Kimi Antonelli leads the standings with five consecutive wins, while behind him stand out current champion Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, for whom victory still eludes.
Sky Sports has released detailed ratings for all Formula 1 drivers at the halfway point of the 2026 season, with 19-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli receiving the highest score, 9 out of 10. In only his second season in the fastest motorsport competition, Antonelli has achieved five consecutive wins, later adding a sixth at the Belgian Grand Prix, giving him a commanding lead in the drivers' standings.
According to Sky Sports data, Antonelli currently holds a 50-point lead over Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and a 59-point advantage over his teammate George Russell. His dominance is particularly evident in the qualifying head-to-head against Russell, where he leads 7-4, and in total points (219 to 160).
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been rated 8/10, although he admits he should be closer to Antonelli in the title fight. His progress compared to last year is clear, he has turned a large deficit to teammate Charles Leclerc into a small, consistent advantage. Leclerc, with a 7.5/10 rating, has a slight edge in qualifying (6-5), but trails in points (138-169).
Current world champion Lando Norris and four-time consecutive champion Max Verstappen have shared a high rating of 8.5/10. Norris, the McLaren driver, is performing at last season's level, but his car did not allow wins until the Hungarian Grand Prix. He has since won in Hungary, and in the qualifying head-to-head against teammate Oscar Piastri he trails 5-6, but leads convincingly in points 128-92.
Verstappen, despite no wins this season, is "squeezing the maximum" out of his Red Bull, according to Sky Sports. In qualifying, he comprehensively beats teammate Isack Hadjar (8-3), and leads in points 109-68. With only one fewer podium than both Ferrari drivers, Verstappen is still considered the best driver in Formula 1.
Isack Hadjar from Red Bull received a 7/10 rating and praise for being close enough to Verstappen, which could secure him a team seat for 2027 as well. He particularly stood out in qualifying, beating Verstappen at Suzuka and Silverstone. Liam Lawson from Racing Bulls also scored 7/10, and his eight points-scoring races, including a strong streak through Canada, Monaco, and Barcelona, justify the team's trust.
His teammate, rookie Arvid Lindblad, received the same rating (7/10) and is nearly equal to Lawson in pace despite less experience. However, their battles in Austria, Belgium, and Hungary have brought several tense moments, and Sky Sports expects the fights to continue after the summer break.
Pierre Gasly from Alpine earned a rating of 7.5/10 and special recognition as the only driver outside the top four teams to stand on the podium, he took third place at the Monaco Grand Prix. In qualifying, he convincingly outperforms Franco Colapinto (9-2), and leads in points 42-19. Colapinto, rated 6/10, achieved his best results with sixth place in Miami and Canada.
Oliver Bearman from Haas received 7.5/10, and his advantage over teammate Esteban Ocon is "substantial", 8-3 in qualifying and 18-3 in points. Sky Sports notes that the 21-year-old has reduced errors compared to last season and deserves more points. On the other hand, Ocon (5.5/10) is under pressure, as Haas reportedly considers bringing in Rafael Camara or Leonardo Fornaroli for 2027.
Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi (6.5/10) has incredibly finished in the top 11 in the last six races, but only scored points twice. His teammate Nico Hulkenberg (6.5/10) has yet to score a single point, although his pace is very close to Bortoleto. An example of misfortune: in Spain, he was on track for points until a piece of gravel deflected off Lawson's car activated a safety switch on his car, shutting down the system.
Fernando Alonso (7/10) continues to dominate at Aston Martin, with a 9-2 qualifying head-to-head against Lance Stroll (5.5/10), although together they have scored only one point. In Hungary, it was evident that Alonso in an improved car can do more. Carlos Sainz (7/10) at Williams is faster than Alex Albon (5/10) with a 9-2 qualifying record, but his six points do not reflect the quality of his season. Albon has admitted he is struggling with the car, although he showed signs of awakening before the break.
At the bottom of the standings, Valtteri Bottas (5/10) and Sergio Perez (6.5/10) at the new team Cadillac are still waiting for their first points, with a qualifying record of 6-5 in Perez's favor. Among the "hot topics," Sky Sports includes the announcement that Mercedes' talent scout Gwen Lagrue will replace Helmut Marko at Red Bull, continuing the reshuffling of key personnel in the paddock.
The season resumes with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix from August 21 to 23, 2026, and with Antonelli on a roll, everyone will be looking for a way to stop the 19-year-old on his path to a historic title.
