F1 driver ratings: Who starred, who struggled in 2023?

Formula 1 driver ratings: Ranking the 2023 grid, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris among the stars Find out who gets top marks and who ranks at the bottom as Sky Sports F1 rates all 20 drivers for their 2023 seasons; Max Verstappen claimed the drivers' title, while Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso also impressed Last Updated: 27/11/23 6:12am With 22 rounds in the books and a world champion long-crowned, it's time to rate the drivers for their performances in the 2023 Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen, Red Bull: 10Championship position: 1st - 575 points Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Max Verstappen wins yet another Grand Prix to close the curtain on the 2023 F1 season Max Verstappen wins yet another Grand Prix to close the curtain on the 2023 F1 season There may never be another season quite as dominant as what Verstappen has delivered in claiming a third successive world championship, setting record win, point and podium totals in the process. After two wins in the first four races of the season for Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez, the Dutchman went on to make talk of a title race between the Red Bull pair look absurd, reeling off 17 victories in the remaining 18 Grands Prix.While the RB19 was undoubtedly the best car on the grid, Verstappen's incredible dominance of Perez - and the rest of the field - required remarkable consistency.The 26-year-old displayed a growing maturity to handle wet and chaotic races throughout the campaign, many of which could have easily been lost by a mistake or moment of poor judgement.Verstappen's near-faultless campaign has established him as a complete driver, who now rightfully sits among the greats of the sport with three titles.Sergio Perez, Red Bull: 5.5Championship position: 2nd - 285 points Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player A dramatic opening lap of the Mexico City GP sees Charles Leclerc collide with Sergio Perez, with the Mexican having to retire A dramatic opening lap of the Mexico City GP sees Charles Leclerc collide with Sergio Perez, with the Mexican having to retire It all started so brightly with those two wins in the first four races, but unfortunately, the prospect of going toe-to-toe with Verstappen for a full campaign got in Perez's head.After failing to seize a world championship lead when being comprehensively outperformed by Verstappen in the fifth race of the season in Miami, the Mexican's campaign completely fell apart.The next five races were five of the nine occasions when he failed to make it through to the final part of qualifying, a completely unacceptable figure given the RB19's speed advantage, particularly at that stage of the season.Perez would complain that the car had been developed away from his driving style, but would eventually come under major pressure with a first-corner crash at his home race in Mexico only heightening speculation that Red Bull could choose to replace him a year before the end of his contract.Ultimately, the fact that he held onto second to secure Red Bull's first ever one-two in the drivers' championship, with a relatively consistent finish to the campaign, has likely guaranteed he will at least start the 2024 season as Verstappen's team-mate.Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes: 7.5Championship position: 3rd - 234 points Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen to claim a record ninth pole position at the Hungaroring Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen to claim a record ninth pole position at the Hungaroring 2023 was something of a bounce-back campaign for the seven-time world champion, as he overcame the disappointment of being given another uncompetitive car to largely get the most out of the W14.Having been notably outscored by George Russell in 2022 in their first season as team-mates, Hamilton dispelled any notion that - at the age of 38 - his powers are waning.While he has now gone two full seasons without a victory, Hamilton did at least manage to add to his record pole position tally with a memorable lap in Hungary.After dismissing rumours of a blockbuster switch to Ferrari, Hamilton signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him in the sport until the end of 2025.While he couldn't quite chase down Perez for second in the drivers' standings, Hamilton showed more than enough to suggest that if Mercedes can finally master F1's current era of design regulations, he is more than capable of challenging Verstappen.George Russell, Mercedes: 6Championship position: 8th - 175 points Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player George Russell crashes out on the final lap of a thrilling Singapore Grand Prix as Carlos Sainz holds on to win, with Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton completing the top three George Russell crash