Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT02, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521, and the rest of the field at the start

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Turkish Grand Prix driver ratings

On a day that the number two Mercedes enjoyed a rare day in the sun, the Turkish Grand Prix produced several standout drives - not least from a driver who has hit a purple patch of late

Alex Kalinauckas Oct 11, 2021, 11:07 AM

Upd: Oct 11, 2021, 11:14 AM

Valtteri Bottas – 9

Absolutely brilliant in the race, but just misses the maximum for his qualifying defeat to Hamilton – which he put down to pushing his softs too hard early on his final run. He made a good race start then displayed superior tyre management skills to settle then keep the inters alive in both stints compared to Verstappen. Dispatched Leclerc with ease and romped clear to win in style.

Max Verstappen – 8

After missing pole to the faster Mercedes, he couldn't pressure Bottas in either stint and was edged out in the tyre management game – an area where he'd be expected to be better than the Finn. Later took the decision to take it easy and come home, surely with the title in mind. A rare display of discretion being the better part of valour.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.