On Monday, we will publish our grades for all 20 drivers at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, but we need your help!
It’s one thing who won the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it may be another to determine which drivers turned in the best performance. In Formula One, it’s not just the driver’s performance that counts, but also, and crucially, that of the car at his disposal and, of course, the team.
It is extremely difficult to consider the driver’s performance in isolation from the other factors. Nevertheless, we will give it a try. Our grading system consists of three pillars. First, the fans. Our users now have the opportunity to rate the performances of all 20 drivers. Using a scale of 1 (very good) to 6 (unsatisfactory), they can give their feedback on the drivers’ strengths and weaknesses.
Second: the expert. Marc Surer grades the performances of Max Verstappen & Co. as he has done in previous years. And third: the editorial team. We hold our own little vote in our core Formula 1 team.
The three pillars then each make up a third of the overall grade for the weekend. In the end, the result is the ultimate ranking – which is great for discussion!
Our format is inspired by the grades given after every match by football magazines, for example. But just grading as an editorial team was too subjective for us. So, to come to the most balanced judgment possible, we ask our experts and our users for help.
How should you give your grades?
For orientation: For a 1, a driver should have done something really special. For example, in relation to his teammate. A 2 is a very, very good performance by a world-class driver who is only missing a special element. A 3 and 4 are good and poor averages, respectively – so they’re actually still quite good!
A 5 is reserved for the rather poorer performances, such as when a driver is clearly dominated by his teammate all weekend or delivers an average performance and then causes an avoidable accident. A 6 should only be given in the “brainfade” category – when a driver has done something particularly stupid.
Try to be objective! Of course, this is not always easy. But whether you are a fan of Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso should not play a role in your grading. No one will ever be able to completely detach themselves from personal preferences and prejudices. But at least trying to do so contributes to a fairer grading system.
Don’t be blinded by external influences! The grade should only reflect what the driver can influence. An example: Are degrading tires a driver or an external factor? If the tires degrade because the driver has braked shortly before, this should have a negative effect on the grade. If the tires degrade because of a material defect, there should be no deductions.
: This is the race that carries the most weight! This is the only place where you get points. Your performance on race day should account for about 70 percent of your grade. Qualifying should account for 25 percent, and the three free practice sessions should account for a maximum of five. A spin in free practice that causes a front wing to fly off may cost you a few minutes of practice time. On race day, it could cost you the victory.
What about a sprint weekend? Then the weighting shifts a little. In the sprint race, the winner gets eight points, in the main race 25. So you could say: sprint qualifying and the sprint race should make up one-third of the grade, qualifying and the Grand Prix the other two-thirds. And the only free practice only counts in the assessment if something extraordinary has happened there. For example, a crash that jeopardizes participation in the following sessions.
Remember who is sitting in which car! It is easier to drive a Ferrari without making mistakes than a Sauber. This is put into perspective when Lewis Hamilton takes pole with an overwhelming lead and Gabriel Bortoleto spins. This might not have happened to him in the Ferrari. But…
…always ask yourself: if two drivers were sitting in the same car, which one would perform better? So even if a less talented driver puts in a strong performance, he might only get a maximum of a 3 or 4. Because even on a good weekend, he would still perform worse in the same car than Max Verstappen would on a bad weekend.
Don’t take it too seriously! Of course, our grading system is supposed to be an attempt to objectively classify driver performance. Ultimately, that is never 100 percent possible. Everyone assesses things a little differently, and that’s okay. That’s why there are three pillars as a mutual corrective. You can criticize others for their opinions. But that should always be done with the necessary respect! For example, in discussions in our community on social media.
