Is There A Home Race Advantage In Formula 1?

• Max Verstappen leads with a 9.21 home boost index score – the highest on the grid, converting 75% of Zandvoort appearances into victories since the circuit’s F1 return.
• Australia’s Mark Webber struggled on home soil, with a negative home boost index score of -7.39.
• Home advantage affects drivers differently, with some experiencing dramatic performance gains while others struggle under home pressure, creating measurable variations in points-per-race across home and away venues.

Fans often talk about the power of a home crowd in sports like football, baseball, and basketball. In Formula 1, though, the question has always been harder to answer.

Does racing on familiar tarmac with thousands of fans in your corner really make a difference, or do the added pressures cancel out any advantage?

Analysing historical race data spanning 2010-2024 reveals the drivers with the strongest home boost – and those who face local challenges…

F1 Drivers With The Best Home Race Record

1. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) – Home Boost Index Score: 9.21

Verstappen at Zandvoort is a different animal. Three wins from four home races, averaging 23.5 points per start compared to 14.29 everywhere else. The 9.21 boost is the highest on the grid for a reason – something transforms his already exceptional driving when racing in front of the orange army. Whether it’s the familiar track surface or the deafening crowd, he doesn’t just win at Zandvoort, he makes it look inevitable.

2. Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) – Home Boost Index Score: 4.92

Hamilton’s got Silverstone figured out after years of perfecting the art. Eight wins from sixteen starts represents a strong strike rate, while his 19.81 points per home race versus 14.89 abroad shows consistent elevation when it matters.

The 4.92 boost places him second on the home advantage rankings, underlining his remarkable consistency in front of British crowds.

3. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) – Home Boost Index Score: 3.81

Kobayashi’s four races at Suzuka tell an intriguing story. Despite limited opportunities and often inferior machinery, he averaged 5.25 points at home compared to just 1.44 elsewhere. The 3.81 boost represents a measurable performance differential that persists across multiple seasons and car configurations. 

With only four home opportunities generating more points per race than 70 away starts, the statistical significance suggests systematic advantages beyond pure machinery – whether track-specific knowledge, reduced travel variables, or psychological factors.

4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) – Home Boost Index Score: 2.08

Alonso’s Barcelona record reflects steady consistency across sixteen home races. His 8.63 points per start at home versus 6.54 abroad might not grab headlines, but the 2.08 boost represents sustained excellence over time. Whether driving for McLaren, Ferrari, or later teams, he’s consistently found that extra tenth when racing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

5. Lando Norris (Great Britain) – Home Boost Index Score: 1.51

Norris has shown steady improvement at Silverstone. Seven races have yielded 9.29 points per start versus 7.79 abroad – the 1.51 boost demonstrates consistent home advantage. With McLaren’s recent competitiveness and Norris entering his prime years, his home form could become increasingly important.

F1 Drivers With The Worst Home Race Record

1. Mark Webber (Australia) – Home Boost Index Score: -7.39 

Webber’s Australian home record makes for painful reading. Just 6 points from four Albert Park appearances, averaging a meager 1.50 per start against 8.89 everywhere else. The -7.39 deficit represents one of F1’s starkest home disadvantages – whether through bad luck, poor timing with car development, or the crushing weight of home expectation, Australian fans rarely saw their hero deliver.

2. George Russell (Great Britain) – Home Boost Index Score: -4.39 

For a driver who consistently punches above his weight away from home, Russell’s Silverstone record puzzles. Ten points from seven attempts tells its own story – 1.43 per race at home versus a solid 5.82 elsewhere. That -4.39 swing suggests British expectations might actually hinder rather than help his usually clinical approach.

3. Jenson Button (Great Britain) – Home Boost Index Score: -3.22

Button’s Silverstone legacy feels like one of missed chances. Twenty-five points across seven home races sounds respectable until you realise he averaged 6.79 points per start everywhere else. The -3.22 gap shows that even world champions can find home soil surprisingly treacherous – sometimes familiarity doesn’t breed success.

4. Nico Rosberg (German) – Home Boost Index Score: -2.97

Germany’s loss of its Grand Prix slot means Rosberg’s underwhelming home record is now complete. Fifty points from six starts isn’t terrible, but his 8.33 home average paled against 11.30 abroad. Perhaps the precision-focused German found his home crowd’s enthusiasm more distracting than energising.

5. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – Home Boost Index Score: -2.19

Monaco represents Leclerc’s most significant contradiction. One win from six starts and 45 points total, yet he averages more points literally anywhere else on the calendar. The -2.19 deficit at his local circuit proves that knowing every kerb and corner doesn’t guarantee success – sometimes Monaco’s chaos overwhelms even its most familiar.

Some drivers rise to the pressure of a home crowd while others falter, and as always in Formula 1, the machinery at their disposal remains the ultimate factor in whether those performances turn into points…