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1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. No 1 as the Dutchman has wrung every sinew from the RB15. Been in the top five at every race, has absolutely battered teammate Gasly to such an extent that the Frenchman's top-line career in the sport is probably done. Has matured greatly, as his drive in Monaco showed, but his wins in Austria and Germany were brilliant. Beats Hamilton at mid-way stage purely on fact he had third-best car at start of season and is only seven points off one of the Mercedes drivers in the shape of Bottas. Getty

20. Pierre Gasly, Red Bull Racing. Awful season for the Frenchman, who looks utterly devoid of confidence. Red Bull have vowed to stick by him for the rest of 2019, but it might be kinder to get him out of there and give the drive to someone else given how much he is struggling. Getty

19. Robert Kubica, Williams. Brilliant that the Pole has made it back to F1 after his horrific rally crash in 2011. But he has rarely been a match for George Russell and it was an anomaly that he has scored the team's lone point, though it was a great drive in Germany. Will be a surprise if Kubica is still in F1 in 2020, but that shouldn't diminish that him being back on the grid was an excellent effort in the first place. Getty

18. Lance Stroll, Racing Point. Qualifying remains a major weakness and often leaves himself too much to do on a Sunday. Fourth in Germany makes his season's points total look better then the performance actually has been. EPA

17. Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo. Underwhelming first half of the season. One point from 12 races, especially when teammate Kimi Raikkonen has 31 points and been in the top 10 eight times, doesn't look good. Needs some big results in second half of the year. Getty

16. Romain Grosjean, Haas. The Haas is clearly a difficult car this year but Grosjean has been ragged and made some costly errors. In serious danger of disappearing from the F1 grid. Getty

15. Sergio Perez, Racing Point. The Mexican hasn't been in the points since sixth place in Azerbaijan. Solid driving as always, crash in Germany withstanding, but will be disappointed with only 13 points. Getty

14. Kevin Magnussen, Haas. Above Grosjean purely because when he gets it right he usually finishes well as three top-eight finishes show. Reuters

13. George Russell, Williams. This might look high for a driver with no points to his name. But Russell has impressed with limited machinery. Consistently quicker then teammate Kubica and his 16th place on the grid in Hungary was one of the qualifying performances of the season. Getty

12. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault. Started well but went through a spell of consistently being beaten by teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Was a real shame he crashed out in Germany as a first career podium had been beckoning. Getty

11. Daniel Ricciardo, Renault. Odd year so far. Started badly at new team and had an amateur hour moment in Azerbajian when he contrived to reverse into Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso after not bothering to look in his mirrors. Still very quick, as sixth in Canada and two sevenths in China and Britain showed, but will want a better second half of 2019. AFP

10. Alexander Albon, Toro Rosso. Impressive rookie season. Held his own against Kvyat and while he has made mistakes has shown the speed and mental strength of a top racer. A good final nine races will make him one to watch in 2020. Getty

9. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso. Given his F1 career looked over in 2016 this has been a fine year so far. The podium in Germany was the cherry on top, but he has four other points finishes and has generally had the consistency he lacked in his first spell in the sport. Getty

8. Lando Norris, McLaren. Passing world champion Lewis Hamilton on track in Austria was a statement of intent. Very good so far overall from the Briton. Qualifies well but has not always got the points he deserves. Some of that has not been his fault but race craft is definitely an area to improve on. Getty

7. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari. When he is on it he still has the aura of a world champion. It was his mistake that lost the win in Canada and it was frustrating as he had been superb till then. Gets some deserved stick for being beaten by Charles Leclerc at times, but Vettel has had the edge over his younger teammate a fair bit too. Really needs a win to lift his confidence. Belgium on September 1 will be the one-year anniversary of his last victory. AP Photo

6. Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo. There was a lot of surprise when Raikkonen stayed in F1 after being dropped by Ferrari. But the 2007 world champion has put in a consistent first 12 races. 31 points in a car that is probably fifth or sixth fastest most weekends at best, especially when you look at Giovinazzi, is a great effort. EPA

5. Carlos Sainz, McLaren. Another driver whose F1 career was at a cross-roads after he lost his Renault seat to Ricciardo. Overcame a tough first three races to score at eight of the past nine races, with two fifth-places in Germany and Hungary showing how far he and McLaren have come. Best driver outside the top three dominant teams is good going. AP Photo

4. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes. Hinted at having a mega year when he won two of the first four races. Also has four poles to his name in 2019. But yet he has fallen 62 points behind teammate Lewis Hamilton. When he is good he is great, but has too many weekends when he is not quite on pace and is a non-factor to be a world champion. EPA

3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari. Should have won a race by now. Engine problems cost him in Bahrain, strategy hurt him in Austria and his own mistake destroyed his chances in Azerbaijan when he was the fastest driver that weekend. More than held his own against the more experienced Vettel. With events like Belgium and Italy still to come, where Ferrari should be very strong, he can hopefully get that elusive victory. Getty

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes. How can you possibly put a man who has won eight out of 12 races, is 62 points clear in the standings, and is pretty much a dead cert for a sixth world title at No 2? He has been brilliant in races largely, Austria apart where his own error cost him. But qualifying has been hit and miss. Bottas has taken four poles and Hamilton has been fortunate that his Finnish teammate has usually made a poor start after starting at the front. Hamilton himself rates his season as a "8.8" and the scary thing that it feels he has dominated despite rarely having to stretch himself. Monaco and Hungary were exceptional drives. Getty

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. No 1 as the Dutchman has wrung every sinew from the RB15. Been in the top five at every race, has absolutely battered teammate Gasly to such an extent that the Frenchman's top-line career in the sport is probably done. Has matured greatly, as his drive in Monaco showed, but his wins in Austria and Germany were brilliant. Beats Hamilton at mid-way stage purely on fact he had third-best car at start of season and is only seven points off one of the Mercedes drivers in the shape of Bottas. Getty

20. Pierre Gasly, Red Bull Racing. Awful season for the Frenchman, who looks utterly devoid of confidence. Red Bull have vowed to stick by him for the rest of 2019, but it might be kinder to get him out of there and give the drive to someone else given how much he is struggling. Getty

19. Robert Kubica, Williams. Brilliant that the Pole has made it back to F1 after his horrific rally crash in 2011. But he has rarely been a match for George Russell and it was an anomaly that he has scored the team's lone point, though it was a great drive in Germany. Will be a surprise if Kubica is still in F1 in 2020, but that shouldn't diminish that him being back on the grid was an excellent effort in the first place. Getty

18. Lance Stroll, Racing Point. Qualifying remains a major weakness and often leaves himself too much to do on a Sunday. Fourth in Germany makes his season's points total look better then the performance actually has been. EPA

17. Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo. Underwhelming first half of the season. One point from 12 races, especially when teammate Kimi Raikkonen has 31 points and been in the top 10 eight times, doesn't look good. Needs some big results in second half of the year. Getty

16. Romain Grosjean, Haas. The Haas is clearly a difficult car this year but Grosjean has been ragged and made some costly errors. In serious danger of disappearing from the F1 grid. Getty

15. Sergio Perez, Racing Point. The Mexican hasn't been in the points since sixth place in Azerbaijan. Solid driving as always, crash in Germany withstanding, but will be disappointed with only 13 points. Getty

14. Kevin Magnussen, Haas. Above Grosjean purely because when he gets it right he usually finishes well as three top-eight finishes show. Reuters

13. George Russell, Williams. This might look high for a driver with no points to his name. But Russell has impressed with limited machinery. Consistently quicker then teammate Kubica and his 16th place on the grid in Hungary was one of the qualifying performances of the season. Getty

12. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault. Started well but went through a spell of consistently being beaten by teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Was a real shame he crashed out in Germany as a first career podium had been beckoning. Getty

11. Daniel Ricciardo, Renault. Odd year so far. Started badly at new team and had an amateur hour moment in Azerbajian when he contrived to reverse into Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso after not bothering to look in his mirrors. Still very quick, as sixth in Canada and two sevenths in China and Britain showed, but will want a better second half of 2019. AFP

10. Alexander Albon, Toro Rosso. Impressive rookie season. Held his own against Kvyat and while he has made mistakes has shown the speed and mental strength of a top racer. A good final nine races will make him one to watch in 2020. Getty

9. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso. Given his F1 career looked over in 2016 this has been a fine year so far. The podium in Germany was the cherry on top, but he has four other points finishes and has generally had the consistency he lacked in his first spell in the sport. Getty

8. Lando Norris, McLaren. Passing world champion Lewis Hamilton on track in Austria was a statement of intent. Very good so far overall from the Briton. Qualifies well but has not always got the points he deserves. Some of that has not been his fault but race craft is definitely an area to improve on. Getty

7. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari. When he is on it he still has the aura of a world champion. It was his mistake that lost the win in Canada and it was frustrating as he had been superb till then. Gets some deserved stick for being beaten by Charles Leclerc at times, but Vettel has had the edge over his younger teammate a fair bit too. Really needs a win to lift his confidence. Belgium on September 1 will be the one-year anniversary of his last victory. AP Photo

6. Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo. There was a lot of surprise when Raikkonen stayed in F1 after being dropped by Ferrari. But the 2007 world champion has put in a consistent first 12 races. 31 points in a car that is probably fifth or sixth fastest most weekends at best, especially when you look at Giovinazzi, is a great effort. EPA

5. Carlos Sainz, McLaren. Another driver whose F1 career was at a cross-roads after he lost his Renault seat to Ricciardo. Overcame a tough first three races to score at eight of the past nine races, with two fifth-places in Germany and Hungary showing how far he and McLaren have come. Best driver outside the top three dominant teams is good going. AP Photo

4. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes. Hinted at having a mega year when he won two of the first four races. Also has four poles to his name in 2019. But yet he has fallen 62 points behind teammate Lewis Hamilton. When he is good he is great, but has too many weekends when he is not quite on pace and is a non-factor to be a world champion. EPA

3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari. Should have won a race by now. Engine problems cost him in Bahrain, strategy hurt him in Austria and his own mistake destroyed his chances in Azerbaijan when he was the fastest driver that weekend. More than held his own against the more experienced Vettel. With events like Belgium and Italy still to come, where Ferrari should be very strong, he can hopefully get that elusive victory. Getty

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes. How can you possibly put a man who has won eight out of 12 races, is 62 points clear in the standings, and is pretty much a dead cert for a sixth world title at No 2? He has been brilliant in races largely, Austria apart where his own error cost him. But qualifying has been hit and miss. Bottas has taken four poles and Hamilton has been fortunate that his Finnish teammate has usually made a poor start after starting at the front. Hamilton himself rates his season as a "8.8" and the scary thing that it feels he has dominated despite rarely having to stretch himself. Monaco and Hungary were exceptional drives. Getty

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. No 1 as the Dutchman has wrung every sinew from the RB15. Been in the top five at every race, has absolutely battered teammate Gasly to such an extent that the Frenchman's top-line career in the sport is probably done. Has matured greatly, as his drive in Monaco showed, but his wins in Austria and Germany were brilliant. Beats Hamilton at mid-way stage purely on fact he had third-best car at start of season and is only seven points off one of the Mercedes drivers in the shape of Bottas. Getty

Ranked: from Pierre Gasly to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, how do the 20 Formula One drivers rate in 2019 so far?

A look at the grid at the half-way stage of the season with 12 races completed

Graham Caygill

August 07, 2019

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