Sao Paulo GP F1 driver ratings: Two 10/10s and one underrated midfield driver impresses yet again

ltxcn.top F1 journalist Connor McDonagh runs through his driver ratings for the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The podium (L to R): Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren, second; Jeff Calam (GBR) Red Bull Racing Senior Projects Engineer; Max
The podium (L to R): Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren, second; Jeff Calam (GBR) Red Bull Racing…

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen - 10

Another near-perfect weekend from Verstappen, who claimed his 17th victory of F1 2023. The only blemish on his weekend𓆏 was missing out on sprint pole after a scrappy lap.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris - 9.5

Norris continues to extract the most from the McಌLaren with two P2s at Interlagos. He was critical of his own performance yet again but in the grand 🥂scheme of things, he’s performing magnificently in the second-best car.

Max Verstappen (NLD), Red Bull Racing Lando Norris (GBR), McLaren F1 Team Fernando Alonso (ESP), Aston Martin Racing
Max Verstappen (NLD), Red Bull Racing Lando Norris (GBR), McLaren F1 Team Fernando Alonso (ESP…

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fernando Alonso - 10

While Alonso was out-qualified by teammate Stroll for just the third time this year, i♑t’s hard not to give the veteran Spaniard a perfect score for his Sunday drive. For the entire final stint, Alonso resisted immense pressure from Perez behind, even re-overtaking him on the final lap. A masterclass in racecraft from the two-time world champion.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez - 7

A better weekend for Perez but given Red Bull’s pace advantage over the rest of the field (aside from Norris’ McLaren), he did underperform at Interlagos. Granted, he was unfortunate with the timing of the yellow flags in conventional qualifying but there was a♐mple opportunity to get third.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lance Stroll - 8 

One of Stroll’s better weekends in 2023. He w🌸as ahead of Alonso in qualifying and drove a solid race to beat the Ferrari of Sainz and Hamilton’s Mercedes. Much more like it.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz - 7.5

The weaker of the two Ferraris at Interlagos, Sainz benefitted from teammate Leclerc’s technical issue on the formation lap. Sain🐽z drove well to finish sixth but there’s no doubt Leclerc would have been much closer to the Perez-Alonso fight had he been in the race.

Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Race
Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand…

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Pierre Gasly - 9

Yo🌞u can make a strong argument that Gasly’s 2023 campaign is the most underrated. He continues to score big for Alpine, and Brazil was no different. 

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton - 8

It was Mercedes’ worst race weekend in over 13 years - according to Toto Wolff - as they were genuinely out-paced by Alpine in the race. Poor tyre degradation combined with a lack꧂ of rear-end stability meant Hamilton couldn’t finish higher than eighth.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Yuki Tsunoda - 8

On the surface, Brazil was a fantastic weekend for Tsunoda and AlphaTauri. Points in both races meant they closed the gap to Williams. However, Tsunoda will be kicking himself for that brief off at Turn 10 - potentially costing hiཧm seventh ahe✅ad of Gasly and Hamilton.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Esteban Ocon - 7

Forced onto a threeꦕ-stopper, Ocon finished 14 seconds behind his teammate🔥 at the chequered flag.

Logan Sargeant - 6

With Albon out of the race early on, it was hard to get a gauge 💮൲of Sargeant’s pace on Sunday. 

Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Race
Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix,…

Nico Hulkenberg - 6.5

Another t༺ough weekend for Haas, whose race pace continues to be the worst on the grid. He slightly haꦇd the edge on Magnussen.

Daniel Ricciardo - 6.5

A weekend of missed opportunities for Ricciardo. His pace was similar to Tsunoda but some naivety when battling Piastri in the sprint cost him a point or two. He was then unfortunate to sustain damage on the꧟ opening lap of the grand prix.

Oscar Piastri - 6

𓃲Nowhere near Norris’ level throughout the weekend at Interlagos. Like Ricciardo, his race was ruined after he picked up damage on Lap 1, which ultimately put him a lap down.

George Russell - 7

Russell was impressive in the sprint to come away fourth as his teammate struggled. On Sunday, while he did appear to have a pace advantage, Hamilton’s advanta🐈ge in tyre preservation was apparent as the gra𒁏nd prix progressed. His race ended with a DNF.

Valtteri Bottas - 7.5

A fine weekend from Bottas, who was one of th♚e many retirements. The Finn was a few tenths ahead of Zhou in qualifying, and challenged for the top 10 on Sunday before a technical issue forced him out of the race.

Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand…

Zhou Guanyu - 6

Not at Bottas’ level at Interlagos. Like his teammat꧃e, he was forced to🅘 retire prematurely.

Kevin Magnussen - 5.5

Magnussen was the arguably cause of the Lap 1 collision involving Albon, which put him out of the race. In raw pace terms, he seemed to be a smidgen off Hulkenberg - an improvement, particularly🔴 over one-lap relative to the rest of the season.

Charles Leclerc - 8.5

Leclerc was enjoying a mega weekend in Brazil. Lighting quick in the various qualifying sessions, and put together a fine drive in the sprint. However, his rac♊e was done on L🌃ap 1 after an electronic problem locked his wheels and caused him to spin out into the barriers.

Alex Albon - 7

It wasn’t one of Williams’ best weekends in 2023. Quicker than🧜 Sargeant, Albon extracted the most from the car undernea🐎th him.

Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing FW45 crashed out at the start of the race. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21,
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing FW45 crashed out at the start of the race. Formula 1…

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