Lewis Hamilton 2019 F1 driver ratings: Every grand prix reviewed

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton 2019 F1 driver ratings: Every grand prix reviewed

Here's how he fared in our ratings.

Matthew Scott

Wednesday 25 December 2019 10:00

Lewis Hamilton 2019 ratings Part 2

French GP (Qual: 1st - Race: 1st) 10/10

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Hamilton was just a fastest lap away from a sixth 'Grand Chelem' of his career, having won from pole and leading every single lap of Paul Ricard. He almost came close to that too, with his final lap on worn hard tyres only two hundredths slower than Vettel's, set on fresh soft tyres that had been fitted for the job. It's almost scary to think how Hamilton can continue to improve, but the pattern of recent years suggests that he is only just starting to hit peak form.

Austrian GP (Qual: 2nd - Race: 5th) 7/10

Delivered a brilliant front-row lap in Q3, but was later demoted to P4 for blocking Raikkonen earlier in the day. Hamilton seemed to push the limits throughout and broke his third front wing of the weekend in the race, forcing a change and dropping him out of podium contention.

British GP (Qual: 2nd - Race: 1st) 9/10

A record-breaking win for Hamilton as he became the first driver to win this race six times. They will go down synonymously in history together for sure. The safety car certainly eased Hamilton's route to victory, but he would have piled the pressure on Bottas regardless had he been on the one-stop strategy from the off, as he later suggested was the case. To take fastest lap, and an extra point, on hard tyres with 32 laps of racing in them is another file of evidence in Hamilton being at the very peak of his powers.

German GP (Qual: 1st - Race: 9th) 5/10

Hamilton battled illness through the weekend, but still had enough in the tank to take pole position after mechanical failure hampered the Ferraris by more than three tenths from Verstappen and Bottas. He made serene progress for the first half of the race, leading just about every lap until his spin at Turn 16 wiped off half his front wing and begun to see his hopes dissolve. Mercedes' decision to refuse Hamilton's request to retire paid off in the end, as he took two bonus points once alfa were punished.

Hungarian GP (Qual: 3rd - Race: 1st) 10/10

Starting third behind the two drivers closest to him in the standings, Hamilton might have feared the worst, but a seventh Hungarian GP win duly followed in exceptional circumstances. Hamilton's failed move around the outside of Turn 4 arguably said more about his hunger and desire than the shark-like pursuit of Verstappen in the final 20 laps after Mercedes had gambled on Hamilton being able to reel in Verstappen. If anyone had doubted it would work, perhaps the man himself included, they needn't as he sprung into life with 10 tours to go and made an easy move stick on Lap 67 of 70. Hamilton will holiday with a 62-point championship lead making every drink taste sweeter and every sunray feel that much warmer. Title number six is in the bag already.

Belgian GP (Qual: 3rd - Race: 2nd) 8/10

Toto Wolff rightly pointed out that a weekend of damage limitation for Mercedes ending with both drivers on the podium was not to be sniffed at. With a tidier pit-stop and less time stuck behind Vettel once his tyres had gone off, Hamilton might have even come away with the win, but the race distance just curtailed his hopes as Leclerc began to look vulnerable.

Italian GP (Qual: 2nd - Race: 3rd) 8/10

Mercedes' race pace might have been superior to Ferraris but the SF90's top speed was enough to give Leclerc his fighting chance against Hamilton. The world champion was dogged and persistent, pushing Leclerc all the way, and even forcing a mistake out of the Monegasque, albeit on a spot of track where he could just about recover. Unfortunately for Hamilton, it also pushed his tyres too far and they gave up the ghost 11 laps from the end, leaving Hamilton to settle for third, with a fastest-lap bonus point ensuring his championship lead is only trimmed to a still mighty 63 points.