Bahrain Grand Prix driver ratings

There were two deserving perfect 10s near the front of the field, while other drivers perhaps left a little bit too much on the table to warrant higher scores this time.

Edd Straw Apr 9, 2018, 11:02 AM

Upd: Apr 9, 2018, 11:43 AM

Motorsport.com's Prime content

The best content from Motorsport.com Prime, our subscription service. Subscribe here to get access to all the features.

44 Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes F1 W09

Start: 9th

Finish: 3rd

Strategy: 1 stop (soft/medium)

Rating: 8

There was a lot of good for Hamilton, who produced some incisive passes and performed well on his 31-lap stint on mediums. But he never looked completely comfortable on Saturday and Sunday and qualified just behind Bottas. By his own admission, Hamilton was too tame in the early laps – particularly in letting Alonso past - costing him any chance of winning.

Photo by: Steve Etherington / LAT Images

77 Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes F1 W09

Start: 3rd

Finish: 2nd

Strategy: 1 stop (supersoft/medium)

Rating: 8

Bottas outqualified Hamilton and then came within seven-tenths of a last-gasp victory, which is good however you spin it. But did he show the qualities that make the difference between a good driver and a great one? He probably could have made Vettel work harder late on, and was perhaps too content to settle for second place when he could have forced the issue.