F1 driver power rankings: Daniel Ricciardo climbs as Lewis Hamilton reigns supreme and Ferrari plummet

Lewis Hamilton took his latest step towards equalling Michael Schumacher’s championship tally and conquering his all-time win record after easing to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 35-year-old recorded his 89th career victory at Spa-Francorchamps with his second lights-to-flag victory over the season, moving him to within two wins of tying Schumacher’s haul of 91, and he could break it as early as the Russian Grand Prix at the end of next month.

Neither Valtteri Bottas nor Max Verstappen has an answer for Hamilton’s pace this weekend, having been blitzed aside in qualifying and unable to lay a finger on him during the race, despite a less-than-perfect display from the champion-elect.

But if the race was a drab affair out in front, it was anything but behind. Antonio Giovinazzi’s second major error in as many years at Spa proved costly, with the Alfa Romeo spearing into the barrier and the debris taking the Williams of George Russell for good measure, much to his frustration.

The ensuing safety car shook up the order, with Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez choosing not to pit and, as a result, guaranteeing entertainment as they thought their way back through the field. It also meant that Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris would have to get their elbows out to make their way back through the field, ensuring that while the front three proved a procession there was still enough entertainment on offer.

That could not be said for Ferrari. Yet another difficult weekend saw Sebastian Vettel end one practice session in last, Charles Leclerc spend a large portion of the race in the same position and finishes of 13th and 14th showing no improvement on their start places at all.

With the speed citadel of Monza up next in the first of an Italian double-header, hard times are ahead for the limping horse.

With the seventh round of the Formula One season in the bag, here’s how the 2020 driver power rankings have been affected.

20. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) - no move

A better showing this week than in Barcelona. Qualified off the back of the grid as he pipped Kevin Magnussen, and quickly became the sole Williams when Russell was taken out of the race. Maintained his advantage over the Haas throughout, but what was more impressive was finishing just one second behind Romain Grosjean - and fewer than three seconds behind a Ferrari.

19. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) - down one

A weekend to forget for the Italian. 12 months on from chucking the Alfa into the barrier at high speed, Giovinazzi did the same again at the end of the second sector, spearing himself into the tyre barrier and taking Russell with him as an unfortunate casualty. There wasn't a lot to shout about in qualifying either, so a drop down the rankings is inevitable as his wait to tame Spa goes on.

18. Romain Grosjean (Haas) - up one

Grosjean was comfortably the faster of the two Haas drivers in Belgium, and although they proved the slowest of the 10 teams, your first challenge is always to beat your teammate. Job down, as far as the Frenchman is concerned.

17. George Russell (Williams) - no move

Russell was as surprised as anyone to see himself through to Q2, such was the improvement in the Williams this year compared to last, with an average improvement of 2.4s per lap. That explains his sheer disappointment when a stray wheel from Giovinazzi’s accident wrecked his Williams as well as his race, though the relief was seeing both escape unhurt.

16. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - down one

By all accounts it was an awful weekend for Magnussen. Last in qualifying, last in the race and more misery on the horizon at Monza.

15. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) - up one

After his slow start to the season, Raikkonen is proving why he is a cut above the rest in the back-of-the-field battle. The Finn excels at Spa and had the Alfa Romeo running up in the points mid-race, having reacted swiftly to the safety car to dive into the pits. Another solid drive, albeit without reward, though coming home in front of both Ferraris will have brought the smallest of smiles to the Ice Man’s face.

14. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) - down two

Where do you start? Last in third practice, Vettel was lucky to escape Q1 on Saturday, and his Sunday didn’t go much better either. Made a one-stop strategy work compared to Leclerc’s two-stop option, though the two did nearly cap the weekend off when they narrowly avoided taking each other off.

13. Daniil Kvyat (AlphaTauri) - up one

Benefits in the rankings from Ferrari’s capitulation this weekend, but this was not a great weekend for Kvyat. Has the highlight of beating Gasly in qualifying but chose the wrong strategy on the softer tyres at the start, and paid the price as Gasly drove away from him both at the start of the race and in the crucial second stint. Having started ahead of him, he will be disappointed to have come home some 23 seconds behind.

12. Carlos Sainz (McLaren) - down two

Strong qualifying display wrecked by a reliability failure that prevented him from starting the race, having noticed a power unit issue that triggered an exhaust failure. A frustrating repeat of 2019 which also sees him suffer badly in the world championship standings.

11. Sergio Perez (Racing Point) - no move

Racing Point appear to have missed out on their strong point in the season, as Spa has been a happy hunting ground for the team in the past. Perez was on the end of a shocking strategy call not to pit under the safety car despite being on the soft tyres, only to stop seven laps later, and it left him on the back foot that resulted in a disappointing 10th place.

10. Esteban Ocon (Renault) - up three

Good weekend displays haven’t been rare for Ocon, but this was by far the best of his season so far. Although he could not match up with Ricciardo, sixth place in qualifying was transformed into fifth place with a daring pursuit on Albon that resulted in snatching the position on the final lap of the race. A calm head and patience were rewarded with his best result of the season so far.

9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - down three

A large drop down the rankings for Leclerc, whose early credit in the bank is starting to prove a distant memory after a retirement and a terrible 14th place in the last two races. Leclerc suffered at his first stop when the tyres weren’t ready for him, and again at his second stop as Ferrari topped up the pneumatic pressure on his car, so all of it was not his own doing. But this was not a good weekend for Leclerc as he came home behind teammate Vettel and an eye-opening 75 seconds behind the man on the top step of the podium - the same place where he stood just 12 months ago.

8. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) - no move

Deserves to be higher up both in the rankings and in the race results, as he is driving the wheels off the AlphaTauri this season. Delivered the overtake of the day as he forced his way past Perez at the foot of Eau Rouge though the tightest of gaps, and he was moved with being voted Driver of the Day at a track that holds so much emotion due to the death there of his friend Anthoine Hubert last year.

7. Lando Norris (McLaren) - no move

A very strong drive from Norris, who drove a smart race to work his way up through the top 10. Couldn’t match the pace of his teammate in qualifying, but Sainz’s DNS quickly promoted him to ninth and by looking after his tyres, Norris was able to put paid to the two Racing Points. Had he been given another lap, sixth place and potentially fifth was on the cards.

6. Lance Stroll (Racing Point) - down two

It’s hard to say he used a superior strategy to leapfrog teammate Perez when the matter of fact is that he followed the crowd where Perez didn’t, but at least he can say he emerged triumphant in the battle of the Racing Points. That’s about as good as it got though for Racing Point on what was a disappointing weekend.

5. Alex Albon (Red Bull) - no move

Albon’s season has tended to involve a trend of difficult Saturdays followed by strong recoveries on Sundays, which is what made this display rather unusual. A good qualifying performance set him up nicely in fifth for race day, but he could not get going and got caught out by Ocon on the final lap to hand Renault a strong fourth-fifth finish.

4. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) - up four

It may have been his second fourth-place finish of the season so far, but this was his strongest weekend of the season so far by a country mile. He agonisingly missed out on third in qualifying as Verstappen benefitted from a tow from Albon, and he very nearly passed the Red Bull on the opening lap before settling into a strong rhythm that not only produced a fourth place finish but also a stunning fastest lap of the race with his final effort.

3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) - no move

Bottas was right to express relief in an error-free weekend, but the matter of fact is he still remains a long way off Hamilton’s level. Given he is driving the same car as Hamilton, the failure to at least once challenge him in the race was not a good look.

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - no move

Seemed happy with his display after qualifying even though he missed out on second by just one-hundredth of a second, but that mood disappeared after what he described as a “boring” race. Third was enough to maintain his second place in the championship standings, but for once there appeared a realisation that he and the team weren’t quite at their best.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

The imperious march towards a seventh world championship showed no signs of letting off in Belgium as Hamilton completely dominated qualifying, before proving untouchable in the race. It wasn’t his most convincing displays with three uncharacteristic errors along the way, but when your at a level where being off-colour is still miles clear of anyone else, you know you’re onto a winner.