Max Verstappen - 9.5

It was another Suzuka masterclass from the reigning world champion. A perfect 10 rating escapes Verstappen due to a relatively small margin over Perez in qualifying. Harsh, perhaps, but let's save our best score f❀or mesmerising weekends. 

Sergio Perez - 8

After a nightmare weekend in Japan last year, Perez hit back with a strong display. To be around a tenth off Verstappen was impressive in qualifying, while he put together ꦡa strong race day performance to come away w💞ith second.

Carlos Sainz - 8.5

Sainz put together a fine weekend in Japan. He out-qualif🍒ied teammate Leclerc again before converting that in💎to a podium.

Charles Leclerc - 8

Leclerc will be left to rue another underwhelmi🤪ng qualifying performance, like in Australia. No faults with his race display though, converting a one-s🥂top strategy into fourth ahead of Norris.

Lando Norris - 8.5

It’s hard to fault Norris’ performance in Japan given he ext💖racted the maximum from the car in qualifying to secure third. McLaren seemed to be simply slower than Ferrari in the race, while their strategy was also questionable. 

Fernando Alonso - 9

Alonso was brilliant at Suzuka, and probably out-performed his machinery given he beat both Mercedes drivers and one McLaren. His margin ov෴er teammate Stroll was also mighty.

George Russell - 8

After a lacklustre qualifying, Russell appeared to have an edge on Hamilton in the race. He g☂ot past Piastri on the f♒inal lap to secure a decent result. 

Oscar Piastri - 7

An 𝓡underwhelming weekend from Piastri overall. He lacked race pace as he was stuck behind Alonso before making a crucial mistake late on to allow Russell to get past. 

Lewis Hamilton - 7

Hamilton’s poor start to the♛ 2024 F1 season continued with a P9 in Japan. It looked like he suggested to Mercedes to deploy team orders to get Russell ahead as well which was unusual. That sums up his mentality - and motivation currently. 

Yuki Tsunoda - 8.5

Tsunoda𒉰’s stock as a driver continues to rise as he put🎶 together a fine drive on home soil. Q3 appearance and points - he couldn’t have done much more. 

Lance Stroll - 5.5

A disappointing w﷽eekend from Stroll. It started with his Q1 knockout, and despite a good ꧑start after the red flag, but couldn’t convert into a top 10 finish.

Nico Hulkenberg - 6.5

A slow start after𒊎 the red flaꦓg cost Hulkenberg a realistic chance of finishing tenth. He did well to recover from the back to secure 11th in the end.

Kevin Magnussen - 6.5

A ste✨p behind teammate Hulkenberg in raw pace terms, Magnussen fended Bottas off for much of the race.

Valtteri Bottas - 7

Bottas looked on c☂ourse to be a strong contender for a points finish, running ahead of Tsunoda for the first half of the race. However, a slow pit stop - when four other midfield cars stopped - dropped him down the order.

Esteban Ocon - 7

Ocoཧn was brilliant in qualifying, making it into Q2 again in the s𝓀lowest car on the grid. Inevitably he fell backwards as Alpine struggled with race pace.

Pierre Gasly - 6

Gasly was out-classed by Ocon again in Japan, meaning he’s ꦇ4-0 down in the qualifying head-to-head. His teammate also had the edge ๊in the race. 

Logan Sargeant - 5.5

A crash in FP1 put Sargeant on the back foot for the remainder of the weekend. While points were never on the table for﷽ Williams at Suzuka, to go off into the gravel trap in the race was another avoidable error.

Zhou Guanyu - 5

Zhou was off the pace of teammate Bottas before re🔯tiring due to a gearbox issue.

Alex Albon - 6.5

Albon’s race was r𒐪uined on the opening lap follಌowing a misjudgement from Ricciardo.

Daniel Ricciardo - 3

Another poor week🌜end from Ricciardo, who🍎 was entirely to blame for his Lap 1 contact with Albon.