Blog Details

Home   /   Formula One 2021 Turkish Grand Prix – Driver Ratings
Embed from Getty Images

Valtteri Bottas gets his first win in 13 months, dominating in the wet ahead of new championship leader Max Verstappen. 

Third place was occupied by several drivers throughout the race, with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc losing out to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447206718677585924

Valtteri Bottas – 10

After inheriting pole position thanks to Hamilton’s engine change, Bottas was set to start the race from first in conditions he usually struggles in. 

He surprised everyone by flying away at the start and commanding the race at the front with great control. 

He was decisive enough to win first place back on Leclerc, when the Monegasque was yet to stop and finally got a win: his first of the season.

Embed from Getty Images

Max Verstappen – 8.5

A difficult weekend, in which he seemed unable to challenge the Mercedes cars, still sees him winning back the lead of the championship. 

He is struggling to match the pace of his rivals in this phase of the season, but he is still holding on. 

An error free performance sees him follow Bottas in second place to the flag. 

Sergio Perez – 8

Despite a third row start after another poor Saturday, Perez was finally able to return to the podium. 

He had a great start, moving up to fourth, and then he valiantly held off Hamilton with a brilliant defensive move. 

A fine strategy allowed him to close up to Leclerc, whom he overtook with a few laps left to get up to third. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447224653831884803

Charles Leclerc – 8.5

Ferrari seem to have made an important upgrade and Leclerc was fighting Bottas and Verstappen in the first half of the race after a great qualifying. 

He made a gamble when deciding to stay out when everyone boxed and it looked to pay off for a couple of laps. 

However, the team decided to stop him with ten laps left and the tyre condition proved inefficient, causing him to lose the podium to Perez.

Lewis Hamilton – 7

An engine penalty meant he lost pole position and the opportunity to claim a relatively comfortable win. 

He had to recover in difficult conditions from P11 and made up multiple places in the first part of the race.

For a moment, he opted not to stop and was in third. Despite expressing his desire to stay out, the Mercedes team called him in and he lost two places to settle in fifth. 

Pierre Gasly – 7.5

The Frenchman had a flawless weekend, qualifying fifth and finishing the race in sixth, only losing out to faster cars in the hands of Perez and Hamilton. 

He was fast, although unable to fight for the podium. The only negative side of his race is hitting Fernando Alonso at the start and causing him to spin. 

He caught up to Leclerc and Hamilton at the end, but found no way through to still bring eight points home. 

Embed from Getty Images

Lando Norris – 7

The McLaren appeared to struggle around Turkey and his seventh place helps the Woking team hold a small advantage over their rivals on the championship. 

Lando Norris still made the difference within the team, always keeping well ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and trying to remain in the hunt for the places ahead throughout the race. 

Carlos Sainz – 8.5

A great comeback from penultimate place for Carlos Sainz, who was penalised for changing his engine and set to start from the back. 

He put in a series of overtakes that helped him find his way back in the top 10 and for multiple laps was also the fastest lap holder. 

A proof of great pace, which increases the promises for the coming races. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447198170547695618

Lance Stroll – 7.5

His eighth points scoring finish of the season comes once again after a solid performance. He started a strong eighth and moved up to seventh at the start with Alonso’s spin. 

Eventually, he dropped back, like it usually happens with the Aston Martin drivers. He gave way to faster cars, with Hamilton and Sainz moving up and dropping him to ninth. 

Esteban Ocon – 6.5

A great strategy, being the only driver not to stop, helped Esteban Ocon make his way into the points. 

He struggled for pace in Turkey, qualifying well behind Alonso, but a decent strategy and a good race conduct enabled him to gain a point. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447209806033342475

Antonio Giovinazzi – 7

Antonio Giovinazzi turned the weekend around, after only qualifying in 18th, but unfortunately no retirements in front meant he could only get up to P11 and miss out on points. 

It was a shame, because he made a great start and had a great race, finishing less than a second off Ocon, but he isn’t rewarded with points. 

Kimi Raikkonen – 6

A similar argument can be made for Kimi Raikkonen, who qualified penultimate and followed his teammate to the flag. 

The two Alfa Romeos were separated by nothing at the end of the race and were both recovering towards the points, but just missed out. 

Embed from Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo – 5

An atypical Ricciardo performance, being knocked out in Q1 and being stuck in traffic for the first part of the race. 

He was unable to pull up some moves and was thus the first driver to box. He recovered from P16 to P11 and was for some instances among the fastest drivers on track. 

He closed up to P9, but his tyres dropped and eventually finished 13th. With Ferrari proving fast, he will need to do better to try and help McLaren. 

Yuki Tsunoda – 5

The weekend started the right way for Yuki Tsunoda, who entered Q3 and started in the top 10 for only the third time this year. 

He bravely held off Hamilton for some laps and was in the top 10, before spinning out and eventually dropping back. 

George Russell – 6

The Williams struggled in the race and George Russell was unable to get close to the top 10 at anytime during the race. 

He was still fast in qualifying, putting his car in P13 and gaining and another access in Q2. 

Fernando Alonso – 6

Saturday was an amazing effort, as he started the race in P5 after a brilliant qualifying lap. 

In conditions he usually takes advantage of, he was spun off at the first corner by Pierre Gasly and joined towards the back of the field. 

It was over by then, as he spent the rest of the race at the back, even hitting Mick Schumacher whilst trying to overtake. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447171911247671297

Nicholas Latifi – 5

The Canadian driver was protagonist of a difficult weekend, missing out on Q2 by less than a tenth and then spinning on the first lap. 

He recovered to move past the two Haas drivers, but that was it, as he finished 17th

Sebastian Vettel – 5

Even though he probably would not have finished in the points, Sebastian Vettel was fighting in 10th against Ocon, when he boxed to fit dry tyres. 

It was race over, as conditions were extremely unideal, and he struggled even to return to the pits to reverse his decision. 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1447186220300242944

Mick Schumacher – 8

Mick Schumacher proved he has got something in his package, qualifying in P14 for his best start of the season. 

He lost time when he was hit by Alonso through no faults of his own and dropped to last. Moving back past Nikita Mazepin was the best he could do, to end the race in 19th

Nikita Mazepin – 3

Mazepin keeps struggling massively, qualifying three seconds off his teammate and finishing last once again. 

By now this has become so repetitive that it is legitimate to wonder whether confirming him for next season was the right choice for Haas.

For more Formula One content click here

For more sports content click here.

Leave a Reply

Follow Overtime on Twitter

TikTok Feed

OT-RADIO


March 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031