2025 F1 Chinese Grand Prix - driver ratings

The second round of the 2025 F1 season in China featured the first sprint of the year, providing another qualifying and a race to judge the drivers in our ratings. 

There were many good performances across the weekend, but not quite a perfect 10 as one minor slip cost grand prix winner Oscar Piastri the maximum. 

Check out the ratings below and let us know your thoughts in the comments if you agree - or disagree!

The top five

Oscar Piastri - 9.5 

Falls short of a 10 due to the fact he was out-qualified by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the sprint, and by less than a tenth overall. But otherwise faultless through the rest of the weekend, including a good move for P2 in the sprint. 

George Russell - 9

He called it the strongest weekend of his career, and it is hard not to argue. Docked half-a-mark for being out-qualified by Charles Leclerc for the sprint, but the lap to steal second on the grid was outstanding. He could do no more to defend against the faster McLaren of Lando Norris in the race. An excellent start. 

Alex Albon - 8.5

Another mightily impressive weekend from Albon, who was inside the top 10 throughout, but he loses half-a-mark for finishing behind both Aston Martins in the sprint after starting ahead. Has already scored more points in two race weekends than in 2024.

Esteban Ocon - 8.5

Ranked below Albon on the basis that he had a poor sprint, but bounced back in brilliant style. Unlucky to miss out on Q3, but finished seventh on the road - which became fifth once the DSQs were handled. A drive that showed why Haas signed him. 

Ollie Bearman - 8.5 

Same as Ocon, an indifferent sprint is made up for by a strong grand prix in which he expertly pulled off overtaking moves at the hairpin. A remarkable turnaround from the disaster in Australia.

Bottom five

Fernando Alonso - 5

Nothing overly wrong with his weekend, it was just hard to score following his early retirement with brake trouble. Did well in the qualifying sessions but was out-qualified by Lance Stroll for the grand prix, and finished behind in the sprint.

Nico Hulkenberg - 4 

An off-weekend for Hulkenberg, who was surprisingly behind Gabriel Bortoleto in the sprint qualifying, before an unusual off on lap one ruined his race and left him rather anonymous.

Pierre Gasly - 4 

As Alpine struggled with the new FIA rear-wing technical directive, Gasly suffered as well. The Frenchman was out-qualified by Jack Doohan for the sprint, and was only narrowly ahead in the main GP. Did well to earn P11 on the road, which would have been points following the Ferrari expulsion, but he, too, was booted out for an underweight car.

Jack Doohan - 2

Feisty for sure, but not the type of performance you need when the pressure is on to keep your seat. Earned four penalty points for largely the same incidents involving Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar at the hairpin, involving late lunges.

Liam Lawson - 1.5

Earns half a mark back for good forward progress and overtaking in the sprint, but this was an abysmal weekend for a driver out of his depth at the moment. It is not his fault though as the blame must solely be on Red Bull's shoulders for putting him into this impossible situation. Last, on merit, in both qualifying sessions summed it all up.