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The Sao Paulo Grand Prix featured a race where Lando Norris and the Red Bull drivers kept Mercedes off the podium, despite Mercedes clinching the Constructors’ Championship. Formula 1’s five-judge panel evaluated every driver’s performance weekend-wide to compile the latest Power Rankings scores and leaderboard.
How the Power Rankings Work
A panel of five experts assesses each driver following every Grand Prix, scoring them out of 10 based purely on weekend performance while removing machinery from the equation. These expert scores are then averaged into a single race score, which feeds into the overall season Power Rankings Leaderboard.
Top Performers in Brazil
McLaren introduced the weekend’s sole upgrades at Interlagos, though Lando Norris remained cautious about major gains. Rain mixed up the order, but Norris showcased his wet-weather skill by turning pole position into his third triumph of the season, winning by a 14-second margin largely by keeping calm and avoiding mistakes, as reported by Latest F1 News (formula1.com).
Max Verstappen delivered another signature charge from the back, climbing from P21 to P5 on his opening stint using intermediate tyres. Although soft tyres proved less effective, he eventually caught his teammate to secure second place and solidify P2 in the drivers’ standings.
Liam Lawson benefited from Qualifying chaos to start P3 and immediately stormed past Norris on the opening lap alongside Kimi Antonelli. Despite dropping back as top teams progressed, a strong defense against Charles Leclerc paid off when Leclerc received a five-second penalty for contact, elevating Lawson to P7.
Isack Hadjar overcame recent handling complaints with the RB22 by excelling in the wet conditions, performing best on soft tyres after starting fifth. He engaged in multiple battles with Antonelli to finish on the podium for the first time since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso secured Aston Martin’s first Q3 appearance of the season and engaged in a fierce battle with Alex Albon before finishing a respectable P12 just outside the points.
Midfield Battles and Mixed Fortunes
Nico Hulkenberg lined up on the second row after a strong Qualifying session for Audi, though a poor start and a 10-second penalty for leaving the track initially hurt his chances. Late rain ultimately helped him overtake Arvid Lindblad for P10.
Arvid Lindblad recovered from a power unit issue in Qualifying and a subsequent engine penalty to start P18, charging through the field to challenge Alonso and Hulkenberg before narrowly losing tenth place to the Audi driver.
Lewis Hamilton gained 11 positions at the start despite a grid penalty and flirted with a podium challenge before his tyres faded. An early gamble on slicks provided a temporary boost, but returning rain, a spin, and a late stop limited him to P9.
George Russell expressed frustration over a team call in qualifying that left him starting P7, but he progressed on intermediates before struggling briefly on slicks, which included a spin at the pit exit. He eventually recovered pace to pass Antonelli for P4, marking his best finish since winning in Baku.
Kimi Antonelli described himself as extremely disappointed despite focusing on Mercedes’ overall team success. He snatched the lead from Norris off the start and built a gap, but a lack of grip on soft tyres caused a spin at Turn 1, and returning rain later on forced him to settle for P5.
Ollie Bearman of Haas narrowly missed the leaderboard in 17th following contact with Alonso, slow pit stops, and an unsafe release penalty, while Williams driver Albon finished 15th after losing pace when the track dried out.
