As usual at the end of the year, Formula 1 team principals have established their ranking of the top 10 drivers of the season, and there have certainly been some surprises.
The drivers themselves also voted to form their personal grid of the top 10, but regarding the team bosses, there are some differences.
1. Max Verstappen
No surprises regarding the World Champion Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is in the first position in both the list compiled by his colleagues and the one voted on by the team principals. It would be unfair not to recognize the incredible year of the ’97 class, the best statistically in the history of F1.
2. Fernando Alonso
In the second position, we find the first inconsistency between the two rankings. Fernando Alonso was voted the second-best driver of the year by team bosses, while he is third on the list formed by the drivers themselves. The Spaniard was fantastic driving the Aston Martin AMR23, especially in the first part of the season, securing 6 podiums in the first 8 races.
3. Lando Norris
On the lowest step of the podium in the list compiled by the team principals is Lando Norris, who gains a position compared to the list voted on by his colleagues. The young British driver has shown that with a competitive car, he can give Max Verstappen a run for his money. However, he will have to wait a bit longer to celebrate a victory, especially his first in Formula 1.
4. Charles Leclerc
Somewhat surprisingly, at the foot of the podium is Charles Leclerc, fifth in the drivers’ ranking. The Monegasque had a fluctuating season, characterized by difficulty in finding the right feeling and driving style with the SF-23. In the last races, especially from the Japanese GP onwards, he has consistently demonstrated his talent, coming close to victory in Las Vegas.
5. Lewis Hamilton
Another surprise in this top-10 is Lewis Hamilton’s fifth position, who ranks second in the ranking formed by the votes of his colleagues. The seven-time world champion finished the 2023 season in third place in the drivers’ championship, asserting himself as the “best of the rest” given Red Bull’s clear superiority.
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6. Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz, the only winner of a race this year in a car other than the RB-19, is in sixth place. The Spaniard climbed to the top step of the podium in Singapore, but in the course of 2023, he did not have many standout performances. However, he was very consistent and solid compared to teammate Leclerc, who had a more fluctuating season.
7. Oscar Piastri
The first (and not the only) new entry is Oscar Piastri. Clearly, being a rookie, the Australian could be voted for the first time in his career and managed to enter the top-10 in his first year in F1. The very young debutant, born in 2001, achieved a pole and a victory this season, both in the Qatar GP Saturday Sprint.
His fantastic season allowed him to be awarded, for the second time in his career, by the FIA as the “Rookie of The Year,” that is, the “Best Rookie of the Year.”
8. Alex Albon
The second new entry, compared to 2022, is Alex Albon, who drops one position compared to the ranking compiled by the drivers. The Thai driver of Williams scored 27 points out of the team’s total of 28, securing seventh place in the constructors’ championship.
9. George Russell
Another surprise, at least compared to the top-10 voted by the drivers, is the presence of George Russell. The Mercedes driver is absent from the other ranking, where Pierre Gasly is in his place. The Englishman’s season was not excellent at all. After a highly impressive 2022, an additional step forward was expected, which did not happen, especially in comparison to his teammate.
10. Sergio Pérez
Finally, completing the ranking voted by the team principals, as happened in the one compiled by the drivers, is Sergio Pérez. The Mexican had a troubled season, where he was light-years away from teammate Max Verstappen. Nevertheless, Checo finished 2023 in second place in the drivers’ championship, allowing Red Bull to achieve its first 1-2 (1-2 in the drivers’ standings) in its history.
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