P1 with Matt and Tommy - British GP Driver Ratings

Episode Date: July 8, 2025

The crazy conditions at Silverstone mean we might well have the widest range of grades in the history of Driver Ratings. Is that because we've given out our first eleven? Stay tuned...Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It'll help us learn more about the content you love so we can bring you even more - you'll also be entered into a competition to win one of five PlayStation 5's! Click here: https://bit.ly/staksurvey2025You can listen to an extended version of every Race Review this season over on our Patreon! You'll also access to every P1 episode ad-free, early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow 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 with Matt and Tommy. It is your favourite time of the week. F1 driver ratings where we put aside any allegiances, although you claim that maybe we don't, and we rate the drivers, all 20 of them, from zero all the way to 10 to try. I mean, for a Grand Prix weekend that was as crazy as that, to put a label to each driver's performance,

It's going to be a difficult one, Tommy, because when we get crazy races like this, one small thing can change a race very quickly. It sure can. And of course, in these conditions, it's always a case of how much you grade good fortune, bad fortune, what was the driver's fault, what was the team's fault, things like that, which is always something that we'll disagree with, I'm sure. But yeah, there's a lot to dive into on this one for sure. There certainly is, so let's get straight into the driver ratings and begin with Gabrielle Bortoletto.

Started the race in 16th, did not finish. I have gone four, a four out of ten for Gabriel Bortoletto. It was going to be a three, but then I was like, no, rookie tax is what that is. Of course, Gabriel Bortoletto had an incident after he, essentially, eventually went on to the slicks right before, I believe, the race start. In fact, he was one that all the, the focus was on the Charles LeClaurs and the George Russell's of this world. But Cabo Bortoletto also made that risk. And yeah, it just didn't work out for him. He crashed out on lap four. The reason I'm not going to go any lower than that is because it was a bit of a gamble,

bit of a roll the dice, and it was incredibly difficult conditions, as we saw, not just with Bortoletto. So I'm not going to be too harsh on his mistake. I have gone for a three out of ten for Gabriel Bortolete. Disappointing after qualifying higher than his teammate, who of course we know what happened to him. Probably, you know, while he was very wholesome in running up to congratulate Nika Holkenberg on the podium, which was a really nice video if you saw that.

I do wonder if back of his mind is maybe a bit of a missed opportunity in crazy conditions when you saw what happened to Nico, of course. But yeah, didn't work out for him. He tried the gamble, unlike Hadjar that did keep it on the road until later, in that whole like those conditions, he did spin off and unfortunately, damages car too much to continue, so I've gone for a three. The fans gave Gabrielle a four out of ten. Right, we're straight into it.

There is no warming up here. Nico Holcomberg started the race in 19th, finished third. I have gone for a 10 out of 10 for Nico Holcombberg. It's not a 9, despite him starting 19th. A few people saying, can you give 11? Maybe we have this discussion. I don't know whether we want to introduce something mid-season or it's unfair, because I know some people have been like,

maybe you give like your P1 11 or something, but maybe that's something to think about next season in the ratings. But it has to be a 10 for Holkenberg despite qualifying 19th to do what he did. The fact that he didn't even just inherit third and stay there, he fought for it, past roll, held off Hamilton. It's absolutely incredible. So, yeah, it's, I think I've given Holcomberg a 10 out of 10 for maybe like a seventh place or fifth or wherever was before and went

oh we're going to have to maybe downgrade a little bit because the salver's quite good and they just pops in a P3 so of course it's a 10 again exactly I saw an absolutely hilarious comment I think it was on our Spotify comments that we have and let me just find it very quickly here we go someone said and this is in quotation marks and this is you

eight out of ten for Nika Holkenberg, poor qualifying and beaten by his teammate in that sense, had an okay start and had to overtake stroll. We expect him to get points nowadays, so that's why it's an eight. We need to reserve a 10 for wins, to be honest, Tommy, probably. Wow, I proved you wrong. Well done, Tommy. Yeah, I think the 11 out of tens is a ridiculous thing to do. And so that's why I've gone for an 11 out of 10. I don't care. I don't care what it does to the averages. I don't care what it does to anything, Tommy. That is, an 11. That is a better than perfect drive. That I don't, yeah, it's 100% to max. It's not anymore. We're defying laws of physics, maths.

One, this is allowed one a year. So if Charlotte Claire wins Monza by 50 seconds, you're only allowed to give 1-11 all year. So if you want to use it now, you can use it. Oh, it's 7 out of 10 then. Because if that's the case, I'm going to use it as well. Okay. If we get one 11 a year, one out of ten. One 11 a year. That's the new rule. I don't know.

That's the rule. How dare you throw my fandom at me? Now, I'm going to have to go for an 11 out of 10. Yeah, it's kind of be. There's not going to be a better performance than this. There can't be. He's literally in a wheelie bin and he's gone and chucked it on the podium. So yeah, it's an 11 out of 10 from both of us in that fact.

And I love how we've just made up a new grade specifically for Holkenberg, breaking his non-podium streak of 239 races. I will actually say, before we obviously announced what the fan rating was, that Tommy, do you want to know now who has the longest active non-podium streak? Do you know? Adrian Sotil, is it? Yes, so obviously Adrian Sotil is not racing anymore. But for the one that is racing, you might not want to hear this. Sonoda?

But it's Yuki Sanoda with 99. 99. So his next race, if he doesn't podium it, he's into the three figures. Wow, that's not going to happen, is it? I really, well, he is going to get a podium. No, as in not going to get a podium. Yeah. So that's not great listening for Sonoda fans.

But fantastic listening for Holcomburg fans, because he has indeed done an incredible job and got a podium. The fans, of course, gave him a 10 and probably would have given him 11 had we opened this up to some kind of thing. but this is for us. It was 99.2% 10. And, you know, people always think they're hilarious trolling. Four people gave them a zero.

Yes, that's hilarious. Good. Well done, hilarious. But, yeah, I think the fans would probably agree as well that they'd give their 11 if they could because that is the most clear 10 that we've had all year in the percentages, I'm sure. Yeah, it makes no sense,

but it's like the phrase, I'm pushing 110%. That's literally what Holcomburg did, all right? And that's why we're just, we're defying all maths right now. So well done, Holcombberg. The fans gave him a 10.

Alex Albon, started the race and 13th, finished 8th. I've gone for an 8 out of 10 for Alex Albon. I think it was a pretty storming drive, considering the Williams was a difficult beast and has been a difficult beast for quite some time. I think we'd have to rejig our expectations of the Williams slightly. the start of the year was incredible,

but they've had a horrendous run of form of late. And Albon keeping himself clean. He just, yeah, I mean, they nearly made contact with Leclerre, I think, at one point. But overall, it passes Alonzo on the last lap for P8. I think it's a pretty decent drive from Albon all in all. So, yeah, this is what, for me, drivers that have kept their nose clean and been able to navigate such a difficult race as the British Grand Prix,

get a pretty high grade from me. I've gone for a seven out of ten for Alex Alburn. I think it was a solid drive to get points. Was impressive. The reason I'm not going for an eight is that I think Carlos, for me was quicker this weekend but got a bit unlucky. But there's nothing to take away from Alex Albon because he drove a solid race.

Like you say, it's these kind of conditions where you keep your nose clean and you can be rewarded and to make another extra pass right at the end is impressive. So I've gone for a seven. The fans gave Alex Albon a seven out of ten. Carlos Seines started the race in ninth, finish 12th. I have gone, and maybe this is my most controversial grade of the lot, for a seven for Carlos Sines.

I think he was desperately unlucky this race. He outqualified Alex Albon to start P9. and then in the race he was running ahead of Alburn up until that contact with Leclair which was desperately unlucky, not his fault and basically popped him down the order out of points and my word, when is Carlos Sainz going to get any luck this season

because it always seems to go wrong for him and I feel like that 12th doesn't tell the story of the race he had. It's a very good shout. Wow, what do I go for Carlin? Carlos Sides, hmm, he was running. He was running ahead of Albon until the incident with Charles, which wasn't even shown on the broadcast. And I am stalling for time now to decide where, what I, do I, it was better than Albon, wasn't it? He was, really was.

Well, they were Linus Stern, let's put it that way. He wasn't clear of Albon. You know what? I'm going to give Carlos Sines. Oh, God, this is so difficult. Because now I'm like, have I graded Al Bon too high? I should have gone for a seven, and now I should go for a seven for signs as well.

You really, oh, no, but the editor's going to shout at me because we've just finished Albon. Okay, we're overriding everything. Both Williams drivers get a seven from me, and I'm really sorry, editor, I really am. But yeah, that does actually make a lot more sense. Science was, yeah, science deserves the same grade as Albon due to that because as you say

they were running was it lap 44 and I'm looking at it right now they were four tenths apart the two Williams drivers they were very close indeed and signs once again with the Charles Leclair thing just so unlucky to have Carl just lose the car it's quite difficult to really tell

exactly the point of was it a tiny bit of contact that caused Charles to lose the back end or was it Charles losing the back end I feel like it was the latter I think it was Charles just very very likely losing the back end and then it just sort of went pretty badly. But the Williams drivers looked quite competitive in the changeable conditions.

And Carlos was doing a great job. But this season, he never gets any luck. So I think a seven is a very fair grade for him. The fans give him a five. They just looked at that result and said, no, no points. You're going straight down the middle. Isaac Hadjar started the race in 12th, did not finish. Hmm, Hajjar.

See, these are tough because I've seen that on board and there is, he is driving into a monsoon. I'm going to go for the same as Bortiletto. It's a four out of ten for Hadjar. He had a reasonably okay qualifying and I know that, you know, that the visibility is really poor, but it's the same for every driver and it does feel like a slight bit of inexperience from Hadjar in terms of just being a bit more tentative.

I think he even said after the race that he could have maybe given a bit more margin. But then he said obviously the visibility was zero. So yeah, it's learning for Hadjar. I can't give him any higher than that. He literally caused himself to go out of the race. So it's a four from me. Yeah, I've gone for a four as well. Can't give him a five even though it's desperately unlucky.

you watch the onboard and you kind of see that visibility is so difficult. Or don't see. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Very true. Here a week. It was quite insane. And you've got to think as well, those T-cams, you can see even more than you can from driver-driver-eye.

As you know, Tommy. Exactly. Yeah. I've always, I'm constantly driving in work conditions. These are the moments. I'd love to see the helmet cam, like, or not, like, give us the helmet cam in these situations. Even if it shows nothing. Where's the helmet cam gone?

Even if it shows it for 30 seconds, we get like an idea. Just a black scream, like up. That's what they see. Yeah, it's a four hour of ten, difficult one for V-Cab and, yeah, a missed out chunk of points because they both retired. They did indeed. The fans gave Hadjar a five. Liam Lawson, started the race in 15th, did not finish. So we need to discuss this, Tommy, because, like, what was the ruling that we set from last time?

the ruling was when does a driver deserve a grade just remind everybody the driver doesn't the driver gets an NA I guess if you deemed that they were taken out at the start

Tommy we have to exude confidence as the stewards you can't be saying I guess if the FIA and the stewards say I guess in a document they will get shredded to pieces let's try that again here we go right so Tommy

what is the ruling if you get taken out on lap one and you've done no qualifying or you can't be judged to qualifying then we'll give an N.A.

Okay, so it's qualifying and the race, if they've had both bad, as in affected. Okay, so we are grading Liam Lawson. Well, yes, because, well, and this is why I would grade Liam Lawson, because I think he's slightly to blame in that crash. We've not discussed it. I don't think he's... Throw your grade out, and then we'll get into it.

Three grade out. Damn! Damn! I don't think he's blameless. I think he's, I don't think it's his fault. It's one of those things where he's seen that there are two cars on the inside. It is the nature of the corner, but you are taking a big risk. I think it's not a knock on at all there.

He just had his car there. He couldn't really do anything. And it is unlucky for Lawson. But I think in that situation, it's not like it's a penalty for him or anything. it's just a proper like takes two to tango so maybe should have been a bit more lenient on lap one but yeah it's a shame shame for him but didn't qualify great either did he?

Well I've gone for a four out of ten as well due to his qualifying and being out qualified by Hadja and then of course being out of the race. I don't really put any blame on him. If it's a two-way side by side then Ocon has more space on the inside but it's a three-way. Lawson doesn't know that

We've just spoken about the fact that it's difficult to, you know, on lap one in particular, it's very difficult to know your bearings around one car being around you, let alone two. And Lawson even said, I think, after the race that he tried to give some sort of margin there. Problem is if he gives him too much more margin, he's on to, you know, the runoff, maybe. The marbles, the runoff, whatever it might be. So, yeah, I can't really give much of a blame to Lawson on this one, but it is still a shame that he was out of the race. And, yeah, as I said, a poor qualifying.

That's why I've gone for a four. The fans gave him a five. Ollie Bearman started the race in 18th, because he was penalised 10 places for the red flag infringement in free practice three, and finished 11th. This, oh, wow, we. What a how on earth? What do you grade?

Yeah, this is a tough one. I am going to go for a 6 out of 10 for Ollie Bearman. There were points in this weekend where it was a 10. There were points in this weekend where it was a 0. and now this is where we're coming at OutTat, which is a six out of ten. He had so much pace, so much potential this weekend. And this is the Olli Bearman. I thought we were going to see a lot more before this point in the season.

You know, I was hyping him up thinking, yeah, he is right on the pace. We've seen, you know, even when he didn't have the full-time seat and having those free practice outings, he had serious pace. He was able to get up to speed with whoever was the other second car in those sessions. Of course he was involved in quite a few different things notably, obviously one of them was with Ocon. Now I've watched that and it's very much a racing incident in my opinion. You had the Williams of Albon, I think it was,

just literally like weaving down the only bit of dry line, trying to sort of generate some tyre temperature. You had Ockon right behind and Olli, perhaps, again, a little bit of inexperienced being a rookie, tries to make a move on his teammate on a wet patch and he loses the grip and they go spinning round but even with that even with the damage that was caught you know picked up there he still finished 11th just but just off the points and yeah it's a weekend that I think he'll be kicking himself over so it's a six this one is really really difficult um I'm going to go for

I got muted by Yuki as well, didn't they? Yeah, yeah, I'm going to go for a six. I was going to go for a five, but yeah, I remembered that he got, the punt by Senoda wasn't, of course, his fault. A bit to blame for the incident with Ocon, maybe just a bit too eager to make up positions. But it really does feel like what might have been because, of course, he would have been high up on the grid.

The pace he showed, even despite two crashes, to get all the way back to 11th, he could have been, had an absolutely sensational result and it's absolutely gutting but yeah, I'm going to go for a six. The fans gave him a six as well. Esteban Ocon started the race in 14th, finish 13th. I've gone for a five for Ocon, very anonymous race. Obviously, was ahead of his teammate in qualifying only really due to Olly's penalty

and then, yeah, got taken out by Berman, but as we mentioned, it was kind of one of those crazy incidents in the wet where it was three cars trying to go into one. And yeah, just very anonymous and in a crazy race, Ocon's normally the one that can shine and fly up the field, but didn't work for him this time. It did not. I've also gone for a five out of ten for O'Con. Would have expected a bit more considering O'Con this year absolutely just loves to spawn in the points. And, you know, this was perhaps one of those that I could. have seen Ocon scoring points and I think he himself as well thought that the points would

have been on the cards but having that incident with Olli didn't help. Yeah, very much just, you know, he didn't end up in the barrier. So well done. You get a point for that, but that is all kind of the good things that happened for Ocon. The fans gave him a five as well. Franco Colapinto started or didn't start from the pit lane because he crashed. and then didn't start, didn't finish, didn't do anything. No one really, I don't think anyone really noticed that he didn't start the race for quite some time because of how chaotic it was. So I assume we are. Well, this is one way you can't give him an NAA because he crashed, so you have to downgrade him.

So in which case it is a, I mean, the only thing you can judge him on is the fact he crashed. There's nothing else to go on. So it's going to be a one. It's a one out of ten for Franco Colopinto because he crashed and then his car didn't work on the Sunday. So how can you judge it any more than that? So yeah, unlucky Franco, really sorry. I've gone for a two out of ten for Franco Colapinto. Yeah, the spin in qualifying was bad.

And then, yeah, he of course didn't start the race, but that wasn't his fault that he didn't start the race. It was a car failure, so I'm not going to give him like a zero or anything because that's for when you also ruined your race yourself. So, yeah, I've gone for a two for Franco. The fans disagree. They've gone for a zero, mate. So there you go, locked in. Unlucky for Franco Colopinto. Pierre Gasly started the race in eighth, finish sixth.

I have gone. Oh. For a 10. I'm going to go for a 10. for Gazley. I think he has taken that pink and blue wheelie bin. A whole, this is what this called. Yeah, I think it is. I actually think it is. I think he's had an absolute perfect weekend and an absolute tractor and Alpine. I think Nico Holkenberg, who of course got an 11, so it's worse than Holkenberg. But if you take Nico Holcombberg out that

race, Gazley is the driver of the race for me. To get the Alpine even into Q3 was an amazing achievement. and then to get six on the road is an absolutely sensational performance. I think Gasly drove brilliantly and after a tough year just kind of reminded everyone just what he can do and why he has been a highly rated driver in the past with what he was doing at Alphatari and things like that. So yeah, I've got to go for a 10 for Gasly. I can't fault him. Yep, no doubt in my mind either, Tommy.

It's a 10 for me as well for Pierre Gasly. The Alpine is categorically, in my opinion, the worst car on the grid. So we have to treat Ghazley and that Alpine as the Nika Holkenberg in the Salber in the first race of the season. These are, as you say, the new wheelie bins of the grid, sadly for Alpine. And for Gazley to have made Q3 is a phenomenal job in itself. And then to improve on that position and finish sixth in the end, getting Stroll at the end. And I don't think he even had the best strategy when you compare it to, obviously, stroll. What did Gassley have?

He was having a look. Yeah, he went for the kind of Bog standard as the same with that Norris and Piastri and things like that. Didn't do anything crazy to get up into those positions. No, it's just great driving. It was just, yeah, great driving. So it has to be a 10. I'm really glad to see Gassley do this because we know what a great driver he is.

And I'm so glad he was able to show that in a performance like this. The fans, gave him a nine. Do better, Gassley. You have to win. Lance Stroll. Started the race in 17th, finished 7th. Wow. This one's hard for Lance.

I am going to go for an 8 out of 10 for Lance stroll. It is by no means a 10. It's not even a 9. He was running in third. You thought it's probably going, like, surely this is a stroll podium. Podium again, yeah. Surely. But he fell away.

He was ruining the fact that there was tired. degradation on the car. I don't necessarily by the fact that the car just stopped working for him. The fact that he's only finished five seconds ahead of Alonzo in the end. Who had a stinker of a strategy compared to him. Yeah, is, I think, testament to the fact that there was more performance in that car. But that being said, Stroll, you know, he went on an aggressive strategy. You know, the positives here, it's still an eight out of ten. It's still a really good drive.

You know, he made that strategy work in the initial phases. it just appears that he's pushed too hard and gone through his tires far too quickly, and that's why he's dropped like a stone at the end. But still, it's a good solid amount of points. He is now the number one Aston Martin Driver again, as he obviously belongs to be. So yeah, eight from me. I've gone for an eighth out of ten for Lance Roll as well. Usual poor qualifying, but he did the thing we mentioned in the podcast about

beyond the best tires at the best time, because he actually weirdly stood. started on inters, then put the dries on for just a handful of laps, or was it? Four laps. Four laps. He went on the softs. But that shows that you can gain that pit stop by just being on the right tires at the right time. And he flew through, then got the inters on.

And it worked for him. But the reason, I think on any other day, a seventh and in Aston Martin, you'd go, oh, that's a great result. But he was presented with a fantastic result to get into P3. And I think P7 is actually quite disappointing in the end from where he was sat in that position when you think Nico Holkenberg has managed to pass him and get the podium. So I appreciate Nico Hulkenberg is quite a high yardstick for what he did. But it shows that it was an option and possible. So I think Stroll really should have maybe finished fourth or fifth, not seventh.

So I'm going for an eight. The fans gave him an eight as well. Fernando Alonzo started the race in seventh, finished ninth. For Fernando Alonzo, I have gone for a seven out of ten. I want to give him an eight, but I don't know if that's my fanboying or not. I do think he was more unlucky with a strategy and he was close to stroll at the end. I think he was kind of screwed, not screwed by Aston Martin. He just kind of did the normal strategy.

and that's why he was kind of a bit sassier although actually to be fair at the end he went really early with the dries didn't he and kind of hoped that they'd arrive which they did eventually but it didn't quite work for him but two places behind trolley he obviously lost a place at the end to Albon as well so I'm going to give him a seven

yeah if you'd give him an eight I would have I'd have lost my mind I'd have said to me your five boys I remembered yeah I remembered he lost a place right on the last life as well I've gone for a seven out of ten for Fernando Alonzo for sure. You know, as much as we say, you know, screwed by the strategy. You know, he wasn't very much, as you say, you know, was the kind of standard strategy. It was the safer strategy. And, you know, you make your own luck in these races as well.

Like stroll made, you know, took the risk to go on those soft tires to try and make up some kind of time. And he did. Alonzo decided not to do that, you know, it's very much a driver and team combo. So yeah, it's a seven. It's still a good job. He still scored some points. But maybe considering starting seventh, you would have expected a bigger, better performance from Alonzo. You'd expect him to go forward rather than backwards.

And I think he felt the same after the race. The fans gave him a seven as well. Kimmy Antonelli started the race in 10th after a three-place penalty from the previous race and did not finish. Oh, Kimmy Antonelli. It's, I mean, it was over before it even started, really. For Antonelli, I'm going to go for a five. Antonelli just, he would have struggled in those conditions,

although if you look back to Australia, of course he had a phenomenal drive there, getting fourth in a similarly chaotic race, but yeah, obviously getting absolutely destroyed from the rear end. That's a sentence from Hajar behind. You can only imagine how much time he's going to be losing with a rear diffuser damage like that. So yeah, it's a five from me. I've gone for a five as well.

Yeah, Antonelli just no fault of his own further contact with Hadja. I had every right to slow down for cups in those crazy conditions which caught Hajjar out. And yeah, tried the Mercedes Hero strategy that didn't work for Russell as well. So yeah, I've gone for a five. The fans gave him a five as well. Better luck next time. George Russell started the race and fourth, finished 10th. I've gone for a five out of ten for George Russell.

I think for him to get a point in the end is a very minor achievement, but based on the kind of chaotic race he had is decent enough. But if we say about Stroll was always on the right tire, George Russell was always on the wrong tire. Why, I do think he plays a part as a team leader and an experienced racing driver to make for the gambling choice as well to go for that absolute hero strategy when you're fourth. I still, I'm still flabbergasted by it. I can't excuse it because if you think he starts,

if you're so confident in your abilities and stuff and you want to try something different, You've got to think like that first lap, even if it is drying out, you kind of back yourself in a P4 to maybe make better of the conditions on the track anyway to move up a couple of positions. So it didn't need to be done. It was always on the wrong tyre, had a few little spins. Occasionally kind of got back to, I think it was like P6 and thought he was going to have a pretty decent result again, but then drop back again with a spin and just, I'm very confused

where they kept running hard tires in those conditions. But they obviously, they were the only team to as well, weren't they, apart from Berman at the start. So yeah, very odd choice from Mercedes, but one to forget for George Russell. And I bet he wishes he could rewind the whole race and just start on the inters. Yeah, a really difficult race for Russell.

I've gone for a five as well. Really good qualifying to be in the mix when they were off the pace, the entirety of free practice. It was pretty surprising to see Russell up there in fourth. And to relinquish that track position was quite very questionable. It's a back of the grid joby. I know we're saying this in hindsight.

And some rolling of the dice did work. The strolls and the, I mean, the Holcomburg pitting early on the intermediates, works an absolute treat. But this was, you know, something that really, really hurt his race to the then have again that massive spin into maggots and becketts. Yeah, the hard tire was a very strange choice. There must be a reason that Mercedes have done that. But on paper, you want the softest tires to generate the heat quickest.

And it almost feels like Mercedes read the weather wrong as well by going on those hard tires. You know, they're expecting a longer stint in that first phase of the race. Even though the weather was due in 15 hours. Yeah, the weather, a heavy rain cell and all this, that and the other was being charged. about in 10, 15 laps. So, yeah, it's a race to forget. And sorry, George, it's because we spoke to you clearly that you then had one of the worst races of the season. The fans gave George a five as well. Yuki Sonoda started the race in 11th, finished 15th. My God. I am going to go for a two out of 10 for Yuki Sonoda. Qualifying wasn't bad, but he just had. He just had. He's going to go for a 2 out of 10 for Yuki Sonoda. Qualifying

wasn't bad, but he just had no pace, zero pace, tire degradation, falling off like a cliff. Yuki finished last of the runners again. Again, yeah. Again, back to back last of the runners with safety cars out there, things to mix it up. He just doesn't have a handle of the car, but you have to grade him on his performance and it is no higher than a two. the only reason it's a two is because of the fact that he qualified reasonably okay for for what is his and Red Bull standards but you know Max were struggling out there as well

don't forget Rebel wasn't the clear fastest car but it still has to be a two because he's finishing last in a crazy race yeah I've gone for a two as well you hadn't even mentioned that he had more contact for the millionth time this season and got a 10 second penalty which feels like, you know, don't get me wrong, the Red Bull's hard to drive, but he's collecting 10 second penalties like Pokemon cards at the moment because he is just, he's just racking up the 10 second penalties. I'd just love to see one race where he doesn't make contact and then see where he can finish, because I know his pace is bad as well,

but it's obviously not helping him either. So just a really, really poor race and proof that in the great leveller that is wet weather, still doesn't make a difference for him. You can't put it inverted commas when Holcomb both getting third, bro. Come on. No, I just meant like, you know, the people always say that, don't they?

But it made no difference for Yuki, did it? No, the leveller did not happen. For Sonoda, in fact, it made everything even worse. The fans gave Yuki a two as well. Max Verstappen, started the race in first, finished fifth. I have gone. for a seven out of ten for Maxa Stappen.

I was humming and aaring about going lower, but I think his recovery drive does deserve some props. His poll was absolutely sensational, worth the risk, I think, because of course if it had stayed dry, we know what it's like this season with dirty air and stuff. It was surprising that it stayed dry all of qualifying, so I feel like it was worth that gamble for it, but you saw right from the start that he was in big trouble with that setup,

rally driving through the S's, sliding the car around. And then, of course, the spin, I'm not, you know, he's got that set up, but even as a, you know, a Max fan, I can't be like, oh, it's because of this, it's because of that. He made a mistake. He's human. You know, he's a great racing driver, but he's made a mistake in those conditions. So he gets a downgrade for that.

But for him to actually recover to P5 after all that, when I guess realistically the best you can hope for was a P3 anyway, is not too bad. So I'm going for a 7. I agree, sadly. I've gone for a 7 as well for Max. He loses three points purely for the spin. Nothing else because, you know, had he finished third,

yeah, he's knocking on the door of a 9 or a 10 just purely because of what he was he was managing. They took a massive risk with the setup, clearly. But I guess the reason they've done that is that Red Bull feel as though that was the only way they were going to win the race was going to this extreme setting. Yeah, so they've gone down the one route where they thought maybe we can take it to the McLaren's, but we have to go down this particular method. And it, yeah, it bit them in the bottom.

It certainly did because Max was. in trouble from lap two it looked like. So yeah, the spin was completely unexpected. Some people linking the Piastri shenanigans to Max's spin. I don't know about that one. I think it's coincidental rather than Oscar causing anything. So, yeah, it's still a seven though, because I genuinely thought he was going to finish ninth or tenth

with how much he was struggling with the car. But obviously, as things started to dry out, he can then use the pace a little bit more in the car and fifth is, yeah, surprising. So, yeah, it's a seven out of ten from me. The fans agree. They've gone for a seven as well. Look, us we're all in agreement.

How lovely. Lewis Hamilton started the race and fifth, finished fourth. I'm going to go for an eight out of ten for Lewis Hamilton this weekend. Definitely missed opportunities. Definitely no higher than an eight. It feels like a low eight, if anything, because there were mistakes out there from Hamilton as well. the last thing I'm well the last moment was of course when he came out the pits on soft

tires trying to chase down Holkenberg and he made a mistake that cost him the podium there's no doubt about that going on to the wet patch and then losing the car and then the tires lose even more temperature and he lost a handful of seconds in that moment and of course finished five behind Holkenberg in the end so a generous king that Hamilton is of course giving Holcombberg that podium. But still, it's still a good weekend. He showed good pace. He outqualified Leclerc and again, there was a small mistake in qualifying, which could have had him much higher because he was a 10th up on Piastri going into the last sector, although the McLaren's were quicker in that last sector. There's no doubt about that. So you had to expect some time loss. But then again,

Piastri also made him a mistake. There's so much, so many things to take into account. But, you know, the reason, you know, I was arguing for a good surprise for Hamilton. because I do genuinely think it was a good weekend from him. When you look at the season as a whole, he was the better Ferrari driver. Yeah, it's just such a shame that his podium streak ended, but we've won but at what cost kind of vibes. So it's going to be an eight from me. Yeah, I've gone for an eight for Lewis Hamilton. It really does feel like a missed opportunity for the podium, even though it is his joint best result of the season, of course.

Made a mistake coming out of the pits. he was actually challenging Norris, wasn't he, at the start, which was quite exciting to watch, didn't quite make it happen. But he had the opportunity to get a podium there. Small mistake that obviously cost him more of an opportunity to do it, but still a great drive and just shows that he will get there with Ferrari. I truly believe that. Not in wet conditions, though, because the Ferrari is horrendous in them and we'll continue to be for the rest of. of time it's clear to see. The fans gave Lewis an eight as well.

Charles LeCler started the race in sixth, finished 14th. I have gone for a two out of ten for Charles LeCleur. It was a really, really poor race from him. Your eyes have let up. Qualifying.

Not in a good way. No, exactly. Yeah. Qualifying, of course, very hard on himself. made a mistake, probably had the car to get to get pole position and qualified sixth. And then in the race went for the hero strategy, which of course didn't pay off for him. But even with that, he was still presented with an opportunity to get back in the race, you know, pitting for the inters when everyone else did.

There's a safety car restart. Yes, he's down the order. But then made absolutely no progress, spun off again, had a. incidents with science. And I just think, yes, the kind of first bit screwed him and that was the thing that cost in the race, but we've seen other drivers still try and make it up the field despite incidents like Max. You know, George got a point, for example, and Charlotte Clair has finished 14th, so an absolute shocker of a race. I've gone for a three out of ten for Charlotte Claire.

You know, some people might be questioning, oh, how are you giving Charlotte Claire a lower grade than someone that crashed out the race? Well, the ones that crashed out were rookies. And so, you know, when I'm grading drivers on experience and where I expect them to be in races like this, this is what, of course, affects the grade somewhat. But I think three is pretty fair. Just a disaster from start to finish.

Clearly, Charlotte Claire, desperate to get off the intermediates, almost immediately because he knows what the Ferrari is going to be like on those tires probably. But it was the wrong decision. And then they committed to that wrong decision, which just meant they were going slower and slower and slower until eventually there was the crossover. But then it started raining again. So it was a bizarre decision. You know, I haven't seen the weather radars.

I'm not a meteorologist, whether it was 50-50 as to whether the heavy rain cell would hit. It would suggest by these decisions from Charlotte, Clair and George Russell, that maybe it was. But yeah, that's not the only. thing that went wrong for Charlotte. You know, a big mistake at Magiston Beckett's, I believe it was, going straight on there, and then having the gravel incident with Carlos. He was going to score points, I think, at that point when he was racing Carlos. And then it all goes wrong again.

And he ended up finishing literally the only person behind him was Sonoda. So painful, devastating. Why do I have to watch, you know, the only live race I get to see is Charles LeClau finishing 14th at the British Grand Prix in the last two years? years. Like, what are we doing here? Like, please. So, sad to watch. The fans were a little bit, a little bit more lenient and went for a four out of ten. Oscar Piastri, started the race and second, finished, second. I have gone for an eight out of ten for Oscar Piastri. Didn't get pole position. There was a small mistake in there, which opened the door for Max Verstappen,

who delivered a perfect lap, it has to be said. But, you know, I have to downgrade him on the penalty. You know, there's been a discussion on this podcast, there's been a discussion online about the severity of the penalty and what it should have been. But I don't think there's a doubt in anyone's mind about whether it should have or shouldn't have been a penalty. It's just how severe it should have been.

You know, as the days have gone on and processed, I can absolutely see the arguments for 10 seconds. I've watched the clip a million times over. I've changed my opinion. And, yeah, no, you're not like that. to do that to me, because it's online and we are humans and we're not allowed to make mistakes or change opinions. But now I can definitely see how a 10 seconds can be applied for a safety car infringement. I think there's a part of me that was like, ah, it's a shame that it ruined

the race. Maybe it should have been five. But I can completely see what you guys have been saying in the comments as well about how 10 is fair. And yeah, if safety is paramount, and I've seen like, you know, look back at the onboards of Holkenberg and things like that. It's funny, actually, the Holkenberg clip that's been sort of shared around of him having to go on the grass a little bit and things like that because of Piastri slowing down. That wasn't even that lap. That was the lap before.

So he did it two laps in a row. And yeah. So it is a mistake from Oscar Piastri. He will learn from this, but I have to downgrade him. It's still a second place. It's still a great result. He didn't lose much to Lando in the championship

and he showed great pace as well. It would have been an interesting fight between the two of them, but I have to downgrade him for the inexperience that he showed and the mistake that he made. Yeah, I've gone for an eight for Piastri as well. He threw the race away with an error. And, you know, he was incredibly fast.

You looked like he had it completely in the bag. And as I mentioned then, I saw a, because as we've mentioned many times, we were at the race. We obviously catch up on the race. But it's also hard to absorb every single little detail. like we normally do when we're at home. And I watched an onboard from Piastri, where you see a bit further before the incident

that they show in just the normal kind of race. And I think the fact that he's quite slow, then accelerates, then stops. I watched that angle and completely change my mind. I think it's 100% a 10 second penalty when you see it from that is so, so dangerous. I think the replay that they showed in the highlights and the kind of what we could see on the screen kind of cuts in a little bit

soon from the incident. But when I saw the whole thing, I totally see why they gave him a 10 and they want to stamp down on that sort of thing. So it's an error that that cost Piastri the win. And of course, he had a very, maybe depending on how you see it, small or fairly decent chance to catch Lando again had he not gone off at Maggots and Beckett's, but of course that was Red Mist and him just doing everything to try and catch up, but it's still a mistake. so yeah, it's got to be an eight for me. The fans gave him a nine. Lando Norris started the racing third, finish first.

I have gone for a nine out of ten for Lando Norris. It's a good drive from Lando to capitalise on others' misfortune. The dogs do not agree. They are big Lando stands. They do not agree. At the end of the day, for me, he was the slower McLaren in qualifying, of course, outqualified, not by very small amount. in the race

he didn't make the mistakes which was what allowed him to capitalize but he was slower than Piastri lost a big chunk of time to Piastri

in the first stint but I can't give him a turn even though he's won the race because he never looked like winning that Grand Prix without the Oscar penalty for me

I personally don't think if that's even controversial but here we go do you not okay well I have been just racking my brains as to whether it's a nine or a ten from Norris, just purely because, you know, you talk about him not looking like he's going to win the race,

but he very much kept his tires in a good window to close up to Oscar towards the ends of that first initial stint. You know, I know Piastri cleared away at the start, but Norris was looking quicker. And then, you know, does he really need to get up to the back of Piastri and try and pass him when there's a 10-second penalty looming over his seat? teammate. It's going to be.

Okay, it's a nine. It's a nine out of ten for Lando. It's, you know, it was a difficult race and Lando didn't put a foot wrong in terms of mistakes. That's something you have to grade him higher. And I guess he is being graded higher than his teammate, who we gave an eight for. But is it a perfect weekend? No, it's just not. I don't think so.

It's not. does tens usually equate to perfect when we look back at some of our grades? Perhaps not either. It's not like everyone has to absolutely get everything out of the car to get. It's also nine out of ten is not a bad drive, but he's not been faster than a teammate the whole weekend, really. So it's not even remotely a 10 in my opinion. But that's just, yeah, I can't.

That's your opinion. That's what driver ratings is all about. But I mean, Norris was quicker at times in the race, and I think it's unfair to say that he wasn't quicker than Piastri, before they changed over to the dry tires at the end Norris was closed up to about within one and a half seconds I think at one point of Piastri and the race was definitely on

you can't deny that even with Piastri's if Piastri didn't have a penalty I think those two it would have been very interesting to see how it would have unfolded but yeah I think it's a nine it's still a great drive from Lando but it's not quite the perfection that a 10 would bring the fans gave him a 10

there you go beautiful stuff can't wait to get cooked for giving him a nine which is still a fantastic grade so yeah who is our P1 well

let me guess Nico Holcomberg is the only driver I think oh no barring Gassley Nico Holgerberg of course do I need to explain anything yeah

who is our yeah exactly we gave him an 11 so he's our P he can't be calling it can't be saying it's a P11 can we that's not fair but yes

he did a you know congrats Hulk you know we've we've praised you for the last few days I wonder who it's going to be I can't believe it's the guy that took a kick salber to the podium who would have thought literally yeah incredible from

Holkenberg such a great drive an amazing story for Formula One we've we've kind of lorded his performance so much but I'm just so glad that that kind of stack can die now because it's just, it's one that he'd never deserved in the first place. You know, he's a much better driver than that.

That kind of stat gives him four. And who knows, maybe the way Salba seemed to be progressing, maybe it's not the last time we see him on the podium. Absolutely. Fingers crossed. And I hope for Yuki Sanoda's records that he gets on the podium in the next couple of seasons that we don't have to start talking about, maybe him closing in on the unwanted record.

I think you might need to move to Asson Martin to make that happen. Yes, or just away from the seat he's currently in. That is it. Thank you, everybody, for tuning into these driver ratings. Let us know your thoughts. I know you already have and I can't wait to read them all. And we will see you very soon. Be nice.

Be lovely. And Tommy, what are your final thoughts? Final thoughts? I enjoyed diving into that one. A very chaotic Ray Silverstone just delivering again. You know, just we've, we've, I think a lot of people have maybe questioned that this season maybe we've not had the most thrilling of races

even though we've got a great championship battle but that was an absolute banger so well done Silverstone again. It was and of course I was getting drenched in the process. I know and also us not live streaming and I'm really sorry that you weren't there to enjoy our watch longs with us however we will be back for the Belgian Grand Prix

don't you worry about that. Couple of weeks off to reflect. We're interviewing a Formula One driver this coming weekend so look forward to some content maybe the next week after that and yeah, we'll do some more stuff, I'm sure, between now and then. I'm sure random news stories will start cropping up about Max and Merck and everything else in between. Oh, yeah, probably. Look forward to that.

We'll see you very soon. Let's love to again. Bye. Goodbye. P1 is a Stack production and part of the Acast's creator network.