Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings: Max Verstappen Stars With Faultless Drive But What Does Yuki Tsunoda Score After First Race With Red Bull? 69585k

Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass at Suzuka to fend off the two McLarens and take victory, and here, SportsCasting gives out our driver ratings for the Japanese GP.

2025 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 1r2kq

Max Verstappen – 10 6p3r1u

Qualified 1st, Finished 1st (Season average rating – 9.5)

A weekend that showed why Max Verstappen is a four-time world champion and the best driver presently in Formula One.

Delivered a stunning lap to take pole and did an exceptional job to keep the quicker McLarens behind him during the race. Faultless performance to get top marks in our Japanese GP driver ratings.

Max Verstappen is the first driver in Formula 1 history to win 4 consecutive races at Suzuka 🇯🇵

An incredible way to honour the Honda partnership 🥇 pic.twitter.com/QWNCnvKZiQ

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 6, 2025

Lando Norris – 7.5

Qualified 2nd, Finished 2nd (Season average rating – 8.2)

Disappointing race as he never looked capable of attacking Max Verstappen despite being in quicker machinery.

Took to the grass to try and Verstappen coming out of the pitlane which was more an act of desperation.

Oscar Piastri – 7

Started 3rd, Finished 3rd (Season average rating – 8)

A small error in qualifying put him on the backfoot for race day as he was stuck behind teammate Lando Norris.

He appeared to be quicker than Norris and could have attacked Max Verstappen if the Brit wasn’t in his way. However, Norris was backing off to save his tyres.

Charles Leclerc – 8 306p39

Started 4th, Finished 4th (Season average rating – 6.6)

The Monegasque had his best showing of the season but it was a quiet weekend in which he qualified and finished fourth.

Maximised the most he could get out of his Ferrari and outpaced Lewis Hamilton all weekend.

George Russell – 7 556v5u

Started 5th, Finished 5th (Season average rating – 8)

George Russell was stuck behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc for long parts of the race and wasn’t able to make progress.

The Brit went off at the chicane during the race and could have been under pressure from his teammate if the race went on a few more laps.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli – 7 5o2oq

Started 6th, Finished 6th (Season average rating – 7.3)

His best weekend to date as he led his first race briefly during the pit window and also set the fastest lap.

Went off at the chicane on Lap 2 but showed strong pace and was almost within DRS range of his teammate at the end.

Lewis Hamilton – 5.5 2y5m3r

Started 8th, Finished 7th (Season average rating – 5.8)

Another disappointing race day for the seven-time champion who was well off the pace of teammate Charles Leclerc.

Managed to get past Isack Hadjar but would have been hoping for much more than seventh from the Japanese Grand Prix. Did complain of an issue with his floor which he hopes will improve his fortunes going forward.

Lewis Hamilton hints at why his Ferrari may have been underperforming 🤔 pic.twitter.com/guyPpQyU5i

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 7, 2025

Isack Hadjar – 8.5 26323m

Qualified 7th, Finished 8th (Season average rating – 6.2)

Isack Hadjar gets the second highest score in our Japanese Grand Prix driver ratings in just his third race.

Had no chance of keeping Lewis Hamilton behind himiams did well to keep Alex Albon in the Williams at arm’s length to eventually win the ‘best of the rest’ race behind the top four teams.

Alex Albon – 7.5 1fr48

Qualified 9th, Finished 9th (Season average rating – 8.3)

One of the stars of the season so far, Alex Albon delivered another great driver to pick up more points for Williams.

Although he potentially had the speed to beat Isack Hadjar, it was very difficult to overtake on the day and he continues to get the better of Carlos Sainz.

Oliver Bearman – 8 6hu2s

Qualified 10th, Finished 10th (Season average rating – 6.5)

Excellent job the Brit who made Q3 when his more experienced teammate Esteban Ocon was knocked out in the first part of qualifying.

Held off Fernando Alonso to take the final point for Haas – finishing nearly 30 seconds ahead of his teammate.

Fernando Alonso – 6.5 6c732p

Qualified 12th, Finished 11th (Season average rating – 5.8)

Double world champion Fernando Alonso is still searching for his first point of 2025 after the Japanese Grand Prix.

His Aston Martin is lacking on pace and he had to withstand pressure from Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly during the race.

Yuki Tsunoda – 4 5464p

Qualified 14th, Finished 12th (Season average rating – 5.8)

It’s hard to be too critical of Yuki Tsunoda in his first race for Red Bull but he did finish nearly a minute behind his race-winning teammate when he showed solid pace during the Friday practice sessions.

An improvement on Liam Lawson’s efforts from the first two races but faced similar problems that the New Zealander did.

Pierre Gasly – 6 3js5i

Qualified 11th, Finished 13th (Season average rating – 6)

For the third race in a row in our driver ratings, Pierre Gasly scored a 6/10 from the Japanese Grand Prix.

Would have fancied points after qualifying 11th but slipped back on race day as Alpine struggle for pace.

Carlos Sainz – 4.5 l6k23

Qualified 15th, Finished 14th (Season average rating – 4.3)

His pace was closer to Alex Albon than it has been as he was just half a tenth off in Q2 which put him in 12th – only to be demoted three places for blocking Lewis Hamilton.

That ruined his chance for points and he struggled to gain on the likes of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda above him.

Jack Doohan – 5 2i1f32

Qualified 19th, Finished 15th (Season average rating – 3.3)

The Australian continues to struggle to put a weekend together as he was compromised by a huge crash on Friday.

Recovered slightly during the race but still finished well off his teammate and his performances will do no help to suggestions he could be replaced by Franco Colapinto.

Nico Hulkenberg – 6 1n47h

Qualified 16th, Finished 16th (Season average rating – 6.3)

Not much more the veteran German could have done in his slow Sauber.

Drove a very solid race, managed to Liam Lawson but struggled at times to keep other drivers behind him.

Liam Lawson – 4.5 2n482o

Qualified 13th, Finished 17th (Season average rating – 3.2)

Tough time for Liam Lawson with his demotion from Red Bull and initially his pace was improved this weekend.

He outqualified the man who replaced him, Yuki Tsunoda. However, he dropped back during the race and was over 40 seconds behind his new teammate Isack Hadjar who scored points.

Esteban Ocon – 4.5 d3141

Qualified 18th, Finished 18th (Season average rating – 6.6)

Qualifying ruined Esteban Ocon’s weekend as he was not able to make up any ground during the race.

He was asked to move aside for his rookie teammate during the race and points could have been on the card going by Oliver Bearman’s race.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 5 1r1t5o

Qualified 17th, Finished 19th (Season average rating – 5)

Was close to Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying pace but ruined his race after he dropped to the back at the start after being too aggressive with his clutch.

From there it was a solid drive but not much he could do in his Sauber. Third 5/10 rating in a row in our driver ratings after his performance at the Japanese GP.

Lance Stroll – 3 3n6319

Qualified 20th, Finished 20th (Season average rating – 5.7)

Points in the first two races but was slow all weekend at the Japanese GP and gets the lowest score in our driver ratings.

Well off the pace of his teammate Fernando Alonso and was the only driver to be lapped after he made an additional pit stop.