Spanish gp driver ratings

RED BULL

Started 2nd -- -- -- -- -- Result 1st

9 Missed out on pole, but getting past Norris at the start was one half of the job done, making no bones of pass on Russell that effectively secured the win. Did well to fulfil strategy brief and had just enough in hand to hold off Norris. He’s responding well to being challenged more often.

Started 11th -- -- - - Result 8th

5 Team reckoned simulations put him eighth at best and he managed that, but outright pace remains elusive. Way off Verstappen in Q3 – a whopping 0.66 seconds – and struggled to make early progress, but nonetheless delivered some points with a three-stop strategy.

MERCEDES

Started 3rd --- -- -- -- - Result 3rd

8 Clinched long-awaited first podium of the year, although started poorly and bogged down. Sustained pace well through opening pair of stints, making the final stint on soft tyres possible. Pass on Russell ensured third was his, and kept life in softs to ensure no late-race hiccups.

Started 4th^---------- Result 4th

8 Had brilliant moments: his sweeping pass on Verstappen and Norris to claim the lead was one, then his battle with Norris spanning half a lap was another. But he fell short of overall pace and struggled to unlock much from the hard tyres. Held off Leclerc at the end to keep fourth.

FERRARI

Started 5th^---------- Result 5th

7 Sustained front-wing damage in brief clash with Sainz, a move he “didn’t understand”. Also questioned Ferrari “Plan A” choice, but it ultimately carried him above his team-mate thanks to longer medium stint. Put Russell under pressure late on, but didn’t have enough pace to make a move.

Started 6th^---------- Result 6th

6 Was arguably saddled with a worse strategy than Leclerc, but threw caution to the wind with early tyre saving to pass Leclerc in a move that could have been cleaner. Undercut efforts didn’t work and hard tyre unlocked little in the way of pace, and he got frustrated by Hamilton pass.

McLAREN

Started 1st -- -- -- -- -- R