My 2026 Formula 1 Midseason Driver Ratings/Rankings

Linus O'Howell

Aug 8

17 min read

After 11 rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 Season, it is officially summer break time, which means I can now do my Midseason Driver Ratings/Rankings! If you’re new to these, I give a rating from 1-to-10 (10 being the best) in every key session (basically all the ones I write about) in order to give us an overall table of who’s been performing the best! I’ve found that this has always been the fairest way to do it, as it takes out any kind of recency bias that you’d probably see everywhere else! I also rank each driver based on different sessions, meaning you can use this as useful information when it comes to who performs better in the Sprint than normal Qualifying (and vice versa)! I then take the overall total and divide by the number of key sessions that they’ve participated in (maximum of 30) to give us an overall ranking! As always, we’ve also got some of your guys’ thoughts too, whilst I always say to pay attention to the gaps between teammates as that can honestly tell you a lot more than where the driver actually places (sometimes)! So, without further ado, let’s start with P22!

P22: Lance Stroll

A terrible first half of the year for Aston Martin means Lance Stroll finds himself bottom of my Midseason Driver Rankings! I’ve given Lance four 1’s so far this season compared to zero 10’s, with his highest grade being an 8 last time out in the Hungarian Grand Prix! Stroll’s worst weekend of the season so far came in Australia (his car was so bad that he didn’t even get graded), whilst his best weekend saw him score 11 points in Hungary! When it comes to you guys, you also had Lance in P22, but with a better 3.20 average! I wouldn’t necessarily say that Lance Stroll has driven particularly poorly in 2026; it’s just that Aston Martin have been absolutely abysmal! His gap in terms of average to his teammate rather showcases this!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 9 (P22)

Total Sprint Points: 14 (P20)

Total Qualifying Points: 21 (P22)

Total Race Points: 30 (P21)

Overall Total: 74 (P22)

Average: 2.85

P21: Valtteri Bottas

It hasn’t been the easiest of returns to Formula 1 for Valtteri Bottas! I’ve only given Valtteri one 1 so far in 2026 (Canada Qualifying), although he hasn’t come close to getting a 10, with his highest grade being a 6 in the Chinese Grand Prix! Bottas’ worst weekend of the season so far came in both Australia and Monaco, where he scored just 2 points (after being ungradable during the Races), whilst his best weekend saw him score 17 points in Silverstone (across the Sprint Weekend)! When it comes to you guys, you actually had Valtteri one place higher in P20, with a 4.00 average! Valtteri Bottas has had his fair share of reliability issues, particularly on a Sunday, but that doesn’t change the fact that he spent a large part of his first months at Cadillac trailing his teammate!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 13 (P19)

Total Sprint Points: 12 (P22)

Total Qualifying Points: 35 (P21)

Total Race Points: 22 (P22)

Overall Total: 82 (P21)

Average: 3.28

P20: Alex Albon

There’s no getting away from the fact that Alex Albon has been shocking so far this season! I’ve given Alex two 1’s so far in 2026 compared to zero 10’s, with his highest grade being a 9 in the Miami Grand Prix! Albon’s worst weekends of the season so far came when he scored just 3 points in both Barcelona and Austria, whilst his best weekend saw him score 18 points in Miami, although receiving 15 points in Monaco was pretty good going! When it comes to you guys, you had Alex up in 18th with a 4.60 average! Ultimately, though, Alex Albon has been miles off his teammate’s performances, and even though Williams’ rubbishness hasn’t helped, the Thai driver still hasn’t been good enough!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 9 (P20)

Total Sprint Points: 14 (P19)

Total Qualifying Points: 35 (P20)

Total Race Points: 42 (P20)

Overall Total: 100 (P20)

Average: 3.57

P19: Fernando Alonso

A terrible Aston Martin car means Fernando Alonso can only manage P19 in my rankings! I’ve given Fernando three 1’s so far this season, but he did receive a 10 for scoring a point in the Monaco Grand Prix! Alonso’s worst weekends of the season so far came when he scored 5 points in both Barcelona and Austria, whilst his best weekend points-wise saw him receive 16 points in China, although his actual best weekend was 14 points in Hungary! When it comes to you guys, you actually have Fernando all the way up in P16 (with a 5.20 average)! The problem that I’ve faced with grading Fernando Alonso for the first half of this year has been that Aston Martin have consistently been the slowest car, meaning I can’t exactly give the former 2-time World Champion high grades! However, having said that, if Aston build off their performance in Hungary, Alonso will be higher on this list come season’s end!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 9 (P21)

Total Sprint Points: 15 (P18)

Total Qualifying Points: 36 (P18)

Total Race Points: 51 (P18)

Overall Total: 111 (P18)

Average: 3.83

P18: Sergio Perez

There’s no doubt in my mind that Sergio Perez has been Cadillac’s leading driver so far this year! I’ve given Sergio two 1’s so far in 2026 compared to zero 10’s, with his highest-grade being a 7 in the Canadian Sprint! Perez’s worst weekend of the season so far came when he received 4 points in both Austria and Belgium (after being ungradable in both Races), whilst his best weekend came in Canada as he scored 19 points! When it comes to you guys, you honestly shocked me by having Checo down in P21, with his 3.80 average being worse than his teammates! There really isn’t that much that Sergio Perez can achieve given that this is Cadillac’s first year in Formula 1, but you have to give Checo his props for consistently outperforming his teammate (at least in my opinion, anyway)!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 14 (P18)

Total Sprint Points: 16 (P16)

Total Qualifying Points: 36 (P19)

Total Race Points: 44 (P19)

Overall Total: 110 (P19)

Average: 4.07

P17: Esteban Ocon

Unless things improve, this could be the final Midseason Driver Ratings appearance that Esteban Ocon makes! Amazingly, I haven’t given Esteban a 1 or a 10 so far this season, with his highest grade being a 9 when he scored points in the Monaco Grand Prix! Ocon’s worst weekends of the season so far came when he scored 6 points in both Barcelona and Belgium, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 21 in China! However, 14 points in Japan was probably the more impressive! When it comes to you guys, a slightly worse 4.40 average sees Esteban P19 in your Midseason Rankings! I think not receiving a 1 so far this year is more to do with me being a lot less harsh with my grades (due to the complexity of these new cars), as we can’t pretend like Esteban Ocon hasn’t been consistently outperformed by his Haas teammate (who we’ll get to soon)! The only saving grace for Estie Bestie is he hasn’t been helped by having a pretty naff car for most of the year!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 15 (P17)

Total Sprint Points: 24 (P13)

Total Qualifying Points: 46 (P17)

Total Race Points: 54 (P17)

Overall Total: 139 (P17)

Average: 4.63

P16: Oliver Bearman

Whilst this feels pretty low for Oliver Bearman, Haas’ drop-off hasn’t helped! I haven’t given Ollie a single 1 so far in 2026, whilst I have given him two 10’s (in the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix’s)! Bearman’s worst weekend of the season so far saw him score just 5 points in both Japan and Monaco, whilst his best weekend saw him receive an amazing 36 points across the Chinese Grand Prix Weekend! When it comes to you guys, you clearly disagree with my thoughts as you have Ollie all the way up in P10 (with a 6.20 average)! The thing to note with Oliver Bearman’s place in these rankings is the gap between himself and his teammate is actually pretty big; it’s just a case of no other driver’s average fell in between them! Whilst P16 isn’t great, Ollie Bearman’s driven alright!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 23 (P14)

Total Sprint Points: 24 (P12)

Total Qualifying Points: 54 (P15)

Total Race Points: 65 (P14)

Overall Total: 166 (P14)

Average: 5.53

P15: Carlos Sainz

Out of the bottom 4 teams, I’d argue that Carlos Sainz has been the best driver! I’ve given Carlos one 1 and one 10 so far this season, with the 1 coming in the Hungarian Grand Prix compared to a 10 in the Miami Grand Prix! Sainz’s worst weekend of the season so far actually came last time out in Hungary, where he received just 4 points, whilst his best weekend saw him score 29 points in Canada! When it comes to you guys, you have Carlos in P17 with a 5.00 average, and I’m honestly stunned at how close he was to his Williams teammate! Carlos Sainz’s performances in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix have actually been pretty impressive, with the Spaniard being miles clear of his Williams teammate! Unfortunately for Carlos, it’s almost impossible for him to be any higher on this list due to how poor his car has been!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 24 (P12)

Total Sprint Points: 25 (P11)

Total Qualifying Points: 48 (P16)

Total Race Points: 68 (P11)

Overall Total: 165 (P15)

Average: 5.69

P14: Isack Hadjar

Okay, so this one is going to need some explaining! I’ve given Isack Hadjar one 1 and one 10 so far this season, with the 1 coming in the Miami Grand Prix compared to a 10 in Australia Qualifying! Hadjar’s worst weekend of the season so far points-wise actually came in Australia, which is incredibly impressive given the fact that he was ungradable in the actual Race! As for his best weekend, Isack scored 24 points in Silverstone, but I’d actually say that 15 points in Monaco and Belgium were more impressive! When it comes to you guys, a 7.60 average puts Isack all the way up in P4 in your rankings, so that’s a massive discrepancy! There’s a bit of context that needs to be added when grading Isack Hadjar’s start to his Red Bull career, as his actual average could’ve been good enough for a Top 10 appearance in the past! Isack hasn’t been very good in Sprints this year, so that doesn’t help, but average-wise, this is the closest that the second Red Bull driver has been to Max Verstappen since Sergio Perez in 2022 (and by some way too), so that tells you that Hadjar is doing well (at least in comparison)!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 21 (P15)

Total Sprint Points: 12 (P21)

Total Qualifying Points: 72 (P9)

Total Race Points: 58 (P15)

Overall Total: 163 (P16)

Average: 5.82

P13: Franco Colapinto

A career-high P13 for Franco Colapinto in My F1 Driver Rankings! I’ve given Franco four 10’s compared to zero 1’s so far in 2026, and that’s honestly a pretty damn good ratio! Colapinto’s worst weekend of the season so far came when he received just 5 points in Australia, whilst his best weekend saw him score a fantastic 38 points in Miami! When it comes to you guys, you actually have Franco slightly lower than I do, in P15 with a 5.60 average! Franco Colapinto’s average is definitely decent, whilst I want to highlight the Argentine’s impressive performances in the Sprint! However, the gap between Colapinto and his Alpine teammate has still been far too big!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 23 (P13)

Total Sprint Points: 29 (P7)

Total Qualifying Points: 61 (P14)

Total Race Points: 67 (P12)

Overall Total: 180 (P12)

Average: 6.00

P12: Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg is a prime example of why the Drivers’ Standings doesn’t always tell you the full story! I haven’t given Nico a single 1 or a single 10 so far this season, with his highest grade being a 9 in Barcelona Qualifying and the Hungarian Grand Prix! Funnily enough, The Hulk has received a combined total of sixteen 6 and 7’s! Hulkenberg’s worst weekend of the season so far saw him score 8 points in Monaco, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 26 in China! However, I’d say that 17 points in Hungary was the more impressive performance! When it comes to you guys, Nico ranks P13 with a 5.80 average! I’m not surprised that Nico Hulkenberg is 12th in these rankings given the fact that his performances this year have been pretty consistent! However, Nico has been second best in the Audi head-to-head battle!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 26 (P10)

Total Sprint Points: 15 (P17)

Total Qualifying Points: 70 (P12)

Total Race Points: 55 (P16)

Overall Total: 166 (P13)

Average: 6.15

P11: Gabriel Bortoleto

It’s so fitting to me that Gabriel Bortoleto completes an Audi 11-12! Gabriel hasn’t received a single 1 so far in 2026, whilst his one 10 came in the Belgian Grand Prix (where he finished 8th)! Bortoleto’s worst weekend of 2026 so far came when he scored 9 points in Monaco, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 29 at Silverstone! However, Gabby has scored 18 points in both Australia and Belgium! When it comes to you guys, you have found a spot for Gabby Bortoleto in your Top 10, with you ranking him P8 with a 6.60 average! I think Gabriel Bortoleto has driven pretty well this season; he’s been the better of the two Audi drivers, and Gabby’s average is miles better than it was in his Rookie campaign!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 25 (P11)

Total Sprint Points: 24 (P14)

Total Qualifying Points: 62 (P13)

Total Race Points: 72 (P10)

Overall Total: 183 (P11)

Average: 6.54

P10: Oscar Piastri

And to think that Oscar Piastri was top of this list a year ago! I’ve given Oscar just one 1 so far in 2026 (Australian Grand Prix) compared to two 10’s (Japanese and Hungarian Grand Prix)! Piastri’s worst weekend of the season so far came when he scored “just” 8 points at his Home Race in Australia, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 30 in Miami! However, it’s worth mentioning that Oscar did receive 19 points in Japan! When it comes to you guys, you have Oscar all the way down in P14 with just a 5.80 average! The problem for Oscar Piastri is he’s trailing his teammate in all areas, with it being clear for everyone to see that the Aussie isn’t gelling with these new Formula 1 cars! That’s why Oscar’s so far down this list!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 28 (P6)

Total Sprint Points: 28 (P8)

Total Qualifying Points: 72 (P10)

Total Race Points: 65 (P13)

Overall Total: 193 (P10)

Average: 6.66

P9: Charles Leclerc

Usually a stalwart in my Top 5, Charles Leclerc ranks just 9th at the midway point of the 2026 Formula 1 Season! Charles hasn’t received a single 1 from me so far this season (he actually hasn’t received one since 2023), whilst his one and only 10 came when he took victory at Silverstone! Leclerc’s worst weekends of the season so far came when he received 9 points in both Monaco and Barcelona, whilst his best weekend came at the British Grand Prix where he scored 33 points! When it comes to you guys, an ever-so-slightly better average of 7.20 sees Charles P7 in your rankings! I’d say that Charles Leclerc’s performances in both the Sprint and main Qualifying have been strong, but what’s been lacking is his overall race pace! The irony, however, is the fact that any average over 7 in my ratings is pretty good going, and yet for now, Charles isn’t even in the Top 8, let alone the Top 5!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 26 (P9)

Total Sprint Points: 31 (P4)

Total Qualifying Points: 81 (P4)

Total Race Points: 74 (P8)

Overall Total: 212 (P6)

Average: 7.07

P8: Arvid Lindblad

What a Rookie year it’s been so far for Arvid Lindblad! Arvid is yet to receive a 1 from me in his Formula 1 career, but he has received three 10’s! Lindblad’s worst weekend of the season so far came when he scored just 12 points across the Miami Grand Prix Weekend, although it’s worth noting that he didn’t take part in the Sprint! When it comes to his best weekend, Lindblad received 33 points at his Home Race in Silverstone, whilst he burst onto the scene with 19 points out of 20 in Australia! When it comes to you guys, you agree with me that Arvid’s been good, but at a slightly higher level of P6 (with a 7.40 average)! I’d say it’s been a very impressive start to Arvid Lindblad’s life in Formula 1; he looks quick almost every weekend, and that Racing Bulls team knows how to get the best out of a young driver! The next goal, now, is to try and get closer to his teammate!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 26 (P8)

Total Sprint Points: 20 (P15)

Total Qualifying Points: 80 (P6)

Total Race Points: 77 (P7)

Overall Total: 203 (P9)

Average: 7.25

P7: Pierre Gasly

A much better car was all that Pierre Gasly needed to return to a high spot in my F1 Driver Rankings! I’ve given Pierre six 10’s so far this season compared to zero 1’s; that’s a terrific ratio! Gasly’s worst weekend of the season so far honestly came when he scored 18 points in Canada (a Sprint Weekend), whilst his best weekend points-wise was 36 in China! However, The Gasman notably scored a Perfect 20 in Japan! When it comes to you guys, you had Pierre all the way down in P12 with a 5.80 average… what are we doing here?! Anyway, I will continue to praise Pierre Gasly alone if I have to; he’s been absolutely terrific, and I’d say that’s especially true on a Grand Prix Sunday (he literally got a Podium in Monaco)!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 27 (P7)

Total Sprint Points: 27 (P9)

Total Qualifying Points: 78 (P7)

Total Race Points: 80 (P5)

Overall Total: 212 (P5)

Average: 7.31

P6: Max Verstappen

For the first time ever, Max Verstappen isn’t even on the Podium at my Midseason Rankings, let alone not in the Top 5! Max is another driver that I’m yet to give a 1 to so far this season, but I do have to mention the fact that he’s only received three 10’s! Verstappen’s worst weekend of the season so far came when he scored 11 points in Japan, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 33 in Miami! However, it’s also worth mentioning that the former 4-time World Champion did receive 18 points in Belgium! When it comes to you guys, you have Max a lot higher than me, in P2 to be exact (with an 8.00 average)! Max Verstappen is always going to suffer from the fact that he’s Max Verstappen, a guy that’s completely decimated everyone in these articles in the past, and it certainly doesn’t help that Red Bull’s performance hasn’t been good enough! Despite that, Max is still clear of his teammate (even if that gap has closed quite a bit), and I’d say Verstappen’s performances on a Sunday have still been pretty damn great!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 29 (P5)

Total Sprint Points: 25 (P10)

Total Qualifying Points: 71 (P11)

Total Race Points: 83 (P4)

Overall Total: 208 (P7)

Average: 7.43

P5: Lewis Hamilton

For the first time since the end of 2023, Lewis Hamilton finds himself in the Top 5 of my F1 Driver Rankings! I’ve given Lewis three 10’s compared to zero 1’s so far in 2026, and I was honestly a little bit surprised that I hadn’t given the Brit more 10’s! Hamilton’s worst weekend of the season so far came in Japan, where he scored 12 points (which is a pretty good worst score), whilst his best weekend points-wise was 34 in both China and Silverstone! However, Lewis did score a Perfect 20 when he finally won for Ferrari in Barcelona! When it comes to you guys, we’ve actually agreed bang on when it comes to a 7.60 average, but in your list, that’s enough for Lewis to be on the Podium (in P3)! Lewis Hamilton has absolutely driven the best he has since his dominant Championship-winning days with Mercedes; consistently outperforming his Ferrari teammate, and I think we have to acknowledge just how much Lewis has struggled the last two seasons! I mean, I had Hamilton P15 in my 2025 F1 Driver Rankings article, so that tells you just how much the former 7-time World Champion has improved in his second year at the Scuderia!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 30 (P4)

Total Sprint Points: 29 (P6)

Total Qualifying Points: 85 (P3)

Total Race Points: 84 (P3)

Overall Total: 228 (P3)

Average: 7.60

P4: Liam Lawson

So far, Liam Lawson has been excellent in 2026! I’ve given Liam eight 10’s compared to zero 1’s so far this season, which is definitely the best ratio in this article (so far)! Lawson’s worst weekends of the season so far came when he scored 12 points in both Japan and Belgium, whilst his best weekend points-wise came when he scored a wonderful 36 points across the British Grand Prix Weekend! It’s also worth mentioning that the Kiwi driver has received 18 points in Monaco, Barcelona, and Austria! When it comes to you guys, you have Liam in P5 with a 7.40 average, and I was honestly surprised to see him end up with the exact same average as his Racing Bulls teammate! At the end of the day, Liam Lawson has had a fantastic first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season, to the point where he’s going to start asking questions about moving up the field in terms of teams! Liam appears on both my Sprint and Grand Prix Podium, and it’s crazy to think that he probably would be on the overall Podium at this stage of the season had VCARB given him the upgrades in Belgium!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 15 (P16)

Total Sprint Points: 31 (P3)

Total Qualifying Points: 77 (P8)

Total Race Points: 84 (P2)

Overall Total: 207 (P8)

Average: 7.67

P3: Lando Norris

Lando Norris often appears on my Driver Rankings Podium, but I feel like this year is particularly interesting! I’ve given Lando six 10’s so far this season compared to zero 1’s, so I’d say that that’s pretty good going! Norris’ worst weekend of the season so far came when he scored 10 points in Monaco, whilst his best weekend points-wise was 38 in Miami! However, the reigning World Champion was able to achieve a Perfect 20 when he returned to winning ways in Hungary! When it comes to you guys, a 6.60 average has Lando all the way down in P9 in your Midseason Rankings; now that did shock me! Personally, I think Lando Norris has been great this year; he’s consistently been the better of the two McLaren drivers, and I think you have to take into account that McLaren’s performance has been weak in comparison to the last two seasons! Lando is also currently first in my Sprint Rankings, so that’s pretty impressive!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 34 (P2)

Total Sprint Points: 37 (P1)

Total Qualifying Points: 80 (P5)

Total Race Points: 73 (P9)

Overall Total: 224 (P4)

Average: 7.72

P2: George Russell

George Russell; now this one is very debatable! I haven’t given George a single 1 so far this season, but I have given him ten 10’s, which highlights that there have actually been some top-tier moments! Russell’s worst weekend of the season so far saw him score just 6 points in Belgium, but given he was ungradable during the Race, we’ll say that his 8 points in Monaco was actually his worst performance! As for his best weekend, Russell received a whopping 39 points out of 40 in Canada, but he did also achieve two Perfect 20’s in Australia and Austria (the scene of his two Grand Prix victories)! When it comes to you guys, you don’t even have George in your Top 10, with a 6.20 average putting him P11 only! Firstly, I don’t agree with the sentiment that George Russell hasn’t been driving well this year; have you seen how much bad luck he’s had?! Secondly, we have to remember that Mercedes have been the dominant force in 2026, so wins and podiums have still been able to come George’s way! Thirdly, as I state every time I do one of these articles, the gaps between teammates’ averages often tell a better story than the overall rankings (i.e. Haas earlier), and that is something that Russell has to improve on because he has comfortably played second fiddle to his much younger teammate!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 31 (P3)

Total Sprint Points: 34 (P2)

Total Qualifying Points: 86 (P2)

Total Race Points: 78 (P6)

Overall Total: 229 (P2)

Average: 7.90

P1: Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the next name to find himself P1 in my Midseason Driver Rankings after a dominant first half of the season! I’ve given Kimi eleven 10’s compared to zero 1’s so far in 2026, meaning he has the best ratio at this stage of the season! Antonelli’s worst weekend of the season so far saw him score 15, yes 15, points in Austria, meaning he breaks the record for the best worst score in a Midseason article (a record that Oscar Piastri set with 14 this time last year)! As for his best weekend, Kimi Antonelli received 38 points in Silverstone, but he also bagged two Perfect 20’s in Monaco and Belgium! When it comes to you guys, you also had Kimi miles out in front, with an incredible 9.60 average (which matches Piastri’s average 12 months ago)! It may be a Mercedes 1-2 in my rankings, but it is clear as day that the young Italian prodigy is the one leading the way, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli smashing the rest of the field, including his teammate! Kimi has been incredibly impressive so far in 2026, in both Qualifying and the Grand Prix itself, whilst I want to highlight the fact that Antonelli’s average at this stage of the season is 0.05 higher than what Oscar Piastri had in 2025’s version! In fact, it’s only 0.01 off Max Verstappen’s 2024 midseason rating, so I’d say that Kimi’s in fine company; now he just needs to stay there!

Total Sprint Qualifying Points: 36 (P1)

Total Sprint Points: 30 (P5)

Total Qualifying Points: 101 (P1)

Total Race Points: 101 (P1)

Overall Total: 268 (P1)

Average: 8.93

Team Rankings

As always with these articles, we end it on a bit of a fun note as I add up the total points of each teams’ two drivers, then divide it by their total amount of gradable sessions to give us a Constructors’ Championship order! I find this a good way to highlight which teams/teams drivers have delivered, and which very much haven’t!

P1: Mercedes – 8.42

P2: Racing Bulls – 7.45

P3: Ferrari – 7.33

P4: McLaren – 7.19

P5: Alpine – 6.64

P6: Red Bull – 6.63

P7: Audi – 6.35

P8: Haas – 5.08

P9: Williams – 4.65

P10: Cadillac – 3.69

P11: Aston Martin – 3.36