Singapore GP driver ratings: Problematic Perez and heroic Hulkenberg
The scores are in for the Singapore Grand Prix.
The original night race may not have been an all-time classic but Lando Norris will not care as he came away with the win.
It was damage limitation for Max Verstappen who managed second while Sergio Perez just barely got into the points.
Driver ratings for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix
Lando Norris – 9.5
A couple of wall clips away from a perfect 10. Say what you want about Miami – Zandvoort and Singapore have been dominant displays from Norris.
Verstappen’s best chance was at the start but Norris put any of his demons to bed by racing away and the gap just got bigger and bigger and bigger.
It may have only allowed him to cut seven points out of Verstappen’s lead but it was the manner of the victory that makes Norris a genuine contender.
Max Verstappen – 9
Just about the best Verstappen could have hoped for when the papaya-and-white McLaren began to disappear over the horizon.
Verstappen’s best work came in qualifying where he dragged the RB20 perhaps higher than it deserved to be.
The positive Verstappen can take is that this run of tracks is over and with an upgrade package coming in Austin, perhaps now he can wrestle back some momentum.
Oscar Piastri – 9
A slightly underwhelming quali was rectified with some great race craft. Keeping his tyres alive long enough to move past the Merc drivers with ease pushed him up into the podium spots, although he was unable to close down Verstappen ahead.
It’s not a win but it’s another very impressive display.
George Russell – 8.5
Russell got the better of the two Mercedes strategies despite starting behind so was always going to overtake Hamilton at some point.
Struggled with the car late on but kept it on track this year.
Charles Leclerc – 8.5
He may have cursed his race engineer on more than one occasion but his tyre strategy results in a big recovery from a P9 quali spot.
A poor Saturday was always going to be costly and the pace of the car suggested a podium was on offer should he have started higher.
Lewis Hamilton – 8
It would not surprise me if there were some cross words shared in the Mercedes debrief room after the race on Sunday as Hamilton was let down by the strategy.
Why put him on used softs to start? Why then pit him earlier than most? Bizarre calls and Hamilton did the best he could with the tools he was given.
To make it worse, he predicted his own downfall almost as soon as he came out after the stop.
Carlos Sainz – 7.5
Like Leclerc, Sainz had work to do after a bad quali but he did not quite match his team-mate’s feat.
A bad start saw him fall down the grid and he could only get up past Alonso.
Fernando Alonso – 8
Driver or car? It’s hard to know with most teams when it comes to performance but for Aston Martin, the evidence suggested Alonso is getting more out of it than he perhaps should.
He was in a great battle with Hulkenberg and even looked like he could close down Sainz late on, not bad for a driver who was off the track in the first lap.
Nico Hulkenberg – 8.5
Another excellent weekend for Hulkenberg with a super P6 in quali and he defended excellently to secure ninth. The race in Singapore was his sixth points finish of the year
Sergio Perez – 5
Yes, it’s in the points but it’s tenth at a time when your team-mate is second. What more can you say about Perez? He is consistently not good enough and showed it again in Singapore.
Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly being given the boot and he contributed as many points to Red Bull’s battle this weekend as Perez did.
Franco Colapinto – 8
Produced the move of his career so far in the first lap and did well to hang onto the top 10. Missed out on a point by one position.
Yuki Tsunoda – 7.5
Was furious not to be allowed past his team-mate earlier but once he did get by, he didn’t exactly fly up the order.
Another finish out of the top 10 and Tsunoda hasn’t scored points since Hungary.
Esteban Ocon – 6.5
Rose from 15th up to 13th but Ocon will be looking at the Haas car with envious eyes at the moment.
Lance Stroll – 5.5
A poor quali put him on the back foot and the best he could recover was P14.
More reaction from the Singapore Grand Prix
What Lando Norris said to Max Verstappen in Singapore cooldown room as Piastri lands FIA quip
Max Verstappen ‘thank you Daniel’ message after huge title favour in potential F1 last stand
Zhou Guanyu – 5.5
If this was Ricciardo’s last race, Zhou’s seems close behind. Yes the car is not great but that is often forgotten when looking at the results.
Another race where you forgot either drivers were even there.
Valtteri Bottas – 5.5
Running out of ways to say the Stake drivers were slow but, the Stake drivers were slow. Bottas did what he could but that was not a lot.
Pierre Gasly – 5.5
Mark this in the “races to forget” category. No pace in the car and no points for Pierre.
Daniel Ricciardo – 5.5
He may have got the driver of the day vote but sympathy aside, it was not a great final drive for Ricciardo if that is what it turns out to be.
It was a disappointing quali with not much to write home about but he at least got the fastest lap.
Did not finish
Kevin Magnussen – 6
It wasn’t the blood and thunder return we were hoping for as Kevin Magnussen limped out in the 57th lap with a puncture.
Alex Albon – 6
Got what he described as “divebombed” by his own team-mate before picking up something in his air duct and causing the power unit to overheat.