Verstappen named driver of the year by F1 rivals as Hamilton drops heavily
Max Verstappen again wrapped up driver of the year in the F1 drivers’ end-of-season top 10 poll, the fourth time in a row the four-time F1 drivers’ champion collected the honour from his colleagues.
The Dutchman, much like with the team principals on their list, was peerless in his rivals’ eyes as he put together a considered and managed campaign in the underwhelming Red Bull RB20. It was his hardest-fought title since his first crown in 2021, something that made his year all the more impressive.
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc put together solid seasons for McLaren and Ferrari, respectively, and claim their championship standings positions in the poll, both up two spots from their 2023 rankings.
George Russell, who ranked two spots lower on the team boss equivalent, was the first of two new entries at number four, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg the other in eighth place.
Whilst two drivers, therefore, dropped off the top 10 list entirely, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were the big losers to avoid the cut, falling eight and six places, respectively.
Oscar Piastri was the biggest climber who made the list this year and last, moving from eighth a year ago to fifth this term, whilst the man one spot below him was the second of two drivers to hold steady, along with the aforementioned Verstappen.
Like Norris and Leclerc, Pierre Gasly moved up two places off the back of a very strong end to the season, where he collected a podium – alongside team-mate Esteban Ocon – in Brazil and followed it up with a superb year-ending triple header.
Sergio Perez, who will now not race in 2025 after being dropped by Red Bull, fell off the bottom of the ranking, having taken tenth position in the order 12 months ago.
Verstappen, Hamilton and Perez were the only drivers not to participate in the rankings, with the 17 other full-time drivers to end the season each having their say (Ocon was involved, as opposed to Jack Doohan).
See the full ranking below.
