F1 Driver Ratings: Our verdict on 2026's stars so far

Formula 1 in 2026 is shaping up to give us a fascinating second half of the season as Kimi Antonelli looks to become the youngest world champion in the sport's history. <p>Antonelli is 50 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton and 59 points in front of George Russell in the Drivers' Championship in a season that has provided plenty of drama, so it is a good time to look at which drivers have starred and who is struggling before we resume racing with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 21-23, live on <em>Sky Sports F1</em>.</p><p>So running through the field in current Drivers' Championship order, we have...</p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.skysports.com/f1/live-blog/12433/12466779/f1-news-rumours-and-gossip-formula-1-latest-updates-on-teams-driver-transfer-market-and-contracts">Mercedes driver scout Gwen Lagrue to join Red Bull as Helmut Marko replacement</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.skysports.com/f1/standings">F1 2026 standings</a> | <a href="https://www.skysports.com/f1/schedule-results">F1 2026 Calendar</a> | <a href="https://www.skysports.com/f1/live-blog/12433/12466779/f1-news-rumours-and-gossip-formula-1-latest-updates-on-teams-driver-transfer-market-and-contracts">F1 Gossip Column</a></strong></li><li><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/ContentPromo" target="_blank"><strong>Download the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more</strong></a><strong>📱</strong></li><li><strong>Not got Sky? </strong><a href="https://www.sky.com/tv/sports?dcmp=Ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink" target="_blank"><strong>Get Sky Sports</strong></a><strong> or </strong><a href="http://www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink" target="_blank"><strong>stream with no contract on NOW</strong></a><strong>📺</strong></li></ul><h3>Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes - 9/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 7-4 / Points vs team-mate: 219-160</strong></p><p>Without doubt Antonelli has been the best driver so far this season and deserves to have a solid lead in the championship after five wins on the spin, followed by a sixth in Belgium.</p><p>We should not forget he's only in his second F1 campaign at 19 years old and he has shown incredible speed, with very few mistakes.</p><p>His performance at the Monaco Grand Prix in particular was outstanding.</p><widget id="1"></widget><h3>Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari - 8/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 5-6 / Points vs team-mate: 169-138</strong></p><p>Hamilton will be frustrated with his below-par execution in the races prior to the summer break as he should be much closer to Antonelli in the title race.</p><p>Nevertheless, the seven-time world champion has impressively overturned his big pace deficit to team-mate Charles Leclerc from last year into a small, consistent advantage.</p><p>Cut out the errors and don't rule out a serious challenge for a record-breaking eighth world title.</p><h3>George Russell, Mercedes - 7/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 4-7 / Points vs team-mate: 160-219</strong></p><p>Russell has endured plenty of bad luck this season but so has Antonelli and the reality is the British driver has lacked overall pace to his team-mate.</p><p>Whether that's down to driving style that affects the power unit, the tyres, or something else, Russell has generally been on the backfoot in terms of pace since the third round of the season in Japan.</p> <widget id="2"></widget><h3>Charles Leclerc, Ferrari - 7.5/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 6-5 / Points vs team-mate: 138-169</strong></p><p>Leclerc has not hit the heights of previous years this season after a brake issue caused a dip in performance from Miami to Monaco but even after that, it has been very close between the Ferrari duo in the run-up to the summer break.</p><p>Although he was fortunate to win at Silverstone, Leclerc drove tremendously to take advantage of Antonelli's misfortune and was there again in Belgium to make the Mercedes driver work for victory.</p><h3>Lando Norris, McLaren - 8.5/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 5-6 / Points vs team-mate: 128-92</strong></p><p>Norris is driving just as well as he did in the backend of last year on his way to becoming world champion. The difference is the car, prior to Hungary, has not been capable of winning.</p><p>Aside from Austria, Norris has been the stronger of the McLaren drivers since the fourth round in Miami and his performances have perhaps gone under the radar.</p> <widget id="3"></widget><h3>Max Verstappen, Red Bull - 8.5/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 8-3 / Points vs team-mate: 109-68</strong></p><p>Verstappen may not have won a race but is still driving the wheels off his Red Bull and is still seen by many as the best driver in Formula 1.</p><p>He has not been faultless but to only have one less podium than both Ferrari drivers is some feat, particularly as the RB22 barely wanted to get off the start line earlier this year.</p><h3>Oscar Piastri, McLaren - 7/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 6-5 / Points vs team-mate: 92-128</strong></p><p>Piastri is in a similar boat to Russell where the new 2026 car and power unit may not suit him and he's finding it difficult to match his team-mate.</p><p>The pace advantage Norris had in Hungary over Piastri was significant and that was not the first race where the Australian has been a few tenths slower per lap.</p> <widget id="4"></widget><h3>Isack Hadjar, Red Bull - 7/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 3-8 / Points vs team-mate: 68-109</strong></p><p>Red Bull finally have a driver who is close enough to Verstappen, so big credit to Isack Hadjar, who will surely keep the seat for 2027.</p><p>Hadjar's qualifying pace has been particularly strong, outqualifying Verstappen at Suzuka and Silverstone, but his race pace deficit is bigger and the area to work on the most.</p><h3>Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls - 7/10</h3><p><strong>Qualifying vs team-mate: 6-5 / Points vs t...