2026 F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Driver Ratings

George Russell secured a 9/10 and a much-needed Austrian Grand Prix victory, though Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli could argue he carried superior pace across the weekend. Max Verstappen also earned top marks after recovering from fifth to second, while Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad led the midfield charge to round out the top scores.

Why it matters:

These ratings reveal how razor-thin margins are shaping the 2026 season. With no driver completely off the pace relative to their teammate, even small errors in qualifying or strategy are proving costly up and down the grid.

The details:

• Front-runners: Russell secured pole and controlled the race from the front, though he had been the second-best Mercedes driver earlier in the weekend. Verstappen recovered from a qualifying crash and P5 grid slot to battle Hamilton in a vintage duel and secure second. Lawson took ninth as the top midfielder, with Red Bull junior Lindblad scoring 8.5 to keep his teammate honest.
• Antonelli's near-miss: The Italian looked the fastest Mercedes in practice but lost a potential front-row spot to a yellow flag, then ran off track three times at Turn 1 on Lap 2 and faded late against Verstappen.
• The strugglers: Franco Colapinto suffered the largest qualifying deficit on the grid at 0.948s. Lance Stroll's afternoon ended early with an ERS failure, while Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, and Valtteri Bottas all managed only 5/10 after trailing their teammates throughout.

What's next:

As the championship battle heats up, Russell's win relieves some Mercedes pressure. But with Verstappen hunting and Antonelli showing raw speed, the fight at the front is only intensifying.