The penultimate grand prix weekend of the 2024 season was also the final sprint round of the championship.
The Qatar weekend was another where the stewards and their decisions were a major talking point. With a change in pole sitter and a rare stop-go penalty handed out that transformed the race.As surprising as it seems, some of the most experienced and successful drivers in the field made the most mistakes around the Losail International Circuit. Here are RaceFans’ driver ratings for the Qatar Grand Prix.
A guide to RaceFans’ driver ratings system
RaceFans’ driver ratings system assesses driver performance across all three days of a grand prix weekend. Naturally, performances during competitive sessions – qualifying, sprint races and grands prix – will carry the most weight to their rating.
However, practice performance can affect a driver’s weekend rating in the event of a major mistake, such as a crash, consistent errors throughout practice sessions or if a driver shows a notably impressive speed throughout all free practice sessions relative to their team mate.
The system attempts to take into account the relative performance of each driver’s car and the expected results from that, meaning that a driver who wins a race in a car clearly superior to the rest of the field may not necessarily score as highly as a driver who claims a low points finish in a midfield car.
Ratings also attempt to take into account mitigating factors outside of a driver’s control. If a driver is forced to miss considerable track time due to car problems, is the victim of being blocked in qualifying, finishes far lower than expected because of a heavily botched pit stop or suffers any other misfortune they cannot be reasonably expected to control, their rating should not be penalised.
RaceFans rates each driver’s weekend performance on a scale of 0 to 10, where ‘5’ is considered to be a typically average weekend performance from a typically average Formula 1 driver.
Here is a rough guide to each possible score:
N/A – Not applicable – No rating is given as the driver did not sufficiently participate in the competitive sessions
0 – Disqualified – Only in the most extreme instance where a driver’s conduct disqualifies them from participation
1 – Appalling – An appalling display that brings a driver’s competency under immediate question
2 – Awful – A very, very poor performance of repeated errors with almost no redeeming qualities
3 – Very bad – Far more negatives than positives across the weekend which a driver should be very disappointed with
4 – Underperformance – Driver failed to achieve the base level expected for a Formula 1 driver
5 – Acceptable – The standard level of performance that should be expected from an F1 driver
6 – Good – A decent overall performance across the weekend, but not one of the best
7 – Very good – A strong performance across the weekend that any driver should be very pleased with
8 – Brilliant – A truly great weekend where the driver stood out as one of the very best of the field
9 – Exceptional – An outstanding performance that ranks as one of the best, if not the very best, of the entire season
10 – Legendary – One of the few all-time greatest performances by a driver in the history of Formula 1
Max Verstappen – 7/10
Sprint race finish: 8th
Qualified: 1st (+8 places ahead of team mate, -0.905s)
Grid: 2nd (+7 places ahead of team mate)
Start: +1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: Winner
▶ Secured top six start for sprint race behind Ferraris
▼ Fell to ninth on opening lap of sprint, then passed Gasly to finish eighth
▲ Took provisional pole position after extensive set-up changes
▶ Demoted to second after one-place grid drop for ‘driving unnecessarily slowly
▲ Jumped into the lead at the start to lead opening stint
▶ Held off Norris at second restart after Safety Car confusion
▲ Led every lap to take ninth win of the season
It has been a while since Max Verstappen enjoyed a classically Max Verstappen-style victory in a dry grand prix, but that was exactly what he had on Sunday in Losail. Although he lost pole position because of a highly contentious penalty, he stormed back to take the lead at the start and only looked in danger of losing it once in the race, fending off Norris in the process. Although he controlled proceedings on Sunday, his slightly underwhelming performance in the sprint sessions prevents him from earning a higher score.
Sergio Perez – 2/10
Sprint race start: 19th
Sprint race finish: 20th
Qualified: 9th (-8 places behind team mate, +0.905s)
Start: +2 places
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 17th (-16 places behind team mate)
▼ Knocked out of SQ1 to start 16th
▶ Reprimanded for not respecting maximum lap time in sprint qualifying
▶ Started sprint from pit lane but passed by Colapinto and pitted for new front wing
▼ Reached Q3 but was eight tenths slower than team mate
▲ Picked up two places at start of grand prix, then ran seventh
▼ Spun out of Safety Car queue at second restart due to “overdelivery” from power unit
▶ Suffered clutch failure when attempting to rejoin, leading to retirement
What else is there to say at this stage that has not already been said before?
Lewis Hamilton – 4/10
Sprint race finish: 6th
Qualified: 6th (-4 places behind team mate, +0.436s)
Grid: 6th (5 places behind team mate)
Start: -3 places
Strategy: Four-stop (M-H)
Finished: 12th (-8 places behind team mate)
▶ Qualified seventh for sprint race, four tenths slower than team mate
▶ Gained two places at the start of sprint but overtaken by Leclerc to finish sixth
▼ Lost multiple places with a jump start
▼ Hit with five second time penalty for false start
▼ Suffered puncture, then hit with 10s penalty for speeding in pit lane
▶ Caught and passed both RB drivers to finish 12th
Hamilton has enjoyed more success with Mercedes than any driver has had with any team in the history of the sport. But his penultimate grand prix for the Silver Arrows was one of his worst. A jump start and a second penalty for speeding in the pit lane are hard to excuse for F1’s most successful driver in history. But aside from that, Hamilton endured another weekend where he was never happy with the car and was not on his team mate’s level. Hopefully for him, Abu Dhabi will be a more fitting send-off.
George Russell – 7/10
Sprint race start: 2nd
Sprint race finish: 3rd
Qualified: 2nd (+4 places ahead of team mate, -0.436s)
Grid: Pole (+5 places ahead of team mate)
Start: -2 places
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-H)
Finished: 4th (+8 places ahead of team mate)
▲ Just missed out on sprint race pole by less than a tenth
▶ Lost a place to Piastri at the start, then spent sprint race third
▲ Secured front row start alongside Verstappen for grand prix
▶ Inherited pole position after penalty for Verstappen
▼ Lost lead and second at start to run third early on
▶ Pitted first for hard tyres but lost seven seconds with slow stop
▶ Overtook Alonso, then pitted again for hards under Safety Car
▶ Restarted fifth then gained fourth when Norris served penalty
Until his unfortunate first pit stop during the grand prix, Russell was always involved at the front in some capacity during the Qatar weekend. He pushed Piastri throughout the entire sprint race and almost got the McLaren on a couple of occasions. Although his start could have been better, there was not much he could have done about the poor pit stop that compromised his grand prix. Although he was awarded pole position with the help of the stewards, his rating only takes his second place into account.
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Charles Leclerc – 6/10
Sprint race start: 5th
Sprint race finish: 5th
Qualified: 5th (+2 places ahead of team mate, -0.189s)
Start: +1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 2nd (+4 places ahead of team mate)
▶ Just out-qualified by team mate in sprint qualifying to line up fifth
▶ Lost a place at start of sprint to Hamilton, then reclaimed it to finish fifth
▶ Secured fifth on the grid ahead of team mate and Hamilton
▶ Passed Piastri at the start, then lost the place at the restart
▶ Got ahead of Piastri thanks to pitting under Safety Car, then restarted third
▶ Gained second when Norris served penalty and finished there
Although Leclerc had a very strong result, it’s hard not to feel like he might not have fully earned it on merit. He only gained a single position on track, when he passed Piastri at the start, but he lost that almost immediately at the restart. He got ahead of the two McLarens thanks to misfortune and malpractice, but did not offer an opportunity for Piastri to take his second place off him at the finish.
Carlos Sainz Jnr – 6/10
Sprint race finish: 4th
Qualified: 7th (-2 places behind team mate, +0.189s)
Start: +1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 6th (-4 places behind team mate)
▶ Beat team mate in sprint qualifying to start fourth
▲ Ran fourth throughout the entire sprint race to finish just outside top three
▶ Qualified seventh for grand prix behind Hamilton and team mate
▶ Picked up sixth at the start from Hamilton, then ran behind team mate
▶ Gained fifth when Russell pitted, then hit with left-front puncture
▶ Picked up seventh when Perez spun, then sixth with Norris’s penalty
▶ Ran within DRS range of Gasly for several laps but could not pass
Sainz should have finished higher than he did in Losail, but likely lost a top five finish thanks to a puncture that developed just before he passed by the debris field of Albon’s shattered wing mirror for the first time. He fell behind Gasly as a result but was unable to get by the Alpine despite the advantage of DRS for several laps, although his car was potentially damaged from his long lap into the pit lane on punctured tyres.
Lando Norris – 5/10
Sprint race finish: 2nd
Qualified: 3rd (+1 place ahead of team mate, -0.057s)
Grid: 3rd (1 place ahead of team mate)
Start: +1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 10th (-7 places behind team mate)
▲ Secured pole for sprint race with first SQ3 lap
▲ Led every corner of the sprint race, then let Piastri through to win
▶ Secured top three grid position for grand prix
▲ Passed Russell at start to claim second place, then kept pace with Verstappen
▼ Failed to lift under double yellow flags, earning a 10s stop-go penalty
▶ Unable to pass Verstappen despite challenging at restart
▶ Fell to last after serving penalty
▲ Passed Lawson, Tsunoda, Albon and Bottas to claim final point in tenth
Norris was one of the better performers of the Qatar weekend, effectively winning the sprint race from pole and then being the only driver strong enough to challenge Verstappen in the grand prix. However, that single moment when Norris demonstrated a critical lack of awareness threw away his grand prix. Although the penalty was heavy, there was simply no excuse with marshals clearly waving double yellow flags. At the pinnacle of motorsport, the punishment for such an infraction must be severe.
Oscar Piastri – 6/10
Sprint race start: 3rd
Sprint race finish: Winner
Qualified: 4th (-1 place behind team mate, +0.057s)
Start: -1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 3rd (+7 places ahead of team mate)
▶ Beaten by Russell in sprint qualifying to line up third
▲ Passed Russell at start of sprint, then handed win by team mate
▶ Qualified fourth for grand prix, right behind team mate
▶ Lost one place to Leclerc at the start but gained it back after restart
▶ Ran behind Russell until he pitted, then pitted himself just before Safety Car
▶ Lost place to Leclerc thanks to Safety Car then restarted behind him
▶ Ran behind Leclerc in third where he would finish
Piastri seems to enjoy the Losail circuit. Even if he was not the faster of the two McLaren drivers over the weekend this year, he still performed stronger than he has in many recent rounds. Although he was never in the fight for victory on Sunday, he was unlucky to lose ground due to the Safety Car but could not track down Leclerc in the final phase of the race. His rating reflects that while he won the sprint race, he was actually second on merit.
Fernando Alonso – 7/10
Sprint race finish: 11th
Qualified: 8th (+7 places ahead of team mate, -0.703s)
Start: Held position
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-M)
Finished: 7th (+11 places ahead of team mate)
▶ Just missed out on SQ3 to line up 11th on sprint grid
▶ Overtook Lawson at start of sprint race, then lost a place to Magnussen
▲ Reached Q3 to take eighth on the grid for grand prix
▼ Ran eighth at the start but lost three places at SC restart
▲ Pitted for hard tyres under SC, then passed Zhou for eighth
▶ Gained seventh from Norris’s penalty to score first points since Singapore
At the end of a frustrating season, Alonso and his team were in desperate need of some kind of boost to help take them through the winter into next season. Although it was only seventh place, points have been so hard to come by recently that both team and driver happily took that result. Although his race was far from perfect, Alonso showed how valuable experience can be in a race where several others are making mistakes and took advantage of the opportunities presented to him.
Lance Stroll – 4/10
Sprint race start: 14th
Sprint race finish: 13th
Qualified: 15th (-7 places behind team mate, +0.703s)
Start: -2 places
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-H)
Finished: Retired (Damage – L8)
▶ Reached SQ2 but knocked out in 14th
▶ Passed Albon on opening lap of sprint, then ran 13th for entire race
▶ Knocked out of Q2 after “big snap” of oversteer on final push lap
▼ Hit with 10s penalty for collision with Albon on opening lap
▶ Pulled into pit lane to retire on eighth lap with damage
Once again, the Aston Martin did not look like a stable or fun car to race at Losail compared to many of its peers. However, while his team mate still drove it to a top ten finish, Stroll did not look comfortable at most points. His race effectively ended at turn four when he bumped Albon. While he was clearly trying to avoid the clash, he still could have done a better job than he did.
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Pierre Gasly – 8/10
Sprint race finish: 9th
Qualified: 11th (+9 places ahead of team mate, -0.871s)
Start: -1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 5th (+15 places ahead of team mate)
▲ Secured top ten start for sprint race in eighth
▶ Ran eighth in sprint but fell out of points when passed by Verstappen
▶ Frustrated to just miss out on Q3 to start grand prix 11th
▶ Passed by Tsunoda on opening lap, then overtook Alonso after restart
▲ Passed Tsunoda then pitted under Safety Car to restart sixth
▶ Picked up fifth when Norris served penalty to finish there
Is there a driver who has been in better form over the last two months than Gasly? Other than just missing out on Q3, it’s hard to think of what more Alpine could have asked of him in Qatar. He only missed out on a point in the sprint race because he was passed by Verstappen, then made progress up the order in the main event. Yes, he was helped by the Safety Car timing and problems for rivals in faster cars ahead, but once again, Gasly never looked like losing his promising position in the later laps of the grand prix.
Esteban Ocon – 5/10
Sprint race start: 17th
Sprint race finish: 14th
Qualified: 20th (-9 places behind team mate, +0.871s)
Finished: Retired (Crash – L1)
▼ Knocked out 18th in first phase of sprint qualifying
▲ Picked up three places at the start of sprint to finish 14th
▼ Eliminated slowest of all in Q1
▶ Retired after caught up in first corner clash
An unceremonious end to his tenure at Renault’s factory Formula 1 team. Ocon was again well off the pace of his team mate across the weekend, but it is hard to tell at this stage whether Gasly is getting prioritised due to Ocon’s departure. Either way, there was little Ocon could do about the accident that ended his weekend on lap one – he will be eager to show more of the speed he has demonstrated in recent years at his new team next season.
Alexander Albon – 4/10
Sprint race start: 12th
Sprint race finish: 15th
Qualified: 16th (+3 places ahead of team mate, -0.204s)
Start: Held position
Strategy: Two-stop (M-S-S)
Finished: 15th
▶ Reached SQ2 but knocked out in 12th
▼ Dropped three places on first lap of sprint then ran 15th
▼ Knocked out of Q1 after mistake in final corner
▶ Hit by Stroll on opening lap, then ran 15th behind Bottas
▶ Pitted under Safety Car for hard tyres, then gained a place with Perez’s spin
▼ Passed Magnussen for tenth but handed 10s penalty for causing a collision
▼ Fell down the order then pitted to serve penalty and finished last
As the season has progressed, Albon appears to have started to struggle more. Much was the case in Qatar, where a solid start to the weekend on Friday gave way to an underwhelming sprint race and qualifying on Saturday. He fought hard in the grand prix, but a little too hard when it came to Magnussen which ended any prospects of fighting for a slim chance at points. As the more experienced Williams driver, he needs to be more consistent than he was last weekend.
Franco Colapinto – 5/10
Sprint race finish: 18th
Qualified: 19th (-3 places behind team mate, +0.204s)
Finished: Retired (Crash – L1)
▶ Forced to run old-specification suspension over weekend
▶ Knocked slowest in SQ1, then started sprint from pit lane
▶ Passed Perez out of pit lane then gained place when Zhou pitted
▼ Eliminated from Q1, slower than team mate
▶ Retired from first corner melee
It’s tough to judge the merits of Colapinto’s weekend when the odds seemed to be against him. He did not have the same car as his team mate due to lack of available parts and that naturally limited his potential pace. He needed a Safety Car to help catch the pack in the sprint race, but that never came. Then his grand prix lasted a total of 700m before coming to an abrupt end.
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Yuki Tsunoda – 5/10
Sprint race start: 16th
Sprint race finish: 17th
Qualified: 14th (+3 places ahead of team mate, -0.047s)
Start: +4 places
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-S)
Finished: 13th (+1 place ahead of team mate)
▼ Failed to follow team mate out of SQ1
▶ Reprimanded for not respecting maximum lap time in sprint qualifying
▶ Reached Q2 but knocked out in 14th
▲ Picked up four places at grand prix start, then passed Alonso at restart
▼ Lost five places over opening stint
▶ Traded places with Hamilton, then passed by Norris and Hamilton in final laps
▶ Finished 13th, one place ahead of team mate
RB were not at their best in Qatar, but it was hard not to feel that even so, Tsunoda was not getting the best out of his car. He got an excellent start in the grand prix but despite there only being one practical overtaking zone on the track, he was passed five times over his opening stint. From there, points were always going to be difficult. At least he made fewer mistakes than his team mate.
Liam Lawson – 4/10
Sprint race finish: 16th
Qualified: 17th (-3 places behind team mate, +0.047s)
Start: +3 places
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-S)
Finished: 14th (-1 place behind team mate)
▲ Reached SQ3 to start sprint race from tenth
▼ Dropped to 16th on opening lap of sprint where he would finish
▼ Failed to follow team mate into Q2
▲ Gained three places at start of grand prix
▼ Lost multiple places with spin at restart after clash with Bottas
▼ Hit with 10s time penalty for causing collision with Bottas
▶ Pitted under Safety Car twice
▶ Took final restart last and picked up single place when Albon pitted late
It might be a little harsh, but with his team needing to score points in the fight against Haas and Alpine in the constructors’ championship, Lawson did not deliver when he needed to most during the weekend’s two races. He cost Bottas with his mistake at turn one, damaging the Sauber’s floor and ran behind his team mate all race. A sub-par performance that earns a sub-par grade.
Valtteri Bottas – 7/10
Sprint race start: 13th
Sprint race finish: 12th
Qualified: 13th (-1 place behind team mate, +0.23s)
Start: Held position
Strategy: Two-stop (M-H-M)
Finished: 11th (-3 places behind team mate)
▲ Reached SQ2 to start sprint from 13th
▲ Overtook Lawson on opening lap of sprint race, then held 12th all race
▶ Reached Q2 but knocked out one place behind team mate
▲ Ran behind team mate at start, then passed Tsunoda for 13th
▶ Suffered floor damage when hit by Lawson at restart
▶ Pitted for hard tyres early, then struck loose mirror on pit straight
▶ Pitted again under Safety Car, then passed Hamilton at restart
▶ Gained 11th when Hamilton pitted, then lost place to Norris
▶ Finished just outside points in 11th, 25s behind team mate
Although his team mate took all the plaudits with an excellent points finish, Bottas also had one of his best weekends of the season in Qatar. He had a stronger sprint side to the weekend than his team mate, then complimented Zhou’s performance in qualifying by lining up alongside him on the grid. He probably would have scored his first points of the season too, if it were not for the damage he sustained when hit by Lawson early on in the grand prix.
Zhou Guanyu – 7/10
Sprint race finish: 19th
Qualified: 12th (+1 place ahead of team mate, -0.23s)
Start: -3 places
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 8th (+3 places ahead of team mate)
▶ Knocked out of sprint qualifying at first hurdle to start 18th
▶ Started sprint on softs but pitted for mediums, finishing 19th
▲ Reached Q2 then out-qualified team mate in 12th
▲ Ran behind Alonso early, then passed Tsunoda for 12th
▶ Pitted under Safety Car for hard tyres, then passed by Alonso at restart
▲ Kept out of reach of Albon, then Magnussen to score first points in eighth
Just as it seemed all hope had been lost, Zhou delivered his team’s first points of the season in Qatar. After being so comprehensively beaten by his team mate for much of the year, Zhou was in excellent form in Losail, never buckling under the pressure of the moment and showing strong pace to score by far his best result of the season.
Nico Hulkenberg – 5/10
Sprint race start: 9th
Sprint race finish: 7th
Qualified: 18th (-8 places behind team mate, +0.551s)
Start: Held position
Strategy: One-stop (H-M)
Finished: 16th (-7 places behind team mate)
▲ Reached SQ3 to secure ninth on sprint race grid
▲ Gained two places to score points in seventh in sprint race
▶ Knocked out in Q1 after team left him in slow engine mode
▼ Started on hards and spun at the first corner, falling to the rear
▶ Passed Stroll at restart, then ran behind Albon
▼ Spun out of the race at turn nine at second restart
Hulkenberg’s had two different sides to his weekend. Everything on the sprint side of the weekend was very strong and it was not his fault he started so far down the grid for the grand prix. However, he had no excuses for his terrible grand prix with multiple spins a rarity for such an experienced driver.
Kevin Magnussen – 7/10
Sprint race finish: 10th
Qualified: 10th (+8 places ahead of team mate, -0.551s)
Start: -1 place
Strategy: One-stop (M-H)
Finished: 9th (+7 places ahead of team mate)
▶ Could not follow team mate through into SQ3, knocked out 15th
▲ Gained four places at start of sprint, then passed Alonso to take tenth
▲ Reached Q3 to line up tenth on grand prix grid
▶ Dropped behind Tsunoda at the start
▲ Passed Alonso and Tsunoda to run in ninth
▶ Pitted early for hard tyres, losing out to rivals due to Safety Car
▲ Battled with Albon and passed him for ninth where he would finish
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said Magnussen was “still struggling at this track” after his underwhelming Friday. But whatever happened on Friday night, he was one of the best performers on the circuit over the next two days. He could have finished even higher if the timing of the Safety Car not set him back. A great sprint race, strong grand prix qualifying and very good grand prix showed that although his F1 career seems to be ending, he still knows how to drive.
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2024 Qatar Grand Prix
- Horner ‘believes 100%’ Verstappen did not threaten to crash into Russell
- Russell and Verstappen cast new light on clash which triggered explosive row
- Hamilton’s puncture not caused by mirror debris – Mercedes
- Another start-to-finish win shows Qatar GP could be F1’s most processional race
- “Am I dead last now?” Unheard radio from Hamilton’s disastrous Qatar GP
notagrumpyfan
3rd December 2024, 7:45
Sauber with the strongest line-up!
All to impress the new bosses ;)
An Sionnach
3rd December 2024, 8:12
“Is there a driver who has been in better form over the last two months than Gasly?”: Yes – Max
Lewis had a shocker this time – 3/10
It’s been a while since I’ve had a difference of opinion on several ratings. I might have been watching a different race!
Too high:
Lewis, George, Carlos, Oscar, Alonso, Gasly, Colapinto, Bottas
To low: Max
An Sionnach
3rd December 2024, 8:13
Too low: The Maximiser
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
3rd December 2024, 12:56
not even, the guy literally tattled to get Norris off the podium. Might as well be watching Jerry Springer, there’s no hope for racing like that.
Zho – 10/10, the man, and a F1 points scorer. All the haters can grab their own posteriors.
SPArtacus
3rd December 2024, 19:51
You’re literally comparing chalk and cheese. But I don’t feel like explaining again how different the two situations were with people who are not engaging in good faith. It’d be great if Max and Lewis super fans were not allowed to comment about the other driver as you know it’s just going to be an agenda fueled post.
Bob
3rd December 2024, 20:25
Max should be 9/10 lol
SPArtacus
3rd December 2024, 8:17
One of the worst cars on the grid qualifying 8fh and finishing 7th. I know how you love the guy, but not sure what you wanted from him, unless you’re going to count being passed by 3 cars on a straight away as a driving error rather than an energy deployment issue.
Agreed that Gasly seems a bit high. He finished about where he should have really. Though I don’t begrudge them giving an extra point for holding off Sainz.
Bottas: seems like they awarded him his rating based on where he likely would have finished if not for really bad luck. But that’s not how it usually works.
An Sionnach
3rd December 2024, 9:02
I think you’ve got to show a lot to get a seven. Six is good. I don’t know what the level of the Aston is at the moment – it seems to be all over the place. I feel it may have been decent enough this time. On the other hand, this was a technical circuit, so the cream should rise to the top. I’m happy to see Alonso doing better, but want to see more. He was the best driver (other than Max) as recently as the start of this season. I’m perhaps concerned about what appear to be mistakes. I’m a few months older than him and am looking at my own performance (on the bike) and wondering. If anyone can bounce back, it’s Alonso!
This race reminds me of Australia due to George’s antics. I had been warming to him due to his performances. I hope all the penalties and penalty points Alonso racked up when he was driving so well haven’t impacted his season. George seemed to behave in a two-faced manner back then, too. He should have the conviction to say the same to the cameras as he does in the background… or back down.
An Sionnach
3rd December 2024, 9:11
The same goes for Lewis. I’ve been backing him against some of the criticism of late. He’s younger, but he needs to stay on it, be focused and not let up. Knuckle down and work harder. Otherwise he will lose it. This is more for the coming years than something than will happen overnight.
Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
3rd December 2024, 11:59
If I remember correctly, after the Melbourne incident George said in interviews straight after that he thought it was strange that Alonso was even being investigated after his crash, because he felt it was his own error. However, I don’t know what he said to stewards behind closed doors.
SPArtacus
3rd December 2024, 19:47
Herbert and George went for the jugular in the stewards room afterward. George is two-faced.
SPArtacus
3rd December 2024, 8:12
Pretty consistent and therefore, fair ratings. Russell might be a point too high. No notes besides that really.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd December 2024, 8:37
There are a few things that don’t quite add up here, especially if the sprint is heavily factored in.
Perez was terrible in the sprint, but actually qualified higher than usual for the race and unless I can be corrected, that looked to be an issue that caused him to spin – as I don’t believe doing that would cause him to retire. A 2 out of 10 just feels like a low rating because we are fed up with him. I would say a 3 is more appropriate.
Hulkenberg actually does get the sprint heavily factored in, but I don’t understand how his whole weekend can be concidered “Acceptable – The standard level of performance that should be expected from an F1 driver”
He caused two drivers to DNF at the start and also himself a puncture and somehow got away unpunished. Seems questionable when Stroll got a 10 second time penalty for something much more minor which was also on the opening lap – Even Palmer said what Stroll did should have been a racing incident. Later retiring due to beaching himself surely should rank him lower than an “acceptable” performance even including the whole weekend?
It is the Sauber pair that I think feel Zhou is rather over rated, especially when you consider the Sprint as well. Zhou finished one place lower than where he started and that was 19th, while Bottas was 12th. That is a massive difference.
In the race, I’m not sure quite how this site measures how many places drivers gain / lose at the start, but strictly speaking, Zhou lost 5 positions. Magnussen, Bottas, Stroll, Albon, and Lawson all passed him at the start. Zhou then gained 2 positions right back when Stroll came together with Albon. Then he gained 2 more when Lawson came together with his team mate, which gave Bottas damage. Zhou and Bottas then followed eachother, both overtaking Tsunoda and that is about the only overtake that Zhou did. Zhou then maximised everything, but also like before, was lucky and had a free stop which was at the best time it could have been. Then he also was aided by Norris’s penalty.
All things being concidered, Zhou had a poor sprint and a decent race with his bad start being totally masked, but with an excellent result with a lot of luck. Bottas was much better in the sprint, and would have beaten Zhou without his damage and even if they both had the same strategy. Both having a 7 doesn’t really factor everything in – I think it is influenced heavily by the fact it is Sauber’f first points in over a year, and Zhou’s best result. If I’m honest, including the sprint, a 5 would be more realistic for Zhou. If just for the race for both, I would probably say a 7 for Bottas and 6 for Zhou.
LosD (@losd)
3rd December 2024, 8:58
It’s right there in the article: “Suffered clutch failure when attempting to rejoin, leading to retirement”
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd December 2024, 9:27
That says exactly what you have quoted. It doesn’t say that’s what caused him to go off in the first place.
roadrunner (@roadrunner)
3rd December 2024, 23:24
I’m a bit confused about Bottas. He got the damage early on and his lap times were fine. It was really only in the second stint when he started dropping off. Maybe the mirror did further damage?
RH
3rd December 2024, 9:17
It’s a weird rating. MV actually won another race without the quickest car as Lando has said himself. Should be an 8. Sure you can argue sprint Yada Yada but I guess his consistency and lack of errors makes an 8 for him a monumental weekend nowadays.
Hamilton was worse than Perez this weekend. He couldn’t even overtake Perez who himself was 1s off pace of Max and George definitely wasn’t 1s off pace of Max.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd December 2024, 9:28
Bottas in a damaged sauber also overtook Hamilton in the last stint. I do think Hamilton should get a 3.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:49
Red bull didn’t look much slower in the race though, sprint was another matter.
RH
3rd December 2024, 23:59
In the first stint Lando was always within 2s of Max while being in dirty air. I’d categorize the McLaren as marginally quicker there. Then on the hards Lando could stay within 1s for a few laps but then he got the stop and go penalty.
Landos comments and McLarens generally much improved last stint pace makes me think Lando might have had a genuine shot at the win. Qatar being very hard to pass might have played a role but then I’ll chalk that up to the McLaren guys not.putting in a good lap. Antony Davidson called Verstappens lap as close to.perfection as well this time around so I guess Max probably got a tenth or two more than Lando in qualifying.
It’s hard to say of course but in general we missed on a fight for the win because Lando.
osnola
4th December 2024, 11:58
the moment he received the stop and go he was indeed almost in drs range because he did not lifted and won about a second on max.
Elian
3rd December 2024, 9:31
Leclercs rating is an absolute joke. Behave yourself seriously.
Dane
3rd December 2024, 13:28
For real. Bottas, who finished 3 places behind his teammate does better than the guy who finishes 2nd? Absurd.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd December 2024, 19:07
Bottas’s finishing position representetive to Zhou is not reflective of his performance though. Zhou had a poor start and Bottas got ahead until the point he got damage, then Zhou had all the luck go his way. Leclerc’s rating is fair as he was beaten by Sainz in the sprint, and Sainz was clearly unlucky in the race and Several things did aid Leclerc to get 2nd.
Dane
4th December 2024, 16:25
Leclerc was ahead of Sainz in the main race though when Sainz got damage, so that is not a lucky break for Charles. He got ahead of Piastri and kept a faster McLaren behind. The only lucky break he got was Norris’ penalty but that also gained Sainz a position as well. Hurray for Bottas getting a good start, but anyone with eyes can see Leclerc performed better on Sunday.
Leo B
3rd December 2024, 9:35
Was Lewis penalised for speeding in the pitlane?
If yes, he should get a full 10. Just for forgetting everything he learnt in F1 since 2007.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:50
Yes, he was.
Wer
3rd December 2024, 9:39
Alonso – 43 years old – squeezing water from stone in his garbage Aston Martin
Hamilton – 4 years younger than Alonso – gives up whenever his car is less than perfect, while team-mate was fighting for a podium
RH
3rd December 2024, 16:23
Alonso in a good car was an absolute treat last year early on. More consistency than Hamilton has shown since 2019 anyways.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:52
Hamilton vs alonso really shows how little statistics mean in f1, considering the importance of the car: alonso has 3,5x less titles, but overall across his career has been more consistently on top form than hamilton has, and their top form is pretty damn similar.
RH
3rd December 2024, 23:55
Yeah it’s basically just car that wins out mostly. Sometimes we get close fights but a good car is the most important in the end.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2024, 9:46
Most impressed: VER, GAS, ALO, ZHO, & MAG
Most disappointing: RUS, LAW, & OCO
Oople ZERO
3rd December 2024, 11:14
@jerejj
Such bias being shown here. Saying RUS is most disappointing after getting a 3rd & 4th, whilst HAM in the same car gets a 6th & 12th and not getting most disappointing is absolutely wild levels of ignorance.
BenHur
3rd December 2024, 11:25
Ignorance you say? Fanatism is more like it
notagrumpyfan
3rd December 2024, 14:07
Weird ‘ratings’ indeed.
But as it’s based on the poster’s ‘feeling’ (impressed, disappointing) it’s hard to discuss.
Maybe better to stick with the weather forecast :P
RH
3rd December 2024, 16:24
I guess he meant HAM but typed RUS.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:53
This is likely, since russell has been performing up to expectations for the car and hamilton had a really really bad weekend. However I’m surprised by the absence of perez here!
RH
3rd December 2024, 23:54
No expectations no disappointments
Chris Scott
3rd December 2024, 11:20
Is the season summary rating bar-chart still being provided? I haven’t seen it for the last couple of races.
notagrumpyfan
3rd December 2024, 14:22
It was shared after Brazil, two race ago.
I think it is withheld to keep the year-end rating a bit of a surprise.
Some reveals/teasers:
– Verstappen is still ahead, and cannot be surpassed this season.
– three-way, extremely close, fight for second place.
– Perez will need at least a 7 next week to beat Sargeant!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:56
That’s not gonna happen, sargeant will finally achieve something in f1!
Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
3rd December 2024, 12:11
I’d say a tad generous to Hamilton, Stroll, Hulkenberg, and maybe even Gasly. I think the Alpine of the last few races is a lot stronger than most people seem to, as it appears to be consistently the 5th best car now (for Gasly only). In Brazil in the wet, it looked on par with everyone bar Verstappen for both drivers.
Slightly off-topic, I wonder if Stroll’s car was even damaged when he retired. It often sounds like he just doesn’t want to race if he’s nowhere near contention. Would be quite funny if that was the case, given that it turned out to be the type of race where everyone had potential for a good result if they just stayed in the race.
Dane
3rd December 2024, 13:23
I don’t understand how Leclerc gets criticized for inheriting 2nd because of McLaren’s errors. Literally everyone down to 9th inherited a place.
Robert Williams (@weiliwen)
3rd December 2024, 15:19
Everybody seems to want to make excuses for why Pierre Gasly is doing well these days, but I have to agree with the author; Alpine the team, and Pierre Gasly the driver, seem to be stepping up their game as the season draws to an end.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
3rd December 2024, 15:41
There’s still time for Perez to achieve a 1/10!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 17:57
I’m guessing some driving in reverse is needed cause I can’t think how he could do any worse in a normal race!
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
3rd December 2024, 15:58
VER should be 1 higher. PER should be 2 higher. He was the team player during the sprint as the team performed testing on his car the entire time. Front wing change during a sprint where no one pits. PER is still driving for Red Bull because he is doing what he is told. Red Bull has changed drivers many times in season but PER remains.
baasbas
3rd December 2024, 16:41
@jimfromus
I agree they’re being too harsh on Perez on this one. But there have been races where he received a 4 where I thought a 2 was more appropriate, but still, on this occasion it doesn’t seem fair. Hamilton scored twice as high and he was not worse than that imho
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
3rd December 2024, 16:18
This weekend has proven the following things:
1. Speeding in a pit lane is punished much less severely during practices and qualifying with very small financial penalties. Speeding during a race gets a drive through penalty. Safety matters much more on Sunday.
2. Safety is a non-issue when it comes to Race Direction and the FIA – they were fully content with the debris on track for 8 minutes and 5 laps. Safety is more important to be practised by drivers.
3. Double yellow flags are not really there for safety but for penalties. Lifting from 320 kmh to 300 kmh is really not that much safer – it’s only following the unsafe guidelines.
4. It is possible for a driver NOT to see the double yellow flags on a straight. A huge safety concern.
5. Not seeing yellow flags is punished much less severely during practices and qualifying. Safety matters much more on Sunday.
6. Race Direction, stewards and the FIA can use delays in issuing penalties to manipulate championship results.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
3rd December 2024, 18:04
Agree with most of them, especially 3rd, but generally there’s been LOADS of things they issued penalties for when there was really no safety risk in the last few years.
For example a certain speed during red flags or yellow flags, driver gets penalised for not lifting, but there was no one in real danger near him, I’d argue that’s not about safety, it’s about being pedantic.
6th also makes sense given what happened to norris.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd December 2024, 19:10
I think a drive through penalty is only served for Speeding in the pit lane if it is over by a very large margin. Hamilton has done that twice this season.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
3rd December 2024, 19:33
@thegianthogweed Yeah, I don’t know the specifics for this one – Miami seems like the button failed to register and he had to press it again.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hamilton+speeding+pit+lane+qatar
He pressed it for 5 seconds the first time he came in and he pressed it again the 2nd time while following Verstappen and then pressed it the 3rd time but maybe a bit late. Watch the onboards, it’s wild.
I do know that they can apply all 4 penalties (5 second, 10 second, Drive Through, 10 second stop/go) and they chose the 3rd highest.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
3rd December 2024, 20:16
This is for Qatar for the 3 times he came through the pit lane.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
4th December 2024, 8:59
@freelittlebirds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8vwUnNILI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdQke6uKP0A&t=125s
These really show that both of these were all on Hamilton.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
4th December 2024, 14:30
There is a lot of pressing. Hamilton went through PL 3 times in a row at least in Qatar. I’m not sure if it needs extra pressing to avoid accidentally triggering it or multiple presses but it seems that it’s not functioning the way Hamilton expects. It’s like my phone and my fingerprints – it’s easier to type the password unless I enter my fingerprint daily. Expensive button.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
4th December 2024, 14:29
There is a lot of pressing. Hamilton went through PL 3 times in a row at least in Qatar. I’m not sure if it needs extra pressing to avoid accidentally triggering it or multiple presses but it seems that it’s not functioning the way Hamilton expects. It’s like my phone and my fingerprints – it’s easier to type the password unless I enter my fingerprint daily.