On Monday, we will publish our ratings for all 20 drivers at the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, but we need your help!
It’s one thing to know who won the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix. But it may be another to know which drivers performed best on the Marina Bay Circuit. In Formula 1, it’s not just the driver’s performance that counts. The performance of the car at their disposal and, of course, the team are also crucial factors.
It is extremely difficult to isolate the driver’s performance from 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. Similar to the school grading system from 1 (very good) to 6 (unsatisfactory).
Second: the expert. As in previous years, Marc Surer grades the performances of Max Verstappen & Co. And third: the editorial team. We conduct our own small vote within our core Formula 1 team. The three pillars then each contribute one third to the overall grade for the weekend. The result is the ultimate ranking – which is a great topic for discussion! Our format is inspired by the grades that soccer magazines, for example, award after each match. But grading only as an editorial team was too subjective for us. In order to arrive at the most balanced judgment possible, we ask our experts and our users for their help.
Guidelines: How should you assign your grades?
For your reference: A driver should have achieved something very special to receive a grade of 1. For example, in relation to his teammate. A grade of 2 is a very, very good performance by a world-class driver who is only missing one special element. Grades 3 and 4 are good and poor average, respectively—so still quite good, really!
A grade of 5 is given for poorer performances, such as when a driver is clearly dominated by his teammate throughout the weekend or delivers an average performance and then causes an avoidable accident. Grade 6 should only be given in the “brainfade” category – i.e. when a driver has done something particularly stupid.
Try to be objective in your assessment! 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 giving the grade. 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 let yourself be blinded by external influences! The grade should be based solely on what the driver himself had control over. For example: Are deteriorating tires a driver factor or an external factor? If the tires deteriorate because the driver braked too hard shortly before, this should have a negative effect on the grade. If the tires deteriorate because of a material defect, there should be no deductions.
Give the race the most weight! That’s the only place where points are awarded. Performance on race day should account for about 70 percent of the score. Qualifying accounts for 25 percent. And the three free practice sessions account for a maximum of five percent. An excursion in free practice, during which a front wing flies off, may cost a few minutes of practice time. One on race day may cost the victory. What about a sprint weekend? Then the weighting shifts a little. In the sprint, the winner gets eight points. In the main race, 25. So you could say that sprint qualifying and sprint races should account for one-third of the score, qualifying and Grand Prix for the other two-thirds. And the only free practice session is only included in the evaluation if something extraordinary happened there. For example, a crash that jeopardized participation in subsequent sessions.
Remember who is driving which car! It is easier to drive flawlessly in a Ferrari than in a Sauber. This puts things into perspective when Lewis Hamilton takes pole position with a commanding lead and Gabriel Bortoleto spins out. That might not have happened to him in a Ferrari. But…
…always ask yourself: if two drivers were in the same car, who would perform better? This means that even if one of the less talented drivers performs well, they might only get a 3 or 4 at best. Because even on a good weekend, they would still perform worse than Max Verstappen on a bad weekend in the same car. Don’t take it too seriously! Of course, our grading system is an attempt to objectively rank driver performance. Ultimately, this is never 100 percent possible. Everyone evaluates things a little differently, and that’s okay. That’s why there are three pillars as a mutual corrective. Criticizing others for their opinions is fine, but it should always be done with the necessary respect! For example, in discussions with our community on social media.