According To F1 Power Rankings, Verstappen Is Not No. 1

Max Verstappen’s domination in Formula 1 this season was undeniable, although there was a short stint where his Championship title was uncertain. He had nine Grand Prix victories, eight pole positions, and eventually claimed his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship trophy. The Red Bull driver once again seemed like the uncontested king of Formula 1 during the 2024 season. 

However, Formula 1’s official Power Rankings have made headlines this week when they placed Verstappen in second place. The top spot was awarded to McLaren’s Lando Norris after the season finale in Abu Dhabi. 

This move sparked debates among fans, analysts, and even sports bettors. When considering that odds overwhelmingly favored Verstappen to secure the top spot in these rankings, as he did in 2023 (outscoring Lewis Hamilton 9.1 – 7.8), many backed Verstappen in the 2024 season. However, if they had foreseen this eventual outcome and the stiff competition that McLaren became, they may have second-guessed their wagers. The best crypto sports betting sites, where bettors can enjoy instant transactions with low fees and high levels of privacy, were all in favor of Verstappen to once again reclaim his throne, which left many bettors disappointed by the outcome. 

The Power Rankings, judged by a panel of five experts, assess drivers after each race based purely on performance and not the car’s dominance. Verstappen consistently led these rankings throughout the year, but his absence from the top 10 in the last race’s evaluations proved costly for his position. 

Verstappen collided with Oscar Piastri in the first lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, scoring a 10-second penalty and impacting his race performance. 

In contrast, Lando Norris had a flawless race, which earned him a perfect Power Ranking score of 10.0. His pole position and subsequent race victory not only won McLaren the Constructors’ Championship but also pushed him to an 8.2 season average, a mere 0.1 points ahead of Verstappen’s 8.1 in the final Power Rankings for 2024. 

This result illustrates the dynamic nature and unpredictability of the Power Rankings, which aim to reflect the skills of the drivers and not necessarily the cars’ abilities. Norris had a season that tested his skill and maturity, especially in the moments where he outperformed expectations. 

However, the decision to rank him ahead of Verstappen is drawing a lot of criticism. Verstappen’s naysayers argue that his dominance was helped along by the powerful RB20, while his fans are saying his achievements, consistency, and aggressive driving style deserve to land him the top spot, in spite of his final underwhelming race. 

The Power Rankings have also received criticism from the drivers themselves. Fernando Alonso has called them “useless”, pondering how he can be in the top 10 standing for the Driver’s Championship but not make the top 10 for the Power Rankings. 

The first-place position may serve as vindication to Norris of the hard work he has plowed into the season, while for Verstappen, one can only hope it serves as motivation to rein in his elbows-out driving style.