Imola F1 driver ratings: Charles Leclerc still top dog at Ferrari despite misfortune

Max Verstappen – 9.5

Max Verstappen demonstrated why he’s the best driver in F1 with his opportunistic overtake on Oscar Piastri on the opening lap of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While the timing of the VSC and Safety Car worked in his favour, it was a champion’s drive overall.

Lando Norris – 7.5

It was an important race for Lando Norris as he reduced teammate Piastri’s championship lead by three points. The timing of the various cautions worked in Norris’ favour, ultimately allowing him to overtake Piastri on much fresher tyres after the Safety Car. Still, Norris needs to resolve his qualifying troubles if he's going to wrestle back the momentum in the title race. 

Oscar Piastri – 7.5

After delivering an impressive pole lap at Imola, Piastri threw it away by failing to defend from Verstappen on Lap 1. McLaren’s gamble on a two-stop strategy didn’t pay off, with the VSC and SC periods disrupting his race.

Lewis Hamilton – 8

Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a tidy race to finish fourth in front of the adoring Tifosi. Luck was certainly on his side after spending half the race stuck behind Kimi Antonelli. Did he deserve to beat teammate Charles Leclerc? Probably not. But Hamilton looked at home in the SF-25, possibly for the first time since China.

Alex Albon – 9

Alex Albon continues to shine for Williams. He may have been slightly over-ambitious against Leclerc, which cost him a place to Hamilton in the fight for fourth. However, Albon is currently performing at the peak of his powers.

Charles Leclerc – 9

Leclerc delivered a remarkable drive at Imola. He was aggressive throughout. The VSC and Safety Car worked completely against him, yet he still managed a strong sixth-place finish as Ferrari bounced back from their qualifying issues.

George Russell – 8

Like Leclerc, the timing of the various caution periods didn’t work in his favour. Mercedes’ race pace was also underwhelming, though, lagging behind both Williams and Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz – 7.5

Williams opted to split their strategies, with Carlos Sainz placed on a two-stop. The VSC timing hugely benefitted Albon, putting him in contention for the top four. Sainz was left to rue Williams’ call, recovering to eighth after the Safety Car. Ultimately, another missed opportunity for the Spaniard.

Isack Hadjar – 8

After losing two places on the opening lap, Isack Hadjar strung together another strong race to finish ninth. He ran ahead of both Kimi Antonelli and Hamilton on merit during the first half of the race.

Yuki Tsunoda – 5.5

It was a tough weekend overall for Yuki Tsunoda. He suffered a scary rollover crash in qualifying, which forced a pit lane start. While he did recover to finish 10th, his pace was nowhere near Verstappen’s.

Fernando Alonso – 8.5

Fernando Alonso’s wait for a first championship point in 2025 goes on. Aston Martin chose not to pit under the Safety Car, which meant Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll plummeted down the order despite a promising start.

Nico Hulkenberg – 7

A more competitive showing from Nico Hulkenberg and Sauber at Imola. He ran in the points for much of the race but couldn’t keep Tsunoda or Alonso at bay in the final stint.

Pierre Gasly – 6.5

Pierre Gasly’s race was compromised early on when he tried to hang it around the outside of Leclerc. He ran wide into the gravel and lost several positions, which he never fully recovered from.

Liam Lawson – 6

Another mediocre weekend from Liam Lawson, who continues to be out-performed by Hadjar on a consistent basis.

Lance Stroll – 6.5

Stroll backed up teammate Alonso early on at Imola. However, like Alonso, the VSC and SC timing worked against him, and he dropped back in the final stages.

Franco Colapinto – 5.5

An unimpressive return for Franco Colapinto. He crashed his Alpine in qualifying and ran wide at the final right-hander in the race entirely on his own. 

Oliver Bearman – 6.5

Oliver Bearman was unlucky not to make it into Q2, having set his final lap just before the red flag. He was in the mix for points, but a tyre-fitting error ruined his race.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 6.5

Gabriel Bortoleto impressed in qualifying by beating teammate Hulkenberg. However, he was one of several drivers caught out by the VSC timing and couldn’t recover afterwards.

Kimi Antonelli – 6

It was a difficult weekend for Kimi Antonelli, who struggled for overall pace. He did well to hold off Hamilton in the first stint but was clearly a bottleneck. He retired on Lap 45 due to a throttle issue.

Esteban Ocon – 6

Esteban Ocon was the first to retire from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. An air consumption issue forced him to stop at the exit of Turn 7.