The Top Four Highest Rated Formula 1 Drivers 12.01.2023: The 2022 Formula 1 season gave us plenty of things to talk about; we saw Verstappen put up historic performances, Alpine and McLaren battle it out for the longest on the constructor's standings, and many more memorable highlights. Which F1 drivers

The 2022 Formula 1 season gave us plenty of things to talk about; we saw Verstappen put up historic performances, Alpine and McLaren battle it out for the longest on the constructor's standings, and many more memorable highlights.



Which F1 drivers produced the most stellar races? This article ranks the top 4 F1 Drivers of the 2022 season.   





Max Verstappen



Without any iota of doubt. The man who was all over the sports news in 2022. Verstappen proved to be an unstoppable force in the last year as he defended his F1 Driver Title with a record-breaking 15 wins and 17 podium appearances.



The RB18 experienced early teething difficulties, but that proved to be a side problem as Red Bull turned their season around. His first victory came in Saudi Arabia, and what soon followed was three wins in a row after losing out at the Australian Grand Prix.



Later in the season, Verstappen went on a five-race winning streak, which included wins in Hungary and the Netherlands. His title-winning race came in Japan, and albeit with some controversy, there were never any doubts that it was yet again a Verstappen season.



Who is going to stop him in 2023? It remains to be seen as the sports betting odds favor him to three-peat as World champion.






Lando Norris



2022 was Norris' fourth year as a full-time F1 Driver, and he proved, yet again, why he's one of the game's most consistent drivers.



He may not have been able to replicate his 2021 success, with only one podium appearance all season (he made the podium four times and won one race in 2021). However, finishing seventh in a car that fellow McLaren Driver and 8× Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo could hardly navigate is something to cheer about. Point-paying positions were his point of duty all season (no pun intended).



His most remarkable performance came towards the end of the season in Italy as he helped McLaren to a much-needed podium finish in their late-season constructor battle against Alpine.



Other standout performances came in the tough race in Singapore and Brazil, where he helped McLaren to point-clinching fourth spots. 2022 might not have been the most outstanding here for the British Driver, but his consistency despite adversity is a sign of good things to come for McLaren as they work to vie for podiums and wins in 2023.






George Russell


You know you're good when you beat a teammate like Lewis Hamilton on the Driver standings. Only three players have ever achieved such a feat in Hamilton's legendary career; Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, and now George Russell, who is only in his first season with Mercedes.



Russell was able to craft out a win, and eight podium finishes in what proved to be a not-so-excellent year for Mercedes. He challenged for victories in Spain and Hungary and could have clinched himself a first win in the US and Mexico Grand Prix had it not been for poor technical choices. His first win came deservedly in Brazil, and although his races in Singapore and Austin were head-scratching, no doubt the Brit had one fine debut.



His exemplary displays were enough to give Mercedes a third-place finish in the constructor's standings in a season that proved to be Lewis Hamilton's worst. Mercedes will be counting on him again next season as they look to fend off closest rivals Ferrari and weather the storm of Red Bull's dominance.







Lewis Hamilton



No pole or wins meant that the 37-year-old, seven-time World Champion endured his worst season as an F1 Driver. But beyond what the standings say, Hamilton's sheer determination at an age where most drivers begin to fade away is praiseworthy.




We saw him make a jaw-dropping comeback to claim the fourth spot at Barcelona, and his performance at Austin might have answered the question in the hearts of many: can Hamilton still compete for championships? A resounding "Yes!!!"

photos AutoMobilSport.com archives, RedBull, McLaren, Mercedes