Verstappen criticized by F1 jury: 'Worst performance of the season'

The Hungarian Grand Prix power rankings are in, and it is not Norris, Piastri OR Verstappen at the top. Instead, it is a surprising driver from the midfield.

Bortoleto on top of the Power Rankings

Gabriel Bortoleto receives the highest score of the weekend due to finishing sixth in the Grand Prix. The Power Rankings panel said, "Bortoleto was the star driver in the Hungarian Grand Prix, taking his best result in F1 to date with sixth and earning the Driver of the Day accolade from the fans."

"The F1 rookie was left thrilled with the result, especially having battled mentor Alonso and four-time World Champion Verstappen, even out-qualifying the latter. The result marks three points finishes in the last four races for Bortoleto, while the Brazilian has helped Kick Sauber secure a run of six races in the points, and our judges were suitably impressed by his efforts."

Alonso, who finished ahead of Bortoleto at P5, also gets a high rating of 9.4. The jury is particularly impressed by the fact that the Spaniard has not lost any of his speed at age 44. There is also praise for his strong performance despite missing FP1 due to back problems. "Alonso showed he has lost none of his speed at the venue where he scored his maiden F1 victory back in 2003.  After jumping eventual race winner Norris briefly, Alonso settled into a rhythm and utilised a one-stop strategy to take his best result of the season."

Race winner Lando Norris shares the third place with Liam Lawson: both drivers get an 8.8 and are praised for perfectly executing their one-stop strategy. Then follows Oscar Piastri with an 8.6, behind him are Charles Leclerc and George Russell, both with an 8.4.

About Verstappen, the panel wrote, "In the weekend when Verstappen confirmed he'll be with Red Bull until 2026, the four-time world champion had his worst qualification of the season in Hungary."

Verstappen was given a 6.4, placing him in 10th place.

"Due to a lack of grip, he struggled all weekend, resulting in no higher than the eighth starting spot. A two-stopper eventually placed him only P9 at the finish. It was a disappointing weekend for Red Bull, but Verstappen is known for always getting the maximum out of the situation."

Overall Scores:

F1 Power Rankings after the Hungarian GP

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