F1 2021 - Driver Ratings Update

With the sun setting on the 2021 F1^® season, and the championship going down to the wire, it’s time to update the driver ratings as we go into the final furlong.

As with all our ratings updates, drivers are scored according to their Experience, Pace, Awareness, Racecraft, and Overall Rating, with the numbers weighted towards the season’s most recent race results.

Check out some of the more notable changes in this update, which goes up to (and includes) the Qatar Grand Prix:

Points for Perez

The final few races of the season have been favourable for Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez. Consecutive third and fourth-place finishes, including becoming the first Mexican driver to stand on the podium at their home Grand Prix, have upped his Experience, Racecraft, Pace, and Overall Rating by one point each.

Forza Ferrari

The latter part of 2021 has seen Ferrari bring the fight to their competitors for third place in the teams’ championship.  Between Circuit of the Americas and Qatar, neither driver has finished outside the top eight. The US Grand Prix saw Charles Leclerc take an impressive fourth, just behind both Red Bulls and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.  The fantastic form of both Ferrari drivers has meant Charles Leclerc’s Racecraft, Awareness, and Overall Rating have all increased by one, and Carlos Sainz’s Racecraft, Awareness, Pace, and Overall Rating have gone up by one too.

A Step-Up For Seb

Save for a second place in Azerbaijan, the Aston Martin driver’s season could be described as so-so, until very recently. Vettel scored top-ten finishes in three out of the four races included in this month’s ratings update, most notably starting 18th on the grid in COTA and fighting his way into 10th. These results have meant his Experience, Racecraft, Pace, and Overall Rating have all gone up by one.  

Lance’s Lapse

In a reversal of his teammate’s form, Lance Stroll’s last few races have been ones to forget. Finishing below his teammate in three of the four races in this month’s update has meant that, whilst his Racecraft has risen one, his Pace has dropped two, and Overall Rating by one.

Bottas’s Blues

After a dominant winning display in Turkey, the last few races haven’t quite lived up to Bottas’ expectations. While he stood on the podium at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, a 15^th position in Mexico after starting from pole, 6^th at the US Grand Prix, and a retirement in Qatar has dropped Valtteri’s Racecraft, Pace, and Overall Rating by one each.

Championship Rivals

The drivers’ championship battle is going down to the wire. Wins in COTA and Mexico, followed by two second places have increased Max Verstappen’s Racecraft, Pace, and Overall Rating by one each, while Lewis Hamilton’s strong performances have ensured he stays where he is. Heading into the last stretch of this season’s epic battle, Max Verstappen’s Overall Rating rises to 93, and Lewis remains one point higher on 94.

For those who are new to the driver ratings: in F1^® 2021’s My Team, you’ll become driver-owner of your Formula 1^® team, and along with choosing the power unit and selecting your team’s name & colours, one of the most important decisions is that of your teammate. This is where the driver ratings come in - to help you decide who will be the best for you on your budget.

You can find the full ratings table from today’s update below. As with all of our driver ratings updates, if you’re in the middle of a My Team save, you’ll be asked via an in-game message whether you’d like to apply the changes to your existing save.

If you’re interested in knowing more about how our driver ratings are calculated, you can take a deeper look here.