On Monday we’ll publish our scores for all 20 drivers at the 2023 USA Grand Prix, but we need your help to do it!
It’s one thing who won the USA Circuit of the Americas Grand Prix in Austin. But it may be another to know which drivers gave the best performance. Because in Formula 1, it’s not just the performance of the driver that counts. It’s the performance of the car he has at his disposal and, of course, of the team that counts.
It’s extremely difficult to look at the driver’s performance in isolation from the other factors. Nevertheless, we dare to try. Our grading system consists of three pillars. First, the fans. Our users now have the opportunity to rate the performance of all 20 drivers. Analogous to the school grading system from 1 (very good) to 6 (not enough).
Second: the expert. As in previous years, Marc Surer grades the performances of Max Verstappen & Co. And thirdly: the editorial team. We conduct our own little voting in our Formula 1 core team.
The three pillars then each flow into the overall score for the weekend in equal thirds. In the end, this produces the ultimate ranking – which is wonderful to discuss!
Our format is inspired by the grades that soccer magazines, for example, give out after each match. But grading only as an editorial team was too subjective for us. So, in order to arrive at as balanced a verdict as possible, we’re asking our expert and our users for help.
Guide: How should you assign your grades?
For orientation: For grade 1, a driver should have done something very special. Such as in relation to his teammate. Grade 2 is a very, very good performance by a world-class rider, lacking only one special element. Grade 3 and grade 4 are good and bad average respectively – so actually still quite good!
Grade 5 is given for the worse performances, for example when a driver is clearly dominated by his team mate the whole weekend or delivers an average performance and then has an avoidable accident. Grade 6 should only be given for the category “Brainfade” – that is, if a driver has done something particularly stupid.
Try to score objectively! Of course it’s not always easy. But whether you’re a fan of Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso shouldn’t matter when assigning a grade. No one will ever be able to completely detach themselves from personal preferences and prejudices. But at least trying contributes to a fairer grading system.
Don’t be blinded by outside influences! The grade should be based solely on what the rider had in hand. For example: are degrading tires a driver factor or an external factor? If the tires degrade because the driver braked just before, that should have a negative impact on the grade. If the tires degrade because there is a material defect, there should be no deductions.
Weigh the races the most! That’s the only place you get points. Sunday’s performance (with qualifying on Friday) should account for about two-thirds of the grade. Saturday with F1 sprint and sprint shootout one third. The qualifying sessions can then change the grade if a driver did something very special there, or even if he made a particularly stupid mistake. A ride-out in the first free practice session in which a front wing flies off might cost a few minutes of practice time. One on Sunday possibly the victory.
Remember who’s in what car! It’s easier to drive mistake-free with a Red Bull than with a Haas. That’s partly put into perspective when Verstappen takes pole with an outstanding lead and Nico Hülkenberg spins. That might not have happened to him in a Red Bull. But …
.. always ask yourself: If two drivers were in the same car, who would perform better? So one of the less talented drivers, even with a strong performance for him, might get a 3 or 4 at most. Because in the same car, even on a good weekend, he would still perform worse than a Verstappen on a bad one. And …
... also takes into account: Naturally, Formula 1 drivers can be compared most easily and directly with their teammates. But it makes a difference whether Sergio Perez is getting half a second per lap poured in by an exceptional driver like Verstappen, or whether a driver is half a second slower than a teammate who used to be dominated by Verstappen.
Don’t take it too seriously! Of course our grading system is meant to be an attempt to objectively rank driver performances. In the end, that’s never 100 percent possible. Everyone evaluates things a little differently for themselves, and that’s okay. That’s why there are three pillars as a mutual corrective. You can criticize others for their opinions. But it should always be done with the necessary respect! For example, in discussions in our community on social media.