Lewis Hamilton

1st | Pts: 347 | Wins: 11 | Podiums: 14 | Poles: 10 | FL: 6 | Ret: 0

Lewis Hamilton somehow matched many of his statistics from 2019 despite a truncated season of just 17 races, one of which he missed after contracting Coronavirus (and was then clearly still suffering the effects upon his return for the finale). Before his absence at the Sakhir Grand Prix, the World Champion was looking likely to break Jim Clark‘s record for the highest percentage of laps led in a season.

Either way, winning 11 of his 16 races shows the level of dominance from Hamilton this year, which he puts down to the Black Lives Matter movement giving him extra drive. He may be turning 36 in January – and still not technically confirmed at Mercedes for 2021 – but he shows no signs of slowing down just yet. Which is bad news for his competitors.

Highlight: Matching Michael Schumacher‘s record of seven world championship titles.

Lowlight: His week with Covid-19. It would appear that it hit him hard.

GRADE: A+

Valtteri Bottas

2nd | Pts: 223 | Wins: 2 | Podiums: 11 | Poles: 5 | FL: 2 | Ret: 1

2020 proved to be another false dawn for Valtteri Bottas. After winning the belated season opener, the Finn gradually fell away from Hamilton in the standings and, by the time Hamilton had wrapped up the title in Turkey, was barely hanging onto second place in the championship.

It must be said that Bottas suffered more than his fair share of bad luck again; a tyre blow-out at Silverstone and engine failure at the Nürburgring were both costly. Ultimately, though, he just wasn’t good enough. Taking on Lewis Hamilton for the title in the same machinery is one of the biggest challenges in the sport and Bottas is left with another winter of reflection, trying to figure out a way to beat one of the greatest of all time.

Highlight: A perfect start in Austria.

Lowlight: An embarrassing day of spins in the wet as Hamilton clinched the title in Turkey.

Grade: B-

Max Verstappen

3rd | PTS: 214 | WINS: 2 | PODIUMS: 11 | POLES: 1 | FL: 3 | RET: 5

Max Verstappen has competed with Hamilton for ‘driver of the year’ rights throughout the season and there is precious little to separate them. He has frequently outperformed his Red Bull machinery and taken the fight to the Mercedes cars on his own, whilst his teammate was fighting in the midfield.

The flying Dutchman appears to have reached a new level of maturity whilst holding onto his raw speed and, given the right machinery, could surely mount a serious title challenge. Verstappen has not had much of a threat from the other side of the garage since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018. Perhaps the experience of Sergio Pérez can help develop the car and push him on further next season.

Highlight: A dominant win in Abu Dhabi was a nice way to way to enter the winter break.

Lowlight: Throwing away a chance at victory in Turkey after a moment of impatience.

Grade: A

Alexander Albon

7th | PTS: 105 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

It has been a tough year for Alexander Albon. After showing promise in his short spell at Red Bull last year, team bosses had hoped the affable Anglo-Thai driver could push on with time to fully prepare and a complete season. But, sadly, they have been disappointed.

Albon may well have won the first race of the year, if not for the collision with Hamilton, but things unravelled thereafter. He looked increasingly jaded as the season wore on and he remained the wrong side of half a second per lap slower than Verstappen. At least he was allowed to see out the season and given every chance to impress, which has not always been a courtesy granted to those at Red Bull.

In the end, his demotion to reserve driver looks the correct choice; hopefully he can take some time to clear his head and return stronger.

Highlight: A long-overdue maiden podium at Mugello after overtaking Ricciardo.

Lowlight: Being widely mocked for a radio message where he complained about being ‘raced so hard’ as he struggled to pass the AlphaTauris.

Grade: D

Carlos Sainz

6TH | PTS: 105 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 2nd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 1 | RET: 2

After some poor luck earlier in the season, Carlos Sainz recovered to claim sixth in the drivers’ standings for the second year running, which is a good representation of his consistency during his time at McLaren. The Spaniard also very nearly claimed a maiden victory at the madcap Italian Grand Prix and overtook the Mercedes to lead early on in Portugal.

His performances in orange have earned him a move to the famous red of Ferrari. Oddly, it could currently be viewed as a move backwards considering the Scuderia’s struggles in 2020. Wherever they prove to be in the pecking order over the next two years, Charles Leclerc will be a very challenging teammate and should prove definitively whether Sainz is a driver in the top echelon or a solid support act for a superstar.

Highlight: Mixed emotions when so close to victory, but second in Monza still tastes pretty sweet ahead of a move to Ferrari.

Lowlight: A cruel late puncture at Silverstone costing him fourth place.

Grade: B+

Lando Norris

9TH | PTS: 97 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 2 | RET: 1

Lando Norris started the season with two spectacular races in Austria. A first ever podium snatched on the line at the first was followed up with another dramatic finish a week later and the new nickname of ‘Last Lap Lando’.

Things generally didn’t fall the young Briton’s way in the second half of the season, however, and he wasn’t in the right place to capitalise during the crazy races in Italy and Bahrain. It was another consistent season, though, and Norris just about edged his more-experienced teammate in the qualifying and race head-to-heads over their two years together. It may be the end of the ‘Carlando’ bromance but Ricciardo will likely prove just as fun and at least as fast.

Highlight: Getting to demonstrate his signature champagne-spraying technique at the first race.

Lowlight: An engine failure when competing for a podium at the Nürburgring left him sat in a deckchair.

Grade: B

Sergio Pérez

4TH | PTS: 125 | WINS: 1 | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

It took the prospect of Sergio Pérez leaving the sport for some people to truly appreciate him. Once the news broke that he would be replaced by Sebastian Vettel next year, pundits and drivers alike came out and said it would be a travesty if the Mexican didn’t find a seat for 2021. Pérez justified their remarks with a series of stellar performances, culminating in an emotional maiden win at the Sakhir Grand Prix and fourth in the standings despite missing two races with Covid-19.

The poisoned chalice of the second seat at Red Bull is his reward. It’s not an easy job, but Pérez is a wise, old head these days and knows his strengths and weaknesses. He’s unlikely to best Verstappen on a Saturday too often but his ability to preserve his tyres may well bring him back into the running on race day.

Highlight: A very well-deserved win in Sakhir, even after finishing the opening lap in last place.

Lowlight: An engine failure a week earlier in Bahrain costing him a podium.

Grade: A-

Lance Stroll

11TH | PTS: 75 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 1 | FL: 0 | RET: 5

A strong start to the year – including a podium at Monza – saw Lance Stroll temporarily holding fourth in the standings. But then came a horrible run of bad luck. A tyre failure when chasing another podium in Mugello was followed by being spun out on the first lap in Russia and then a very messy episode at the Nürburgring. Stroll withdrew due to a ‘stomach bug’ but was then confirmed as having Covid-19 a week later.

He took a surprise pole position in Turkey and led for much of the race, but an ill-advised pit stop saw him fall back to ninth. Being flipped upside-down in Bahrain, followed by another podium a week later and then a frustrating race in Abu Dhabi completed a rollercoaster season for the Canadian. He has certainly shown more flashes of speed this season, though, and can compare himself against a four-time world champion next year in the rebranded Aston Martin.

Highlight: That surprise maiden pole – the first by a Canadian not named Villeneuve.

Lowlight: A costly, heavy crash in Mugello.

Grade: B-

Daniel Ricciardo

5TH | PTS: 119 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 0 | FL: 2 | RET: 1

It took the best part of two years, but Daniel Ricciardo did eventually succeed in his goal of a podium at Renault – their first in over a decade – and thus earned a tattoo for team boss Cyril Abiteboul. Ricciardo was already confirmed to leave the team, though, as he moves to McLaren for 2021.

Whilst the Renault project that persuaded the Honey Badger to leave Red Bull appears to be making more progress than it was last year, McLaren is still arguably a step up in team – third in the standings this year and with Mercedes engines for 2021. Ricciardo also crushed another well-respected teammate in Esteban Ocon and now has Norris in his sights for next year.

Highlight: Finally claiming that podium after numerous near misses.

Lowlight: A safety car costing him third place two races earlier in Mugello.

Grade: A-

Esteban Ocon

12TH | PTs: 62 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 2nd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 4

It has been a challenging year for Esteban Ocon. His reputation as a potential star of the future has taken a hit after something of a mauling by his older teammate. 15-2 in qualifying and 13-4 on race day doesn’t make for pretty reading, but there were some mitigating factors.

He certainly had the worst of the reliability issues and was returning the sport after a year as a reserve driver to a brand new car. Nonetheless, he will likely need to do better next season to retain his seat and the replacement for Ricciardo is none other than double world champion Fernando Alonso. Who, whilst turning 40 next year, is unlikely to be a pushover…

Highlight: Another driver with a maiden podium – this time in Sakhir.

Lowlight: Yet another mechanical failure when running strongly at the Eifel Grand Prix.

Grade: C

Sebastian Vettel

13th | Pts: 33 | Wins: 0 | Podiums: 1 | Poles: 0 | FL: 0 | Ret: 2

Back in January, the odds of Sebastian Vettel finishing the season in 13th would have been pretty huge. And yet, what once would have been headline-worthy, is now mundane.

It has been a rough year for the former champion. After being informed back in May that his services would no longer be required come the end of the season, Vettel has often looked disinterested and off the pace. Perhaps understandably so, considering the appalling car that Ferrari produced for 2020 and his lack of an incentive to work towards improving it for next year.

There was, at least, a surprise podium in Turkey and it was fitting that he shared that podium with Hamilton as he matched the record of Vettel’s idol. A new project in Aston Martin green suits Vettel well and will surely see him producing the performances which we know he can deliver.

Highlight: Using his experience to claim one final podium for Ferrari amid the madness of Istanbul.

Lowlight: Spending most of the season half a second off the pace of his teammate.

Grade: C-

Charles Leclerc

8TH | PTS: 98 | WINS: 0 | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 4

Ferrari may have had a shocking year, but it has at least allowed the raw talent of Charles Leclerc to shine. He has consistently overdelivered and earned himself two unlikely podiums early in the year, whilst building on his momentum from last year and, frankly, crushing Vettel. The German’s farewell message even described Leclerc as “the most talented driver he has come across in 15 years of F1”.

There have been mistakes, however. Leclerc clumsily took both Ferraris out at the first corner in Styria and caused another early incident in Sakhir. He also threw away podium at the final few corners in Turkey. It is easy to forget, though, that this is only his third season in the sport and, if he irons out those errors, he could well deliver on Vettel’s big words over the next few years.

Highlight: A stunning drive to third place at Silverstone.

Lowlight: Judging by his radio message, that error in Turkey cut him deep.

Grade: B+

Daniil Kvyat

14TH | PTS: 32 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4th) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

Daniil Kvyat came on strong towards the end of the year, with an impressive fourth place at Imola and some great qualifying performances. But it was a case of too little, too late as he was dropped by AlphaTauri for the latest Red Bull prodigy in the shape of Yuki Tsunoda and is left without a seat for 2021.

The Russian’s Red Bull rollercoaster has finally come to an end but he appears determined to find a route back into the sport. He has certainly shown some talent over the years but has rarely been consistent. Will any team decide to give him a chance in 2022? Time will tell.

Highlight: Nearly snatching a podium at Imola.

Lowlight: The agonising minutes waiting to hear about Romain Grosjean after his (innocent) involvement in the accident.

Grade: C

Pierre Gasly

10th | PTS: 75 | WINS: 1 | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

What a difference a year can make and what a difference it has made for Pierre Gasly. Just over 12 months after being dropped by Red Bull, he took an incredible maiden victory at Monza in an AlphaTauri.

Whilst it obviously required a fair dose of luck, it was a fitting reward for what is one of F1’s great comebacks in recent years. Gasly has been excellent all year and the big question now is where he can go next. There is seemingly no place for him at Red Bull in the future and the rumours are that he has been speaking to Renault (or Alpine as they will be known) about a seat for 2022. He will need to ensure he beats Tsunoda first though.

Highlight: No competition. The biggest shock victory in years.

Lowlight: Being denied a shot at another podium in Imola by a mechanical failure.

Grade: A-

Kimi Räikkönen

16TH | PTS: 4 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 9TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 1

With Alfa Romeo struggling to get into the points, many expected Kimi Räikkönen to call it a day at the end of the season. And he has certainly seemed unenthused – even by his own standards – this year. But no, he lives to race once more.

He will turn 42 during the 2021 season but generally still delivers on race day, even if he seems to have lost some outright speed during qualifying. As much as it’s hard to believe, he must truly love racing if he’s happy to continue driving round in the lower midfield for another year.

Highlight: Bwoah, who knows? It was all okay.

Lowlight: See above.

Grade: C+

Antonio Giovinazzi

17TH | PTS: 4 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 9TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

Ninth at the opening grand prix of the year was as good as it got for Antonio Giovinazzi in 2020. There were two further points-scoring races but not much else of note.

The Italian has made some progress and edged out his teammate in qualifying, but most of the paddock expected him to make way for one of the many Ferrari academy drivers in F2 next year. As it was, Mick Schumacher went to Haas, Callum Ilott became Ferrari’s test driver and Robert Shwartzman has been given another year in F2. So, Giovinazzi gets another season. He will need to do something pretty special with it to prove his worth.

Highlight: Probably keeping his seat for next year.

Lowlight: Crashing at Spa for the second consecutive year (and receiving very little sympathy from his teammate).

Grade: C

Romain Grosjean

19TH | PTS: 2 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 9TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

It had been a fairly understated season from Romain Grosjean up until Bahrain, with very few incidents – which made a pleasant change from last year. But then came a crash that was the equivalent of a season’s worth of incidents, and then some.

The images of Grosjean miraculously escaping the fireball that had engulfed the remnants of his Haas will leave an indelible mark on the sport. It is a shame that he did not get to sign off in the manner that he would have liked with a heroic return in Abu Dhabi, but things will have been thoroughly put into perspective by that crash. Grosjean gets to go home to his young family and that is the biggest prize.

Highlight: Surviving a horrific, 53-G crash.

Lowlight: The point at which he “accepted death” whilst stuck in the cockpit.

Grade: An Honorary A

Kevin Magnussen

20TH | PTS: 1 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 10TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 7

2020 proved to be another frustrating year for Kevin Magnussen and he honestly seems happy enough to be losing his seat. Haas struggled again – particularly now that they were hampered with an underpowered Ferrari engine – and the 28-year-old managed just one single point all year. He certainly wasn’t aided by reliability, ending up with comfortably the most retirements on the grid, largely thanks to mechanical issues.

It is bizarre to think that Magnussen’s sole podium in his entire F1 career was on his debut. He has since said it was actually a poisoned chalice in that it set his expectations too high. A move to race for Chip Ganassi in the WTSCC will hopefully allow him to experience that champagne feeling for the first time in seven years.

Highlight: Briefly running third in Hungary after a strategy gamble paid off.

Lowlight: Most of the rest of the year.

Grade: C+

George Russell

18TH | PTS: 2 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 9TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 1 | RET: 4

Having spent most of the year once again excelling in a slow Williams, George Russell was suddenly propelled into the limelight as he replaced the Covid-stricken Hamilton at Mercedes. And boy, did he seize his opportunity.

Russell had earned the ‘Mr. Saturday’ nickname after never having been outqualified by a teammate and dragging the Williams into Q2 on numerous occasions. And he very nearly kept his perfect record despite his lack of experience – and barely fitting into the car – qualifying just two hundredths behind Bottas. He then topped that on Sunday by passing Bottas off the line and controlling the race. Only for a botched Mercedes pit stop and a puncture to cruelly deny him an extraordinary result.

Nonetheless, he enhanced his already burgeoning reputation and is now metaphorically – if not quite literally – hammering on Toto Wolff’s door for a seat at Mercedes in 2022.

Highlight: Passing Bottas to lead into the first corner for the first time.

Lowlight: Either the poor luck in Sakhir or spinning under the safety car when on for his first points with Williams.

Grade: A-

Nicholas Latifi

21st | PTS: 0 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 11TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

Nicholas Latifi came into the sport with a reputation as nothing more than a pay driver but, whilst not exactly setting the world alight, he has been closer to Russell than Robert Kubica was last year. And few have criticised the decision to retain him for next season.

He is another, though, who will likely have to find another level to prove remain in the sport for 2022. Especially with Williams under new management and less desperate for funds.

Highlight: Very nearly an unlikely point in 11th on his debut.

Lowlight: Russell’s appearance in a Mercedes meaning Latifi dropped below him in the standings.

Grade: C-

Mercedes

1st | Pts: 739 | Wins: 15 | Podiums: 32 | Poles: 10 | FL: 9 | Ret: 2

The Mercedes juggernaut steams on, crushing all in its path. Coming into this season, the dominance of the Silver Arrows looked under real threat…but then they set a record for consecutive one-two finishes from the start of the season and had both championships all but wrapped up by the summer break.

There was one calamitous race in Germany which, unfortunately, coincided with their celebrations for their 200th GP and 125 years of motorsport. But, aside from that, it was another pretty flawless year from Mercedes which ended with them taking a sixth consecutive championship double. That surpasses the record they previously shared with Ferrari from the Michael Schumacher era – a quite incredible achievement.

And you certainly wouldn’t bet against them making it seven next year. Ferrari and Red Bull closed up towards the end of the year, and we had some closer racers, but you get the impression Mercedes were coasting to the title and keeping their updates minimal to help them get a jump on the competition for 2020.

Grade: A

Ferrari

2ND | PTS: 504 | WINS: 3 | PODIUMS: 19 | POLES: 9 | FL: 6 | RET: 6

It was Ferrari who were supposed to be posing the aforementioned threat to Mercedes. But their apparent speed in pre-season testing was not realised come Melbourne and they only managed their first victory in the 13th race, albeit having come excruciatingly close in Bahrain, Canada and Austria.

The Scuderia went on a great run in qualifying after the summer break but were always on the back foot when it came to race pace and continued to find new and more inventive ways to shoot themselves in the foot – whether it was overcomplex team orders and strategies or drivers attempting to exert authority but instead crashing into each other.

And there is the debate as to whether clarifications over engine regulations have caught Ferrari out in some dodgy practices. Either way, they’ll need to find some speed and some stability next year to mount a sustained title challenge.

Grade: C+

Red Bull Racing Honda

3RD | PTS: 417 | WINS: 3 | PODIUMS: 9 | POLES: 2 | FL: 5 | RET: 4

Red Bull and Honda far exceeded their expectations from the first year of their partnership. Whilst they learnt a fair bit last year through Toro Rosso taking on the Honda engines, Red Bull management still expected something of a learning curve for both parties in 2019.

But Honda delivered a much-improved power unit and, after at first struggling to understand some of the aerodynamic intricacies of this year’s car, Red Bull kept Mercedes very much on their toes at a few types of circuit; high altitude still seems to do wonders for them, however.

They are aiming to build on this year and, for once, produce a car capable of taking victories from the very start of the season. If they do, they could well usurp Ferrari’s position as main challenger to Mercedes.

Grade: B+

McLaren Renault

4TH | PTS: 145 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 9

2019 has been exactly the kind of year that McLaren would have been aiming for in their task of rebuilding a once great team. After a few years of calamity and collapse, they seem to finally be getting things back on track.

They have two excellent young drivers, a much-improved atmosphere within the team and, suddenly, they have found themselves comfortably at the front of the midfield. It has been the real feel-good story of the season and they even managed their first podium in over five years at Interlagos.

Onwards and upwards for the popular, papaya team.

Grade: A-

Renault

5TH | PTS: 91 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 8

Renault totally failed in their goal of closing the gap to the ‘big three’ teams. They, in fact, fell further into the clutches of a very competitive midfield and even finished well behind a McLaren team who are using their Renault engine.

Things picked up a little in the second half of the season with some more consistent performances and the French team managed to cling on to fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. But that is still well below the lofty aims of Renault senior management.

Nico Hülkenberg’s head was the only notable one to roll so far – in favour of young Frenchman Esteban Ocon – but, if there is not significant progress made next year, you can be sure more will follow.

Grade: D

Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda

6TH | PTS: 85 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 2nD) | PODIUMS: 2 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 5

The competitiveness of the 2019 midfield has made it hard for teams to stand out but Toro Rosso took a noticeable step forward from 2018 and two unlikely driver pairings – namely, Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon/Pierre Gasly worked well.

Achieving not one but two podiums – having only experienced one before in the Faenza-based team’s long history – is another great story of 2019 and, whilst they narrowly lost out in their battle with Renault for fifth in the standings, this is a season Toro Rosso can look back on with pride.

Grade: B

Racing Point BWT Mercedes

7TH | PTS: 73 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 5

This was always likely to be something of a transitional year for Racing Point, following Lawrence Stroll’s buy-out of the team midway through 2018, so they will probably be reasonably satisfied to have remained in the main fight for the midfield spots.

Whilst they have often been ‘best of the rest’ in past years, the lack of funding, and thus development, as Force India came to an end could have seen them well off the pace this year but, after a slow start to the season, they came on strong after the summer break. Sergio Pérez‘s impressive run of points-scoring finishes moving them clear of Alfa Romeo and into the battle with Renault and Toro Rosso.

They even nearly managed their habitual unlikely podium in Germany with Lance Stroll‘s fourth place. They will now look to build on these foundations into next year and push back up the order.

Grade: C+

Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari

8TH | PTS: 57 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 4

Alfa Romeo came into the season with some impressive testing times and talk of them being dark horses with their radical design ideas; particularly around the front wing. Whilst not exactly making waves at the front, the first half of the year was pretty strong with the ageless Kimi Räikkönen picking up steady points.

Things somewhat tailed off, though and, although Antonio Giovinazzi upped his performances on the other side of the garage, the car spent most of the latter season in the lower half of the order. Still, they will probably be happy to finish ahead of Haas and this is a significant improvement on where the team was as Sauber just a couple of years ago.

Grade: C

Haas Ferrari

9TH | PTS: 28 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 6TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 1 | RET: 10

It was a strange year for the Haas team on a few fronts. On the racing side, they had some real issues – at the start of the year qualifying well but, largely due to issues with tyre temperatures, disappearing come race day and, after updates to the car actually made it worse, basically writing off the season and picking up just two points after the summer break. It also didn’t help that their drivers kept crashing into each other…

And away from the actual racing, there were the frankly bizarre dealings with their title sponsor. A company that had already raised many an eyebrow, Rich Energy then acted out a childish soap opera after just a few races, with twists and turns as to who had dumped whom in the partnership, or whether nobody had been dumped at all. Haas have a lot of work to do across the board.

Grade: D

Williams Mercedes

10TH | PTS: 1 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 10TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 4

It is a real shame to see what has become of this once mighty team. The last 15 years have had many ups and downs for Williams but this is surely their lowest ebb. It’s amazing to think that they were, arguably, the main competitor to Mercedes at the beginning of the hybrid era.

They started the season seconds off the pace – having missed a fair portion of pre-season testing – and never got themselves much closer to the pack. Williams are a proud outfit and refuse to become anything resembling a B-team but, with the way things are going, is that a sustainable stance? Will their pride come before an even bigger fall?

Grade: E-

Lewis Hamilton

1st | Pts: 413 | Wins: 11 | Podiums: 17 | Poles: 5 | FL: 6 | Ret: 0

The above statistics sum it up pretty well. Whilst Lewis Hamilton was unusually lacking in pole positions this year – by his usual standards at least – he dominated pretty much every other aspect of the season. He finished every single race in the points, was only off the podium in four of them and won more than half.

It’s that relentless consistency that sums up the world champion these days. Whilst still obviously incredibly quick, it is the metronomic excellence of his performances that have made this championship something of a formality, wrapped up fittingly with a ‘grand chelem’ in the final race.

And with no real changes to next season’s regulations, could we be talking about Hamilton as statistically the greatest driver ever this time next year?

Highlight: Clinching his sixth title with all his family (and Matthew McConaughey…) there.

Lowlight: Uncharacteristic mistakes from driver and team in Germany.

GRADE: A

Valtteri Bottas

2nd | Pts: 326 | Wins: 4 | Podiums: 15 | Poles: 5 | FL: 3 | Ret: 2

2019 proved to be something of a false dawn for Valtteri Bottas, or certainly ‘Bottas 2.0’ anyway. Whilst the Finn undoubtedly improved on what was a disappointing 2018, he still ultimately came up a fair way short of his world champion teammate in the end.

Of course, being Hamilton’s teammate is one of the hardest ever jobs in Formula 1 but, even in what was probably his best year so far, Bottas did not challenge Hamilton to the extent that Nico Rosberg did.

He will need to find another way to step up his level next year if he is to do so. Bottas 3.0 maybe?

Highlight: Redemption in Baku after last year’s heartbreak.

Lowlight: That costly crash at the Hockenheimring.

Grade: B

Sebastian Vettel

5th | Pts: 240 | Wins: 1 | Podiums: 9 | Poles: 2 | FL: 2 | Ret: 3

Sebastian Vettel came into this season as Ferrari number one and with aspirations of a world title challenge after the Italian team’s strong showing in winter testing. But that challenge looked thoroughly over by the summer break and he finishes the season with his number one status severely under threat, if not already gone.

Things went from bad to worse when the Ferrari drivers collided in Brazil and were both forced to retire, with most attributing the largest share of the blame to Vettel. The German has some soul-searching to do over the winter and will need to come back stronger next year to compete with his increasingly impressive teammate.

With his contract up at the end of 2020, will next season be Vettel’s last in the red of Ferrari? Could it even be his last in the sport?

Highlight: Laying to rest his Hockenheim demons with a drive from last to second place.

Lowlight: The highly controversial penalty that cost him a win in Canada.

Grade: C+

Charles Leclerc

4TH | PTS: 264 | WINS: 2 | PODIUMS: 10 | POLES: 7 | FL: 4 | RET: 3

Charles Leclerc has made quite the impression in his debut year for Ferrari. He came in hoping to be able to match the four-time world champion on the other side of the garage but has ended up beating him in pretty much every measurable way: more points, more wins, more poles and comfortably winning the qualifying head-to-head.

After a period of things not quite clicking, Leclerc changed his approach on a Saturday and promptly outqualified Vettel nine times in a row, claiming five poles and two wins during that run. The wins were both very emotional. His maiden victory coming on the tragic weekend in Spa where his friend, F2 driver Anthoine Hubert, was killed and the second in front of the Tifosi in Monza; a first win for Ferrari on home soil since 2010.

The crash at Interlagos may have cost him third in the championship but he can be very satisfied with his performances this season under the severe pressure of driving for the Scuderia in only his second year in the sport. With a bit more experience under his belt, next year could be even better.

Highlight: Making himself an instant hero for the Tifosi with a hard-fought win at Monza.

Lowlight: The victory that was snatched oh so cruelly away in the closing laps in Bahrain.

Grade: B+

Max Verstappen

3rd | PTS: 278 | WINS: 3 | PODIUMS: 9 | POLES: 2 | FL: 3 | RET: 2

Max Verstappen has competed with Hamilton for ‘driver of the year’ rights throughout the season and there is very little to separate them. Verstappen has often outperformed his Red Bull machinery and his level of performance is causing those in charge to struggle to fill the seat alongside him. The flying Dutchman crushed Pierre Gasly into a mid-season demotion to Toro Rosso and, certainly on sheer pace, his replacement hasn’t managed to get much closer.

We did see a couple of glimpses of ‘the old Verstappen’ in a first corner crash at Spa and some impetuosity during the qualifying debacle in Mexico. But, overall, he appears to have reached a new level of maturity whilst holding onto his raw speed.

He can be very proud of three wins this year. If Red Bull can keep up the momentum they have ended the year with, he could take even more next season.

Highlight: All three wins were showstoppers but the Austria comeback was particularly impressive.

Lowlight: Throwing away pole in Mexico by not slowing for yellow flags and then crashing early in the race.

Grade: A

Alexander Albon

8th | PTS: 92 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4th) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 1

What a journey Alexander Albon has been on. A little over a year ago, he thought his F1 dream was over and was preparing to join the Nissan e.dams teams in Formula E. But when Daniel Ricciardo announced he was leaving Red Bull, and Gasly was brought in to replace him, Albon was urgently parachuted into a Toro Rosso drive for 2019.

He gave a good account of himself in the first half of the year, generally matching his more experienced teammate, Daniil Kvyat, despite never having driven a Formula 1 car before pre-season testing. And then, suddenly, he was presented with a race-winning seat when Red Bull decided to give him a chance after Gasly’s demotion. He started promisingly with a great comeback drive in Spa but has not quite been able to keep up with Verstappen in a straight fight thus far.

Still, he did enough to retain the seat for 2020 and time will tell what he can do with a proper winter’s preparations.

Highlight: Impressing on his Red Bull debut and even passing Ricciardo around the outside during his comeback.

Lowlight: Being denied a first podium by an overambitious move from Hamilton on the penultimate lap in Brazil.

Grade: B-

Carlos Sainz

6TH | PTS: 96 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3rd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 4

Carlos Sainz re-announced himself as a star of the future – if not present – this year. After never quite getting to grips with the Renault, his star had seemed to be fading but, having stepped into the racing boots of his compatriot and idol Fernando Alonso, he has flourished as McLaren team leader.

One solid, understated, rarely filmed performance followed another, Sainz making the position of ‘best of the rest’ his own and was properly rewarded with an unlikely podium in the chaos of Brazil. He then claimed sixth in the drivers’ standings thanks to a great pass on the last lap of the last race. A fitting way to cap off his year.

Whilst obviously two drivers shared the second Red Bull seat, breaking into the top three teams’ usual lock-out of the top six positions is some achievement. He is one smooth operator.

Highlight: A first ever podium in Brazil and (eventually) celebrating it with the entire team.

Lowlight: Forgetting how few prisoners Verstappen takes in Bahrain and costing himself dearly.

Grade: A-

Lando Norris

11TH | PTS: 49 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 6TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 6

Lando Norris had more than his share of bad luck in his first F1 season but, nonetheless, he has made a name for himself. He got into Q3 in his first ever qualifying session and finished sixth in the next race. Whilst thoroughly outscored by Sainz, the gap in their points tallies isn’t totally representative due to the high number of issues outside the young Brit’s control. Numerous mechanical failures, poorly timed safety cars and botched pit stops have all blighted him.

But he has remained positive throughout and even made memes out of most of his misfortune. Norris is a breath of fresh air in the sport and has marked himself out as the joker of the paddock. He can be serious when needed, though, and shouldn’t be underestimated. He certainly has the speed, as shown by clinching the qualifying head-to-head with his teammate 11-10 at the final race of the season.

Highlight: Sixth place in only his second ever race.

Lowlight: A gut-wrenching mechanical failure on the last lap when running fifth in Spa.

Grade: B+

Daniel Ricciardo

9TH | PTS: 54 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 5

For the most part he has put on a brave and predictably smiley face…but this year must have been tough for Daniel Ricciardo. Renault splashed the cash and were aiming to close the gap to the big three but, in fact, dropped further back into the midfield and Ricciardo has been left fighting to scrape into the points at most races. He certainly enjoys that scrap and the intense racing that comes with it but, surely, he will be evaluating his options if Renault don’t make significant progress next year.

After a period of acclimatisation to his new surroundings, he stamped his authority over teammate Nico Hülkenberg and, by the end of the season, was comfortably ahead. Next year he will have a new challenge in the form of the incoming Esteban Ocon. He will once again be the elder statesman of the team with a feisty young upstart challenging him. Isn’t that what he was aiming to leave behind?

Highlight: Fourth place in Italy was Renault’s highest finish since the start of 2011.

Lowlight: Another mechanical failure in Germany costing him the chance of an upset.

Grade: B

Nico Hülkenberg

14TH | PTs: 37 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 5TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

Whatever or whoever cursed Nico Hülkenberg, did so very thoroughly. This year’s German GP looked like being his best chance of a long overdue podium but yet again it wasn’t to be, as he slid agonisingly into the barriers whilst very much in contention. And that may have been his last chance, it turns out.

Renault have decided to replace him with Ocon and, after deciding a pay cut to drive for Haas wasn’t worth it, he is suddenly out of the sport. Will he be back? Potentially. There will be a lot of change in 2021 and his reputation as an experienced head and reliable source of points remains intact, despite losing out to Ricciardo this year. Maybe at Alfa Romeo if Kimi Räikkönen finally decides to call it a day next year?

Highlight: A strong fifth place at Monza.

Lowlight: That crash in Germany costing another chance at a podium.

Grade: C

Daniil Kvyat

13TH | PTS: 37 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 3RD) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

Daniil Kvyat had some good moments this year – particularly the podium in Germany, obviously – but has returned somewhat to his previous grumpy persona and torpedo-ish ways since missing out on the Red Bull drive when Gasly was demoted. He seemed to be glad just to be back in the sport early in the year but that has evaporated and back-to-back penalties for late, desperate lunges in Mexico and the US (and his reaction towards those justified penalties) revealed the frustrations boiling under the surface.

He was also beaten too often by a rookie in the first half of the year and what was initially a crushed man in the second half of the year. He keeps his drive for next year (potentially competing under a neutral flag) but you get the feeling it may be his last one in the Red Bull system.

Highlight: An unlikely podium on the same weekend that his first child was born.

Lowlight: Missing out on a Red Bull seat again; another dip in his Red Bull rollercoaster.

Grade: C+

Pierre Gasly

7th | PTS: 95 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 2nd) | PODIUMS: 1 | POLES: 0 | FL: 2 | RET: 3

One could describe Pierre Gasly’s 2019 season as a rollercoaster but, if so, it was basically a big dipper with just the one drop at the start before being returned to the station. So, it’s an overused cliché from football rather than F1 that best sums up his year: it was very much a tale of two halves. He never got to grips with the Red Bull and, under the pressure of Verstappen’s relentless performances, started to fall apart. A demotion after just 12 races seems harsh but was ultimately not that much of a shock to the paddock.

To compound an already tough weekend in Belgium – his first since being demoted – Gasly lost a very close friend in Hubert and his performance in that race is a great credit to him. In fact, once back in the more familiar surroundings of Toro Rosso, the Frenchman showed what he is capable of on a consistent basis. And that culminated in a fully-deserved second place in Brazil, the release of emotion after the crossing the line palpable.

Highlight: That incredible podium at Interlagos and the Ayrton Senna-esque radio message that followed.

Lowlight: Finishing a lap down on his teammate in Hungary spelt the end of his time at Red Bull.

Grade: (D-)+(B+)=C

Sergio Pérez

10TH | PTS: 52 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 6TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

After a pretty disappointing first half of the season, Sergio Pérez had a ridiculously consistent second half. He went into the summer break with just 13 points – most of which came in Azerbaijan – but since coming back from his ‘holidays’ scored points in every race bar a mechanical retirement in Singapore. It was often, as ever, his expertise when it comes to preserving tyre life that proved crucial.

That consistency saw him climb into the top half of the standings and, in the end, crush his teammate in the way many were expecting. Racing Point made decent progress with their car after a step back at the start of the year – most likely due to the transition from Force India – and Pérez is staying with the team next year for a sixth season.

Whilst he continues to prove himself an ever-reliable set of hands, will he ever get another shot in a top team?

Highlight: Qualifying fifth and then holding on to sixth in Azerbaijan.

Lowlight: A clumsy spin in the German rain ending his chances in his type of Grand Prix.

Grade: B

Lance Stroll

15TH | PTS: 21 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 3

In stark contrast to his teammate, Lance Stroll barely picked up another point after the summer break, with just a 10th place in Spa and a ninth in Japan – the latter only coming courtesy of Renault’s double disqualification. Truthfully, even his 21-point tally is somewhat flattering, given 12 of them came from Racing Point’s successful gamble to switch to dry tyres in Germany which left the Canadian temporarily leading the race.

Stroll has held up his reputation for starting races very well but much of that is down to his awful qualifying record. He finished 18-3 down against Pérez and had the worst average grid position of anyone other than the Williams drivers. He will have to do more than this to shake off that ‘pay driver looked after by Daddy’ reputation.

Highlight: Suddenly, incredibly finding himself leading a Grand Prix in Germany.

Lowlight: Most qualifying sessions.

Grade: D+

Kimi Räikkönen

12TH | PTS: 43 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 4TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

Kimi Räikkönen started the season very well with talk of rejuvenation and Indian summers as he consistently racked up points and spent some of the first half of the season as ‘best of the rest’. But, as Alfa Romeo went off the boil after the summer break, so did Räikkönen to some extent, scoring points just once.

He also went from having his teammate comfortably covered to suddenly being pretty evenly-matched and often qualifying behind him. But Kimi doesn’t seem to care, as ever. He’s just enjoying racing still…even at 40. Who’d have thought that possibly the most apathetic driver ever will next year take the record for the most races in F1 history? He must love it really.

Highlight: Bwoah, who knows? It was all okay.

Lowlight: See above.

Grade: B-

Antonio Giovinazzi

17TH | PTS: 14 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 5TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

In the first half of the year, it looked like Antonio Giovinazzi was potentially not up to scratch as he failed to score points whilst teammate was racking up a fair haul. But the Italian got stronger as the year progressed and did enough to convince Alfa Romeo to keep him on for another season.

Unfortunately for him, as his performances increased, his team’s dwindled and, whilst he was often matching or beating Räikkönen, he wasn’t earning points. A freak fifth place in Brazil accounts for nearly 75% of his points tally. He will have to push on and find another level in 2020 to prove to Ferrari that he is worthy of their young driver slot in the junior Alfa Romeo team. After all, he’s not particularly young at 26.

Highlight: An unlikely fifth place at Interlagos.

Lowlight: Crashing out of a points-paying position on the last lap at Spa.

Grade: C-

Romain Grosjean

18TH | PTS: 8 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 7TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 7

It has been another error-strewn season for Romain Grosjean. From repeated clashes with his teammate to spinning at the pit exit during a practice session, these are incidents that a driver of his experience shouldn’t be making; certainly not with this frequency.

He certainly still has a flash of speed on his day and the fact that he was proven right with regards to his idea to revert to the Australia-spec Haas car is probably what kept him in a seat for next year. Grosjean performed more consistently towards the end of the year but the Haas performance had fallen off a cliff and he didn’t pick up a single point after the summer break.

Highlight: Having his suspicions that the car had actually become worse proven right.

Lowlight: Immediately spinning into the barriers at the pit exit during Practice 1 in Britain.

Grade: D

Kevin Magnussen

16TH | PTS: 20 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 6TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 1 | RET: 3

Earlier in the year, Kevin Magnussen was generally qualifying very well but then suffering from Haas’s non-existent race pace and coming out of the weekend without much to show for his efforts. And, again, as the Haas car fell down the pecking order through the season, his qualifying performances were barely getting him out of Q1.

He was also, obviously, on the other end of those inter-team collisions with Grosjean, though, which didn’t help. The fault has generally laid somewhere between 50/50 and Magnussen and he continues to not make many friends out on the track. Not that he seems to care. His outright speed is currently keeping him in an F1 seat but, at some point, surely he’ll have to ask himself if there isn’t another way when it comes to wheel-to-wheel racing. Particularly with your teammate.

Highlight: Starting the season with a strong sixth-place finish in Australia.

Lowlight: The collision with Grosjean at Silverstone taking out both cars.

Grade: C+

Robert Kubica

19TH | PTS: 1 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 10TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

Robert Kubica’s return was not quite the fairy-tale story that many had hoped for. The Williams has, of course, been a long way off the pace but Kubica has also been a fair way off the pace of his rookie teammate. There had been rumours regarding whether the drivers had equal machinery but, even after swapping chassis, it would appear that the Pole sadly just didn’t have the pace and that was backed up by an eventual qualifying 21-0 whitewash.

He did at least claim the unlikeliest of points in Germany to have something to show for what was nonetheless an incredible comeback, almost a decade after a near-fatal injury. We must not forget the man was basically driving with one hand.

Highlight: A points-finish in Germany in a car that seemed unlikely ever to achieve one.

Lowlight: Consistently driving round in last place, being lapped two or three times.

Grade: D (But A for Effort)

George Russell

20TH | PTS: 0 | WINS: 0 (BEST: 11TH) | PODIUMS: 0 | POLES: 0 | FL: 0 | RET: 2

George Russell finished the season as the only driver without a point but that is far from the story of his impressive debut season thus. Whilst Kubica is an unknown quantity since his return, Russell frankly destroyed him. 21-0 in qualifying and 17-4 on Sunday. And beating your teammate is about all you can do in a car so off the pace as this year’s Williams.

Russell very nearly dragged the car miraculously into Q2 when the playing field was levelled a little in Hungary and even set a lap record whilst testing the Mercedes earlier in the year. Last year’s F2 champion would appear to have a very bright future ahead of him.

Highlight: That Hungarian qualifying lap. 16th in this Williams is stunning.

Lowlight: Missing out on a point in Germany.

Grade: B+