Chinese Grand Prix: Driver Ratings
Chinese Grand Prix: Driver Ratings
Mercedes continued their dominant start to the 2019 season as Lewis Hamilton led Valtteri Bottas home at the Chinese Grand Prix – their third one-two from as many races this season. The Silver Arrows were in a class of their own in Shanghai, but who scored top marks in our ratings?
It was another race to forget for Ferrari, whose anticipated advantage on the straights never really materialised.
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!
Nico Hulkenberg (Qual: 8th – Race: DNF) 5/10
The German deserves some credit for trying to fix his ailing Renault while driving close to 200mph, but it's about all that was notable from a race which saw Hulkenberg retire on lap 18 with more MGU-K trouble for Renault.
Daniil Kvyat (Qual: 11th – Race: DNF) 5/10
Unfairly penalised for his lap-one crash with Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris in our book, but Kvyat struggled to regain momentum thereafter, and was eventually forced to retire.
Lando Norris (Qual: 15th – Race: DNF) 5/10
Battled gamely despite sustaining damage in that collision with Kvyat, but ran in last place for much of the race before he also came into the pits to retire four laps from the end.
Robert Kubica (Qual: 18th – Race: 17th) 4/10
The Pole said post-race that he has no race pace from the ailing FW42 and his struggles were borne out by another outing spent well off the pace of his team-mate George Russell.
George Russell (Qual: 17th – Race: 16th) 5/10
All he can do is keep qualifying and finishing ahead of his team-mate for now. Mixed it Kvyat for a stint in his damaged Toro Rosso.
Antonio Giovinazzi (Qual: N/A – Race: 15th) 4/10
A weekend to forget as installation issues prevented him from taking part in FP1, before quali was over before it began due to an engine issue. Recovery in the race was limited to obligatory progress past the Williams cars.
Carlos Sainz (Qual: 14th – Race: 14th) 6/10
Had his race wrecked on the first lap, but did well to hold it together and get to the chequered flag, doing so ahead of GIovinazzi after a late move on the Alfa Romeo.
Kevin Magnussen (Qual: 9th – Race: 13th) 5/10
Haas' lack of race pace is a real mystery at the moment, and Magnussen's drop from the top 10 was particularly baffling. The Dane suggested a struggle with tyre temperatures is to blame.
Lance Stroll (Qual: 16th – Race: 12th) 6/10
Seven-successive Q1 eliminations shows the Canadian has obvious work to do as he settles more into life at his new team. Gains an extra mark for a fine late overtake on Magnussen, but he was unhappy with a strategy he believes cost him a point.
Romain Grosjean (Qual: 10th – Race: 11th) 5/10
Badly timed traffic towards the end of the race perhaps denied the Frenchman a shot at 10th, but he later denied he was struggling with tyre life regardless – a common theme for Haas, it seems.
Alexander Albon (Qual: N/A – Race: 10th) 9/10
The undoubted star of the day, securing a point after starting from the pit-lane. It's really worth bearing in mind that Albon had never driven a Formula 1 car before his first day of winter testing, making two points finishes in three races all the more remarkable. Point off for the FP3 crash that prompted his off-grid start, even if it made the race all the more remarkable!
Kimi Raikkonen (Qual: 13th – Race: 9th) 7/10
Only the top five drivers in the championship can boast three points finishes in three like Raikkonen. Failing to make it into Q3 was Kimi's first top-10 shootout no-show since Hungary 2016! No matter as racing nous and a well-executed one-stop strategy banked more points for Alfa Romeo.
Sergio Perez (Qual: 14th – Race: 8th) 8/10
"Siri, show me the archetypal Sergio Perez race." We got a new result for that in Shanghai as the Mexican secured a super result from 14th on the grid thanks to his ever-masterful nursing of tyres and an absolutely brilliant launch, which moved him four places further forward by lap two.
Daniel Ricciardo (Qual: 7th – Race: 7th) 6/10
Solid, unspectacular and exactly what Ricciardo will have wanted after consecutive DNFs to start his Renault career. With the top three well out of reach this weekend, 'best of the rest' will do nicely.
Pierre Gasly (Qual: 6th – Race: 6th) 6/10
Similarly to Ricciardo, this is where Gasly needs to be at least right now after some early struggles. Red Bull pitting him for fresh tyres and a successful crack at the fastest lap shows the Frenchman still has plenty of faith from within the team.
Charles Leclerc (Qual: 4th – Race: 5th) 6/10
Wasn't quite on the pace all weekend, but still managed to jump Sebastian Vettel off the line before team orders came to put him back behind the German, and ultimately behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen too. A disappointing race made more bitter by the team's actions.
Max Verstappen (Qual: 5th – Race: 4th) 7/10
Could have split the Ferraris on the grid if not for a timing blunder in Q3, but did so anyway thanks to the Scuderia's dithering and Red Bull's disruptive strategizing. Had a game effort at Vettel's P3 at Turn 14 – scene of their crash a year prior – but had to settle for fourth when the German nudged him out.
Sebastian Vettel (Qual: 3rd – Race: 3rd) 6/10
Showed plenty of nous and experience to repel the attack from Verstappen by leaving the Dutchman to run out of road around the outside. His time-costing lock-ups after being freed into clean air by Ferrari's team orders completely undermined the decision, however, and made a dubious call become contentious.
Valtteri Bottas (Qual: 1st – Race: 2nd) 7/10
Out-qualifying Lewis Hamilton around any track deserves immense credit, but Bottas couldn't quite make it happen in the race, blaming a line of paint in front of his grid slot for a wheel-spinning start which opened the door for Hamilton to jump him off the line.
Lewis Hamilton (Qual: 2nd – Race: 1st) 8/10
Not the most eye-catching race from the champion, but an efficient and vital victory – his 75th in Formula 1. Given his strength and Ferrari's struggles, the genuine prospect of him now keeping his newly gained championship lead until the year's end is already raised.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Newey breaks silence and REVEALS real reason behind shock Red Bull departure
- 1 minute ago
F1 Sprint Race Today: Miami Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- 1 hour ago
Ricciardo admits WILD Miami F1 drive nearly ended in disaster twice
- 2 hours ago
F1 News Today: Hamilton reaction sparks Newey Ferrari rumours as F1 star rejects rival offer
- Today 06:57
Verstappen LAUGHS at F1 rivals as Hamilton suffers Miami calamity - GPFans F1 Recap
- Today 00:57
Verstappen GOADS F1 rivals with savage Miami putdown
- Today 00:12
F1 Race Calendar 2024
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
-
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
Max Verstappen
-
GP CHINA
19 - 21 Apr
Max Verstappen
- GP USA 3 - 5 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
- GP CANADA 7 - 9 Jun
- GP SPAIN 21 - 23 Jun
- GP AUSTRIA 28 - 30 Jun
Related news
Five tragedies F1 must also remember as we mourn Senna
How soon will Newey win the F1 title at his new team?
Will F1 hopeful Antonelli replace Sargeant from Imola?
Ferrari bound Bearman set to make key F1 move
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