Which Formula 1 driver made the most of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend?
It’s time to give your verdict on which driver did the best with the equipment at their disposal over the last three days.
Review how each driver got on below and vote for who impressed you the most at Suzuka.
Driver performance summary
| Driver | Q stage | Q pos. | Q gap to team mate | GP grid pos. | GP pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | Q3 | 1 | -0.773s | 1 | 1 |
| Sergio Perez | Q3 | 5 | +0.773s | 5 | Not classified |
| Charles Leclerc | Q3 | 4 | -0.308s | 4 | 4 |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | Q3 | 6 | +0.308s | 6 | 6 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Q3 | 7 | -0.311s | 7 | 5 |
| George Russell | Q3 | 8 | +0.311s | 8 | 7 |
| Esteban Ocon | Q2 | 14 | +0.077s | 14 | 9 |
| Pierre Gasly | Q2 | 12 | -0.077s | 12 | 10 |
| Lando Norris | Q3 | 3 | +0.035s | 3 | 2 |
| Oscar Piastri | Q3 | 2 | -0.035s | 2 | 3 |
| Valtteri Bottas | Q1 | 16 | -0.349s | 16 | Not classified |
| Zhou Guanyu | Q1 | 19 | +0.349s | 19 | 13 |
| Lance Stroll | Q1 | 17 | +0.210s | 17 | Not classified |
| Fernando Alonso | Q3 | 10 | -0.210s | 10 | 8 |
| Kevin Magnussen | Q2 | 15 | -0.323s | 15 | 15 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Q1 | 18 | +0.323s | 18 | 14 |
| Liam Lawson | Q2 | 11 | +0.304s | 11 | 11 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Q3 | 9 | -0.304s | 9 | 12 |
| Alexander Albon | Q2 | 13 | 13 | Not classified | |
| Logan Sargeant | Q1 | 20 | 20 | Not classified |
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Vote for your driver of the weekend
Which driver do you think did the best job throughout the race weekend?
Who got the most out of their car in qualifying and the race? Who put their team mate in the shade?
Cast your vote below and explain why you chose the driver you picked in the comments.
Who was the best driver of the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix weekend?
- No opinion (1%)
- Logan Sargeant (3%)
- Alexander Albon (0%)
- Yuki Tsunoda (0%)
- Liam Lawson (4%)
- Kevin Magnussen (1%)
- Nico Hulkenberg (0%)
- Fernando Alonso (1%)
- Lance Stroll (0%)
- Guanyu Zhou (0%)
- Valtteri Bottas (0%)
- Oscar Piastri (29%)
- Lando Norris (12%)
- Pierre Gasly (0%)
- Esteban Ocon (0%)
- George Russell (0%)
- Lewis Hamilton (3%)
- Carlos Sainz Jnr (1%)
- Charles Leclerc (2%)
- Sergio Perez (2%)
- Max Verstappen (42%)
Total Voters: 109
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When this poll is closed the result will be displayed instead of the voting form.
2023 Japanese Grand Prix
- Norris: Red Bull’s dominance down to ‘small things which make a big difference’
- Mercedes must halve deficit to Red Bull before 2024 season starts – Hamilton
- Mercedes expect “tight” fight for second in championship after Ferrari gains
- Norris breaks Hulkenberg’s record for most points without a win in F1
- Transcript: What Alonso really meant by being “thrown to the lions” at Suzuka
Debates and polls
- Will Verstappen race on with Red Bull until the end of 2028?
- Will Alonso win a world championship title with Aston Martin?
- How long should Red Bull give Ricciardo to prove he’s not lost his touch?
- Were stewards right to penalise Alonso over his driving before Russell’s crash?
- Are Williams right to bench Sargeant so Albon can race after crash?
Jere (@jerejj)
24th September 2023, 8:34
DOTW & DOTD: VER
Simon
24th September 2023, 16:01
Number 9, Brighton line. Doing well this race weekend, very nearly full house…
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
24th September 2023, 8:46
It has to be Max! Pole Position, won the Race, got Fastest Lap, and enabled his boss to claim the Constructors’ Championship as well.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
24th September 2023, 11:44
Easier to do so when you have a rocket ship 🚀
Patrick (@paeschli)
24th September 2023, 12:14
Tell that to Perez
drmouse (@drmouse)
24th September 2023, 14:51
Easy to do when you have a rocket ship and are a decent driver 😝
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
24th September 2023, 16:52
@paeschli As I have said for the past 10 years, Perez is an awful driver.
Coventry Climax
24th September 2023, 8:48
That can only be Perez. Best performance all season.
In finding excuses and keeping a straight face, that is.
And then Horner telling us Perez is part of the success. What a joke.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
24th September 2023, 11:12
Yes, perez should really get some 2% or so in troll votes, almost considering it!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
24th September 2023, 11:13
I wonder if he will manage to achieve a 2\10 in the ratings this time.
elchinero (@elchinero)
24th September 2023, 16:47
#44 got some votes …
MadMax (@madmax)
24th September 2023, 17:48
#44 drove a very decent race, despite being rammed by perez at the start. achieves the maximum possible with his car.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
24th September 2023, 18:01
Voted PER. Takes real talent to sit in the 2nd fastest car in the paddock and do what he did with it. Any other driver could have brought that car in 5th at the least.
Illusive (@illusive)
24th September 2023, 8:58
Easiest DoTW, Max was generations ahead.
Nick T.
24th September 2023, 9:08
Stroll. He gained places before retiring for once. Him or Perez who only managed to ruin one person’s race this time. That’s a big improvement over Singapore.
MichaelN
24th September 2023, 9:56
Hamilton made the highlights fun to watch. Always nice to see teammates racing each other, given the cars are the same.
David BR (@david-br)
24th September 2023, 12:42
I agree, it’s all still a bit too polite when there are three teams with very closely competitive drivers towards the front now: Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes.
Tys (@bwoken14)
24th September 2023, 10:19
Max Verstappen for me. There was no real standout today, everyone was poor or at least did nothing too special so I suppose it goes to him by default. As we know with Checo it isn’t just the car that’s doing that
melanos
24th September 2023, 10:23
Fernando Alonso for the start and the first lap!! with honorable mention to Lance Stroll for the same
Sir LCDH for the most suicidal move on a teammate since BCN 2016
Fezza for allowing Merc the most m0r0n1c undercut in ages on Carlos Sainz
Checo for maybe the clumsiest drive of the season
Seriously, DOTW? hard to say another one but Max, boring as it is. The Maccas were also ok. And FA could hardly have done much better.
MadMax (@madmax)
24th September 2023, 10:31
and one more stupid hate comment
David (@nvherman)
24th September 2023, 11:01
@madmax almost as stupid as your comments on every article are. Get over yourself
MadMax (@madmax)
24th September 2023, 13:03
only calling out the HAM hating Verstappen and Alonso fans, who are flooding the comments with their stupidity
melanos
24th September 2023, 15:35
They should learn from your always polite and sensible arguments, never blinded by hate to a particular driver.
Nick T.
25th September 2023, 1:33
I see very little of Alonso fans “hating” on Hamilton. Maybe 10-15 years ago. It also seem some fans (regardless of driver) seem to consider any criticism “hating.”
Doggy
25th September 2023, 10:08
@nvherman I completely agree with you here l.
99% of this guy’s comments are meant to bring toxicity to the chat.
Just support your driver without throwing other drivers under the bus.
I’m not even asking to make an interesting remark that may help other people to learn something.
osnola
24th September 2023, 11:06
Still egg over your face?
MadMax (@madmax)
24th September 2023, 12:39
Are you missing one, or why are you asking?
Coventry Climax
24th September 2023, 18:16
;-)
Brilliant!
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage (@davedai)
24th September 2023, 12:32
Must be something wrong with the site. You certainly whetted my appetite with the promise of
but nothing followed.
tielemst
24th September 2023, 11:02
Perez, for making sure driver market rumours will continue until next season.
David BR (@david-br)
24th September 2023, 12:41
Verstappen. Second place McLaren for collectively making some semblance of a challenge to Red Bull Max.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
24th September 2023, 15:06
The fan dressed as Senna.
melanos
24th September 2023, 15:37
Haha should have been racing
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
24th September 2023, 21:50
Perez eventually got 3% of voters, someone has some sense of humour!
MacLeod (@macleod)
25th September 2023, 7:57
Max Verstappen as Driver of the Weekend with Oscar and Liam as honerable mentions….
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
25th September 2023, 11:16
Sargeant getting a few votes :)