F1 Driver Ratings from the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Each driver is scored out of ten with the rating being heavily weighted on their race day performance. Qualifying performance holds less weight when deciding the ratings

Lewis Hamilton (Qualified 1st, finished 1st) - 10

Cool, calm and collected - Hamilton showed why he’s a seven-time world champion in Saudi Arabia. Hamilton controlled the race from the front before losing the lead to Verstappen at the first red flag. He aced the start but Verstappen’s refusal to surrender meant he was third as he was pushed wide, allowing Ocon to get ahead. Despite Verstappen’s best efforts and over-the-edge defensive tactics, Hamilton seized the opportunity when he was let through for a second time into Turn 27, pushing his rival wide to ensure he couldn’t benefit from DRS. Even with a damaged front wing, Hamilton was in a league of his own as he set fastest lap after fastest lap.

Max Verstappen (Qualified 3rd, finished 2nd) - 8

Devastatingly quick, we saw the best and worst of Verstappen in Saudi Arabia. The Dutchman was too forceful in trying to get the lead back from Hamilton on the first restart, but was utterly sublime on the second one, overtaking both his title rival and Ocon at Turn 1. Verstappen went too far with his robust defence of Hamilton - resulting in a five-second time penalty, then picking up a 10-second penalty for the ‘brake-test’ fiasco into Turn 27. 

Valtteri Bottas (Qualified 2nd, finished 3rd) - 7

Bottas ran comfortably second behind his teammate up until the Safety Car, fending off Verstappen for his teammate. The Finn dropped to fifth as he struggled with the hard tyres at the first restart, while a switch to the mediums gave him a better balance although he wasn’t able to get past Ricciardo. Eventually, he overtook Ricciardo into Turn 1 before getting Ocon for his 11th podium of the season to the line on the final lap.

Esteban Ocon (Qualified 9th, finished 4th) - 9

While luck was on Ocon’s side in Jeddah, he certainly deserved it. He gained two places to move up to seventh before staying out under the Safety Car. This allowed him to move up to fourth before getting past Bottas - who ran wide at Turn 1 - and Hamilton, who was pushed wide by Verstappen. Ocon inherited the lead for the second restart after Michael Masi’s intervention. With Bottas stuck behind Ricciardo, Ocon looked set for his second podium finish of the season. Minor floor damage and Mercedes’ sheer pace advantage meant Bottas snatched the podium on the run to the line.

Daniel Ricciardo (Qualified 11th, finished 5th) - 7

Unlike teammate Norris, Ricciardo had lady luck on his side as he moved up to fifth under the first red flag. He got ahead of Bottas at the first restart, where he remained until 10 laps from the end. A good points haul for Ricciardo despite being the slower McLaren driver.

Pierre Gasly (Qualified 6th, finished 6th) - 7

A good afternoon for Gasly as he returned to the points with sixth in Jeddah. The Frenchman dropped to eighth on the initial start but recovered to sixth, benefitting from the free stop and Leclerc’s contact with Perez. The AlphaTauri driver settled into sixth, closing in on Ricciardo in the closing laps.

Charles Leclerc (Qualified 4th, finished 7th) - 8

Leclerc was back to his best in qualifying as he toppled Perez at the death to secure fourth on the grid. The Monegasque kept Perez at bay in the first stint, opening up a two-second gap before the Safety Car on Lap 10. Leclerc was one of the big losers, dropping to sixth. He lost another place on the second restart following contact with Perez, which was later ruled as NFA. Struggling on the hards, he dropped behind his teammate before overtaking Sainz with a couple of laps to go.

Carlos Sainz (Qualified 15th, finished 8th) - 7

After a disappointing Q2 exit, Sainz moved into the top 10 with ease on the hard tyres. The Spaniard got past teammate Leclerc - benefitting from the medium rubber and pressured Gasly for sixth. As his tyres faded, Leclerc got back ahead on track.

Antonio Giovinazzi (Qualified 10th, finished 9th) - 9

The Italian’s surprise Q3 appearance was rewarded with a return to the points for just the second time in 2021. Even though Giovinazzi did benefit from not stopping under the Safety Car, he was already running inside the top 10. The Alfa Romeo driver didn’t have the pace to resist the two Ferraris but in the end, it was two well-earned points for the Formula E-bound driver.

Lando Norris (Qualified 7th, finished 10th) - 7

Norris was running well inside the top 10 until his stop under the Safety Car dropped him to the back of the field. The British driver ultimately finished 10th but was left to rue the red flag which gave several drivers a free tyre swap.

Lance Stroll (Qualified 18th, finished 11th) - 6

Stroll missed out on a points finish as he was overtaken by Norris in the closing laps. He was one of the drivers to lose out through the Safety Car to red flag stage, dropping to as low as 18th before recovering to a respectable 11th.

Nicholas Latifi (Qualified 16th, finished 12th) - 7

A solid performance from Latifi to come home 12th in Jeddah, The Canadian wasn’t a match for teammate Russell in qualifying but he kept his cool during the 50-lap race. Latifi was last after the first red flag stoppage but by staying out of trouble, he moved up the order steadily. 

Fernando Alonso (Qualified 13th, finished 13th) - 5

After the highs of Qatar, it was a poor weekend for Alonso in Saudi Arabia. The Spaniard struggled in qualifying relative to his teammate who progressed into Q3 and he was never a factor in the race as he was one of the drivers to stop under the Safety Car, losing ground when it was converted into a red flag. 

Yuki Tsunoda (Qualified 8th, finished 14th) - 4

Tsunoda progressed into Q3 yet again but his lack of experience showed on race day as he lost several places at the start. Running in 10th after the first red flag, Tsunoda lost out to Vettel and Raikkonen. The Japanese rookie tried to make up for his poor opening phase of the race but an optimistic move on Vettel damaged his front wing and sent the Aston Martin driver into a spin. 

Kimi Raikkonen (Qualified 12th, finished 15th) - 5

The 2007 world champion was in the hunt for another top 10 finish in Jeddah, moving up to 11th after the two red flag stoppages. Contact with Vettel forced him into an early pit stop, dropping him well down the order in what was an uncharacteristic mistake from the Finn, whose racecraft is usually exemplary.

Sebastian Vettel (Qualified 17th, DNF) - 6

It was a day to forget for the four-time champion, but it wasn’t his fault. Vettel was spun by Tsunoda while running in the points before contact with former Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen damaged his car severely, forcing him to call it a day early. 

Sergio Perez (Qualified 5th, DNF) - 6

The Red Bull driver once again faltered in qualifying as he was beaten by Leclerc at the death. The decision to pit under the Safety Car - before it turned into a red flag - was costly as he dropped to eighth. As he duelled with Leclerc on the restart, he ran out of road, colliding with the Ferrari and spinning out of the race. 

Nikita Mazepin (Qualified 20th, DNF) - 5

Mazepin was running in 16th before his race came to an unfortunate end after the first red flag. As Russell tried to avoid Perez, Mazepin didn’t have enough time to react, spearing into the back of the Williams driver.

George Russell (Qualified 14th, DNF) - 6

Russell had another lacklustre opening lap, running in 17th under the first red flag. The Williams driver was innocent when he tried to avoid Perez’s spinning Red Bull, by doing so, he was collected by Mazepin.

Mick Schumacher (Qualified 19th, DNF) - 5 

The German once again had the advantage over his teammate in qualifying but his race came to an abrupt end when he lost control of his Haas at Turn 22, resulting in the first red flag of the afternoon. Schumacher looked as if he had the pace to run with the Williams drivers but a costly mistake ended his race prematurely.