F1 DRIVERS
LEWIS HAMILTON
Mercedes
Respect is hard earned in F1, but Hamilton has it from every one of his peers. Why? Because they know that whatever the track, whatever the conditions, whatever the situation, when his visor goes down and the lights go out, it’s Hammertime.
VALTTERI BOTTAS
Mercedes
Bottas blossomed at the Silver Arrows in 2017, unleashing his pace to clock up personal pole positions and victories as well as a team championship for the famous Mercedes marque alongside Lewis Hamilton. He even tied with Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel with 13 podiums.
CHARLES LECLERC
Ferrari
Leclerc may have quit school early, but he looks every inch the complete driver. World champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have even gone on record to say Leclerc is the real deal – and it’s not often they agree on anything…
MAX VERSTAPPEN
Red Bull Racing
Verstappen’s no-holds-barred attitude and hard defending sometimes lands him in hot water with his peers and paymasters. There are still the mistakes, which arguably mar his potential, but his bravado and energy is exactly what makes Verstappen a blockbuster talent.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
Ferrari
Vettel’s trademark is pure pace – and of course his one-finger victory salute. In the chase to the chequered flag, he likes to lead from the front and just like his hero, Michael Schumacher, Vettel has settled in as a race-winning leader at Ferrari.
CARLOS SAINZ
McLaren
Sainz is the son of double World Rally champion, also his namesake, and has brought some of Dad’s driving skills to the F1 circuit – junior loves a delicious dose of drift for one.
PIERRE GASLY
Toro Rosso
Gasly seemed to have a knack of being in the right place at the right time – a quality that’s equally handy on track. A series of impressive 2018 performances for Toro Rosso – including a brilliant fourth place in Bahrain – showed exciting promise for what he might do with the ‘A’ team in 2019.
DANIEL RICCIARDO
Renault
The Australian combines all-out speed with impressive race craft. Never afraid to push to the limits if it means pulling off a pass, Ricciardo is a proven race-winner for Red Bull, capable of consistently finishing at the business end of the championship table.