Monaco GP: Driver Ratings

F1 News

28 May 2019 at 08:00
Last update 28 May 2019 at 08:00
  • Bobby Vincent

What a thrilling Monaco Grand Prix we witnessed! Lewis Hamilton held off a determined Max Verstappen to ensure Mercedes' 100% record continued in Monte Carlo. But how did the whole grid rate in our Driver Ratings?

Lewis Hamilton (P1) - 9

An unreal performance from the champion. Lewis took part in a near race-long battle with Verstappen, who was trying to get in front of a struggling Hamilton to build up a five-second gap. 

The Brit held on, and his defending to not allow Max any room to overtake was incredible. It was a performance fitting to the late Niki Lauda, who we all know, was so close to Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel (P2) - 8

Vettel was up there with the most-impressive drivers on the grid in Monaco. The German went onto record his highest position of the season thus far, finishing in P2, following Verstappen's penalty.

After a nightmare Saturday that saw the Ferrari man crash into the barriers yet again, the four-time world champion did extremely well to perfom so consistently throughout the race on Sunday. Is it onwards and upwards for Seb?


Valtteri Bottas (P3) - 7

A very mixed day for Bottas. The Finn started off second on the grid, and did well initially to hold P2 following an early dart from Verstappen. However, Mercedes called its driver into the pits when the early safety car was out.

Verstappen overtook Bottas, which clearly angered the Finn and perhaps dented his confidence. In the end, he can be pleased with sneaking onto the podium following Verstappen's five-second penalty.

Max Verstappen (P4) - 10

Verstappen was voted Driver of the Day (both by F1 and GPBlog), and with good reason! The Dutchman forced Hamilton to be on his absolute "A-Game" throughout the race, forcing him out of his comfort zone.

He gave it a really good go when the lights went out as well; causing Bottas and Hamilton all sorts of problems. The five-second penalty ultimately ruined his opportunity of a podium finish - but that was more of a team-fault than an individual one.

Pierre Gasly (P5) - 7

Gasly perhaps went under the radar yesterday because of his team-mate's intense battle with Hamilton. The Frenchman finished 10 seconds behind the front-four in P5, but his car isn't up to their levels.

The former Toro Rosso driver is clearly still getting to grips with driving his RB15. Starting in P8, it was a real solid performance from Gasly to eventually gain three places for Red Bull.

Carlos Sainz (P6) - 8

A highest finish for McLaren for Sainz in Monaco. The weekend started painfully for the Spaniard, following an engine issue on Thursday that kept him on the sidelines for the majority of Thursday's FP1. 

At the start of the race, Sainz overtook the Toro Rossos - describing the said move as "definitely one of my best overtakes!". He then went onto finish in P5 for the British side.

Daniil Kvyat (P7) - 8

Kvyat has now recorded two successive point finishes for Toro Rosso; which is his third of the season in Monaco. The Russian has definitely gained some composure and calmness in his second spell for the team.

Gasly overtook Kvyat right at the start of the race, but the Russian-born driver kept his composure and carried on. Kvyat then finished in P7 for Toro Rosso - who had a brilliant day.

Alex Albon (P8) - 8

Here's the next of the Toro Rosso drivers in the team's double-points finish in Monte Carlo. The team have been improving gradually as the season has been progressing and the Monaco GP saw perhaps its best race yet.

Albon didn't pit under the safety car and instead managed to keep on his initial set of softs all the way until Lap 40. By the end, the tyres had degraded massively, though. The British-born Thai driver managed to avoid the barriers and drive a very clean race.

Daniel Ricciardo (P9) - 4

It wasn't an ideal day for Danny Ric. The Aussie, and last season's Monaco GP winner, started the day in P6 - overtook Kevin Magnussen right at the start - and looked as if he could perhaps finish with the "best of the rest" status.

He drove a very strong qualifying session for Renault and that will give the French team something to cheer about. The decision to pit under the safety car, though, will give Renault a cause for concern, as it undid all of Ricciardo's early great work.

Romain Grosjean (P10) - 6

Grosjean was under immense early pressure from Charles Leclerc, where he did really well to delay the Ferrari man for as long as he did. Another impressive part of the Frenchman's performance was his tyre duration.

The Haas driver elected to stay with soft tyres for an incredible 49 laps, by which point - he moved up to P5. Grosjean finished in P9, but a post-race penalty for cutting a corner, meant he finished a place below.

Lando Norris (P11) - 5

Norris nearly had a great weekend in Monaco and was very close to recording a double-points finish for McLaren. However, tyre issues on Lap 48 saw Ricciardo overtake the F1 rookie.

The teenager confirmed he was "happy" with his day, but the narrow miss on the top-10 must've affected Norris. 

Sergio Perez (P12) - 7

It was a special effort from Perez, after the Mexican salvaged little something from precious little nothing for Racing Point. Perez could only manage P17 on Saturday in qualifying to sum up a disastrous Monaco GP build-up for Racing Point.

We've got to give him a rating or two for managing to avoid both of the race marshals as well. A very bizarre moment nearly saw the stewards hit by the pink car.

Nico Hulkenberg (P13) - 5

Many would've predicted Hulkenberg had the upper hand on his new team-mate Ricciardo at the start of the season. But the season has progressed, and the power has perhaps swayed towards the Australian driver.

Hulkenberg was on the receiving end of a lunge from Leclerc, that forced him to pit early with a puncture. The German then ended up at the back of the grid, he managed to move his car up into a respectable position on the grid.

Kevin Magnussen (P14) - 2

His overall wekeend was a very strong one, but Sunday's performance leaves him with just two on the GPBlog Driver Ratings. Haas' pace in qualifying and practice was strong, but once again - it let the American side down in the actual race.

An early pit-stop for the Dane put him down in 14th-place, and he stayed there for the majority of the race. Magnussen eventually climbed up a couple of places, but the Dane's eagerness when he left the track to gain an advantage; left him with a five-second penalty and essentially a two-place penalty.

George Russell (P15) - 8

Big up George Russell. Under the radar much? The F2 champion lost a place at the beginning of the race, but from then on, he kept his head down and drove a really solid race.

It was his third P15 for Williams this season, and for an FW42 with that little performance... that's quite impressive.

Lance Stroll (P16) - 4

A tad of a nightmare weekend for Stroll. He was the slowest man on track on Thursday, and barely beat the two Williams in the other two practices and the qualifying session.

The Canadian managed to beat the two Alfas, perhaps surprisingly, but lost out to the Williams of Russell - something that will bitterly disappoint the Racing Point driver.

Kimi Raikkonen (P17) - 4

It was all about #Kimi300 before Sunday's race, but it was a very disappointing weekend for Raikkonen in the end. He lined up on the grid in P14, with Leclerc quickly overtaking the man he replaced at Ferrari.

Raikkonen and Stroll collided, leaving the Finn with front wing damage on a Sunday where it's hard to state the positives for Kimi.

Robert Kubica (P18) - 6

Most of these points are for Kubica managing to avoid the foot of the grid! The Pole was spun by Antonio Giovinazzi, eventually finishing ahead of the Alfa Romeo man.

It was the first time in 2019 where Kubica hasn't finished last in a race. We'll drink to that, Robert!

Antonio Giovinazzi (P19) - 4

Alfa Romeo have struggled in 2019 so far and likewise Giovinazzi. The Italian spun Kubica out, and received a 10-second penalty, which saw him move to the back of the grid; where he remained for the rest of the race.

Charles Leclerc (DNF) - 1

The one rating is perhaps out of sympathy. In fact, the one was for the effort. Leclerc started down in P15 following his surprise Q1 exit on Saturday. He did well early on and managed to gain three places.

Leclerc, in his hometown of Monaco, went for the narrow overtake on Nico Hulkenberg, but his rear right wheel clipped the barrier and punctured. Driving a bit quicker than he should've been with a tyre puncture, he eventually pitted and he tried to carry on but was forced to retire on Lap 18.