Throughout the season, our six Aramco F1 Power Rankings judges rated each of 10 drivers for their racing performance – and took the machines out of the equation. But we wanted to know who you think deserves a place in the top 10 power rankings …
Our experts’ ratings for the drivers were averaged over the entire season, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen coming out as number one with an average rating of 8.9 in the 22 races. That was a pretty phenomenal performance by the Dutchman, who was crowned world champion in 2021.
But we also asked you to vote after the season is over. So read on to see how the results in our Fan Power Rankings, powered by F1 Fan Voice, have performed. Interestingly, the fan and expert rankings showed exactly the same 10 drivers – but not in the same positions …
F1 POWER RANKINGS: Which driver topped the season charts after the Abu Dhabi GP 2021?
2021 F1 Power Rankings final placement: 1st
Our jury selected eventual champion Max Verstappen as the top performer of 2021, and apparently you voted for it too, giving the Dutchman, who finished just four times outside the top two in the 22 races of the season, a score of 8.80 have given. Just beautiful.
MUST-SEE: Watch the Red Bull pit wall react to the final lap thriller in Abu Dhabi
2021 F1 Power Rankings final placement: 2nd
You also agreed with our jury in the annual evaluation of Lewis Hamilton and rated the Mercedes man highly – but only behind his title rival Verstappen, with Hamilton showing immense top performances in 2021 (Interlagos weekend, we’re looking at you), but also his copybook tarnished, for example with his rarely indifferent appearance in Monaco, where he took seventh place.
READ MORE: Seven-time F1 champion Sir Lewis Hamilton was knighted at Windsor Castle
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 5th =
In fifth place in our F1 Power Ranking 2021, you, the fans, brought Carlos Sainz to third place overall – and we can see your point of view. There were many who thought that Sainz would be pulled in as a supporting role for Charles Leclerc while worrying that the two Latin temperaments would not merge. But with Sainz taking four podium places ahead of Leclerc’s podium and with Ferrari (at least for the time being) there seemed to be harmony, this was a really impressive year for the Spaniard.
READ MORE: Sainz Says the Abu Dhabi podium was the ideal way to end a “magical” first season with Ferrari
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 5th =
AlphaTauri will thank their lucky stars they could count on for Pierre Gasly in 2021, a season that saw them embed rookie Yuki Tsunoda. While the Japanese got back on his feet, Gasly was ruthlessly consistent, scoring points in 15 of 22 races and even putting AlphaTauri back on the podium in Baku (for his third podium with the team).
It’s worth noting that if both AlphaTauri drivers had scored the 110 points demanded by Gasly, the team would have beaten rival Alpine by a full 65 points – and ultimately had achieved P5 in the constructors’ championship, boss Franz Tost had dreamed of so long has. ..
VOTE: What was your favorite race in 2021? It’s time to choose the best Grand Prix of the season
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 3rd place
Our third place in the F1 power rankings came in fifth here, a still respectable result for Lando Norris after a real coming-of-age season. On the podium only in the second race of the year, three more would follow in the season – if the rain had stopped in Sochi, we would now be talking about Norris as F1 race winner and pole sitter. rather than just the latter.
WATCH: The 10 Most Dramatic Moments of the 2021 F1 Season
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 10.
Sergio Perez is back in our top 10 after his formidable defense against Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. In truth, Red Bull might have expected a little more from the seasoned driver in 2021 – Perez, for example, only took five podiums over Valtteri Bottas’ 11. Still, he added another win to his locker in Baku, and after playing a key role in the season finale , he will try to get started again in 2022.
READ MORE: Verstappen calls Perez an “amazing person” as he attributes Mexico’s heroics for winning the title
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 7.
When asked how he would fare after four races of his F1 comeback, Fernando Alonso gave himself five out of 10 points. At the end of the season, this rose to 7.12 in your eyes, with Alonso showing flashes of ancient magic several times. His defense against Hamilton in Hungary was great, as was his third place in Losail – Alonso’s first podium since 2014.
READ MORE: Alonso will have surgery in January after a pre-season bicycle accident – but says he’s “super powerful and ready” for 2022
2021 F1 Power Rankings final position: 8.
If Mercedes ever doubted their decision to bet heavily on George Russell for the future, the Briton’s performances in 2021 would definitely have dispelled those doubts. ‘Mr Saturday’ was brilliant in qualifying, including one of the best qualifying laps ever at Spa-Francorchamps. But he also scored points for Williams and, in addition to three other scores, took a podium place in the rain-shortened Spa race and thus did not help the team to bottom of the table for the first time since 2017. Sir Frank would have been proud.
READ MORE: Russell shares ‘weird feeling’ after first Mercedes test since signing for 2022
2021 F1 Power Ranking final placement: 4th
Our judges put Charles Leclerc in fourth place in the final power ranking, but he’s P9 here. One could argue that Leclerc is shining a little less brightly this season, in relative terms, especially when compared to the 2019 highs when this year’s Ferrari was really a force to be reckoned with. But if you look closely you will see that Leclerc’s immense quality as a driver has been shaped throughout his mature season, not least in his consecutive pole positions for Scuderia.
WATCH: Rethink F1 drivers’ bold predictions for the 2021 season
2021 F1 Power Ranking final placement: 9.
While Lando Norris couldn’t close the deal on his first F1 win, it was Esteban Ocon, the French who defied the racing pressure of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel in Hungary to take a sensational victory – making it the 111th and youngest F1 -Winner there. Ocon’s season varied in quality before and after, but his near-podium in Saudi was astounding too.
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