in points at that point of the race. Was he?

Driver Rating- 1/10

Sergio Perez- 15th

Peres, hitherto the most consistent driver for his team didn't really have a stellar contest at Catalunya. Having failed to collect any points from round five of the 2019 season may have perhaps dented his frame of mind somewhat.

But what remains to be seen is the surprising lack of pace that the famous Mexican driver contended with throughout the Spanish Grand Prix.

Perhaps, it may be only fair to state that Perez was a notch above another struggling driver, albeit from another team, Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo.

Driver Rating- 2.5/10

#8 Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo didn't really have a good race

Kimi Raikkonen- 14th

To put it simply, Kimi Raikkonen has seen far better days at Spain than the one he saw on Sunday, 12 May, 2019.

For starters, not only did the Iceman fail to score a single point in the contest- some sort of an anomaly for a driver of his skill and repute- he also found himself no better than a sitting duck for the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat, the Russian going past the laconic Finn with great ease.

Time for Kimi to bounce back immediately!

Driver Rating- 2/10

Antonio Giovinazzi- 16th

Yet another race and yet another failure from Giovinazzai to score a point. The 2019 Spanish Grand Prix was a very poor race for the Alfa Romeo drivers and what didn't help the Hinwill-based outifit was the fact that neither of its two highly capable drivers were able to collect a single point at the 66-lap contest.

To that end, Giovinazzi, who at one point in time was ahead of his experienced teammate, did only enough to finish third-last on the grid.

That leaves us with the question that when can the noted Italian driver finally open his account, now that five races have been held?

Driver Rating- 2/10

#7 Renault

Nico Hulkenberg - Renault

Nico Hulkenberg- 13th

The Renault drivers didn't really have a great race at Spain. To that end, it suffices to say that Hulkenberg has seen better days at Spain, for example, a famous P6 finish that he secured a couple of years back in the past at Catalunya.

But Nico's contest for the better part of Sunday was about finding a way of not dropping down to the rear of the grid.

To make matters worse, the experienced German driver- one who's yet to bag a single F1 podium in almost a decade- began the Spanish contest from the pitlane.

Surely, Nico Hulkenberg is a far better driver than that and he may want to get back toward scoring some useful points for his team starting the next Grand Prix.

Driver Rating- 3.5/10

Daniel Ricciardo- 12th

At one point in time, the famous Australian driver was giving local-hero Carlos Sainz Jr. a run for his money.

To that end, the closely-fought battle between the Australian and the Spaniard, first for tenth and later, eleventh did give an interesting angle to the battle among the midfielders.

But eventually, Ricciardo, who failed to go past Sainz and break into the top ten found himself struggling.

That leaves us wondering whether the ever-smiling driver can put up a performance in the next race to leave his fans with a chuckle or two? Well, can you Daniel?

Driver Rating- 4/10

#6 McLaren

Lando Norris

Carlos Sainz Jr.- 8th

Truth be told, Sainz, who struggled somewhat during the intial rounds of 2019, finally came close to realizing his brilliant potential at Spain, interestingly the venue of his home race.

Having scored some useful points at Baku, Sainz, already in some form was able to carry some of it at Spain and collect a fantastically well-fought P8.

This impressive performance also included a quick-paced move on Romain Grosjean on the main straits.

That told, the youngster would take a a lot of confidence from a fine performance at his home race and can be expected to turn around a corner in the coming Grands Prix.

Driver Rating- 6.5/10

Lando Norris- DNF

Lando Norris failed to finish his first-ever Spanish Grand Prix. Not the kind of experience that the avid youngster would've wanted to have at a historic track.

To that end, what made Norris- someone who's already demonstrated good race pace and determination- rue his Spanish experience was that he was responsible for causing the accident that also ended Racing Point driver Lance Stroll's race.

So one can only hope that the British teenager would want to pick himself up soon and put this forgettable experinece behind him moving into Round 6 of the season.

Driver rating- 3/10

#5 Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso's in action

Daniil Kvyat- 9th

One wonders, whether calling the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix as a bit of a redemption for the Russian driver would make for a valid assessment?

For a driver who's often been lamented and even bombarded with scathing criticisms, most arguing that his overzealous moves on the track are only counter-productive (and nothing beyond that), Kvyat's P9 at Spain did prove a point or two.

Not only did it tell his critics that there was more this 'Torpedo' than just crashing into the others, but also that the young Russian driver could very well make a move or two on the grid.

And to that end, it is only fair to call his pass on Kimi Raikkonen as among the best moments of the 2019 race at Spain. Isn't it?

Driver Rating- 7/10

Alex Albon- 11th

The Thai-British driver was not able to collect a single point from the race. But throughout the contest, the inexperienced albeit talented driver kept on trying to get into the top-ten on the grid.

But what must also be shared is the fact that even as Albon didn't collect a point, he ended up much better than the likes of Raikkonen and Kubica, two drivers that are much more experienced than the F1 newcomer.

Moreover, Albon, who clearly found himself struggling in the race found out that he was no match for the likes of Haas, a team with which he's contested well at Bahrain and other tracks.

Driver Rating- 6/10

#4 Haas

Romain Grosjean -Haas

Kevin Magnussen- 7th

One of the most memorable moments for the Haas racing team came in the form of its drivers scoring useful points in a contest where both- maintaining optimum tyre temperature (as against graining) and keeping up with the race pace of the quicker cars- was not easy.

To that end, one reckons that K-Mag (as he is popularly called) drove a commanding race, proving a tough nut to crack for the noted midfield troika comprising of Toro Rosso, McLaren, and Alfa Romeo.

Even as he was challenged by Sainz endlessly, Magnussen, who's yet to win a race in F1, put all his experience into play, in eventually finishing seventh.

Driver Rating- 7.5/10

Romain Grosjean- 10th

Well, to be honest, it's not always that one sees the famous French driver finish a race and that too, in points.

To that regard, Grosjean's P10 was indicative of the simple fact that perhaps there's a lot more to the talented racer than often meets the eye.

At Spain, Grosjean, despite scoring a point and preventing the likes of Ricciardo and Raikkonen from ending on tenth made a somewhat strange case of being not a very quick driver, despite having a quick car all weekend.

Who knows, maybe the best from Romain is just around the corner?

Driver Rating- 6.5/10

#3 Ferrari

Leclerc & Vettel - Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel- 4th

A race that was once again debated endlessly for the Ferrari strategy or should one say, the lack of it, saw the four-time world champion only manage a fourth on the grid, despite seeming quick and handy at different intervals of the race.

Immediately after pitting for fresh rubber, Sebastian Vettel hit back at Mercedes by scoring the fastest lap of the race, only to find his effort regularly beaten by the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Bottas in the period shortly after.

But what became a definite point in contention for the purist was the fact that here was a driver who seemed keen to go fast, going all out in his attempt to prove some sort of a threat for the Mercedes cars, even as he would be proved otherwise.

Time for Ferrari to put their efforts behind their experineced driver?

Driver Rating- 6.5/10

Charles Leclerc- 5th

Charles Leclerc scored yet another fifth, and for the fourth time in 2019. This means that the Monegasque driver- talented and popular that he is- does have something yet to learn in a contest where there's perhaps never an end to learning- right?

While Leclerc did seem the quicker of the two Ferrari drivers initially, it didn't help him one bit that toward the latter stages of the 66-lap race, he would go on to struggle in playing catch-up to his German teammate.

So can Leclerc pick himself up and prove to be a thorn in the way of Mercedes? Even as this wouldn't come true for the Scuderia at Spain, the team would like that in the immediate future.

Driver Rating- 5/10

#2 Red Bull

Max Verstappen with the Red Bull Racing Team

Max Verstappen- 3rd

Verstappen scored yet another podium and went on to score impressively at a track where he's perhaps celebrated his most poignant F1 moment, thus far.

After all, the scorer of an impressive third in the 2019 race here was the race-winner back in 2016.

So while Max proved a tough not to crack for the two Ferraris, it remains to be seen as to when can the Dutchman score a win- if at all- this season?

Driver Rating- 8.5/10

Pierre Gasly- 6th

Gasly, who has already justified his selection at the Horner-led outfit by scoring a fastest lap of the season already, went on to collect a fighting sixth at Spain.

To that end, Gasly seemed quick and consistent even as he found himself challenged by the other quicker cars out there, most noticeably the other Red Bull of Max, and the two Mercedes cars.

Driver Rating- 8/10

#1 Mercedes

Bottas, Hamilton with Dieter Zetsche

Lewis Hamilton- 1st

It was 'Hammertime' at Spain as Lewis Hamilton, the defending champion for this season ended up completing a hat-trick of wins here at Spain, a feat that has only been exhibited once before, and that too, by Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton was dogged and determined and for the lack of a better word, seemed the ultimate warrior in a contest where he just didn't allow anyone else to dominate.

His fantastic race-pace and mighty impressive race control are worthy of all the appreciation that they are fetching the multiple world champion.

Driver Rating- 10/10

Valtteri Bottas- 2nd

Bottas, who entered the Spanish GP as the leader, having topped the driver rankings, exited Spain trailing a familiar figure at the front of the grid- Lewis Hamilton.

Right at the start where he stuggled to get away well, finding his position clinched by his own teammate, Bottas' Spanish race was an exercise in damage-control.

Yet, despite all of that, that he finished with a finely fought second should keep him in good stead. After all, there are so many races left ahead!

Driver Rating- 9/10