Brazilian Grand Prix: Driver Ratings
Brazilian Grand Prix: Driver Ratings
It's pretty rare that we come away from a Brazilian Grand Prix thinking, 'That was a bit ho-hum'. It would be fair to say that 2019's edition was about as far down the other end of the scale as is possible!
Two maiden podium-finishers, front-running team-mates colliding and a ruthless, dominant drive for victory, it's fair to say Interlagos delivered to the fullest despite being written off as a dead rubber.
Matt Scott has run the rule over all 20 drivers in action. Let us know if you agree, or not, with the scores on Facebook and Twitter!
Valtteri Bottas (Qual: 5th - Race: DNF) 4/10
Bottas' engine blowout kick-started the bedlam at Interlagos, with his failure perhaps the result of spending so many laps in the boiling air spilling of Charles Leclerc's Ferrari as fresher, grippier tyres and DRS were not enough of an aid to get by the Monegasque. Even with Ferrari's straight-line prowess, it wasn't a great look for the Finn.
Lance Stroll (Qual 17th - Race: DNF) 5/10
Stroll made one of his trademark box-office starts and might have been on to make a one-stop race pay points until debris from the crash between the Ferrari duo broke his front suspension.
Charles Leclerc (Qual: 4th - Race: DNF) 6/10
Having started 14th on the grid thanks to an engine penalty, Leclerc sliced his way through the field and it looked like the race might come to him when Bottas' retirement gave him the chance to fit fresh tyres. His first task was overtaking Sebastian Vettel, however, and the collision between them left Ferrari scoreless for the first time since Singapore 2017.
Sebastian Vettel (Qual: 2nd - Race: DNF) 4/10
Vettel had nudged ahead of Leclerc, before leaning across and pushing his team-mate towards the grass, prompting a slight touch which had huge consequences. A post-race stewards' investigation exonerated both drivers, perhaps fortunately for Vettel, who would have moved back to the brink of a race ban if punished, as many thought he might have been.
Robert Kubica (Qual: 19th - Race: 16th) 5/10
Overtook George Russell and was only passed by his team-mate in a controversial move as blue flags were shown to warn of Vettel approaching. One for the conspiracy theorists, if nothing else.
Nico Hulkenberg (Qual: 14th - Race: 15th) 5/10
Could not capitalise on the chaos to sneak into the points, coming home 12th, and was then demoted further by a five-second penalty picked up for an infringement under the safety car.
Alexander Albon (Qual: 6th - Race: 14th) 8/10
Desperate, desperate luck for Albon, who was about three miles away from his maiden podium finish in F1 and a statement result after being confirmed as a Red bull driver for 2020, only to have it snatched away by an over-eager Lewis Hamilton. Getting the better of the Ferraris at the first safety-car restart, especially holding off Vettel into Turn 1, shows Albon has the minerals for a top seat and this remained a performance to remember, even if the result doesn't match.
Romain Grosjean (Qual: 8th - Race: 13th) 5/10
Without the late-race lunacy, Grosjean might have clung onto some points in a gritty performance, but he dropped several spots on the first safety-car restart – something Haas put down to an MGU-K issue.
George Russell (Qual: 18th - Race: 12th) 5/10
After his sneaky pass on Kubica, Russell was in the mix to capitalise on the bonkers race end, but he finished just over a second down on 10th and looks set to end 2019 as F1's sole pointless driver, with Abu Dhabi not possessing the penchant for chaos that Interlagos carries.
Kevin Magnussen (Qual: 10th - Race: 11th) 6/10
K-Mag was unfortunate to have a strong start spoiled by contact from Daniel Ricciardo, but almost emerged from the late-race chaos with a point. Having enjoyed seeing both cars make Q3 for the first time since Spain, Haas were left to lament their fourth scoreless race in succession.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Vettel announces F1 return as FIA single Mercedes out for Miami checks - GPFans F1 Recap
- 2 hours ago
F1 team announce SHOCK signing weeks after rival departure
- 3 hours ago
Former team boss quizzed on role in Newey's Red Bull exit
- Yesterday 21:57
RB reveal STRIKING new livery ahead of Miami GP
- Yesterday 20:57
EXCLUSIVE: Insider claims F1 Academy and W Series couldn't co-exist
- Yesterday 19:57
Wolff delivers big verdict on Hamilton behaviour
- Yesterday 18:57
Related news
Mercedes chief reveals Hamilton calamity beyond 'wildest dreams'
Jos Verstappen makes WILD prediction about son Max's retirement
Furious F1 drivers blame each other for Brazil start chaos
Red Bull's touching reason for Verstappen's Brazil radio karaoke
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860