The 2015 Chinese Grand Prix ended in somewhat farcical circumstances, as Formula 1 saw its seventh ever Safety Car finish. Going into the weekend the main focus would be on whether Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari would be able to continue to put the pressure on Mercedes, but Hamilton and Rosberg regained their superiority over their rivals, securing another one-two finish and always looking like they had the measure of Ferrari.
2015 Chinese Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Nico Rosberg
After a disappointing showing in Malaysia, where he “only” came third, Rosberg was back in the top two, which seems to be a minimum expectation for Mercedes these days, but still could not find his way past Hamilton. The controversy over whether Hamilton was driving too slowly and slowing up his team-mate will rage on, but Rosberg could not find a way past him.
Rating: 7/10
Sebastian Vettel
Another podium for the four-time world champion. It is clear that he and Raikkonen will be the only challenge for Mercedes in the foreseeable future. He was able to keep up with the Mercedes drivers, and will be satisfied with his weekend. After the highs of Malaysia he could easily have lost his concentration and plummeted down the rankings (not that that’s an easy thing to do, such is the gulf between Ferrari and Williams), but he will be aiming to better this result for every remaining race this season.
Rating: 7.5/10—though perhaps it is Ferrari’s poor performance last year which is making me give him a higher rating than Rosberg.
Kimi Raikkonen
After such a poor 2014, Kimi will be happy to be back in the points regularly, but it seems that Ferrari are so far ahead of Williams and the rest of the field that fourth will become a very average position for him.
Rating: 6/10
Felipe Massa
Williams are way off the pace in terms of the top two teams, and Massa and Bottas found themselves battling for fifth and sixth very early on. Massa came out on top, hence why he gets a slightly higher rating.
Rating: 6/10
Valtteri Bottas
Not an eventful race for one of last season’s star drivers. He’ll be disappointed not to have beaten his team-mate, but glad to finish comfortably in the points.
Rating: 5.5/10
Romain Grosjean
A good weekend for the Frenchman. A solid qualifying performance, coupled with a composed race meant that he finished seventh—a result Lotus should be very happy with. He beat both Red Bulls, his team-mate and two world champions. Taken into context that may not be quite as impressive as it sounds, but he deserves all the plaudits that comes his way.
Rating: 7/10
Felipe Nasr
Another fantastic drive by the newbie. Perhaps he was even close to deserving another “driver of the weekend” award. Sauber will be very pleased with their weekend as a whole, and the young Brazilian will not have expected to be picking up points so easily at the start of the season.
Rating: 8/10
Daniel Ricciardo
A weekend to forget for the Australian. A few errors, including going off when trying to pass Ericsson, coupled with his being locked at the lower end of the grid for too long, meant that he finished a lowly ninth. At the moment he seems a long way off his 2014 self.
Rating: 4/10
Marcus Ericsson
Although he relied on a retirement from Verstappen to get there, Ericsson will be very happy to get in the top ten. Sauber have done very well to get both their drivers in the points. Ericsson’s performance was nowhere near of the calibre of Nasr, but it was a good result for him.
Rating: 6/10
Sergio Perez
Not the most memorable of races for the Mexican. He will be longing to return to the form of his Sauber days.
Rating: 5/10
Fernando Alonso
Alonso took to twitter to say that he was pleased even to have finished, but that is more of a barometer of how far McLaren have fallen recently. Hopefully he and Jenson will be back in business soon.
Rating: 4/10
Carlos Sainz Jr
Overshadowed by his team-mate once again, though Verstappen failed to finish. What was looking like a promising day for Toro Rosso fell flat, and Sainz Jr’s race was hardly eventful.
Rating: 4/10
Jenson Button
It is probably the car that needs sorting out more than the driver, but Button will be very disappointed not to have got anywhere near the points and to have finished behind his team-mate. His coming together with Maldonado lost him another place.
Rating: 3/10
Will Stevens
At the moment, merely finishing is an achievement for Manor, and they don’t have the reputation of McLaren so have slightly more reason to be pleased with it. He even beat his team-mate: not a bad weekend.
Rating: 5/10 (it’s hard to give an accurate rating for Manor at the moment, so I’ll play it safe)
Roberto Merhi
The same applies for Merhi as with Stevens. Getting the car round the circuit in one piece deserves credit.
Rating: 5/10
Max Verstappen
It was looking like another brilliant result for the teenager, but, so cruelly, he could not finish the race. Like Maldonado, but unlike the other two retirees, he deserves a rating (and a good one), because he completed enough of the race. He performed admirably in qualifying, and it looked like another points finish until he stopped.
Rating (until lap 52, that is): 8.5/10
Pastor Maldonado
Maldonado was looking strong, but a bizarre pit stop error, coupled with his “assisted spin” with Button, as the website hasmaldonadocrashedtoday.com judged it, meant that things went pear shaped for him and he failed to finish, retiring on lap 50.
Rating (until the pit stop error): 8/10, actual rating: 6/10
Daniil Kvyat
Failed to make it into Q3; failed to make it very far into the race, and therefore doesn’t get a rating.
Rating: N/A
Nico Hulkenberg
Couldn’t even make it past the first ten laps. A weekend to forget for Hulkenberg.
Rating: N/A
Lewis Hamilton
Star of the weekend. It was tempting to give it to Nasr, and it would’ve been even more tempting to give it to Verstappen had he finished, but the winner of the Grand Prix takes the award. Not quite a perfect performance if one is to be absolutely critical, hence why he doesn’t get a 10/10, but a win from pole is a very satisfying way to win a race.
Rating: 9.5/10—a 10/10 rating has to be reserved for a perfect performance.
