Las Vegas GP driver ratings: Carlos Sainz shows Ferrari what they're missing

Max Verstappen is firmly again within the 2025 F1 title race after taking a commanding win on the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

After a shock double disqualification for the 2 McLarens, he is simply 24 factors off the lead with two races to go.

Here is how we rated each driver’s efficiency in Vegas…

Max Verstappen – 9.5 

Max Verstappen delivered one other masterclass in Las Vegas to assert his sixth victory of the 2025 F1 season. Verstappen took the lead firstly and didn’t look again from there.

George Russell – 8 

George Russell was removed from his greatest in Las Vegas. He struggled to handle his tyres, leaving him susceptible on the finish of the race. Nonetheless, one other podium in what has been a powerful season for the British driver.

Kimi Antonelli – 8 

Kimi Antonelli drove an unbelievable race to complete fifth. He recovered from his Q1 exit and a false begin to declare the spot. His kind in latest rounds has proven why he’s deserving of one other season at Mercedes – and why Toto Wolff continues to think about him.

Charles Leclerc – 8.5 

Charles Leclerc acquired probably the most out of the Ferrari as soon as once more in Vegas. He wasn’t helped by the Ferrari pit wall, which allowed him to be undercut by Piastri. As a result of an absence of straight-line velocity, he couldn’t problem the McLaren driver once more throughout the second stint. He deserved greater than fourth.

Carlos Sainz – 9.5 

Carlos Sainz was arguably the star of the weekend. Third in qualifying was sensible, and he adopted it up with a really sturdy race drive.

Isack Hadjar – 8.5

One other driver who shone in F1’s midfield was Isack Hadjar. His qualifying was hampered by a yellow flag for Leclerc’s off-track tour. Hadjar made up for it within the race, ending sixth.

Nico Hulkenberg – 8.5

Nico Hulkenberg’s late-season resurgence continued on the Las Vegas GP, ending seventh. A protracted stint on the hards allowed Hulkenberg to stay within the high 10 when he finally switched to mediums.

Lewis Hamilton – 5 

One other weekend to neglect for Lewis Hamilton. He was gradual and made a number of errors all through the race, locking up and making pointless errors. He was promoted to eighth after McLaren’s double DSQ.

Esteban Ocon – 7.5 

A greater weekend for Esteban Ocon. He edged out teammate Ollie Bearman in qualifying and completed forward of him within the race, benefiting from an extended first stint. He narrowly missed out on a top-10 end to Hamilton.

Oliver Bearman – 6.5

A scrappy race for Bearman following a poor qualifying show, the place he brushed the wall. Bearman misplaced out to his teammate within the race after an earlier pit cease.

Fernando Alonso – 7.5 

Fernando Alonso continues to get probably the most from Aston Martin. Q3 was in all probability an over-performance, given their tempo in dry circumstances. He didn’t have the race tempo to remain within the high 10, selecting up minor front-wing harm as nicely.

Yuki Tsunoda – 4 

RB boss Laurent Mekies blamed incorrect tyre pressures for Yuki Tsunoda’s poor qualifying in Las Vegas. Ranging from the pit lane, Tsunoda couldn’t make any progress up the order within the grand prix.

Pierre Gasly – 6.5 

Pierre Gasly’s race was ruined on Lap 1 after being hit by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, who divebombed into the primary nook. It ruined Gasly’s spectacular qualifying show, the place he had certified within the high 10 once more.

Liam Lawson – 5 

Liam Lawson threw away his sturdy qualifying efficiency with a misjudged transfer at Flip 1, hitting Piastri. It resulted in harm for Lawson, successfully ending his probabilities of a factors end. A missed alternative.

Franco Colapinto – 4.5 

An nameless weekend for Franco Colapinto total. He was not at his teammate’s stage, ending final of the labeled runners.

Alex Albon – 4.5 

One other driver who can be wanting ahead to Qatar is Alex Albon. He clattered the wall in qualifying, placing him out in Q1. A poor race ended early, and he picked up a penalty for contact with Hamilton.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 3 

A poor weekend for Gabriel Bortoleto, whose reckless Flip 1 lunge resulted in a grid penalty for Qatar. A catastrophe for the Brazilian rookie.

Lance Stroll – 6 

Lance Stroll’s Las Vegas GP weekend unravelled as a result of a wierd gamble on the intermediates in qualifying, leaving him out of Q2. Stroll was compelled to retire after the primary lap following Bortoleto’s Flip 1 divebomb.

Each McLaren drivers had been disqualified from the Las Vegas GP as a result of extreme plank put on. Their rankings have been judged based mostly on their very own private efficiency – not the top outcome.

Lando Norris – 9 

After a poor opening lap, Lando Norris drove a high-quality race to return away with second—at the very least so we thought. Norris was compelled to again off within the closing laps as he tried to avoid wasting gas. It transpired that he – and teammate Oscar Piastri – had been investigated for extreme plank put on after the race. It resulted in each drivers being excluded from the ultimate race outcomes.

Oscar Piastri – 6.5 

Assessing his efficiency alone, Piastri was as soon as once more a step behind teammate Norris. The Australian made a mistake when working forward of Leclerc, shedding observe place. McLaren’s aggressive pit technique allowed him to go Leclerc and Sainz. Nevertheless, his cost was thwarted by Antonelli, who drove a spectacular race on the onerous tyre.