Piastri Triumphs and Verstappen Falters: Comprehensive Driver Ratings from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Driver Evaluations: Max Verstappen's Most Challenging Weekend in Half a Decade?

Crash.net's Formula 1 driver assessments after a thrilling race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri – 10

In Azerbaijan, Piastri showcased exceptional skill, securing his second win in his career. His maneuver to pass Leclerc was remarkable, and his defensive driving throughout the remainder of the race was outstanding.

Charles Leclerc – 9

Leclerc delivered an impeccable lap to secure pole position in Baku. Initially, he seemed poised for an easy race, establishing a significant five-second gap. However, his Ferrari struggled with the hard tires, causing him to lose his lead to Piastri at Turn 1 as the race progressed. Despite his efforts, he couldn't reclaim his position, facing pressure from Perez and Sainz in the final stages.

George Russell – 8.5

Russell maximized the Mercedes' potential in Azerbaijan, securing fifth place on the starting grid and ultimately achieving a podium finish, aided somewhat by luck. Additionally, he managed to pass Verstappen on the circuit.

Lando Norris – 8

Norris faced bad luck with the yellow flag's timing during Q1, causing him an early exit. Despite this setback, he managed a strong comeback, finishing in front of his primary championship competitor.

Max Verstappen – 6

It was an unexpectedly difficult weekend for Verstappen, who attributed his struggles to an unfortunate setup decision. In comparison, his teammate Perez was significantly faster in Baku.

Fernando Alonso – 8.5

Alonso delivered an impressive performance to secure a spot in Q3, outperforming the Williams contenders. True to form, he maximized the potential of his Aston Martin during the race, securing a substantial points tally.

Alex Albon – 8

Albon achieved Williams' highest finish of the season, securing eighth place. Demonstrating impressive speed, he effectively utilized the hard tyres for an extended period, successfully keeping Norris, Verstappen, and Russell at bay.

Franco Colapinto – 8.5

Colapinto's performance remains noteworthy. The Argentinian became the highlight of the qualifying round, advancing to Q3 in just his second F1 appearance.

Lewis Hamilton – 6

Similar to Verstappen, Hamilton faced a disappointing weekend in Azerbaijan. He attributed his lackluster performance in Q3 to a defective part, and his prospects in the race were dashed by a start from the pit lane, necessitated by a power unit change.

Oliver Bearman – Position 8

In a remarkable qualifying session, Bearman outperformed Hulkenberg with a fantastic display. Initially, the Haas team member found it challenging to maintain speed at the beginning of the race. However, luck was on his side as he managed to overtake Hulkenberg during the second-to-last lap, skillfully navigating past him into Turn 3 amidst the chaos resulting from the crash involving Sainz and Perez.

Nico Hulkenberg – 7

In the qualifying round, Hulkenberg found himself outpaced by a rookie who stepped in as his teammate. Heading into the 50th lap, it appeared Hulkenberg was poised to secure a point, yet he was overtaken by Bearman.

Pierre Gasly – 7.5

Gasly had a decent weekend, outpacing his Alpine teammate. Despite a strong qualifying performance, he faced disqualification for exceeding the fuel flow limit. Nevertheless, he managed to race effectively, finishing just shy of scoring points.

Daniel Ricciardo – 6.5

Overall, Ricciardo had a lackluster weekend. Among the two Red Bull drivers, he was less impressive and failed to stand out throughout the event.

Zhou Guanyu – 6.5

The course of events for Zhou was determined before qualifying began, as Sauber decided to install a new engine in his car. Zhou embraced his role within the team, providing Bottas with a beneficial slipstream during Bottas' fastest lap. Throughout the race, Zhou delivered a steady performance, managing to finish in front of Bottas by passing him on two separate occasions.

Esteban Ocon – Score: 6

Ocon experienced a challenging weekend, with his practice sessions being significantly restricted.

Valtteri Bottas – 6

Bottas keeps showing strong performances in qualifying rounds, yet this time, it didn't secure him a spot in Q2.

Sergio Perez – 8.5

Without question, Azerbaijan stood out as Perez's most impressive performance of the season. He significantly outperformed his Red Bull teammate, Verstappen, maintaining a lead of more than 20 seconds before his untimely exit from the race.

Carlos Sainz – 8

Sainz couldn't quite match Leclerc's speed, but he showcased excellent control over his tyres and a solid performance on the race day. The unfortunate clash with Perez was deemed a racing incident by the stewards.

Lance Stroll's race was compromised due to a collision with Tsunoda in the opening lap.

Yuki Tsunoda – 5.5

Having performed impressively in the qualifiers, a collision with Stroll in the opening lap led to his early exit from the race.

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