Max Verstappen 2019 F1 driver ratings: Every grand prix reviewed

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen 2019 F1 driver ratings: Every grand prix reviewed

Here's how he fared in our ratings.

Matthew Scott

Tuesday 24 December 2019 10:00

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Max Verstappen 2019 ratings Part 2

French GP (Qual: 4th - Race: 4th) 7/10

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Verstappen has had several races like this already this year. He got the absolute maximum out of the car, but the result was comparably mediocre to Red Bull and the Dutchman's ambitions. Post-race requests for more power from Honda is the first sign of frustration with the Japanese marque this year.

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

Verstappen came into the weekend dodging questions about his future, and it looked as though they would rear up again when a brilliant qualifying performance was undone by anti-stall at the launch. But Verstappen, Red Bull and Honda's doubts were blasted away in a scorching drive. Gasly, Raikkonen, Norris, Vettel Bottas and Leclerc were all passed by Verstappen en route to home success again for Red Bull. One of the great performances of recent years.

British GP (Qual: 4th - Race: 5th) 8/10

Verstappen finished lower than his qualifying position for the first time in 2019, but only after keeping up his heroics from a fortnight earlier in Austria. Piling the pressure on Charles Leclerc before the safety car and then doggedly holding off the charging Monegasque when they were swapped after it was a heartier taste of what's to come from them. Pulled off the overtake of the race on Vettel at Stowe, only to have his race ruined a few hundred metres later.

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

Yes, Verstappen made another sluggish start, and yes he had to catch a huge spin just after fitting medium tyres as the track dried mid-race. But for the Dutchman to emerge from such a chaotic encounter with victory secured by seven seconds shows us just how on top of his game Verstappen is right now. There was a slight struggle to clear Bottas at one point, but the pair's contrasting ends to the race perhaps shows us who we should be looking to if anyone is to truly challenge Hamilton over the remainder of the campaign.

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

It's near impossible to find fault with Verstappen's race, given he made the perfect start from pole and had already held off intense pressure and a stern assault from Hamilton, which prompted Mercedes into gambling with the world champion. Having lost out on the win, Verstappen undid a fraction of the damage by setting fastest lap with new tyres of his own. A maiden pole position in grand prix number 93 sums up how much Verstappen has overperformed in his time in F1 so far, but he has had podium pace at the very least in four consecutive races now and the only shame is that 2019 will likely end before he can close the gap to Hamilton sufficiently.

Belgian GP (Qual: 5th - Race: DNF) 4/10

Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but Verstappen may have been better served with a more conservative approach to Turn 1, rather than trying to muscle alongside Kimi Raikkonen, a move which damaged his front end sufficiently to put the Red Bull in the barriers before he had had chance to pass the grandstand filled with his orange-clad fans at racing speed.

Italian GP (Qual: 20th - Race: 8th) 6/10

A start from the back of the grid, broken front wing at Turn 1 and poorly timed VSC all conspired to leave the Dutchman short of his target of taking fifth place. Singapore in a fortnight's time will give him plenty of opportunities to make up for two disappointing weekends on the spin, however.