F1 Ratings of 2023 | Verstappen leaves everyone in the dust! Perez slumps!

After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2023 Formula 1 season is over. Who has performed the best in 2023? GPblog gave marks to the drivers after each Grand Prix, and a final ranking has emerged from that.

1. Verstappen - 9.3

Max Verstappen ruled Formula 1 in 2023. With 19 victories, Verstappen set a unique record. Verstappen was rewarded with a '10' 12 times in GPblog's grades for doing so, ultimately bringing him to an almighty average of 9.3. It is typical of the supremacy Verstappen showed this year.

2. Norris - 7.6

Lando Norris has had a very strong season at McLaren. The start of the season was a significant setback for the Briton, but from the Austrian Grand Prix onwards, the tide turned for McLaren. Norris took McLaren by the hand and has been pretty consistent throughout the year. Still, here and there, the flaws come out. He must remove those if he wants to compete with Verstappen for the world title.

3. Albon - 7.5

Alexander Albon had a solid F1 season for Williams. The Thai emerged as the team's leader and, with 27 points, single-handedly helped the team reach seventh place among constructors. Albon is rarely found at fault and is currently considered one of the best drivers on the grid.

3. Alonso - 7.5

Fernando Alonso had a solid start to his F1 season with a string of podiums. The Spaniard has also been prone to a few mistakes throughout the season and became somewhat impatient with Aston Martin's declining form. Nevertheless, he was there when needed, eventually achieving eight podium finishes.

5. Hamilton - 6.9

After a mediocre start to the season, Lewis Hamilton rebounded as ever in the second half of the season. Coming third among drivers is a handsome achievement with this year's W14, and Hamilton particularly impressed by really putting his teammate back in his place in the individual duel.

6. Leclerc - 6.8

Charles Leclerc concluded a shaky season with two strong performances in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi. Yet Leclerc has yet to take the step forward that has been credited to him. Over one lap, the speed is there. In the races, there are still steps to be made for the Monegasque.

7. Tsunoda - 6.7

It has been much about his teammate this year, but Yuki Tsunoda has taken a big step forward this season. The Japanese driver was the leader of AlphaTauri. At times, he is still somewhat overcome by his emotions, but he is an excellent driver on a good day.

8. Hulkenberg - 6.6

Nico Hulkenberg made many people forget he had been out of the sport for three years this season by dominating the duel with his teammate from day one. In qualifying, The Hulk was a size too big for Magnussen, although in the race, it yielded few points due to mediocre performances by Haas.

8. Lawson - 6.6*

Liam Lawson was only in action for five Grands Prix but made a good impression as Daniel Ricciardo's substitute. The New Zealander even scored points at his first-ever race in Singapore. It is a shame the young driver did not manage to secure a permanent seat for 2024.

8. Gasly - 6.6

Pierre Gasly has weathered his debut year at Alpine nicely. He beat his teammate, who had been with the team for four years. That also happens to be Gasly's biggest rival.

8. Piastri - 6.6

An impressive rookie season for Oscar Piastri. Compared to Lando Norris, the Australian still comes up a little short in the races, but in his first season, Piastri already picked up a pole and a victory in the sprint race. The potential is huge, and the steep learning curve is clearly visible.

12. Sainz - 6.5

Carlos Sainz was unlucky in Las Vegas and ended his F1 season with a weaker performance in Abu Dhabi. It was a solid season for Carlos Sainz, though it should be noted that he was there when he needed to be in Singapore. Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix.

12. Bottas - 6.5

It was a colourless season for Valtteri Bottas in the rear of the F1 field. He is better than his teammate, but you might expect that as a ten-time race winner.

14. Ocon - 6.4

Esteban Ocon must be careful not to lose his place in F1. Surely, with four years of experience at Alpine, you might have expected him to win the duel with his new teammate Gasly. This battle will only get hotter in 2024, as Ocon cannot afford to lose again.

15. Russell - 6.3

George Russell has had a lean season. On several occasions, the Brit made big mistakes. Especially those in Canada and Singapore, which will haunt him for a while. The difference with Hamilton in points this year is huge, and that is just in his second season with the team.

16. Ricciardo - 6.1**

Daniel Ricciardo still made eight appearances at a Grand Prix in 2023. The Australian started well in Hungary and had an excellent weekend in Mexico. However, it is too changeable, and Ricciardo lost the duel to Tsunoda in a short period. Things will have to improve if Ricciardo is to return to Red Bull Racing.

16. Zhou - 6.1

Guanyu Zhou has narrowed the gap against Valtteri Bottas in 2023, but the gap is still definitely there. Throughout the year, the Chinese driver has not been prone to huge mistakes, but also not to particularly high outliers.

18. Magnussen - 5.8

Kevin Magnussen was still Haas's hero in 2022, yet in 2023, he was mostly outclassed by his new teammate Hulkenberg.

De Vries - 5.3***

Nyck de Vries had 10 races with AlphaTauri, but he never convinced. The Dutchman did not show high peaks, and when Red Bull was able to bring back prodigal son Daniel Ricciardo, they didn't hesitate for a moment to show De Vries the door even during the season.

19. Perez - 5.3

Sergio Perez had proved to be a good second driver for Red Bull Racing in 2022 and started 2023 excellently. However, with title contention on his mind, things went wrong, and Perez suffered massive damage to his RB19. Costs ran high for the Mexican and even his second place in the drivers' championship was in jeopardy. Perez eventually achieved that spot, but that it happened so late with such a dominant car still puts some doubts on his performance this season.

21. Stroll - 5.2

Lance Stroll was a good driver alongside Sebastian Vettel but was knocked around by Fernando Alonso in 2023. The fact that Stroll scored so many fewer points than Alonso ultimately cost Aston Martin the fourth spot in the constructors' fight. In addition, Stroll's behaviour off the track is also very negative, not exactly endearing himself.

22. Sargeant - 5.1

Logan Sargeant was the driver with the least pace in 2023. The American was the only driver on the grid to never finish ahead of his teammate in qualifying and races. The difference compared to Albon was also the biggest between two teammates in F1, and Sargeant scored only 1 point, compared to the 27 for Albon. Sargeant is still a rookie and needs to learn, but the question is whether 2023 is enough for a second chance in F1.

* = Lawson only came into action five times in 2023

** = Ricciardo only made eight appearances in 2023

*** = De Vries only made ten appearances in 2023