After two years of crushing Max Verstappen dominance, 2024 delivered probably the most open F1 seasons in a long time, with six drivers from 4 totally different groups profitable a number of races.
Amongst all of the uncertainty there have been standout performances (Verstappen, Interlagos), some shockers (half the sphere, Interlagos) and lots in between. To kind by means of all of it we rated and ranked every of the 22 drivers who took half in a minimum of 5 grands prix this season.
A driver’s last rating is made up of a mix of Telegraph Sport’s ranking, with bonus factors awarded for qualifying and race performances, relative to their team-mate. The utmost potential rating is 100.
22. Logan Sargeant, Williams
Championship factors: 0 (twenty third)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 14-2 lossRating: 22/100
Sargeant was lucky to maintain his seat for 2024 however Williams would have hoped {that a} yr’s expertise would have served him properly in his second full season. Did it? No. He by no means challenged Alexander Albon and crashed far too typically.
Group principal James Vowles appropriately mentioned, after Sargeant was dropped, that the American “reached the restrict of what he’s capable of obtain”. A good remark. Franco Colapinto’s preliminary outcomes confirmed that Williams have been proper to ditch him.
21. Sergio Pérez, Purple Bull
Championship factors: 152 (eighth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 26-1 lossRating: 28
Pérez started the season solidly, with 103 factors within the first six rounds. After Miami it was an unmitigated catastrophe the place he not solely failed to succeed in the rostrum once more however registered a finest end of simply sixth and solely as soon as. That is the worst efficiency of any team-mate of a championship-winning driver for greater than 40 years.
Why Purple Bull determined to signal him for 2025 and never take up the skills of Carlos Sainz seemed stranger with each race. This degree of efficiency is unsustainable for the workforce and will make his place untenable. It might be a shock to see him driving the Purple Bull come the Australian Grand Prix in March.
20. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
Championship factors: 24 (thirteenth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 22-8 lossRating: 36
Is there something to say about Stroll that has not been mentioned already? While he’s not at all times a horrible driver, he far too typically is – and that has been the case for all of his eight seasons in F1.
An embarrassing spin on the formation lap in Brazil after which beaching it within the gravel and never taking the escape highway sums up his yr and even perhaps his profession. If Aston Martin and his father Lawrence are critical about competing on the entrance, they need to discover another person.
19. Zhou Guanyu, Sauber
Championship factors: 4 (twentieth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 26-4 lossRating: 43
Zhou’s third season in F1 was his worst. Sure, Sauber have been the slowest by far this yr, however he too not often didn’t problem team-mate Valtteri Bottas – particularly in qualifying – that the clear and apparent selection was his departure.
He did end forward of Bottas within the standings, a minimum of, due to a superb eighth in Qatar. On steadiness, although, he was the worst of the 2 Sauber drivers.
18. Daniel Ricciardo, RB
Championship factors: 12 (seventeenth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 8-13 lossRating: 45
Ricciardo wished to make use of his second likelihood at RB to show that he ought to line up in opposition to Verstappen at Purple Bull. He failed. While there was some cheer in spring, it didn’t final lengthy sufficient for him to see out the season.
That he didn’t wipe the ground with Yuki Tsunoda (who some inside Purple Bull don’t maintain in that prime regard) sealed his destiny. It was a disgrace that he didn’t obtain the send-off he deserved however Purple Bull handled him very properly all through his profession. He can have few complaints.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Haas
Championship factors: 16 (fifteenth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 19-8 lossRating: 50
General this was a disappointing (possible) last season in F1 for the Dane. Not a catastrophe by any means, however he struggled with the Haas VF-24 relative to his team-mate for many of the season, particularly when the automotive was not at its finest.
In qualifying he was comfortably outdone however that’s extra of a plus on Nico Hulkenberg’s facet. In races they each completed he solely managed to beat him on 4 of 16 events. That’s the backside line – and why the German is heading up Audi’s F1 outfit and why Magnussen is on his means out.
16. Valtteri Bottas, Sauber
Championship factors: 0 (twenty second)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 26-4 winRating: 53
There have been a couple of indicators of the outdated Bottas in there this season (a handful of Q2 and two Q3 appearances) however that is his first pointless season in F1 in a automotive that by no means actually deserved to attain factors.
It’s a disgrace to see a 10-time race-winner spend his time to this point again. The GM/Cadillac entry may provide him an opportunity to return and could be one he deserves, disappointing 2024 apart.
15. Franco Colapinto, Williams
Championship factors: 5 (nineteenth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 9-3 lossRating: 54
Expectations of the younger Argentine would have been middling when he signed for Williams, given his modest F2 file. But virtually immediately Colapinto was robust competitors for team-mate Albon. He scored factors in Azerbaijan and adopted that with one other spectacular factors end in Austin.
He did sully a few of that spectacular begin with two huge crashes in Brazil and Las Vegas, at a time when the workforce may unwell afford it. A strong begin however with a poor end.
14. Liam Lawson, RB
Championship factors: 4 (twenty first)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 7-2 lossRating: 56
Lawson actually began properly in his first race again for RB, taking ninth place in Austin after beginning nineteenth. One other couple of factors adopted in Sao Paulo after a promising qualifying. However he struggled a bit within the last stretch. His abrasiveness on monitor was entertaining, .
Scored 4 factors to Tsunoda’s eight within the six rounds they raced collectively. It might be an infinite leap to fill the second Purple Bull seat subsequent season however the workforce don’t have anything to lose.
13. Esteban Ocon, Alpine
Championship factors: 23 (14th)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 13-16 lossRating: 57
It was a woeful begin for each Alpine drivers however, because the workforce managed to show their tempo round from a disastrous starting, Ocon was marginally the second better of the 2 Frenchman. The hole went from marginal to vital for a lot of the ultimate stretch, with Qatar being Ocon’s final race for the workforce.
On most events the Alpine had solely an out of doors likelihood at making the highest 10 however it was Pierre Gasly who did it on extra events (5 to 9). An excellent second-place within the rain at Interlagos was a pleasant departing reward, his fourth podium in 5 seasons on the workforce.
12. Yuki Tsunoda, RB
Championship factors: 30 (twelfth)Qualifying file vs team-mates: 20-10 winRating: 59
The Japanese driver has constructed an F1 profession on nearly doing sufficient to retain his seat and so it was in 2024. That claims as a lot in regards to the Purple Bull expertise (or lack of it) coming by means of their driver program because it does Tsunoda.
Slowed flashes of pace and a return of 30 factors is his finest since his debut yr with a robust run from Austria to Hungary, however these expensive crashes are nonetheless there. Purple Bull clearly doesn’t have a variety of religion in him, although he did pretty properly in opposition to Lawson since he changed Ricciardo. His finest yr in F1? Nearly.
11. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Championship factors: 223 (seventh)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 24-6 lossRating: 60
That is and maybe solely 2011 can problem it. Solely as soon as earlier than has he fared worse than his team-mate in qualifying over a season. By no means this badly. Because the season went on his cryptic explanations of his lack of tempo over one lap turned stranger.
The Mercedes W15 was a complicated and tough automotive for each of its drivers, however Hamilton ought to have finished higher. There was the euphoria of a race victory at Silverstone however the major trigger for his strife was his qualifying woes – that should be fastened for 2025.
10. Alexander Albon, Williams
Championship factors: 12 (sixteenth)Qualifying file vs team-mates: 23-5 winRating: 61
Factors have been more durable to come back by for each Williams and Albon in 2024 with simply 12 in whole this yr in comparison with 27 final. Very similar to his different Williams companions there have been a couple of too many crashes and non-finishes. Admittedly not all of them have been his fault.
Nonetheless, this was little doubt a season the place he struggled to shine as a lot as his earlier two for the workforce, although solely Verstappen scored extra bonus factors in our system. That’s the reason Albon makes the highest 10. Might want to increase his recreation a notch in 2025 if he’s to beat the incoming Sainz.
9. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
Championship factors: 70 (ninth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 22-8 winRating: 67
After the highs of 2023 with eight podiums, 2024 has been a battle for Alonso as Aston Martin have fallen again from the entrance to the midfield. He started the season properly with 33 factors within the first six rounds however from then on it turned more durable for him to indicate his abilities, scoring simply 37 within the remaining 18 rounds.
You do sense that his curiosity waned barely because the AMR24 started to fall again. That’s comprehensible for a person with 32 race victories and two world championships, particularly within the twilight of his profession. Nonetheless, he roundly trounced Stroll as anticipated in each metric – once more – which sees him acquire precious bonus factors and make it into the highest 10.
8. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Championship factors: 292 (4th)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 25-5 lossRating: 68
Piastri has taken a step up from his debut yr in F1, turning into a race-winner within the course of. The best of his two victories was a nerveless show in Azerbaijan. He struggled barely relative to his team-mate within the last third of the season, but additionally confirmed on quite a few events that he was unwilling to again right down to Lando Norris on the monitor.
The principle unfavourable is that he didn’t out-qualify Norris on greater than 5 events. That mentioned, he was a lot nearer to him in races, earlier than falling off in direction of the tip of the season. We should always count on extra in 2025.
7. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
Championship factors: 41 (eleventh)Qualifying file vs team-mates: 19-11 winRating: 70
After a troubling few years Haas have scored extra factors than in any season since their better of 93 in 2018. A giant a part of that was due to how persistently fast and dependable Hulkenberg was. For him to only miss out on a prime 10 end within the drivers’ standings is a substantial achievement.
An excellent qualifier, two sixth locations in a row in Austria and Nice Britain have been the highs however he additionally strung collectively a run of 19 factors within the last seven rounds. Will both of Haas’s drivers subsequent yr be capable to attain this degree?
6. Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Championship factors: 42 (tenth)Qualifying file vs team-mates: 17-13 winRating: 69
It might have been arduous for many drivers to face out within the Alpine however Gasly managed it within the second half of the yr. In qualifying there was not a lot to separate him and Ocon however Gasly typically obtained somewhat extra from the A524 in races. He confirmed that with a surprising 34 factors within the last 5 rounds of the season. A reputation-enhancing season comes after a tough starting.
5. George Russell, Mercedes
Championship factors: 245 (sixth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 24-6 winRating: 71
Sixth within the drivers’ standings was in all probability the restrict of Russell’s ambitions on condition that Ferrari, Purple Bull and McLaren have been clearly sooner than Mercedes over the yr. Two victories for the season appears about proper given he was fortunate to inherit one in Austria and unfortunate to lose one in Belgium.
Final yr Russell ranked fifteenth in our rankings and described his season as a “catastrophe”. 2024 is a transparent enchancment on that. He nonetheless must discover a ruthless streak when in rivalry on the entrance. He completed larger than Hamilton for the second time in three seasons – no team-mate has managed that earlier than.
4. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
Championship factors: 290 (fifth)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 17-12 lossRating: 72
There was little to separate Sainz and Charles Leclerc of their 4 years at Ferrari. Leclerc usually finally ends up shading it and did that once more in 2024. Sainz, although, carried out admirably contemplating that Hamilton was confirmed as his substitute on the eve of the season.
The Spaniard typically confirmed wonderful racecraft and a tactical thoughts, taking victories in Australia and in Mexico Metropolis. The previous got here not lengthy after he was sidelined following an appendectomy. Ferrari will probably be dropping a superb operator. That’s Williams’ acquire, although he deserves extra.
3. Lando Norris, McLaren
Championship factors: 374 (2nd)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 25-5 winRating: 78
In 2024, Norris found the tough realities of racing on the very entrance. If you wish to win championships you should be relentless and ruthless. These are two areas the place he wants to enhance if he desires to problem extra considerably. He merely made too many small however vital errors.
He’s appropriate in that the championship was misplaced within the first a part of the season when Verstappen opened his lead, however Purple Bull may and will have confronted higher strain. A superb season the place he may have learnt lots, however subsequent season should be totally different.
This could not detract from what has been Norris’s strongest season in F1, the place he confirmed wonderful one-lap tempo to safe eight pole positions (greater than anybody however Verstappen) and took his first 4 race victories.
2. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Championship factors: 356 (third)Qualifying file vs team-mates: 18-12 winRating: 80
This was arguably. The crowning moments have been a house victory in Monaco after so a few years of turmoil there and one other well-known Monza win. In earlier years he was responsible of creating errors at important moments, however that’s much less of an issue now. That’s arguably what separates him from Norris right here, albeit marginally.
As soon as Ferrari received their act collectively after their mid-season struggles, Leclerc scored extra factors than anybody after the summer time break, with seven podiums and a worst end of fifth. Hamilton may have his work reduce out to beat him in 2025.
1. Max Verstappen, Purple Bull
Championship factors: 429 (1st)Qualifying file vs team-mate: 28-1 winRating: 84
Verstappen referred to as this his hardest title but and it’s arduous to disagree. He had the most effective automotive beneath him within the early a part of the season and with that he constructed a lead, taking seven wins in 10 rounds. After that he did what was required and gained the championship early. That was thanks partly to a beautiful victory at Interlagos from seventeenth on the grid as Norris fumbled.
We noticed occasional tempestuous flashes and there have been a number of incidents of wheel-banging together with his rivals. It might improve his status additional have been he to ease off on that aggression somewhat, however that can by no means occur. Finally, he discovered a strategy to win the title in a tough automotive. That’s the mark of an F1 nice – he must be thought-about one already.
Do you agree with our author’s driver rankings? Vote under and be part of the dialog within the feedback part on the backside
