P1 with Matt and Tommy - Las Vegas GP Driver Ratings

Episode Date: November 24, 2025

Right then... Two disqualifications, challenging weather conditions and a few crazy crashes should make for a pretty easy Driver Ratings episode!Please vote for us in the Autosport Awards 2026! https://www.autosport.com/awards-voting/You can listen to an extended version of every Race Review episode 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 B1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. Driver ratings, Las Vegas. Are we ready to grade every driver from zero all the way to 10 after probably using a lot of our mental and brain capacities trying to process how on earth that weekend end? the way that it did. Well, Tommy, I'm ready. I'm so ready. I've got my numbers locked in. How about you?

So have I. But yeah, the race, like, it was such a weird end to the race that I still haven't computed it in my brain, I think. No, no, me neither. And I couldn't compute either, the four-stop strategy that we had at Lasford.

Oh, wait, no, it was a one-stop. And everybody did a one-stop apart from Alex Albon. It's amazing that Alex Albon is the only one I think to have done a two-stop. Barring maybe Sonoda, actually. And he didn't even finish the race. So that just tells you all.

He needs to know about Alex Album. But we'll get into all of that because we're going to begin where we always begin. Gabrielle Bortoletto started the race in 18th, did not finish. So we're kicking driver ratings off with a reasonably negative outlook because Gabby Bortoletto had a stinker of a weekend. I'm giving him a one out of 10. poor qualifying, of course, it was difficult qualifying and the fact that he didn't crash is a good thing because it was very easy to do so.

Albon was the only one to make a mistake in qualifying from what I remember at least a big mistake that meant he went into the wall. And then as for the race, a catastrophic error. I'm not even really giving him leniency with anything higher than a one because it was such a bad error

that it genuinely put quite a bit of risk into term one with how quickly he went barreling in there and cost a couple of drivers their races, Lance Stroll of course and yeah it was just absolute carnage and Bortoletto was not the only cause of it

but it was a big cause and that's what I've gone for a one yeah I've gone for a one out of 10 for Bortoletto as well a shocking weekend again it has to be said hadn't recovered from you know a really poor Brazilian Grand Prix where I think you maybe even maybe got a one as well from us both last time out and it's going to be a one again from us both again because yeah like poor quality compared to his teammate that was his strong point this year and it seemed to have I know it's tricky conditions of course but yeah not on the greatest run of form and qualifying and then I wouldn't even call it a rookie mistake it was just a massive massive error to go in that hot You know, very good of him to go up to stroll afterwards. I'm sure you've seen the video on social and apologised and everything, but, of course, doesn't affect his grade here, and it has to be a one.

It certainly does. His average grade is absolutely tanking after the last two weekends. So it'll be interesting to see where he stacks up come the end of the year. The fans also gave Gabby a one. Nico Holcomberg started the race in 11th, finished 7th, and we will say as well where everyone finishes of course been promoted

due to the two McLaren's being disqualified if you hadn't heard the news. I have gone for an eight out of ten for Nika Holkenberg another great result for him really turned his form around after what has to be said

quite a poor run after his podium at Silverstone but qualified brilliantly again to start 11th and of course yeah benefited from a couple of places but even had that not been the case, you know, ninth on the road, still a great result for the car he's driving. So I've gone for an eight.

I have also gone for an eight out of ten for Nico Holcomberg. I think a very solid weekend. Of course, finished ninth on the road. Had better pace than Lewis Hamilton on the same tires, which I don't think, probably may have says more about Lewis's weekend that it does Nico's, but not to take anything away from him. He was the star of the Sauba team while his teammate was, you know, poor in qualifying and poor in the race as well for all of the one caller that he survived. But Nico, yeah, maximised a lot of what I think was available this weekend. Potentially there was a chance to make it through to Q3

with those changeable conditions. Of course, missed out only just, but still scored a couple of points and a very good race from him. The fans gave him an eight as well. Alex Albonne started the race in 16th, did not finish. Hmm Alex Albon Absolute

Rather large Stinker as well I am going to go for a 2 out of 10 2 out of 10 for Alex Albon crashed in qualifying cost himself a massive opportunity

of getting I mean Carlos was third on the grid that tells you all you need to know about the potential that was in that car and then the race itself

as well was scruffy You know, you see it turn one lap one. He basically hits Colopinto. I don't know. I don't think it's a lenient thing to say that it was a tap. It was a rather large hit for Colapinto, who then was carrying damage for the rest of the race. Then he drives into the back of Hamilton with this front wing,

which I deem to be Alex's fault similar to how Hamilton did the same thing in Brazil. And we felt the same way there about Lewis's responsibility to not drive into the back of a car. So overall, you know, then. not finishing the race. Of course, he didn't have team radio, which was, I think, the primary reason as to why he pulled into the pits because he didn't want to be a danger to everybody else. But that aside, yeah, a poor weekend for Alex. A very poor weekend, yeah, I've gone for a two out of ten for Alex Albin. Shocking, qualifying compared to his team, of course, had the crash, a big error. And then, yeah, in the race, continued to, you know, make a mistake.

um had uh of course the the contact what did feel very similar to hamilton's move on on colopinto where he just pulled out too late going for the move uh and yeah ended up with uh a damaged front wing really strange moment so he's seen it on online where he basically came into the pits and he was trying to get his team to change the front wing and he was like pointing at the front of the car and obviously they couldn't hear him or know what to do so um yeah a very tough weekend for Alex and he needs to yeah turn his form around because it's had a fantastic season but the last kind of few races not gone his way. It certainly has not the fans gave Alex a three out of ten. Carlos Sines started the race in third, finished fifth. I have gone

for a 10 for Carlos Sites. I think he's maximised the whole weekend and his performance where he could have done with the Williams it's close between a nine and a ten I think I've given ten for less this season which is why I'm going four or ten you know he's qualifying in particular absolutely unbelievable

and then got a great result in the race not the best strategy I don't think from Williams and they were kind of unable to race near the front with the top cars but he was 10 seconds clear of the rest of the midfield and another brilliant job from Carlos.

I have gone for a 10 out of 10 as well for Carlos, not really any doubt in my mind over whether it was anything less because he's put a Williams P3 in an insanely difficult qualifying session. And then, yeah, he's finished 7th on the road, promoted to 5th after the qualifications, but he was very comfortably there. It's annoying, you know, you have the Holkenbergs and the sign, is that both put in very good performances

but no teammate to compare it to because they were both, yeah, out of contention or out of the race. So it makes it a little bit harder, of course, because the teammate is the best comparison, but I have to give him a 10 because I really don't know what more he could have really done in that scenario.

Yeah, the strategy might well have been a little bit on the conservative side, but realistically, I don't think he's beating any of those six cars that finished ahead of him on the road. So yeah, 10 for me. The fans gave him a nine. Isaac Hadjar started the race in 8th, finished 6th. I have gone for...

I'm going to go for an 8 out of 10 for Hadjar. Of course, he benefited from... As did everybody that finished behind the McLaren's, gained a couple of positions to finish 6th. He had some good pace. He was kind of on his own ahead of Holcombberg. Of course, also gained from the fact... of Lawson get barreling into turn one a little bit too hot and hitting Piastri.

But overall, I think it was still a very solid weekend from Hadjar. I think Lawson was absolutely on for a phenomenal weekend had he just got through turn one, lap one cleanly. But that didn't happen and Hadjar took full advantage of that and I think I have to reflect that with an 8 out of 10. I'm really struggling with this one. It's between an 8 and a 9. nine does feel a little bit maybe too generous now i'm looking at his race time i'll go for i'll go

for an eight um mainly i think because i've given holcomb burger an eight as well uh and i think you know they're they're kind of similar uh finished similarly um and i do think the racing board is obviously quite a decent car and lawson obviously did a better job in qualifying so yeah i'll go for an eight out of ten for for hadjar um back to decent form though Yes, he got beaten by his teammate, but a great result, of course, benefited from McLaren's again, but many more points to add to Hadjar's impressive tally this year. Very impressive. Absolutely.

The fans gave Isaac an 8 out of 10 as well. Liam Lawson started the race in 6th, finished 14th. I've gone for a 4 out of 10 for Liam Lawson. It's such a shame. It's a what might have been because absolutely brilliant qualifying. again to put his car P6 was one of the starts of quality again and unfortunately for him an error into turn one I'd say fortunate for him that you know it wasn't as bad as Bortoletto but of course he actually was the one that came out worse of it because of his front wing

and then it all went wrong from there so yeah a very disappointing result for Liam after a great qualifying. You've convinced me to go for a four rather than a five. I was deliberating between the two. But at the end of the day, it was his mistake. He admitted it himself after the race as well. He just didn't expect the field to check up so much at term one. He wasn't trying to overtake,

but it's still his responsibility to not cause a collision, and that's what he did. And Oscar Piastri was very lucky to still have all four wheels attached his car with how large of a hit it was. Such a shame, as you say, had a brilliant qualifying and I genuinely think he had the match for Hadjar this weekend. But yeah, just overcooked it. And after that, his race was completely done

and he finished 16th on the road and only ahead of Colopinto. The fans gave him a five. Ollie Bearman started the race in 14th, finished 10th. I'm going to go for... A six out of ten for Olly Behrman. In comparison to his teammate, actually not as shining as we've seen.

Esty Besty has stepped it up this weekend for sure. But Ollie had a poor qualifying. He gained a lot of positions, but then from there on, after lap one, where I think he was up in something ridiculous like seventh, or after everything that had gone on but then he fell away from there and then to finish behind your teammate after all of that was a bit surprising

so I'm going to go for a six because of course without the qualifications he wasn't going to score any points and I can't give him higher than that I am going to go for a seven for Ollie Beeman I think yeah he's scored a point I do think there was more on the table

it's close between a six and a seven after what you've said I do agree with obviously the qualifying didn't go to plan either at that moment where he was kind of a passenger waving his arms in the air as he was going into the wall of course

but yeah I think still fortunate to come away with a point and a decent job overall but certainly not his best weekend based on how well he's been doing recently The fans gave Oli a 7 out of 10

Estaban Ocon started the race in 13th, finished 9th I'm going to go for an 8th Espan Ocon I think that you know he's finished 10 seconds clear of his teammate I know in terms of like his experience he kind of we kind of think he should be

but I'm giving him credit for doing that because he has struggled as of late P9 is a great finish in a house that I don't think was all that this weekend and yeah gone for an eight for estaband if the mcclarence weren't disqualified tom are you giving estabanoch on an eight for an eleventh um it's difficult isn't it but i was yeah no probably not probably it would be that's why i went for a six for ollie because it gave me room to give a seven out of ten for estabana ocon which is what i've gone for um yeah it's easy to look at the overall finish and go oh ninth place but he didn't finish nine

He finished 11th and then the disqualifications happened. Of course, some people go, yeah, but that McLaren with that 0.1, 2mm plank where over the limit, that's making him a second a lap faster. It was not, spoiler alert. But look, I'm going to go for a 7 out of 10 for Ockon because I do believe that he deserves a higher grade than Olli. I agree with you on that one, Tommy. He outqualified him ever so slightly and then finished ahead of him by, yeah, nearly

10 seconds or 10 seconds. So for Esteban, a much better weekend. Love to see it from him because he has been on the struggle train. And yeah, I can't give Olly and Esteban the same grade. So that's what I have gone for. The fans gave Esty Besty a 7 out of 10. Franco Colapinto started the race in 15th, finished 15th. For Franco, I have gone for a 5 out of 10.

I know he's finished last, but he has received an Alex Albon front wing up his rear end on lap one turn one and from there on just struggling for grip once you lose that kind of downforce you're in big trouble so I can't downgrade him anymore just because he's finished

seven seconds off the back of Lawson in 16th which eventually turned 14th so yeah it's a five out of ten for Franco it's a shame yeah I've also gone five for Franco can't be too harsh on him because it wasn't his fault

with the damage of course and as we've seen many times this season. Once you get that damage, it's kind of game over right from the start, unfortunately, with these era of cars, it's not the case that you can just change something and you're quicker again, it's kind of game over. So, yeah, gone for a five. The fans gave Franco a five as well. Pierre Gasly started the race in 10th, finished 13th. I've gone for a six out of 10 for Pierre Gasly. It's a big shame because I think it's a, been a really great race from from pierre gazley he's very good around here that's why i went for

the good surprise in the first place obviously got the alpine into q3 which is a you know deserves a big amount of credit but he got caught up in the bortoletto dive bomb of course spun around damaged his car and then it's a case of what might have been and i know in my head like he he deserves more but equally like he's not barely done the race so i can't give him a seven just because he qualified well. So I've gone for a six for Gassley. I really wanted to give him a seven, but I'm going to give him a six out of ten as well to, yeah, a nod to the qualifying. But, I mean, literally, Alpine's race was over by lap one, turn one for both drivers. They both picked up quite a bit of damage. Ten points of downforce loss was what Pierre Gassley was carrying. And it is a

shame. I think he would have been absolutely fighting around the sort of 10th place mark. But sadly, Bortoletto just missed his breaking point and that was that for Pierre Gassley's race. The fans gave him a five. Lance Stroll started the race in 12th, did not finish. It's going to be a five out of ten for Lance Stroll. Can't give him any higher. I know he's got wiped out by literally on lap one by Bortoletto.

Didn't put any kind of qualifying performance which actually was on the table this weekend. Didn't put anything like that down because of the intermediates decision. so it's a five it's a shame for Lance of course he didn't see him all that bothered old Lance he's like sometimes it happens

is what it is off I go to my yacht yeah I've gone for a five for Lance stroll as well a weekend to forget he was looking so good in that wet qualifying and the decision to go for Inter's was absolutely crazy yeah as you said he's he's kind of feels like he's checked out this year hoping that next year with that

Adrian Nui performance. He might enjoy things a bit more because yeah, we even saw in qualifying, didn't we? He was basically like, I don't really care about the getting blocked by Carlos. You're fine.

And obviously, Carlos didn't end up getting that penalty, which we thought was slam dunk. But yeah, it was all over for stroll on lap one, turn one. It was another driver's race ruined on lap one. The fans gave Lance a five.

Fernando Alonzo started the race in seventh, finished 11th. I've gone for a six out of 10 for Fernando Alonso. He qualified well, but didn't really work out for him in the race, dropped kind of down the order. He was actually racing, you know, nearest the front of the start and looking quite, quite racy, but kind of tumbled back and it didn't go his way, so I've gone for a six. I've also gone for a six out of ten for Fernando. He almost got a zero, after watching the lap one replay, I didn't realize until, you know, doing my grades and having a look at each driver, Alonzo nearly wipes out Charle-Cleur. So nearly wipes out.

I don't really, I think Fernando has reacted to what's in front of him. He nearly got your first ever minus grade. Yeah. Well, the aerial doesn't look like Fernando's going to make any kind of contact with the car ahead. He sort of jolts away, and then that's caught Charle-Cleur by surprise. And, yeah, very close to another impact in. turn one. But yeah, six out of ten, a great qualifying from Fernando. But sadly, you know, the car's just not good enough for him to really do much too slow on the straights. And,

yeah, they just couldn't really fight. Couldn't, couldn't really fight. Although, yeah, we will see where that Astor Martin is next year. The fans gave Fernando a six out of ten. Kimmy Antonelli started the race in 17th, finished third. I'm in a predicament here Tommy because I gave Max Rastappen a 9 out of 10 in Brazil You did I was going to mention it So I have to give Kimi Antonelli a 9 out of 10 Qualifying absolutely cost him a chance

Of potentially fighting for the victory We don't know That's a question mark Whether the strategy worked out really well for him Just with the way he was forced to push the hard tyres Maybe he just had a great feeling with them Whatever it was The strategy that he pulled off was amazing.

However, I have to downgrade him a point because he was knocked out in Q1. And we are left wondering what could have been. And if we're wondering what could have been through something that Kimmy could have made a difference around, I have to reflect that in my score. So it is an amazing drive. I'm not giving Kimmy Antonelli a 5 out of 10. I'm giving him a 9 because it wasn't perfect, but it was pretty close. I've gone for a nine for Kimi Antonelli

I'm very confident with this grade that it's a nine as much as I think this was another race for Kimi Antonelli where he showed what a special driver he's becoming it can't be a 10 because of yeah the poor qualifying

let him go down the order of course the jump start as well it was his fault rolling forward slightly and yeah you look at had the McLaren's of course not been disqualified he's fifth on the road and I generally think like he had the pace and showed the pace to be second so that's not him executing what the car could do so it has to be a nine but Kimi Antonelli what a what's a brilliant brilliant drive again in the race for a rookie to be able to do that strategy and you know be able to bring those hard tires back in something his teammate was struggling with his very

experience and very very very good teammate um he is he he's really starting to show now why he was so backed by by toto wolf in these last couple of races we are we are seeing the the kimmy antonelli hype train chew chewing and i hope it continues to steam along because it's brilliant to watch the fans gave kimmy antonelli a 10 out of 10. George Russell started the race in fourth, finish second. I've gone for a nine out of ten for George Russell. Same grade as his teammate. It would kind of, yeah, he made a great move on Lando.

Obviously picked up the pieces from him, but it's still a brave move to go around the outside. But unfortunately for him, yeah, struggled quite a bit on his tyres, but still a great result to be, you know, P3 on the road, which ended up being promoted to P2. So another very respectable and good drive from George to bag some more points for his championship tally. I have also gone for a nine out of ten for George. Mercedes weren't as good or at least maybe in the hands of George than what we were expecting coming into Vegas from last year,

where Mercedes secured a one, two. But I have to give George a nine because he finished in a really good position, but also he was managing a steering problem from lap five. and yeah he wasn't I don't know whether the steering problem was directly linked to how he was managing his tyres because we know just how fragile they are but either way despite those sort of drop-offs that he had in both stints he was still able to bring home a podium finish and yeah it's just another George Russell performance where just spawns on the podium and we all go why didn't we put him in our predictions it's standard stuff although you did or no you wasn't it was it Katie did and then got promoted to p2 wasn't it? I did as well. You did as well, but then that was one low. Was it one too low? No, I had it in a second. Yeah, cool. I'm in a complete fever dream to be honest with you, mate. I still got a couple more days. Still thinking about Mickey Mouse doing me. Yeah, oh my gosh. Did you see that was fake by the way? I don't know. I thought it was pre-recorded, sorry,

yeah. Fake is a very different word there. Well, okay. They pre-recorded it. Yes. Because there was a video of someone on TikTok where they like panned to the window. Yeah, they were in the hotel nearby and paned to the fountain and nothing was going. going on. But no, Tommy, Mickey Mouse is real. Like, come on. Sorry. Sorry, Jordan. Those kind of slanderous things. The fans gave George Russell a nine out of ten. Yuki Sanoda started the race from the pit lane, finished 12th. This is a difficult grade because Helmut Marco actually apologized to Yuki Sanoda

for whatever they did wrong in qualifying, something to do with the tire pressures or something that they did on Yuki's car meant that he couldn't do anything in qualifying. He's only ended up 14th on the road and finished obviously 12th with the disqualifications. His teammate has won the race by 20 seconds. It's a 4 out of 10.

It's a 4 out of 10 for Yuki. Like, I can't give him any higher than that. It is still poor in comparison to his teammate Max. I have to judge him on one. the Red Bull is possible with. It is a shame about Quali, for sure. But, like, my cynical brain is going realistically how much high

was he actually going to qualify, though. That's what I'm thinking. Those were very difficult conditions. And it's something you don't know, right? You either believe that he was going to qualify in the top 10 or you don't. And I just don't think that judging by what we've seen for the majority of this year,

Yuki just doesn't have a handle of that car, sadly, and no one does. So, yeah, made a bit of progress. but was very much just stuck in midfield battles where he didn't want to be. I've gone for a three out of ten, Vuki Sonoda. I know like, you know, driver rating bingo of you don't know what it's really like, but as you say, I have to judge him as we did with Liam Lawson, as we did with Sergio Perez.

We have to judge in comparison to his teammate. And yes, he's been shafted by the same. sound of it in qualifying where he's tied from the pit lane but then equally you know kimi antonelli has started way down the order and made it made it through uh lewis hamilton made it through to points and you know yuki sonoda has not really done anything you know to be 12th in a grand prix where both my teammates won the race and both mcclaren's have been disqualified and you're still not close to the points um so unfortunately just not not good enough and it's going to be a sad

sad end to Yuki Sanoda's F-1 career I think it seems. It does seem that way, doesn't it? The fans gave UK a 4 out of 10. Max Verstappen started the race in second, finished first. I have gone for a 10

out of 10 for Maxa Stappen. Shock horror. Yeah, brilliant drive. Managed it at the front. Had some quite a bit of pressure from Russell at the start, but kind of weathered the storm and just yeah comfortably won the race after that moment from lando where he locked up seized the opportunity uh and took victory uh and of course as we know with the disqualification

a very very important victory uh to kind of thrust him back into a championship contention which is making me very nervous did that well saying that out loud yeah yeah it does yeah it's mad isn't it? I just can't. I still can't get over. No, I can't be. It's not real. It can't be. This must all be a joke and we're just being filmed. I have gone for a 10 out of 10 for Max Verstappen as well. Unsurprisingly, he looked like he was covered off by Lando going into term one. Lando then, of course, we all know what happened, went really wide. And then after that, Max looked, I'd say after the sort of first phase of the first stint, unstoppable. George was on the back of him, and we were thinking,

oh, this is a George Russell victory all day long. But Max was able to keep his tires in a phenomenal shape and then started to drive away from George, and it was comfortable from then. So pretty perfect from Max sparring, obviously not getting pole position, but he still very much deserves the 10. Front row of the grid to P1. Well done. Max Verstappen. The fans gave him a 10 as well. Lewis Hamilton started the race in 19th finished 8th I am going to go

for a 5 out of 10 for Lewis Hamilton and it can't be any higher I know he scored four points I know I tried to say he was good surprise but that was banter it was a poor weekend once again for Hamilton it would have been 10th

without those McLaren's being disqualified one point when you know Charles LeClaire did pretty good things and also as well Hamilton was in a decent spot after lap 1 the chaos had ensued

and he was on a pretty he was in a pretty brilliant position but sadly for him there were mistakes out there we saw it we saw him running wide

occasionally and couldn't make it through cars that we expect him to sort of not breeze by but make the moves maybe a little bit sooner I genuinely thought

Hamilton was on for a really good result especially when he came in from the hards onto the mediums, turns out the mediums was actually a worse tire than the hards for the race. But still, he literally qualified last. He qualified last.

He drove over the bollard on an out lap, which I still am absolutely mystified watching that. And also as well, I am downgrading him for the fact that he, my understanding, right, of this quality, you know, bailing on the last lap, is that he didn't actually realize where the lap time ended and begun.

because he said there was red lights on the gantry but the split second where he goes over the line there is no red lights because the red lights was further down the straight so Hamilton has yeah just made it an error and thought that the quality session was over when it wasn't and he could have made it through Q1 quite easily and then you never know what happens so it's a five

I've gone for a five for Lowe's Hamilton as well it's a yeah a poor a poor weekend to qualify last you know he's had some bad qualifyings this year and some terrible moments but I think that the headline of, you know, being the first Ferrari driver since 2009 to qualify dead last on pace is shocking

and another kind of... No, it's John Connor, Fridic Keller, actually. I was it now. I feel like I'm doing China to tell me. And yeah, the fact that Hamilton had a really poor qualifying but then made up for it, of course, potentially there was some damage there from album's move that's maybe cost him a little bit in the race

but you'd think maybe you'd push hulkenberg a little bit more um despite this and the way he was so like dejected after the race and qualifying just looks like a broken man and it's really sad to see because this is not what i was so excited to see hamilton at ferrari um it was such an exciting thing, you know, to see one of the most, and the most, you know, statistical goat of Formula One drive for the most legendary team. And it's been an absolute disaster. So, yeah, it's such a shame. It has been a disaster. And I echo your thoughts. I was so excited as well. You would have seen it at the start of the year when we were waiting for Hamilton in red and all this sort of stuff. And yet, the worst season he's ever put down. And I don't think it's going to change in the last two races.

The fans gave Lewis a six. Charlerler started the race in ninth, finished fourth. I've gone for an eight out of ten for Charlotte Claire. Another strong drive from him. Add this to the many, many, many drivers of using this phrase of what might have been. Because had it been a dry qualifying, I think this is a completely different story. I think Charlotte Claire has got the pace to do it. And I just want to talk about something with this Ferrari wet weather.

thing that we've said a few times now. This is the first time I've seen Charlotte Claire really outspoken and actually like, you know, speak about this whole wet weather thing. And after the race, he said that the wet weather pace was effing embarrassing. And he basically went on to say that like ever since I've joined Ferrari, we just can't drive in the wet. And it's crazy because there was, I saw a thing about Carlos Sainz and his, and how he's had really poor performances in wet weather and people questioning like, is he a decent

wet weather driver and stuff like that? He's now in a Williams and he's put it third on the grid in a wet session. And someone was, and I've had the same thoughts with Charlotte Claire. Like, is he, you know, is he not a particularly good wet weather driver? And then someone shared like a clip when he was at Sauber and put in a brilliant qualifying in Brazil. And it's just, it's just crazy that Ferrari just can't, as soon as, there's rain. Ferrari does. It's like absolutely useless. So I think the fact that he's actually managed P4, of course he benefited a couple of McLaren disqualifications,

but it's actually not a bad result in the end. But I think it had it been a dry qualifying, we genuinely could have seen Charler-Lacler fighting at the front. I truly believe that. I am torn between a seven and an eight for Charle-Claire. I mean, he qualified ninth. and there were mistakes in there, yes, the Ferrari's a disaster, but he gave himself a lot of work to do,

putting some good moves, which put him back in contention, but he finished sixth on the road. Like, we are maybe getting slightly ahead of ourselves with these disqualifications. If he finishes sixth, am I giving him an 8 out of 10? I don't know. I am going to give Charles LeClaire a 7. It's close to an 8, but it's got to be a 7

because it's not that good of a weekend and I guess he has been hampered quite a lot by the car he said I'm pushing like an animal that's why I wanted to give him an eight because I'm like he's clearly putting quali laps every single time he said that himself but it's not been the greatest of weekends for Charlene

had he qualified better I think I would have easily you know put that up to maybe where it's acceptable but maybe it's also coming from a place of sadness that I've come into Vegas expecting Charles Lecler to potentially win and he's qualified 9th and finished 6th on the road and had to benefit from two disqualifications. So that's where it's coming from.

It's sad. That 7 is at Ferrari, not Charles. Charles, I know you're trying. And, you know, we love you dearly. But I'm just sad to see that this is, this was our last attempt at a win and this is what transpired. The fans gave Charles an 8.

Oscar Piastri started the race in 5th and was disqualified. well here we go so I'm going to say first and foremost I am not downgrading either driver for being disqualified millimeters on the plank 0.1 of a millimetre

on a plank is a team thing no they would have been 20th the car would have been so slow without that one millimeter thicker it's the same group that said about George Russell and he would have actually finished 20th in SPAR when he won that time but then got disqualified I am going to give Oscar Piastri

a six out of ten it's an underwhelming performance Yes, you look on paper and he's finished seven seconds behind Lando, but Lando was literally, he lost 13, 14 seconds in the last four laps because he was trying to not wear his plank down. So it has to be a six for Oscar because I genuinely believe McLaren could have won that race. Of course, we'll get onto Lando shortly, but McLaren had the pace for sure. And Oscar once again just seeming baffled as to how to drive this car now,

which is, and almost every single post-race, post-qualie interview, he doesn't know, and that's the real concern still, that Oscar doesn't know why he's not making the time up. Of course, he was unlucky in term one with the Liam Lawson dive bomb, accidental dive bomb, whatever we want to label it. But even after that, I haven't read anything about Oscar having damage after that. I'm pretty sure it was just wheel-to-wheel contact. But yeah, it just didn't really have the speed to make any inroads. He lost out to Antonelli, of course. We, of course, had that five second penalty, but still was beaten by both Mercedes on the road. So, yeah, it's a six. I have gone for a six out of ten for Oscar Piastri. Yeah, not on his teammates' pace again.

Really disappointing. And, yeah, you look to the, again, as, you know, it goes without saying that the disqualification doesn't affect the grade of what they achieved anyway because that is not making a difference in terms of how they've performed and yeah it's such a shame for Oscar even watching a guy who I think

when he was at his most confident best in that kind of middle point at the season and near the start of the season when he was driving so well and looked so good in that McLaren and was winning all these races one of if not the best kind of wheel-to-wheel driver and making incredible overtakes.

And instead, you know, he's sat behind Antonelli lap after lap, and I know it was quite tough to overtake, but Antonelli had very worn tires, and we saw that the McLaren did have decent pace. So, yeah, a six for Oscar Piastri. The fans gave Oscar a six as well. Lando Norris started the race from first, disqualified, but second on the road.

oh this one's tough um i'm going to go for an eight out of ten it's between an eight and a nine again i don't think um uh downgrading him in terms of like the the um you know the skidware issue but he should have won the race in my opinion and it all went wrong at the start after downgrade him before it was a a big mistake um not his finest moment when he's been superbly well and actually his starts have been really really impressive but it was a big mistake to lose two positions and it meant that you know um it i think it cost him the victory even though he'd have been disqualified anyway um which is an odd thing to kind of be talking about and drive ratings but that's why i've gone for an eight for landy i'm going to go for a

What am I going for? It's a nine. Nine out of ten for Lando. Qualifying was absolutely sensational from him. And yes, he made a mistake in that last sector. Everybody was making mistakes, by the way, in qualifying everybody. And up until that point, it was, yeah, an absolutely brilliant lap in that final moments in Q3 where all the pressures on his shoulders and then he delivered a pole position despite the mistake. So I think that deserves its commendation. And then as for the start, I commended him in the post-face podcast, not do it again, that I like the fact that he weren't really aggressive on Max. He made a mistake. That's why it's not a 10. Am I going to downgrade him two points for a small error into term one, which he then managed to get one of the positions back anyway? And I think it did cost him a chance at the victory. I reckon he probably would have been the favourite to win had he stayed ahead of Max out of term one, but I think would have been very close. So, yeah, I'm downgrading him for that,

but I feel it's a bit harsh to do it at two points because it's close, but I think I'm more comfortable with a nine out of ten for Lando for this weekend. The fans gave him an eight. So finally, who is our P1? My P1 is going to be Carlos Sines. I think he genuinely executed the entire weekend,

flawlessly. Max Verstappen didn't get pole position, otherwise he's probably getting my P1. So I'm going to give it to Carlos because I'm just happy to see him thriving. I, yeah, the only two I've given a 10 for is Carlos and Max. I think it's very close between them. Both drove excellent races, but it's, if we're, you know, looking at the qualifying as well. It's got to be Carlos. The qualifying is one of the best of the year for sure. And, yeah, an absolutely sensational qualifying and an excellent result for Carlos.

So, yeah, I'll go for Carlos B1. All right, then. That is it. Thank you, everybody, for tuning in to this episode of Driver Ratings. We'll be back literally next week because Qatar and then Abu Dhabi the following week after to finish this F1 season. It's frantic. Can't wait for it. It's going to be exciting.

Tell me what your final thoughts. My final thoughts are. Well done, Vegas. Enjoyed the light show. See you next year. Tommy's brain is powering down, everybody. We've seen it live. Thank you, everybody.

We'll see you soon. Lots of love. Bye. Bye.