Senior Formula 1 journalist Edd Straw has just released his driver rankings for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit. The inaugural race at the track wasn't a classic, but the weekend as a whole seriously tested the grid. From a surprise pole position to strategic pit stops, here are those who shone and those who fell short.
McLaren's Lando Norris impressed with a stunning pole position in qualifying, despite his team believing their car wasn't the fastest. Norris held the lead from the start and built a healthy gap. However, luck wasn't on his side. A perfectly timed virtual safety car cost him the lead after he had already lost it. Nevertheless, his pace in race conditions was outstanding, and without that incident, victory could have been his.
On the other hand, Alpine's Pierre Gasly delivered his best performance of the weekend. Starting from ninth, he finished seventh after a tense qualifying session. In Q2, he had a scary moment at La Monumental but bounced back to set a lap he described as one of his best. Gasly outqualified his teammate and beat rookie Arvid Lindblad in Q3. In the race, he held off Oscar Piastri, something few might have predicted.
Meanwhile, Haas's Esteban Ocon had to settle for 11th after starting 13th. Ocon was solid in qualifying, but the three-tenths gap to Gabriel Bortoleto showed that the Haas wasn't quite on Audi's level in qualifying trim. A good start moved him up to 11th, and after Lewis Hamilton retired, he was briefly 10th. Unfortunately, Haas's less advanced pit equipment compared to Audi cost him a place to Nico Hulkenberg during the VSC. Without that, he would have almost certainly scored a point.
In his analysis, Edd Straw emphasised that Norris's performance should have brought victory if not for bad luck. Gasly was praised for executing his best weekend in F1. Ocon also received credit for maximising his car's potential, though he had to concede Audi's superiority. These rankings provide a clear picture of who excelled and who still needs to improve in the 2026 season.
Read Also
Red Bull explain why they ordered Verstappen to give up positions at F1 Spanish GP. Controversial call to avoid FIA penalty, Verstappen finishes P2.
Nico Rosberg praises Kimi Antonelli's maturity in F1 2026. The Mercedes driver leads Russell by 81 points after winning the Spanish GP.
F2 Baku introduces a supersized format with two feature races and two qualifiers. Is this a clue to changes in the F1 calendar at season's end? Read more.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!