P1 with Matt and Tommy - Brazil GP Driver Ratings: F1-to-10

Episode Date: November 5, 2024

It's the episode you've all been waiting for: our driver ratings for the most chaotic F1 race weekend you'll ever see. Brace yourselves. Join us for our End of Season tour across the UK this December! Get your tickets here!Sign up to our Patreon here! You'll get access to bonus episodes, our classic race podcast series, every P1 episode ad-free, early access to live tickets and merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with other F1 fans!Follow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the P1 podcast. A lot of P's there with Matt and Tommy. We are here. Brazilian Grand Prix analysis, the driver ratings that you all know and love. And actually, I think a lot of you do love it. So thank you for all of your support for this series. We're loving it again and we're really enjoying it. And I feel like Brazil's going to be a very easy one to do because it was quite a boring race, sort of lights the flag.

Easy peasy, done and dusted. Thank you very much. Sprint as well. So there's really not much to talk about realistically. Tommy, how are you feeling ahead of this driver ratings? I think this could be, I don't think I've ever done a driver ratings or even seen a Grand Prix where you've had such polar opposite drives from certain people. Like you've literally had people put in arguably one of the greatest drives of all time. and then other drivers have just driven into the gravel trap on the formation. Oh, I wonder who you're alluding to is the greatest driver of all time, Tommy, I wonder. We'll get on to that, I'm sure, at the end of driver ratings for a particular someone,

but you have to wait until then, Tommy, all right? Just keep it back for a little while. Now, before we get into everything, just want to say, if you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a five-star review. Let's know why we're going to read a few out in the coming podcasts. We'd love to hear why you enjoy listening to me and Tommy. But right, let's move on now and start with Ollie Bearman.

Started the sprint in 10th, finished 14th, started the race in 15th, finished 12th. So I'm going into these driver ratings with a slightly less harsh way of going about things, right? Because I feel as though surviving Sunday's race should be awarded at least some kind of like well done point. I've gone for a five out of 10 for Ollie Bearman. It was a chaotic experience for him. I've seen an onboard. And it was quite scary to listen to, to be honest, listening to the team radio and the onboard together,

where he's essentially saying, like, I'm trying not to die out here because the rain got so bad. And you can see with Ollie Baer, and obviously he's a very inexperienced Formula One driver compared to others. And he's sort of, he's struggling to stay on the track. He's genuinely trying to guess where the track is.

Now, of course, he does make some mistakes. He gets penalty and this sort of stuff. But I think for an inexperienced driver like Berman, I'm not going to be any harsher than a five out of ten, because he did well just to get to the flag, in my opinion. So I've gone for a four out of ten for Olly Berman. Disguisful. Just a bit lower.

Yeah, one grade. Absolutely outrageous. Like, polar opposite. Yeah, such disagreement. I do agree with you. sense that, you know, he's a new driver, but, you know, it felt like I can appreciate, it seems in particular the Hasse, and we'll get onto his teammate later, did not enjoy the wet conditions. I think they were going to have a fantastic result if it had been dry all weekend from the

looks of things and how they were performing. But, yeah, it was disappointing for, for, for for Olly Behrman, because I think it was a case of what might have been. Got to think in the sprint as well, he made that mistake when he was looking like he was going to have a fantastic result. And then, yes, he's a rookie, well, a rookie kind of. But it did feel like every time we saw him, he was spinning off. And there were definitely points on the card. So that's why I've gone for a four out of ten. Okay.

The fans gave Olly Beerman a five. Nika Holkenberg started the sprint in 12th did not finish, started the race in 18th, disqualified. I have gone for a three out of 10 for Nika Holkenberg. Wow, looks like you had not decided prior to recording. No, I was thinking if I need to be harsher, but no, I think I will go for a three out of ten for Nika Holcombberg. He is meant to be very good in these conditions, especially around this track. and yeah the fact that I think in both conditions really the fact that Olly Behrman looked on his level sometimes quicker than him is not good for Nika Holkenberg as he is the experienced driver that's been in the car a long time

and yeah for him to to spin off in the race obviously the disqualification was because of Marshall's putting him back on but would he have got back on without that help? Probably not. So, yeah, a very disappointing weekend for Holkenberg and Hasse in general, because of course everything that happened with Alpine, they could have been leapfrogged. Well, they have been leapfrogged. Indeed, yes, I mean, they have. And that's just purely from an Alpine masterclass.

But we'll get on to them. I've gone for a three out of ten as well for Nika Holkenberg. Just a poor weekend in an opportunity where Holkenberg, in some other circumstances could have got a podium. You know, these are the races where the driver makes the difference. I did find it interesting how Nico said after the race that, you know, basically said about the track conditions and how only Max Verstappen seems to be the one to cope with them.

But yeah, he was unlucky. You know, on the face of it, he's had a DNF and a disqualification. How on earth we're giving him a three. But it was quite unlucky to have that spin. Other drivers had spins and carried on. He had a spin and got beached in the most awkward. angle. It wasn't even beached. His wheels were just off the ground. It was just so unlucky. It's like getting stuck on like when you're playing on the F1 simulator, you know, on a simulator and then you

just get stuck on a curb and then you just press reset to track because you can't go anywhere. Unfortunately, Nico pressed reset to track and it was the marshals running on to push him back. And they were, they were buzzing. They were absolutely loving the fact they got Nico back up and running and then he got the black flag. So sad for him. But yeah, I've gone for a three. The fans gave him a four. Joe Guan Yu. Everybody, lock yourselves in. Started from the pit lane, finished a sprint in 17th,

started the race in 19th and finished 15th. I've been tossing and turning over this one. I've lost sleep, actually, over what I'm going to give Joe Guan Yu in this race. Because, look, he got to the end in both sessions. Did he come last? Yes, of the finishes. Oh, because it's like expectation versus like actually grading him. I'm giving him a four.

I'm sorry. I was maybe going to give him a five just by the fact that he got to the end. But come on. What more do we need for just show to not finish last? Like he was off the back in qualifying by an absolute country mile and then still finish last, despite everyone having excursions, crashes, and everything else, he still was the last of the finishes. So it's a four from me.

I've also gone for a four out of ten, Foché Guanyu. Yeah, his usual kind of appalling in qualifying, very, very slow indeed. And you think, yes, the car was terrible, but maybe this is a chance to do something or show a little bit of something, which his teammate did at point. throughout the weekend.

So, yeah, just kind of anonymous, but I can't be too harsh because he actually made it to the end. Exactly. Well done, Joe. Four out of ten for you. And the fans gave him a four as well. Valtry Bottas, started the sprint in 15th,

finished 16th, started the main race in the 11th, finished 13th. I've gone for a six out of ten for Valtry Bottas. He was unfortunate not to score a point, particularly as maybe it's some people think that other teams and drivers potentially should have got harsher penalties that might have bumped Bottas up in his fight with Legan sergeant in the championship. But I think his highlight is definitely where he started in the main race to qualify 11th

in that absolute dustbin. It's brilliant and just a shame for him that couldn't deliver a better result in the race because once the restart happened, he kind of shuffled back down and was kind of back where he was. Absolutely. I am going to give Valtrey Bottas a 7 out of 10. I don't even care anymore with these guys. Like, look, he nearly got to Q3.

That in itself is a 7 out of 10 full stop. Thank you very much. No questions asked. He could DNF both the sprint and the race. He nearly got into Q3 in a quite literal car that he has to use his feet to actually get round the circuit like Fred Flintstone. So that is a really boomer reference,

which I'm sure a lot of people understand and get. But to be, be fair, both drivers said it took an absolute eternity for the, to get the tires into the right window. So that's probably the reason why Botas fell back. And then obviously he couldn't do anything once he's, once he's there. But that, that quality was sensational. I think without the red flag, he may well have even got through to Q3, which would have been an immediate 10 out of 10. No questions asked. Okay, the fans gave Bottas a five. Absolutely disgusting. Like, put some respect on Bottas's name.

Yuki Sanoda started the sprint in 17th, finished 15th, started the main race in third and finished seventh. I am going to go four. A nine out of ten for Yuki Sonoda. I think it was a fantastic weekend. Slightly scuppered by the red flag, which, well, he was literally leading the train for third place for a very long time. And he still scored points, finished seventh. I think it was a really good weekend for Sonoda in situational. and circumstances and conditions that you might think,

well, Yuki might overdrive and try and prove his worth a bit too much and crash. He didn't. He scored some great points. It is what could have been because I genuinely feel like had things panned out a little bit better. A podium was on the cards. But alas, still a seventh place and it's a nine out of ten from me. I've also gone for a nine out of ten for Yuki Sonoda. It was, yeah, it had a very tough sprint, particularly compared to his teammate.

but his race was so good that it warrants a nine out of ten. It is definitely a what might have been because if you'd have said at the start of the weekend, a P7 in the race would have absolutely taken it, but I think they'll be actually a little bit gutted, will be gutted when you see where the Alpines were, for example, and he was ahead of them for much of the race, unbelievable job in qualifying to put it where he did,

and then didn't make any mistakes. It was just his finishing position really was just determined by that red flag moment and was never going to catch the superior cars ahead of him, all the Alpins that obviously got, that had stayed out and reaped the rewards of it. So, yeah, a great job from Yuki and a race I think he desperately needed as well. The fans gave Yuki Sonoda an eight. Liam Lawson started the sprint in eighth, finished the sprint ninth, started the main race in fifth,

finished ninth. I've gone for a seven out of ten for Liam Lawson. It was a good weekend for him, but I think he lacked in the race compared to his teammate. Didn't quite look on Sonoda's level, despite having a very good sprint. But still a very solid weekend. from him and still puts him very much in the frame for that red ball seat with just

when other cars are obviously skating off the road and he's done a very solid job. I'm going to give him an 8 out of 10. I think Lawson, considering he was yeated by Piastri on lap 26, I think that that in itself, you know, was something that wasn't his fault. It was a Piastri mistake that he got penalised for. And of course, you know, you don't know exactly if he's carrying any damage from that and whatnot. And realistically, I think he drove very, very well.

well for the lack of experience that he has. And to score, you know, a few points for R.B is crucial, although Alpine scored a hell of a lot more. But yeah, I think an eight is still worthy for Lawson. The fans gave him a seven. Franco Colopinto started the sprint in 14th, finished 12th, started the main race, and 16th did not finish. I've gone for a four out of 10 for Franco Colapinto. He crashed the car, so I can't really be too much more generous than that. difficult race for him. It's not like he particularly excelled in qualifying either, but certainly a lot of learning that will have happened for Franco to, yeah, to bin it under safety car conditions as well is something I'm sure he'll try not to do again, but they were very, very difficult conditions. He said he was

just trying to keep tire attempts up and then he lost the car. So it's a four from me. I've gone for a three out of ten for Franco Colapinto. Such a huge, huge shame that he is. had the weekend he did when so many people had come over from Argentina to watch. He was still getting applauded and cheered for every single moment, which was awesome to see. But it was such a shame that he didn't have the race that I guess everyone was hoping for. The sprint was unfortunate. It wasn't on Album's level really. And then to crash in qualifying and the main race was a disaster for Williams with how their season's gone with the kind of destructors championship, of course, as well. So, yeah, not a good weekend for Franco.

Oh, yeah, I'm changing to a three. I forgot equal crash and qualifying as well. Two crashes. I can't give them a four. Okay, cool. All right. Thanks, Tommy, for reminding me about the quality crash as well. Far too many things have happened this weekend. The fans, however, gave Franco a four. Alex Albonne started the sprint in ninth, finished 10th. Well, didn't start the race in seventh, but qualified seventh and didn't start. I've gone for a two out of ten for Alex Albin. I have to be harsh because essentially he binned the car so badly that he didn't even start the race. And it's a disaster for Williams.

I know that it's very tricky conditions. A lot of people have spun off. But it's that risk versus reward, particularly when you know that the race is later in the day. How much do you push? How much do you kind of make the risk? And at the end of the day, he's the experience one. he's the team leader and he's you look at what happened with the Alpines and everything. I'm sure Williams will be looking back on that race thinking we could, we could have been,

especially with Albin's pace, you know, they could have gotten a fantastic result. And instead they've slumped down to to ninth in the championship. So an absolute disaster for Williams and a tough on album that he didn't even get to race. Yeah, I've gone for a three out of ten for Albon. Yeah, he had one crash, but that crash was a race weekend ending crash. Of course, some of that is due to the fact that, of course, qualifying and the main race was on at the same time, or the same day, sorry. So, yeah, it was, he risked it for the chocolate biscuit, wasn't he? He felt really good in the car, obviously.

He was right up there. I think he was second at one point in qualifying. And we're wondering, you know, where is this going to go for Albon? but no, it didn't work out and he had a massive crash which took three corners of the car off so it's, yeah, it's sad because as you say,

I think Albon could have scored some really good points but instead crashed the car massively and that was it. The fans gave him a five. Esteban Ocon, start the sprinting 16th, finish 13th, start the main race and fourth, finish second.

It is a four out of 10 for Esteban Ocon. It was a, it was a sprinting 16th, a poor weekend from him, you know, the sprint, 13th place, you know, in an Alpine, which is clearly a front-running car now. Obviously, a 10 out of 10 for Ocon. Well done. Esty bestie. Back on the podium, baby. He didn't say the Monaco famous or infamous phrase, as you might call it. But yeah, it's a 10 out of 10 for Ocon. What a, I mean, at one point, I thought he was going to win the race, genuinely. And I think Vestappen did as well, because he was absolutely flying in in those conditions.

So yeah, what more could you have done, Ocon? So well done, 10. Yeah, I've gone for a 10 out of 10 as well, of course. The sprint was really poor compared to his teammate. And I think after the sprint, we were discussing like, oh, God, O'Conn's form. Like, it's really dropped off and he had a tough weekend last time. And then, yeah, when he qualified where he did,

you thought even a top five would be a sensational result. So for him to get second, even challenging for the win was unbelievable. And yes, it's the same as other drivers, which we'll talk about later. The red flag situation and stuff, it's not just luck because it's risk versus reward. We were on the watchalong basically going, surely you just stay out, brave the conditions. because if it does get too wet, they're red flagged it and then you've got a free pit stop.

And not only did Ockon brave it, he was the best driver in those conditions. He was pulling away from Max de Stappen. He was absolutely brilliant and completely deserved podium. It was an absolutely amazing drive. It really was. And of course the fans have also given Ockon

a 10 out of 10. Well done, SD. Pierre Ghazli, start the sprint in 7th, finished 7th, finished third. I've gone for a 10 out of 10 for Gatsley as well, of course. His sprint was great. The qualifying, he kind of fell similar to Vestappen

in being quite unlucky with the way the red flag fell, but made up some positions, put himself in the mix with the red flag situation, and then stayed there. And what a unbelievable result to have them both on the podium. I think the craziest thing of the whole race, there was a lot of crazy things that happened, was seeing them.

arm in arm, having an interview together reminiscing about them, carting when they were younger and stuff, which was amazing to see. And, yeah, Gasly, absolutely brilliant drive as well. Amazing stuff. I've also gone for a 10 out of 10, and you could almost say that Gazley's weekend was perhaps, well, overall, better than knock-ons, because he delivered in the sprint as well and scored a couple of points in the Alpine. We were like, whoa, seventh, Gasly.

Come on, here we go. and then he just ups it and gains 10 positions in the race and scores a podium. Yeah, phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal. And I'm glad to see that both Gassley and Ocom back up there again, showing their skills, especially in these tricky conditions, the great leveller, as they call it. And yeah, I mean, what a drive. Gassley is one of those drivers that turns up in crazy races.

Of course, he won Monza, didn't he, when it was a crazy race? And you see this again with an amazing P3 in a shocking car that, that for some reason turned on in the wet. So a 10 out of 10 for me. The fans also gave Gassley a 10. So speaking of 10s, we're now going to go to Lance Stroll, who started the sprint from the pit lane

and finished 19th and started the race in 10th, but didn't because he didn't start the race because he spun and then drove into the gravel trap to beach himself. Just to remind, drove into the gravel trap. So voluntarily,

drove his car into the gravel trap. This is the most categorical zero out of 10 that's ever been given. If I could give negative numbers, I would for Lance Stroll, because that is an absolute shocker. And if you're Astin Martin, if you're someone that works in Aston Martin, how demoralized must you be to have Lance Stroll on one side of the garage and then the complete opposite of Fernando Alonzo who is in so much pain and is like, no, I'm going to finish the race for you guys, I'm going to do something for the team, for the mechanics.

But then you've got Stroll, who is quite literally just a waste of a seat. I think we can all sort of agree that right now with these kind of performances that you see these young rookies, these young talented drivers coming through. And Stroll, Strull didn't even have the knowledge to not drive into a really deep gravel trap.

Like that's just, this is supposed to be the pinnacle of Formula One, of motorsport, of this wonderful motorsport world. This is supposed to be the pinnacle. And you're telling me that Stroll didn't know that he would beach his car in that gravel trap. It's absolutely unforgivable. So it's a zero and I would give him a minus two if I could. yeah I've gone for a zero out of ten as well it is maybe the worst mistake

in terms of just pure embarrassment and inexcusable I've ever seen I cannot blame him if he'd spun off on the formation lap and carried on he's not getting his hero because it's tricky conditions it's all because of that gravel trap moment

there's a video actually where there's a fan filming it from the kind of left-hand side of the track where you can see there's so much runoff and he even reverses into the runoff so he could just keep reversing it's not even like he's anywhere near the gravel trap

and has to use it. So the fact that he's already in reverse and could just make his way out of it, it's literally like watching a learner driver that's checked all their mirrors and ready to go and they're just driven straight into a walk because it's just

he's a veteran of the sport now. He's done 160-odd races. There's no excuse at all for that. And just even more demoralising is the fact that those mechanics will have, you know, stayed up, sorted his car after the crash in qualifying, fixed it for him. Maybe he was doing them a favour that he didn't smash it in the war during the race and he just parked it in the gravel.

I don't know, but it was awful. Maybe it was a kind favourite from him. He was like, you know what? I don't fancy this. I'm going to finish the race for the mechanics because you've all done a hard job. Stroh's like, I'm not going to start the race because you've all done a hard job to rebuild this. Thank you. Yeah.

Let me get on my private jet now and go home, maybe. And did you actually see that the Brazilian fans were chanting Drugovich as he was driving into the gravel? I heard some of them were shining Bellingham as well. There's a lot of people that could have easily replaced it. I think I wouldn't have even driven it into the gravel. Probably wouldn't have found reverse. Exactly. It's a better thing to do, which is crazy to think.

Oh dear. Solan stroll. It's a zero from the fans as well. No surprise there. Fernando Alonzo started the sprint from the pit lane, finished 18th, started the main race in 9th, finished 14th. I've gone for a six out of 10 for Fernando Alonte. Of course, on paper, it looks pretty terrible that he's

battling the stakes. But when you actually look at the context of it, he was up there battling in P8, P9, before the restart, where he had a break issue. And he could have easily just come into the pits and retired. But he carried on for the mechanics, had the, you know, the bumps and everything and was in pure agony. He had to be pretty much carried out of his car. And I've never seen Fernando Alonzo look like that at the end of a Grand Prix.

he looked like he was in tears at the end, just making it through that race. And I think, yeah, without the break issue, he would have scored some points, and it would have been the reward that the mechanics deserved for repairing his car. But instead, he just battled on and carried on instead. Yep, I've gone for a six as well. I think that, you know, that glimpse of what was possible before he started having the issues is why I'm going to give him a six rather than a five, because as you say, on paper, that is an 18th and a 14th, and he's battling Bottas and Joe Guan Yu.

It's not really the best reading. But look, I'm going to give him a six because these ratings are just for fun. And we're going to commend the fact that he was willing and able to finish that race with issues, despite all of the terrible conditions that were out there. And, yeah, he could have scored a point had things not gone away from him. The fans gave him a five. Oscar Piastri, start the sprinting first, finish second. started the main race in eighth, finished eighth.

Well, now we're into contentious territory here. This is where you've got great things to sort of talk about and also not so great things. So that's why I'm going to give Oscar Piastri a six out of ten. He won the sprint in my eyes. He won the sprint. He gave up the victory for his teammate to mount a championship challenge, which ended the day after.

So he's probably like, damn, I wish I'd just kept that sprint win over the, one point that I gave up. So yeah, Oscar was brilliant in the sprint. In the main race, not so great. He was lacking pace. He just absolutely sent Lawson into the Shadow Realm. Yeah, just the McLaren's weren't particularly great in those conditions, it seemed,

which was surprising to see. You wouldn't think there'd be that much of a drop off. But, yeah, Oscar was just pretty anonymous. Obviously, eighth place to start as well. In a wet race, that's not where you want to be, be after qualifying. So I think a six is fair. Let's see what the comments say.

I am going to go with a five out of ten. I was going to go for a four, but I've changed it to a five. Yeah, a really poor race from him. I don't think the McLaren was suited as much to those conditions, but there was a chance to, you know, do something. something and the fact that he qualified badly and then made the mistake as well. But in the sprint, you know, he that like you say was his victory. He showed the best side of him in that. And that's

obviously a lot of points to win, win the sprint or even second where he actually finished. So at least he's bagged a good amount of points from McLaren in the Constructors title when the two other teams fighting basically only had one car in the race. So from that side, it's not as disastrous for Oscar Piastri. But still a weekend to forget, I'd say. The fans gave Oscar a five. Lando Norris, started the sprint and second, finish first, started the main race in first, finish sixth.

I've gone for a five out of ten for Lando Norris. I think I was oming an Ring of how you compare him to Oscar Piaastri. But because if there is a very important, essentially had very, very different drives. We'll start with a sprint, of course. He inherited the win, but he's still there fighting for, you know, he's going to get P2 regardless. As for the main race, unfortunately, it's, it was very,

it's what we've seen of Landon Norris this year where he's incredibly quick. He was so much quicker than Oscar Piastri. He was able to, in terms of speed, he was able to deliver with that McLaren in those conditions. But the problem was there were far too many mistakes, far too many, you know, went off twice, had a very difficult race with the incidents. Of course, he did get unfortunate with the red flag and pitting.

I'd argue I'm surprised that they pit anyway. Like I mentioned with the Alpines, you always run that risk of it. happening but yeah uh just such a such a weekend to forget for for lando because the the mistakes is is going to be what everyone remembers that race for you know him going off particularly um when max was making that move for the lead so yeah uh just a really tough tough weekend for him but i can't give him higher or lower than oscar because it's kind of summed up the two drivers of Lando was quicker but made more mistakes and they ended up not too far apart.

I mean, Oscar literally let him through in the main race as well. Exactly. I've also, I've gone for a six out of ten for Lando. So again, I haven't made any difference between Oscar and Lando. I think that, as you say, very different races, but also I think they both come into the same grade. Lando was up there, scored great points in the sprint. It was of course given the victory, but as you say, still second. And then in the main race, he qualified on pole.

We're not going to slander him for that because he did. He managed the conditions well and got pole position. And then, yeah, losing the, I mean, so many things happened in his race. It's ridiculous. Of course, just losing the lead at term one. And then it just, it is interesting how, of course, this whole quote about nothing we did wrong about, you know, the red flag. It's not talent, it's luck. I would argue that staying out in treacherous conditions

waiting for something favourable to happen is talent. It's talent, very much talent. You've got worn intermediates in really slippery conditions. Just staying on the track was masterful in itself for the likes of Vestappen and so on that stayed out. So I don't think it's complete luck. Anyone that's watched Formula One knows that, okay, those kind of conditions, we're going to get a red flag

because either someone's going to bin it or race control are going to step in and red flag it. are you going to lose 20, 25 seconds if you don't pit when they're not even going on to wets anyway. We've both called it on the watcherlons. We've both called it. And a lot of people commented on. If you go on to at P1 Extra, we've uploaded a clip where we've put our watchalong highlights. And we both call it.

We say you've got to stay out because they'll red flag it if it stays like this. And it's exactly what happened. And you said it brilliantly as well, Tommy, around. It's funny how the best. drivers always seem to get so lucky. It's like they put themselves in a position to, for something favourable to happen, and it did. So yeah, it's a six from me. I just really, I cannot believe we're going into the final stretch of the final three races and the swing that we've seen at Brazil when Lando started on pole and Maxon 17th is utterly baffling. But yeah, it's a six

out of ten, and the fans gave Lando a six as well. Carlos Sines, started the sprint in fifth, finished fifth, start of the race from the pit lane, did not finish. Ooh. I mean, he crashed a lot, didn't he, Carlos? He crashed a lot. I think I'm going to give him a two. I'm giving Carlos a two. I expect better from Carlos.

I know it was obviously difficult conditions, but he's an incredibly talented driver, and he's in a Ferrari that Sharl obviously showed that they're not very good in the wet. Don't get me wrong, but he binned it. a couple of times and yeah it just was a pretty terrible weekend for Carlos in my opinion. Yeah, I've gone for a three out of ten for Carlos Sites. Decent sprint, not as good as his teammate, of course, but the main race was horrible. It has to be said, you know, having the off in qualifying and having to start from the pit lane

and then spinning out again in the race, couldn't be any difference in fortune of how brilliant his drive was in the last race and then for him to be spinning. You know, it could be very costly for Ferrari because it's an insane thing to think that we've basically just been talking about the McLaren's and won awful race both of them had. Yet, McLaren were a winner really in the Constructors Championship because they both got points, whereas the other two didn't with both their cars. So, yeah, Carlos' drive as hurt Ferrari in that sense as well. Yeah, very much a weekend to forget for him. Struggled big time in the race. The fans gave Carlos a four.

Charlotte Claire, start the sprint in third, finished third, started the main race in sixth, finished fifth. I've gone for an eight out of ten for Charlotte Claire. I think without the off that he had near the end of the race, which let Russell through, I'd be giving him a nine. I think he was very unlucky.

So just to cover the sprint, very, very good sprint from him. Don't think he had the pace really, but stuck with the lead battle, if you like, and obviously inherited third after the Vostappan penalty. As for the main race, he was there, he was up there. Obviously, he pitted early, which ended up being a mistake, because tumbled down the order and then it was so hard to pass. one thing that has completely been forgotten about and that's why it's such a shame that he then went off

and let Russell through. In the chaos of Max taking the lead and Lando going off, Charles actually makes an unbelievable double move on Norris and Russell. It's a dive down the inside of both of them. It's an amazing move. You know, he battled for Stappen well as well, one of the only drivers to really keep him behind.

So yeah, I think it was a very good drive from from Shal, but could have been even better. Okay, wow, you really are trying to make me upgrade my rating. I've gone for a seven out of ten for Shal LeClair. I think that when you look, we see the sprint was decent, finishing third. He was right in there in dry conditions. In the wet, Ferrari just aren't particularly there.

But, you know, you see how far he's finishing off of Alpines. I'm like, bro, it's sad to see. Now, I know the Ferrari's not great, but I'm not sure whether it's worthy of an eight when he's also making mistakes out, well, made a mistake out there, which of course was costly. And then pitting really early, I backed it on the Twitch stream. It was like, yeah, do something different.

Woo! And then it's like, oh, okay, maybe that was a terrible decision. I feel like Silverstone was a similar thing where he burns through his tires, I think quite a lot quicker than other drivers in those conditions. and then is forced to box, and then he then is on a not particularly great strategy. So I'm downgrading him slightly for that.

I'm trying to keep a level head, trying to not be fanboy here. So yeah, it's a seven out of ten from me. The fans gave him a seven as well. George Russell started the sprint in sixth, finish sixth, started the main race in second, finished fourth. Oyo, you. Is it, I think it's going to be an eight out of ten. for George Russell, it was a really good weekend. And it could have easily been a 10 out of 10 had

things gone slightly better for George. But every on board I saw of Russell, that man is hustling the car. And he had a great weekend. The fact that he started in second when he was having an absolute stinkering qualifying just sums up George Russell in qualifying most of the time, where he just looks like he's struggling and then he'll pop a lap in. And he's right at the front. So yeah, it's a shame, obviously, that he pit, and he was really angry of the team radio saying, we should have stayed out, we should have stayed out. My argument there is, well, you know, if that's like, and if Hamilton's up there, if Hamilton thinks he should stay out, he will stay out, and he will override any team call.

And that would have been the difference between Russell finishing fourth and potentially winning the race. So, well, maybe not Vastappen was cooking serious amounts. But second place was definitely on the cards there, I think. So it's still a great drive. It's a great weekend for George. So it's an eight out of ten from me. I've gone for a nine out of ten for George Russell. I think it was a fantastic weekend from him.

Absolutely trounced Hamilton, a track that Hamilton really loves as well. The sprint was good. I don't think that Mercedes is anywhere near. Well, it's such a handful, basically. You know, it's still a decent car, but a big handful. So for him to deliver the result he did in qualifying and the race,

have to applaud him massively. I think he's very unlucky actually and hate to bring up again the red flag and all the kind of chat that we keep mentioning. But Russell was actually pleading to stay out with the team saying that why we shouldn't be pitting. And I do wish that drivers would just make up their own mind sometimes with these things.

Because of course if you had stayed out, maybe you could have won or at least finish second. So it was a great weekend from George particularly when his teammate struggled so much. The fans gave George Russell an eight. Lewis Hamilton started the sprint in 11th, finished 11th, started the main race in 14th, finished 10th. I've gone for a four out of ten for Lewis Hamilton.

It's a shocking weekend. He said it himself. The only good part of his weekend was driving a classic McLaren around, which is how bad it was for him. You know, the main race in those wet conditions, think this is Hamilton, this is Lewis Hamilton here. In wet conditions, into Lagos, surely this is where, but it just shows just how uncomfortable he is in that car and how he's not, not happy with it at all. He compared the bouncing to be worse than it was in 2022, and we know how bad that was,

because I know a lot of people are mentioning. No, he actually said there was worse bouncing in 22, but the car was better. Yeah, but bumpiest. Yeah, like an incredibly, bumpy, bumpy ride, but the fact that he didn't even score in the sprint when it was dry, and it was two poor qualifiers from him, and then managed to get a point, but even a point when you've got,

Alpins and RBs grabbing points is not all that to shout about, really. So yeah, really poor weekend from Hamilton. Yes, I echo those thoughts. Very poor indeed. I am going to give Lewis Hamilton a three out of ten. I think it was really,

really difficult. George Russell showed that there was pace in that car. I know that the conspiracy theorists and tinfoil enthusiasts will say

that there's differences between the car, but whatever, like we have to judge it on what it is. And to see so many mistakes from Hamilton to not make it

into Q3 once this weekend having two attempts at it, the literal greatest of all times statistically and he couldn't even get anywhere near. And he was, I've never seen so many mistakes

or at least for a very long time from Hamilton, just going wide and, yeah, it was just really bizarre to watch because I predicted it. I saw the weather. I was like, Hamilton's going to cook this weekend. He's going to be on pole position. He's going to win the race. And he scored one point in a chaotic race where, what, five people didn't,

yeah, five people didn't finish. And he's still only finishing 10th behind two RBs, two Alpines. Just, yeah, utterly bizarre, to be honest with you. So that's why I've gone for quite a savage great. because Hamilton is such an experienced driver. That's why I've gone for a three because it just wasn't anywhere near good enough for his standards.

The fans gave him a four. Sergio Perez started the sprint in 13th, finished 8th, started the main race in 12th, finished 11th. God. It's the three out of ten from me as well for Perez because, well, he spun on his own. He didn't make it through to Q3

in either of the attempts at qualifying either in a car that, I mean, for Stappan won the race by 20 seconds. So I have slightly less expectations for Perez, but it was still a really just question mark performance. To spin so early, of course, he then makes up that gap anyway because there were safety cars and red flags and whatever, but just had no pace, was fighting,

I mean, he's fighting Hamilton at the end. And what more is there to say, sadly, for Perez, three out of ten. I've gone for a four out of ten for Sergei Peres. very similar kind of well I've gone same grade as Hamilton very difficult weekend for him in the sprint I was actually quite impressed with with how he kind of came through the field and was putting in some some good moves to grab a point there but in the main race disappointing from 13th yeah but I mean he's grabbing a point isn't he which is why I've given him the same as Hamilton I love how expectations it's like for Stauffin was fighting for the win in the sprint I love the way Perez

came through to eighth though like that's just well it's a four still not a good grade is it so yeah main race was was really poor from him the fact that he was already behind Vostappen at turn one

and can't believe he didn't score a point in a race where there was so much chaos and so few finishes the fact that he's still out of the points is insane actually it's a three out of ten the fans gave Perez you gone for a three

yeah Okay, all right, because the fans also gave Perez a three out of ten. Max for Stappen start the sprint and fourth finished fourth because he had the five second penalty and then start the main race from 17th and finish first. I've gone for a 10 out of 10 for Max and Stappen, of course I have. Controversial. Controversial. Well, some people on Twitter would make you believe that it was a good but not great drive,

which what I would say to them is you are absolutely insane and you're not watching it properly. I just don't know how you can even question it Maybe it's because he actually ended up winning so dominantly That it he made it look quite easy in the end That there wasn't that kind of excitement of oh he's going to win the race from 17th Because you almost had 20 laps of him Basically realising that he's going to win from 17th So it maybe there's that side you know

He set fastest lap no one was within a second of his fastest lap. He was so dominant. I don't buy the fact that the car is miles quicker than all the others. It's not like a spa situation when he was dominating in 2023 where he could start 14th

and fly past everyone in DRS. Everyone was struggling to overtake people. You had people stuck behind, you saw Lando stuck behind Russell, for example, for so long even though he was quicker, other drivers in the race as well. and Max made his moves stick. The one on Ocon completely surprised him.

He knew when to do it and actually came from so far back. And I think the context of it as well, when he was so on the back foot, he was raging at the fact that there was that red flag that cost him in the session and it looked like his championship lead was going to get massively eroded. to go into that race on the back foot,

I think that is when the best drives happen. It reminds me of Hamilton in 2018. He had very similar where he was out in Q2. It was kind of like, oh, Vett was on pole, this is the title going to swing. And the best drivers can take all that kind of negativity and bad moments and just elevate themselves further to put in a sensational drive.

And it is, I've been watching Formula One since 96 and it's definitely in the top five drives I've ever seen. It was unbelievable. It certainly was, of course, it is a 10 out of 10, one of the most, the easiest 10 out of 10s, I think, that's ever been given. Look, 17th to 1st, there's a reason why it's only happened,

what, five times in Formula 1 history, it just, it doesn't. Even though, you know, there's plenty of dominant eras and sometimes drivers have had to, you know, come from the back, it's not easy, especially in those conditions, you can easily just stick it in the barrier. And that is including Max Verstappen, who some people think is a robot.

And that's the reason why they downgrade him because, well, he's a robot. So it doesn't matter. Do you think that is the case? Because I noticed, like, when I was watching Ted's notebook, and he was speaking to van der Gaard and Van der Gaard was kind of saying, like, this is unbelievable what he's done. And I saw as well, like, I don't know if you've seen it, but there's a clip of the Italian commentary and they're saying like stand up and applaud this is unbelievable what he's done yeah but to crevitz was just like oh of course he was going to win and it almost like he's

almost like a victim of his own brilliance that like people don't people kind of dismiss it because they think he's going to win it's the same as hamilton right when he was winning like it's just an expectation but it's not an he shouldn't have had an expectation of max first up and winning because he did not have the best car he'd not won since spain and then he wins by 20 seconds from starting 17th. People are like, well, you know, Max would have done it, you know. Max should do it. Why?

Well, is Max had like some sort of human upgrade attached to his brain that means that he has more of an advantage than everyone else? No, his car was not the quickest. He finished the sprint in fourth, third of course, on track. Like, he was not dominating coming into Brazil. It's not an expectation. So, yeah, one of the best drives we've ever seen. And just perfect.

Really just perfect, the way he did everything, the way he carved his way through the field. He didn't make any mistakes from what I saw. Every sort of dive bomb move was perfectly executed. And he was on the brakes beautifully. There wasn't even really any Max Verstappen like, oh, oh, Max, stop being cheeky. It was just decisive. And he came through and won the race.

So anyone giving Max, anything other than a 10 out of 10 is purely deluded. So thank you very much for coming to my Max Verstappen fanboy podcast now. What the hell am I doing? The fans gave Max a 10 as well. So finally, who is our P1? Well, now we've actually got, we've got, this is... Three tens. And, you know, if we throw Lance Stroll in there as well, you know,

admit that that'll be four. Who is RP1? I think because it was one of the best drives we've ever seen, it has to go to Max Verstappen, but that's not to downgrade Ocon or Gazi this weekend, because both of them would have won RP1 quite easily in any other weekend, but it has to go for me, Max Verstappen. A hundred percent, yeah, I cannot believe, if you'd have said to me that two Alpins

would have got a podium and neither are getting the best drive of the day or the weekend. Max Verstappan's drive will go down in history and be replayed forever and ever in all the compilations of best drives. So yeah, it's got to be that. Perfect. There you go. Driver Wrens done and dusted. Hopefully you all agree. And if you don't, I'm sure you've let us know already. Thank you so much, as always, for getting involved and being part of this wonderful community of P1 driver ratings and being polite and lovely with your comments and just remembering that this is all for fun. And we have about as much will knowledge as most of you. So, yeah, thank you, Tommy.

What is your final thoughts? I hope my driver ratings are spot on for you because I actually had an eye test just before this, especially for driver ratings. Obviously, you could see better of how Joe Gwrenu. show's race. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think you did perfectly actually. 2020 vision when it comes to giving out grades.

Thank you everybody. We'll see you very soon. Lots of love. Sweet dreams. Bye. Goodbye. Keep pushing in the gym. I'm actually having my tire replaced on my car as we speak.

So if anyone else is having their tire replaced, I think they might be about to ring you to let you know it's done. Or maybe your car's in the garage. Also, we're relatable there. Shout out to the 24-P. that gave Lance Roller 10 out of 10, you are hilarious. 24. Absolute top banter, that is.

I mean, he didn't make any mistakes after the gravel trap, did he? So realistically, it's a perfect race. Cool. Get back to work, though, all right? I know this podcast has been distracting you, but that sheet in Google Docs is not going to fill out itself, all right? Lots of love. Goodbye.

Bye. Bye. work.