With the 2023 Formula 1 Season now over, it’s time for me to reveal my Driver Ratings and Rankings for this year. If you’ve read my F1 reviews this season, you will know that I grade a driver from 1-to-10 depending on how well I felt they did in that session. I split the results into 3 separate categories before adding up the total amount of points and then dividing it by the amount of (key) sessions each driver has taken part in (maximum of 56) to give us my overall average grade/rating for all 22 Drivers who competed in 2023. I also did a Midseason article on this so I will be referring to that in this article as well.
P22: Logan Sargeant
It’s fair to say that Logan Sargeant had a pretty poor Rookie Season in Formula 1. In total, I’ve given out twenty-four 1’s to Logan in 2023 and not a single 10! Sargeant’s worst weekends of the year came in Miami, Spain, Singapore, and Japan where he received the lowest possible weekend grade of just 2 whilst Logan’s best weekend of the year came in Bahrain where I gave him 13 points. Sargeant did also score 12 points in both Silverstone and Las Vegas (which is arguably more of an achievement). It’s also worth mentioning that Logan Sargeant’s Average has actually slightly dropped since my Midseason article, and also, Logan’s Average for the season is actually slightly lower than Nicholas Latifi’s was last year! Overall, I don’t think Sargeant’s earned a second year in F1 at all!
Total Qualifying Points: 55 (P19)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 18 (P20)
Total Race Points: 66 (P19)
Overall Total: 139 (P19)
Average: 2.57
P21: Nyck de Vries
Unfortunately, Nyck de Vries’ Rookie Season in Formula 1 was a bit of a disaster. Nyck received eight 1’s and not a single 10 from me in 2023 which isn’t great considering he was dropped after 10 rounds! De Vries’ worst weekend of the season came in Silverstone where he scored just 2 points whilst his best weekend of the year came in Monaco as I gave him 13 points. There’s not much else I can add other than I hope that this year was just a one-off for Nyck de Vries because he’s a very capable Racing Driver.
Total Qualifying Points: 26 (P21)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 11 (P21)
Total Race Points: 32 (P22)
Overall Total: 69 (P21)
Average: 2.88
P20: Zhou Guanyu
At the midway point of the season, Zhou Guanyu was P17 with an Average of 3.83 so he’s definitely dropped off a little bit in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given Zhou eleven 1’s in 2023 compared to just one 10 (Hungary Qualifying). Zhou Guanyu’s worst weekend of the season came in Canada where he only scored 3 points whilst his best weekend of the season points-wise came in Qatar as I gave him 17, but I would argue 14 points in Spain is/was the better weekend. Personally, I think Zhou’s been pretty poor this year and he’s very fortunate to still be on the Grid ahead of Theo Pourchaire for 2024.
Total Qualifying Points: 69 (P18)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 34 (P19)
Total Race Points: 96 (P16)
Overall Total: 199 (P17)
Average: 3.55
P19: Kevin Magnussen
At the midway point of the season, Kevin Magnussen was P18 with an Average of 3.68 so he’s only gotten poorer by a small margin. In total, I’ve given K-Mag sixteen 1’s this season compared to just two 10’s (Miami and Singapore Qualifying). Kevin’s worst weekends of the season came in Spain, Hungary, and Italy where he scored the lowest possible grade of just 2 whilst Magnussen’s best weekend of the season came in both Miami and Singapore where he scored a superb 18 points. Still, Kevin Magnussen’s had a pretty poor season overall and I don’t think he’s earned his seat for 2024.
Total Qualifying Points: 77 (P17)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 44 (P17)
Total Race Points: 69 (P18)
Overall Total: 190 (P18)
Average: 3.58
P18: Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll was P14 with an Average of 5.00 at the midway point of the season so it’s safe to say that Lance’s season has only gotten worse since then. In total, I’ve given out ten 1’s to Lance Stroll in 2023 whilst I’ve only given him two 10’s (Bahrain Race and Sao Paulo Qualifying). Lance’s worst weekend of the season technically came in Singapore where he only scored 1 point, but I’d argue two points in Monza was slightly worse. In terms of his best weekend, I gave Stroll 25 points in both Austria and Sao Paulo, but I would personally say that 18 points in Bahrain was his best performance of the year (whilst driving with two broken wrists). Considering the car he’s in, Lance Stroll’s had a very disappointing 2023 Season.
Total Qualifying Points: 81 (P16)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 45 (P15)
Total Race Points: 104 (P14)
Overall Total: 230 (P16)
Average: 4.18
P17: Valtteri Bottas
At the midway point of the season, Valtteri Bottas was sitting P16 with an Average of 4.40 so he’s actually ever so slightly improved in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given out ten 1’s and three 10’s to Valtteri in 2023. Bottas’ worst weekends of the season came in Spain and Abu Dhabi where he received just 3 points whilst his best weekend of the year came in Qatar as I gave him a massive 33 points (out of a possible 40). It’s also worth mentioning that Valtteri was pretty poor on Sprint Saturday’s which I find to be quite interesting. Overall, whilst Valtteri Bottas hasn’t had the greatest of seasons, his Average Rating is comfortably above his Alfa Romeo teammate and that’s sometimes all you could do.
Total Qualifying Points: 107 (P14)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 37 (P18)
Total Race Points: 100 (P15)
Overall Total: 244 (P15)
Average: 4.44
P16: Nico Hulkenberg
Even though Nico Hulkenberg was 13th with an Average of 5.25 at the “halfway” point of the season, I still think the German Driver’s had a pretty decent first season back in Formula 1. In total, I gave Nico six 1’s in 2023 compared to five 10’s so that’s pretty even stuff overall. Nico’s worst weekend of the season came in both Monaco and Belgium where he only scored 3 points in total whilst Hulk’s best weekend of the year in Austria where he received 30 points (despite not being graded for the Race)! Realistically, Nico Hulkenberg showed how good he is with his performances in Qualifying and overall, P16 was probably the best he could get given how shockingly bad his Haas car performed on a Sunday.
Total Qualifying Points: 126 (P8)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 60 (P11)
Total Race Points: 83 (P17)
Overall Total: 269 (P14)
Average: 4.98
P15: Yuki Tsunoda
At the midway part of the season, Yuki Tsunoda was P15 with an Average of 4.67 so he has stepped up a bit in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given out six 1’s and four 10’s to Yuki in 2023 which isn’t too bad. Tsunoda’s worst weekend of the season came in Las Vegas where I only gave him 3 points whilst his best weekend of the year points-wise was Sao Paulo where he scored 31. However, Yuki’s actual best weekend of the year came in Abu Dhabi where he scored a perfect 20. Overall, 2023 has been Yuki’s best year in Formula 1, and the pace of his Alpha Tauri hasn’t really helped him when it comes to his overall Average. However, it is worth mentioning that he was outperformed by Liam Lawson in their small stint as teammates.
Total Qualifying Points: 109 (P13)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 50 (P14)
Total Race Points: 112 (P13)
Overall Total: 271 (P13)
Average: 5.11
P14: Esteban Ocon
At the midway point of the season, Esteban Ocon was 9th with an Average of 6.14 so he’s definitely had a poor second half of the season. In total, I’ve given out six 1’s and four 10’s for Esteban in 2023. Ocon’s worst weekend of the season came in Monza where he received the lowest possible total of 2 points whilst points wise Estie Bestie’s best weekend came in Qatar as he scored 27, but Ocon’s perfect weekend in Monaco was certainly his standout moment of the season. Esteban Ocon hasn’t been helped by the fact that Alpine haven’t been particularly great this year, but Esteban has been outperformed by his teammate and that’s something that just cannot happen.
Total Qualifying Points: 116 (P11)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 55 (P12)
Total Race Points: 119 (P12)
Overall Total: 290 (P12)
Average: 5.47
P13: Sergio Perez
This is certainly an interesting one! At the midway point of the season, Sergio Perez was P7 with an Average of 6.27 so there’s no doubt that he’s massively dropped off in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given Sergio seven 1’s compared to five 10’s in 2023 and that’s not a particularly good ratio all things considered. Checo’s worst weekend of the season came in Monaco where he scored the lowest possible total whilst Perez’s best weekend of the year points-wise came in Baku where he scored a massive 37 points (the best so far). However, it is worth mentioning that Checo Perez did receive a perfect 20 in Jeddah. I think that right there shows how well Sergio started the season and how much he’s fallen away since then. Perez was completely and utterly destroyed by his Red Bull teammate this year and his Qualifying performances were pretty atrocious.
Total Qualifying Points: 92 (P15)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 71 (P9)
Total Race Points: 139 (P7)
Overall Total: 302 (P11)
Average: 5.49
P12: Daniel Ricciardo
Whilst I didn’t actually include Daniel Ricciardo in my Midseason Driver Rankings, I can tell you that his Average has improved since then. In total, I’ve only given Daniel one 1 and two 10’s in 2023 and that’s probably down to the fact that he only competed in 7 of the 22 Rounds this year. Ricciardo’s worst weekend of the season came in Las Vegas where he scored 8 points (which isn’t disastrous) whilst Danny Ric’s best weekend of the season came in Mexico City where he scored a perfect 20. Overall, I think Daniel Ricciardo’s had a good first stint back at Alpha Tauri and he’ll be looking to improve even more in 2024.
Total Qualifying Points: 31 (P20)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 44 (P16)
Total Race Points: 32 (P21)
Overall Total: 107 (P20)
Average: 5.63
P11: Liam Lawson
Whilst Liam Lawson may have only driven in 5 of the 22 Rounds in the 2023 Formula 1 Season, I genuinely think Liam deserves to be this high. In total, I gave Liam three 1’s compared to (just) 1 ten over the five weekends he competed in this season. Lawson’s worst weekend of the season came in Qatar (which was actually his last one) as he scored a pretty poor 8 points (given it was a Sprint weekend) whilst his best weekend of the year came in Singapore where he scored a terrific 18 points. Besides Qatar which was a very disappointing showing, Liam Lawson massively impressed me in his small stint with Alpha Tauri and I hope to see him back on the Grid soon.
Total Qualifying Points: 23 (P22)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 6 (P22)
Total Race Points: 33 (P20)
Overall Total: 62 (P22)
Average: 5.64
P10: Pierre Gasly
I’m glad that Pierre Gasly appears in the Top 10 of my 2023 Driver Rankings as he deserves it. At the midway point of the season, Pierre was ranked 11th with an Average of 5.96 so he’s both gained and dropped at the same time. In total, Pierre’s received just two 1’s in 2023 compared to five 10’s which I find to be quite interesting (especially when you compare it to his Alpine teammate). Gasly’s worst weekend of the year points-wise came in Hungary where he only scored two, but due to me not being able to grade him in the Race, I would actually make an argument that 4 points in Monza was arguably his worst showing. In terms of his best weekend of the season, I gave the Gasman 30 points in COTA, but I would argue that 18 points in both Miami and Las Vegas were the better showings (Pierre clearly likes America). In the end, the fact that Pierre Gasly outperformed his teammate in his first year at Alpine is enough for me to say that Pierre’s had a positive season.
Total Qualifying Points: 116 (P10)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 61 (P10)
Total Race Points: 134 (P8)
Overall Total: 311 (P10)
Average: 5.87
P9: Alex Albon
At the midway point of the season, Alex Albon was P10 with an Average of 6.07 so he’s relatively stayed around the same area. In total, I gave Alex just one 1 in 2023 (Australia Race) compared to eleven 10’s which is very impressive stuff. Albon’s worst weekend of the season came in Japan where he scored 4 points, but I would actually say that his 5 points in Spain was worse as I couldn’t grade him in the Japanese Grand Prix. In terms of his best weekend this year, I gave Alex 29 points in Baku, but it’s all worth mentioning that the Williams Driver scored a perfect 20 in both Silverstone and Zandvoort. Overall, I’ve been very impressed with Alex Albon this year and he’d probably be higher on this list if it wasn’t for Williams dropping off a bit towards the end of the year. Also, Alex was absolutely brilliant on a Sprint Saturday this year!
Total Qualifying Points: 125 (P9)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 77 (P5)
Total Race Points: 124 (P10)
Overall Total: 326 (P8)
Average: 6.03
P8: Oscar Piastri
At the midway point of the season, Oscar Piastri was P12 with an Average of 5.93 so he’s moved up the list in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given Oscar four 1’s and eight 10’s in 2023 which isn’t a bad ratio for his Rookie Season. Piastri’s worst weekend of the season came in Miami where he scored the lowest possible score whilst his best weekend of the season points-wise came in Qatar where he scored a massive 36 (which included a first Sprint Shootout and Sprint Race Victory)! However, Oscar’s actual best weekend of the year came in Silverstone where he received a perfect 20. Overall, for Oscar Piastri to be P8 in my Driver Rankings in his Rookie Season is a very impressive performance and I thought Oscar's performances on a Sprint Saturday were absolutely exceptional.
Total Qualifying Points: 115 (P12)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 86 (P3)
Total Race Points: 120 (P11)
Overall Total: 321 (P9)
Average: 6.06
P7: George Russell
At the midway point of the season, George Russell was 8th with an Average of 6.24 so he’s had a slightly better second half of the year. In total, George has only received one 1 from me in 2023 (Hungary Qualifying), but he’s also only received three 10’s which isn’t a lot (it’s also the reason why he’s ranked P7 instead of P6). Russell’s worst weekends of the year saw him score 9 points in Canada, Hungary, Japan, and Mexico City and if we’re being honest, 9 points as your worst weekend of the year isn’t bad at all. In terms of his best weekend this season, George scored a massive 35 points in Qatar, but I’d argue 19 points in Australia is actually the better result. George has had a weird season as I don’t feel like he’s had as bad of a year as people are saying, but I was also a bit surprised to see his Average as high as it is.
Total Qualifying Points: 138 (P6)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 72 (P8)
Total Race Points: 141 (P5)
Overall Total: 351 (P7)
Average: 6.38
P6: Fernando Alonso
I have to say, this does feel a bit harsh. At the midway point of the season, Fernando Alonso was second with a 7.07 Average so he’s definitely dropped down the pecking order as the season’s gone on. In total, I’ve given Fernando three 1’s compared to six 10’s in 2023 (I actually expected there to be more 10’s). Alonso’s worst weekend of the season came in Mexico City where he only scored 4 points whilst his best weekend of the year points-wise came in both Baku and Qatar with 27. However, Fernando also scored 19 points in Bahrain, Miami, Monaco, and Canada. Overall, Fernando’s had a terrific first year at Aston Martin and I think the reason he’s dropped as much as he has is simply down to his cars’ (lack of) performance. Also, whilst he’s been superb in both Qualifying and on a Sunday, he has struggled a bit on Sprint Saturday’s which certainly hasn’t helped him.
Total Qualifying Points: 143 (P4)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 53 (P13)
Total Race Points: 155 (P3)
Overall Total: 351 (P6)
Average: 6.38
P5: Carlos Sainz
At the midway point of the season, Carlos Sainz was 6th with an Average of 6.53 so he’s both gained and dropped at the same time (not by much on either). In total, Carlos has only received one 1 from me in 2023 compared to four 10’s. The most annoying thing about the 1 I gave him was it came in the final weekend of the Season! Sainz’s worst weekend of the season came in Abu Dhabi where he only scored 3 points whilst his best weekend of the year points-wise came in Austria where he scored 31. However, Carlos’ perfect 20 in Singapore was the highlight of the year and I want to quickly mention that win because it was absolutely brilliant! Overall, Carlos has had a decent year which was slightly hurt by his final weekend in Abu Dhabi. I should also mention that Sainz has performed really well in Qualifying this year.
Total Qualifying Points: 148 (P3)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 77 (P6)
Total Race Points: 129 (P9)
Overall Total: 354 (P5)
Average: 6.44
P4: Lewis Hamilton
At the midway point of the season, Lewis Hamilton was sitting in P3 with a 6.97 Average so I think it’s fair to say that Lewis has dropped off a bit in the second half of the year. In total, I gave Lewis only two 1’s in 2023 compared to five 10’s which actually surprised me a little bit. Hamilton’s worst weekend of the season came in Abu Dhabi where he (only) scored 7 points whilst his best weekend of the year points-wise came in COTA as he scored 35. However, I feel like his 19 points in Australia is/was better. Overall, I feel like Lewis Hamilton’s season has been odd because it’s been slightly underrated and I think he’s been absolutely superb on a Sunday. However, I do feel like Lewis struggled more in Qualifying this year than usual.
Total Qualifying Points: 135 (P7)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 73 (P7)
Total Race Points: 156 (P2)
Overall Total: 364 (P4)
Average: 6.50
P3: Lando Norris
For the second consecutive year, Lando Norris appears on the Podium in my F1 Driver Rankings. At the midway point of the season, Lando was 5th in my Rankings with an Average of 6.53 so he’s improved in the second half of the year. In total, Norris has received five 1’s in 2023 compared to a ridiculous eighteen 10’s! Lando’s worst weekend of the year came in Jeddah where he received the lowest possible score whilst his best weekend of the season points-wise came in Austria where he scored 36. However, Lando did also have two perfect weekends in both Silverstone and Hungary. Overall, Lando Norris has had another great year in Formula 1 and I have to give a shoutout to his performances on a Sprint Saturday as they were top-notch. However, the biggest praise that I can give Lando is only one other driver has finished inside the Top 5 in all of my different categories which shows just how consistent Norris truly is.
Total Qualifying Points: 141 (P5)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 93 (P2)
Total Race Points: 150 (P4)
Overall Total: 384 (P3)
Average: 6.86
P2: Charles Leclerc
For the second straight year, Charles Leclerc finishes as Runner-up in my Driver Rankings. At the midway point of the season, Charles was sitting P4 with a 6.93 Average so he’s improved a bit in the second half of the year. In total, I’ve given Leclerc just two 1’s compared to twelve 10’s in 2023 which isn’t a bad ratio! Charles’ worst weekend of the year came at Zandvoort where he only scored 3 points whilst his best weekend of the year points-wise came in Baku where he received a humungous 38 points! However, it’s also worth mentioning that the Monegasque Driver did end with two perfect 20’s in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi. Overall, whilst I wouldn’t necessarily say that Charles Leclerc has had the best of seasons, he’s incredibly quick and that’s massively helped him to 2nd place in my 2023 F1 Driver Rankings.
Total Qualifying Points: 166 (P2)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 80 (P4)
Total Race Points: 140 (P6)
Overall Total: 386 (P2)
Average: 7.15
P1: Max Verstappen
For the third year in a row (second on this website), Max Verstappen is my Driver of the Season! At the midway point of the season, Max was leading my Driver Rankings, but with an Average of 9.55 so that clearly means he’s now washed (I’m just kidding)! In total, I haven’t given Verstappen a single one (meaning he’s the only Driver not to receive one for the second straight year) whilst Max has received a quite stupendous thirty-eight 10’s (out of a possible 55). Verstappen’s worst weekend of the season came in Singapore where he “only” scored 8 points whilst the Triple (back-to-back-to-back) World Champion has achieved nine perfect 20’s in 2023. However, Max has also scored a perfect 40 in both Austria and Belgium! Overall, what else is there to say about Max Verstappen’s 2023 Season? Max has destroyed everyone this year in every category, he’s scored 213 points out of a possible 220 on Race Day, and he’s beaten the previous Average Record (which was set by him last year) by 0.82! Simply, Simply Lovely (and also Undeniable)!
Total Qualifying Points: 185 (P1)
Total Sprint Saturday Points: 112 (P1)
Total Race Points: 213 (P1)
Overall Total: 510 (P1)
Average: 9.27
Team Rankings
As always with these articles, I’ve added up all the points between every teammate in F1 before I’ve divided it with the total number of sessions participated in order to see which team had the best performing Driver Line-up in 2023.
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