F1 driver power rankings: Max Verstappen can't snatch top spot despite shock win

ByEurosport

Published 16/05/2016 at 19:57 GMT

Even after his first win, 18-year-old Max Verstappen can't top Keith Collantine's F1 driver rankings. Here's his take on the Spain GP.

Max Verstappen, Formula 1 (Red Bull), AFP

Image credit: AFP

Max Verstappen was rightly hailed as an F1 champion of the future after his shock victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.

His breakthrough triumph was all the more impressive as it came in his first ever race weekend for Red Bull. But one driver arguably deserved greater praise after Sunday's race: the team's other driver.

However, the Mercedes pair are sent to the bottom of the class after their astonishing first-lap crash which put both drivers out of the race on the spot.

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1 - Daniel Ricciardo (up 9)

Led 30 laps but ultimately was powerless to avoid losing this one. He out-qualified Verstappen and led him as long as they were on the same strategy. But soon after Red Bull switched him to a three-stopper it became clear it wasn't going to work. A puncture capped his misfortune.

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen

Image credit: AFP

2 - Max Verstappen (up 4)

A stunningly convincing debut for Red Bull, the only blot on which was the fact Ricciardo was quicker than him. There's no shame in that for his first weekend in the car, however. His handling of the Ferraris - passing Vettel around the outside on lap one and shrugging off pressure from Raikkonen - was sheer class.

3 - Carlos Sainz Jnr (up 13)

On home ground Sainz gave Red Bull plenty of reasons not to overlook him for their next promotion. The only Toro Rosso driver to reach the top-ten shoot-out, he started eighth and shot to third at the start. The faster Ferraris and Bottas easily demoted him to sixth, but he had much to be pleased with.

4 - Jenson Button (up 8)

Beaten by team mate Alonso in qualifying but made a superb start which secured more points for McLaren.

5 - Valtteri Bottas (no change)

Fifth behind the Red Bulls and Ferraris was all the Williams was capable of but Bottas could have been a bit more aggressive at the start.

6 - Sebastian Vettel (up 3)

For Ferrari, see Red Bull. Vettel was quicker than Raikkonen (though not in qualifying) but ended up on the wrong strategy.

Daniel Ricciardo tries to overtake Sebastian Vettel

Image credit: Reuters

7 - Kimi Raikkonen (up 6)

Out-qualified Vettel but started poorly. Wasn't quite on the pace of his team-mate and the Red Bulls, and though he closed on Verstappen at the end he never looked like passing.

8 - Fernando Alonso (down 4)

Took McLaren into Q3 for the first time in their current association with Honda. But falling behind Button spoiled his race, and a software problem ended it early.