2020 Season - Rate the Drivers

[Chrill]

Has Vettel truly been the absolute worst driver of the season? Well, probably not the worst. He's driving a Ferrari though, and even with the poor state it's in this year, Leclerc has scored two podiums and a P4. Vettel has scored two P10s and a P6 as his best.

[Penfold]

I know that after Hungary I made this remark in the 'MF1 standings' thread: "Still, look on the bright side, I got a sixth place out of Vettel in Hungary... not likely to get much better than that in 2020."

... but I really didn't expect Seb to try and prove me right with such gusto!

[Chrill]

Well, on Friday in Spain, he was the third best Ferrari behind Leclerc and Grosjean. That's something.

[Penfold]

... and he was the second best guy in a red car across the weekend.  That's also something.

[Chrill]

He was the best finisher in a red car this weekend, that's not too shabby at all! I will rate the race, probably this afternoon.

[Penfold]

He might not have been that fast, but for keeping those softs alive until the end I'm reckon a 7/10 is due.

[Chrill]

I'm tempted to award him a slightly higher score, but I haven't made my mind up. He keeps failing to reach Q3, but I do try to rate the race alone and not the entire weekend.

[Penfold]

Ahh, I always factor in qualifying as well.

[Penfold]

Ocon rates his 2020 efforts at six out of ten: https://www.racefans.net/2020/08/27/ocon-gives-himself-six-out-of-ten-for-first-races-since-return/

Funnily enough, the two of us combined have also rated him 6/10 this year.

[Chrill]

I better rate Spain before it's too late. Maybe I'll rate Ocon a six.

[Penfold]

Race is but a foggy memory for me; more than happy to skip it.

[Chrill]

I will use the wonders of the Internet to refresh my memory, but without the regular commentary.

(S)pain, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
Lewis Hamilton - 9/10
Valtteri Bottas - 6/10

Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow:
Sebastian Vettel - 9/10
Charles Leclerc - X/10 (Retired with that weird spin at the end of the lap, somewhat halfway through the race)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing:
Alexander Albon - 6/10
Max Verstappen - 9/10

McLaren F1 Team:
Lando Norris - 6/10
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 8/10

Renault DP World F1 Team:
Daniel Ricciardo - 5/10
Esteban Ocon - 5/10

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
Pierre Gasly - 7/10
Daniil Kvyat - 6/10

BWT Racing Point F1 Team:
Sergio Perez - 8/10
Lance Stroll - 8/10

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN:
Kimi Räikkönen - 7/10
Antonio Giovinazzi - 5/10

Haas F1 Team:
Romain Grosjean - 4/10
Kevin Magnussen - 6/10

Williams Racing:
Nicholas Latifi - 5/10
George Russell - 6/10

[Penfold]

You fiend, now I'm going to have to score it as well.  Later.  Or maybe even tomorrow.  Yeah, another day will only aid my memory....

[Penfold]

The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.

Merc:
Hammy - 8
Val - 5

Ferrari:
Seb - 8
'It is I' - X

Red Bull:
Blur - 5
Max - 8

McLaren:
Chuck Norris - 6
Rally Guy's Son - 8

Renault:
Ricky Hairdo - 5
Ocon - 4

Boris Johnson (aka Alpha Tory):
Greasy Peril - 7
The Torpedo - 5

Received Pronunciation:
Perez - 7
The Stroller - 7

Alfauber:
Kimi - 7
Adam Ant - 5

Haas:
Big Jean - 4
Son of Magnus - 6

Williams:
Latifi - 5
Jack Russell - 6

Not perfect but it will do.

[Chrill]

Right. The Great Race of Belgium.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
Lewis Hamilton - 8/10 (Definitely dominant, but not as far away from Bottas as we've become accustomed to)
Valtteri Bottas - 7/10 (Kept Verstappen at bay, sometimes looked able to challenge Hamilton, but didn't quite get within DRS range)

Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow:
Sebastian Vettel - 7/10 (I don't know if he could have done much more here. It's hard to rate a driver when the car is uncharacteristically slow. Is it slow because of him, or despite him?)
Charles Leclerc - 6/10 (Like Vettel, but behind)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing:
Alexander Albon - 6/10 (Started well, struggled with the very fast Renaults, and ended up behind them)
Max Verstappen - 7/10 (Failed to keep his tyres alive and backed down a lot at the end, but still a podium. Two more laps? Probably not a podium)

McLaren F1 Team:
Lando Norris - 8/10 (The McLaren wasn't really the fastest in a straight line, but had a rather neutral setup which helped him preserve tyres and push that bit harder)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - X/10

Renault DP World F1 Team:
Daniel Ricciardo - 9/10 (This is a 10, right? Well, maybe not. He had a car that was almost as fast as Verstappen, but finished behind him. Maybe next race he can bring it properly, with an even lower downforce circuit)
Esteban Ocon - 8/10 (He beat Albon not by strategy but by pure pace, but by the time he did he was far behind Ricciardo)

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
Pierre Gasly - 9/10 (The only driver to make an alternative strategy somewhat work, despite the SC working against him)
Daniil Kvyat - 6/10 (It's not good enough, Danny boy. Your car looked good here, you didn't)

BWT Racing Point F1 Team:
Sergio Perez - 6/10 (Suffered from his team making the wrong call)
Lance Stroll - 7/10 (Suffered from lack of top speed)

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN:
Kimi Räikkönen - 9/10 (At a power hungry circuit, the Alfa has no business fighting for P11. Kimi did not care, and fought for P11 before settling for 12th. He really does like this track)
Antonio Giovinazzi - 3/10 (It's not the first time Giovinazzi goes off on his own at Spa)

Haas F1 Team:
Romain Grosjean - 7/10 (Ferrari engine)
Kevin Magnussen - 4/10 (Ferrari engine but behind everybody)

Williams Racing:
Nicholas Latifi - 7/10 (Beat the Magnus, and followed Grosjean home. Decent stuff!)
George Russell - X/10