United States Grand Prix Power Rankings: Who Excelled in Austin?
Kimi Antonelli showcased championship-worthy form at the Circuit of The Americas, edging closer to the 2026 title. Meanwhile, drivers like Liam Lawson and Charles Leclerc also made notable impressions during the weekend.
Kimi Antonelli inched closer to claiming the 2026 Drivers' Championship with a commanding performance at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The young Italian took both pole and the race victory, leaving the likes of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc trailing. But who else caught the eye of the Power Rankings judges?
How the Rankings Work
- A panel of five judges evaluates each driver after every Grand Prix, scoring them out of 10 based on their weekend performance, independent of their car's capabilities. - These scores are averaged for a race score, which is then accumulated throughout the season on the Power Rankings Leaderboard.
Antonelli's performance was a masterclass in both qualifying and the race. Despite the determined efforts from Verstappen and Leclerc, Antonelli was unyielding, tightening his grip on the championship trophy.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson made a compelling case to secure his 2027 seat with Red Bull and Racing Bulls. His Q3 performance and points finish in the U.S. marked his 13th points-scoring finish in 17 races, signaling his growing maturity and confidence.
For Charles Leclerc, the weekend was a mixed bag. Having led Friday practice and Q2, he found himself in P4 after qualifying, with Ferrari struggling in the changing track conditions. However, Leclerc made an impressive recovery in the race, overtaking Isack Hadjar and Verstappen, ultimately finishing as Antonelli’s closest competitor.
As for Max Verstappen, he arrived in Austin fresh off wins in Malaysia and Singapore, qualifying on the front row. However, race day was fraught with challenges: a problematic start, questionable tyre strategy, and technical glitches. Despite these hurdles, he managed a podium finish.
Pierre Gasly continued to extract the most from Alpine's package, nearly reaching Q3 and battling hard on race day. He earned a point, holding off Audi's Nico Hulkenberg and Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad, even after sustaining damage in a skirmish with Ollie Bearman, who received a penalty.
Lewis Hamilton began the race from fifth, right behind his teammate Leclerc, but fell back due to used tyres and an "off" balance in the SF-26. A stronger final stint allowed him to close in on the podium, but he ultimately finished fourth.
Isack Hadjar shone in qualifying, securing P3 in a challenging Red Bull, just fractions behind Verstappen. However, his race was marred by a poor start and an engine map error that hampered his pace, resulting in a P6 finish.
Nico Hulkenberg's season seems haunted by the number 11, as he once again finished there in both qualifying and the race. It was a solid showing, though, as Audi continues to build for the future.
Fernando Alonso started strong, climbing from 15th to 12th, but contact with Alex Albon forced a pit stop for a new front wing, compromising his race. Despite this setback, there were positive takeaways from his performance.
Arvid Lindblad faced a grid penalty, turning a P9 qualifying effort into a P14 start. After a collision with Carlos Sainz, he fought back to 12th, just shy of points in a crowded midfield.
Just Missing Out
Just outside the top rankings were Haas' Esteban Ocon, who finished 14th after overtaking teammate Bearman, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, who climbed from a back-of-the-grid start to 13th after an engine penalty.