United States GP driver ratings: A perfect 10 and George Russell faces a tough moment
Kimi Antonelli didn’t take the championship crown, but his performance in Austin, Texas was simply outstanding. The Mercedes driver was the quickest off the line and never looked back. This puts him close to the championship trophy, though the battle will continue, at least mathematically, in Mexico City next week.
Here’s how every F1 driver did at the 2026 United States GP:
1. Kimi Antonelli – 10/10
Perfect! After a few quiet races, the Italian came back strong with an amazing drive in Austin. He finished 54 seconds ahead of his teammate George Russell, who came eighth. “It was the result we needed,” said Antonelli. “The whole team worked so hard on the new package, and executing the strategy perfectly made it even better.”
2. Charles Leclerc – 9/10
Leclerc had a great weekend, beating his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. Though he wasn’t close to Antonelli, he clearly showed he was the best of the rest.
3. Max Verstappen – 8/10
Verstappen was full of energy but didn’t have the best car. Both he and teammate Isack Hadjar struggled at the start, and Verstappen also had braking issues. Red Bull tried a brave two-stop strategy, and a late Virtual Safety Car helped Lewis Hamilton hold him off. Verstappen pushed hard after fresh tyres but couldn’t quite reach the podium.
5. Lando Norris – 7/10
Norris and McLaren tried a one-stop strategy but ended up being chased down by Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton in the final laps.
6. Isack Hadjar – 5/10
The young Frenchman had a promising start spoiled by a bad getaway. After that, he just didn’t have the speed to keep up, finishing sixth.
7. Oscar Piastri – 5/10
Another quiet race for the Australian. Just as Antonelli’s style suits the current cars, Piastri seemed a bit lost. Seventh place keeps him seventh in the championship.
8. George Russell – 4/10
Russell’s day summed up his season. While his teammate Antonelli dominated, he got a 5-second penalty for going off track and ended a disappointing eighth. “The pace was just rubbish today,” he said.
9. Lewis Hamilton – 6/10
Always reliable, Hamilton picked up more points by finishing ninth, helping Racing Bulls stay ahead of Alpine.
10. Pierre Gasly – 8/10
Gasly delivered another solid weekend, consistently finishing in the points all season.
11. Nico Hulkenberg – 7/10
The Audi veteran showed his experience and helped guide his younger teammate.
12. Arvid Lindblad – 7/10
Starting 14th after a grid penalty, Lindblad moved forward to finish 12th, a positive result.
13. Esteban Ocon – 7/10
Still driving with determination after losing his Haas seat, Ocon fought from 17th to finish 13th.
14. Gabriel Bortoletto – 5/10
After an unbelievable 80-place grid penalty for engine changes, the Brazilian struggled to make an impact.
15. Lance Stroll – 5/10
Stroll managed to beat teammate Fernando Alonso, and without any crashes or breakdowns, he earns a solid five points.
16. Fernando Alonso – 4/10
Alonso fought hard early but ended up 16th thanks to a slow Aston Martin and early damage. He just missed beating Stroll.
18. Carlos Sainz – 6/10
Sainz did his best with a slow Williams, managing to stay ahead of two Cadillacs.
19. Sergio Perez – 4/10
Perez kept proving he’s Cadillac’s top driver, an honor he can be proud of.
20. Valtteri Bottas – 2/10
Bottas had a tough weekend, retiring due to engine trouble and likely regretting his comeback.
21. Franco Colapinto – 3/10
Multiple grid penalties and damage led to an early retirement for the Argentinian.
22. Ollie Bearman – 4/10
Starting strong for points, a collision halfway through ended Bearman’s race early.
All in all, it was an exciting race with plenty of great efforts and tough challenges!