Another race done, another power rankings article! Excited? Well you’re about to be!
A quick disclaimer before we get into these. As always with any power rankings, these are subjective and based purely on opinion mixed with results.
Are these 100 per cent accurate? Inside my mind, yes! Outside of it, no. But it’s a nice way to spark some discussion, showcase some form and allow a conversation that brings F1 fans closer together – and maybe also further apart at the same time.
Fun, right? Always!
You can also check out my driver power rankings too for a similar analysis.
Let’s get to it.
10. Alfa Romeo (-2)
Been a rapid fall for the Swiss team to see them now end up at the bottom of this list. Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas were nowhere all weekend, meaning there was no other option than to put them last.
9. Haas (-2)
An off weekend for the American team with no real pace for either Kevin Magnussen or Nico Hulkenberg. A strategy gamble during the race to leave Hulkenberg out long in the hope of a safety car didn’t come through for them, and they will be hoping for a change of fortune at the first of their three home races this weekend in Miami.
(Photo by F1Lead.com)
8. AlphaTauri (+2)
Jumps up a couple of spots mainly for the performance of Tsunoda and other teams dropping places, there is still a lot of work to do for AlphaTauri if they want to land more points moving forward. Getting Nyck de Vries into some form too would also help.
7. Williams (-1)
I feel bad dropping them a spot as the pace was strong all weekend, particularly from Alex Albon. However they would be disappointed to leave without any points from a solid weekend. The signs continue to show well for them moving forward.
6. Alpine (-2)
After being one of the star teams in Australia, Alpine dropped dramatically in Baku. There simply wasn’t any pace all weekend, and a few damaged cars also didn’t help their cause.
5. McLaren (+4)
McLaren continue to rise the rankings and Lando Norris did well to score more points for the team in Azerbaijan. The issues and pace problems still exist, but they are getting better while other teams seemingly drop back. That is a win for the Woking team.
(Photo by Autosport)
4. Mercedes (-2)
After narrowly missing pole position in Australia and getting a solid second at the same race, Mercedes fell behind both Ferrari and Aston Martin in Azerbaijan. Lewis Hamilton did well in the race to hold on to sixth place, while George Russell dropped back. Based on how tight they are right now with Ferrari and Aston, expect them to bounce back soon.
3. Aston Martin (-)
First race without a podium in 2023 and it feels like a disappointment. Shows how far the team has come. Fernando Alonso still drove another incredible race and stayed close enough to pole sitter Charles Leclerc all race that you always felt like a podium was still a possibility. And Lance Stroll recovered well in the sprint race to steal a point, before a small mistake in the main race saw him fall back from what very well could’ve been fifth place. The teamwork though is there and the pace is there, and both drivers are proving that very well.
2. Ferrari (+3)
Some hope for the Scuderia! Two pole positions in a weekend (so weird to say that but we’re here) were sadly not able to turn into a win for the team, but a podium in both the sprint and main race will give them a boost moving forward. And given how strong Red Bull are, being a clear second best across the weekend won’t be too disappointing after their start to the year.
1. Red Bull (-)
Absolutely flawless once again. Even when a strategy error is made, they still romp to a 1-2 finish. This is the best Red Bull have looked in a decade when Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel were able to dominate together. And just like those years in the early 2010s (well, okay, just only 2010), both drivers look likely to be in the Championship hunt right till the very end. There are still 19 races to go in 2023 and the team is still at 100%. It seems impossible, but with every race that comes, the chance for a perfect season becomes more and more likely.
What do you think of these rankings? Do you agree with the positions? Let me know what you think in the comments below.