F1 Chinese GP Driver Ratings: Lewis Hamilton rules at Shanghai, Ferrari play catch-up to Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton returned to doing what he does best: winning a Grand Prix. Just that in clinching yet another win, the 75th of his career, the Briton held one of the sport's most momentous occasions in the palm of his hand: F1's 1000th Grand Prix. It was never going to be an easy race in China anyway - right?

With 16 spine-bending corners and heavy braking zones, checkered around a track renowned for being tyre punishing, Hamilton ultimately prevailed at Shanghai. He remained ahead of teammate Valterri Bottas as fans and pundits alike saw Mercedes clinch three successive one-two finishes in Grand Prix races this year, with about the same ease as one requires to complete a jog in the park.

All the talk about Ferrari's superior straight-line speed seemed to disappear like vapour as the two Silver Arrows proved a daunting challenge for the Scuderia to ace. Not that any of China's peculiarities - the track being home to Formula 1's longest main-straight stretch, spread at a whopping 1.4 km length - concerned the Mercedes driver one bit.

Lewis drove with supreme control to sneak past Bottas, as he passed his teammate (a first-time pole-sitter at China) to take an early lead in the race. This proved a position from which he wouldn't budge. But the above told, here are Sportskeeda's driver ratings for the Chinese Grand Prix...

#10 Williams: Robert Kubica - 17th

Kubica during a Final Practice session in China, where he struggled

Robert Kubica yet again failed to score a single point. This year has already been a bit of a let down for the famous Pole, not to mention his fans too. For someone with massive experience, the disappointing Williams car didn't do any justice whatsoever to a driver expected to pull out some aces.

In fact where it stands at present, Kubica finds himself at the rear end of the Driver Standings and will have to do a lot more if he's to get off the mark this season with a decent points tally.

The effort in China though, was about the same impact as his runs at Bahrain and Australia, where he finished 16th and 17th respectively.

Driver rating: 2/10

George Russell - 16th

This wasn't the kind of start that young British driver George Russell was expecting of his F1 career, right? To that end, when Russell began his Shanghai challenge from 17th on the grid, his ideal goal might have been to salvage whatever points he possibly could've, right?

Ending up ahead of his teammate, the more experienced driver at Williams, would have certainly helped the confidence of a driver who just turned 21 a little over a month ago.

Driver rating: 3/10

#9 McLaren: Carlos Sainz Jr. - 14th

On a lighter note, it could be said that there doesn't seem a great chance of Carlos Sainz Jr. accepting Daniil Kvyat's friend request at any point in time in the future.

For a driver who was so determined to do well, especially after performing rather ordinarily in the qualifying, wherein Carlos Sainz Jr. managed no more than 14th, it didn't help the Spaniard's race one bit to have been clipped by Toro Rosso's Kvyat on the opening lap.

The McLaren and Toro Rosso drivers were battling through the exit of Turn 6 when the Russian driver managed to do nothing better than make contact with the MCL-34. From that point forward, there was hardly any chance for the Spanish driver to make up for what largely became a compromised race, sadly through no fault of his own.

Driver Rating: 4/10

Lando Norris - DNF

One of the most talented young drivers around, someone who had consistently beaten Kimi Raikkonen in the previous GPs qualifying run at Bahrain, Lando Norris too, endured a forgettable Chinese Grand Prix on this occasion.

Admittedly shocked and saddened, according to leading motorsport journalists, Norris - who started 15th on the grid - could do no better than managing a lowly P18, all thanks to the opening lap fiasco resulting from his miscalculated move.

Driver Rating: 3/10

#8 Haas: Kevin Magnussen - 13th

Kevin Magnussen is clearly one of the most talented and quickest drivers on the grid. The Dane had expectations to deliver a fine GP, especially after demonstrating excellent pass in the Haas car.

In fact, starting from 9th on the grid with legends like Raikkonen well behind him, K-Mag as he's affectionately called, should've delivered a few valuable points for his stable. Instead though, his problems became evident as he began to experience race-pace issues, failing to compete with faster cars in midfield - arguably those being Raikkonen and Perez's Alfa Romeo and Racing Point respectively.

In addition, it didn't help his case that he finished well outside the top ten, in a lowly 13th place.

Driver Rating: 5.5/10

Romain Grosjean - 11th

Truth be told, there's not much to write home about when it comes to Romain Grosjean's Chinese GP. For a driver who failed to score in the first two races, it doesn't help that the Swiss-French driver managed 11th, having begun in 10th on the grid.

To that end, when's the former Lotus-Renault driver going to open his account? Perhaps, this could well be one of 2019's famous mysteries alongside a question that many are busy solving: "What is Vettel upto!?"

Driver Rating: 5/10

#7 Racing Point: Sergio Perez - 8th

Perez, it ought to be said, was among the few drivers in the midfield who enjoyed a solid race. Beginning the 1000th F1 Grand Prix from 12th, the Racing Point driver should be credited for keeping up pace with the other battlers, while displaying temerity as he salvaged a solid eighth placed finish.

More importantly, he kept Raikkonen busy during their battle for P8 in the middle stages - a closely-fought contest where the Mexican driver found a way to keep one of the sport's old guard at bay.

Driver rating: 7/10

Lance Stroll - 12th

One's not sure as to what Lance Stroll is really up to. While he did put his car up into 12th eventually in the race, what hurt the Canadian racer's chances was a rather ordinary performance in the 2019 Chinese GP qualifying.

Stroll, who managed 16th anyways, had a tough race ahead of him and guess what? He ended up with no points once again, having failed to score at Bahrain after a strong P9 finish in Australia's season-opener.

Driver rating: 5/10

#6 Toro Rosso: Alexander Albon - 10th

For a driver who began his 2019 Chinese GP from the pit-lane, ending up on tenth at a track that's not the easiest to race on anyway, there was hardly a surprise that the Thai-British driver was rightly awarded the Driver of the Day accolade!

F1 found a great reason to cheer and as for fans, perhaps a new emerging star to back in what turned out to be the only points for the Toro Rosso stable, the solitary point which came at the back of Albon's very mature and collected drive.

Driver Rating: 7.5/10

Daniil Kvyat - DNF

If there were ever a concept like "Villainous performance of the day" then, Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat may surely have won that - especially at the back of his 2019 Chinese GP drive.

Not only did Kvyat hamper the race of both McLaren's, suffering a drive through penalty himself, it didn't help his cause one bit that he retired in the end, thus gathering no points whatsoever. Ever heard something called karma, Daniil?

Driver Rating: 3/10

#5 Renault: Daniel Ricciardo - 7th

He won here in 2018 and finally managed to score some points!

Few drivers are as highly regarded on the grid as they are admired and Daniel Ricciardo, the man behind one of F1's most infectious smiles, finally found some himself thanks to a solid drive at China.

Beginning his Chinese GP challenge from a respectable seventh place, the Australian did well enough to hold onto that spot throughout - even as his teammate failed to finish the 56-lap journey, retiring early on.

But it has to be said, the 2019 Chinese GP served a great deal of confidence to a driver who was raring to go. So with that in mind, well done Dan!

Driver Rating: 7/10

Nico Hulkenberg - DNF

Over the course of the past few years, Nico Hulkenburg has forged his reputation for being one of the most dependable characters in the midfield and only added a few stars to it by lending his experience and solidity to a side he so passionately serves at present in Renault.

But that being said, this GP wasn't the most memorable one for the German driver, who begun from a solid eighth on the grid but had to retire from the race - owing to a technical malfunction.

No worries, Nico. You can always begin again and come back stronger in the next race.

Driver Rating: 3/10

#4 Alfa Romeo: Kimi Raikkonen - 9th

Kimi scored a fine P9 for the Hinwill-based team and in the process, collected two valuable points for Alfa Romeo, who currently stand on fifth at the Constructor Standings, on par with Renault.

For a driver whose only won once in China - the sensational 2007 drive in Shanghai - it's not too disappointing to note the oldest man on the grid still making a few flying moves over guys much younger him, Grosjean and Hulkenburg for example. Keep it up, Iceman!

oo disappointing to note the oldest man on the grid still making a few flying moves over guys much younger than him, for instance, Romain Grosjean, Nico Hulkenberg, and others. Carry on, Iceman!

Driver Rating: 7.5/10

Antonio Giovinazzi - 15th

Antonio Giovinazzi finished 15th on the grid at China. In doing so, he yet again failed to open his account for points this year and with 18 more races to go, you can only hope the young Italian gets off the mark sooner rather than later.

But with that being said, Giovinazzi would take his P15 anyday after failing to set a time during qualifying, thus suffering the ignominy of being one of only two drivers on the grid who couldn't put a hot lap together for China.

Driver Rating: 4/10

#3 Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel - 3rd

Not always does one hear polarising reactions concerning a multiple world-champion, right? Even as Sebastian Vettel bagged the only podium for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc finishing outside the top three, perhaps thanks to a strategic mismatch, what didn't help the German driver was that he just couldn't get his act together to battle either of the Mercedes cars out there on this occasion.

Still though, P3 is a lot better than not being on the podium at all. Isn't that right, Seb? It's his first podium of the 2019 campaign, so it can only improve from here...

Driver Rating: 6.5/10

Charles Leclerc - 5th

You could be anyone today, but you just don't want to be in the shoes of the young 21-year-old Monegasque driver, Charles Leclerc. The young Ferrari recruit was, for the better part of the Chinese Grand Prix, embroiled in a cat-and-mouse chase with his senior teammate, who, it is fair to say, he just couldn't understand in Shanghai's contest.

Moreover, who likes team-orders anyway, right Charles? But with all due respect, a P5 for Leclerc shouldn't be read as a disaster even although it could've been so much better. Who knows, perhaps a podium place? Yet one must credit the young Ferrari driver for delivering a brave show in his battle with Bottas towards the closing stages of the contest.

Driver Rating: 7/10

#2 Red Bull: Max Verstappen - 4th

When Max Verstappen all but passed Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel around the main straight, putting all that power and DRS into play, some hearts would've sunk and some hearts would've started beating at the pace of 1000 rpms.

Yet what one saw at the end of an intense contest at China was Mad Max locking up when he'd nearly completed the job of passing the more experienced European driver, who is most certainly not his best friend.

Does the Chinese GP from 2016 ring any bells? Ultimately though, the 2019 edition was a solid drive from Max's perspective - clinching a fourth placed finish, while keeping Leclerc at bay.

Driver Rating: 8/10

Pierre Gasly - 6th

Gasly set the race's fastest lap, ending up with a solid P6 finish to boot - stacking his Red Bull behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. But for someone whose best finish in an F1 contest is a fourth-placed finish in Bahrain, it remains to be seen whether the Frenchman can better it and grab his maiden F1 podium this season.

Well, where he currently stands - determined, fast and focused - it doesn't seem like he's going to make his supporters wait a great deal for that epic moment.

Driver Rating: 7.5/10

#1 Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton - 1st

Well, what can anyone say about Lewis Hamilton, a driver who didn't begin from pole in F1's 1000th race, yet somehow found a way to seize the moment? There are records, there are sensational records and then, there's a grizzly stack of a kind that only Lewis can amass.

Now, with 75 race wins against his name, 84 pole positions, all of which have resulted in a fantastic aggregate of five world titles, it remains to be seen whether anyone can stop Lewis from conquering the all-important F1 glory: surpassing Michael's illustrious record.

To that end, Lewis, who made up a place inside the opening lap itself, in fact, seconds from the race going green, demonstrated class and commitment to call Hammertime upon his naysayers and rivals.

Driver Rating: 9.5/10

Valtteri Bottas - 2nd

Make no mistake, Valtteri Bottas is still very much at the business end of the Drivers' Standings to begin the 2019 F1 season, even as his more experienced teammates has eclipsed him to take top spot after securing the second victory of 2019.

Yet Bottas, who started on pole, may surely be dreading the chance to have clinched one of the sport's most historic moments - winning the pinnacle of racing's 1000th Grand Prix. Still though, you'd happily take P2 anyday and a one-two finish for Mercedes helps their cause with tougher tests to come.

Driver Rating: 8/10

Edited by Mosope Ominiyi