F1 Driver Ratings: Our verdict on 2026's stars so far
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- Kimi Antonelli earned a 9/10 as F1's top performer at the 2026 halfway mark, leading the Drivers' Championship by 50 points over Hamilton and 59 over Russell after five consecutive wins followed by sixth in Belgium, with his Monaco performance singled out as outstanding.
- Lewis Hamilton received 8/10 at Ferrari, having overturned last year's pace deficit to Charles Leclerc into a 169-138 points lead, though the article says his pre-summer-break execution left him too far behind Antonelli to mount a realistic challenge.
- Isack Hadjar earned 7/10 at Red Bull, outqualifying teammate Max Verstappen at Suzuka and Silverstone (3-8 in qualifying versus Verstappen), with the article saying his one-lap pace likely secures a 2027 seat even though his race-pace deficit is the clear area to improve.
- Max Verstappen was rated 8.5/10 despite not winning a race all season, credited with only one fewer podium than both Ferrari drivers despite Red Bull's RB22 early-season struggles getting off the start line.
- Pierre Gasly (7.5/10) was called the only driver outside the top four teams to claim a 2026 podium, awarded third at Monaco following Alpine's protest.
- Esteban Ocon (5.5/10) is described as the driver most under pressure to keep his seat, with Haas reportedly weighing F2's Rafael Camara or reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli for 2027.
Why it matters: Antonelli's 50-point cushion and five-race winning streak put the 19-year-old within reach of becoming F1's youngest world champion, while Verstappen's winless but podium-heavy 8.5/10 and Ocon's looming seat threat at Haas set up the most consequential subplots of the second half starting at the Dutch GP.
