The Fastlane Motorsports Forum

So. How do we define this?

Tier 1 drivers are the Sennas, Prosts and Schumachers of their generation. Give them a good car and they will piss all over their team mate, dominate the season and pick up championship wins year after year.

Tier 2 drivers are your solid number 2s, but they're not as shit as they sound. They're typically only a few tenths off in qualifying, will pick up multiple race wins and be contenders for championship. But perhaps they're not worthy of being compared to Senna or Schumacher.

Then there are your Tier 3s. These guys just haven't proved themselves yet. Not worthy of a top seat right now, but they can finish in the points. Probably your middle of the road drivers who you can't count on 100%, but are getting there.

Tier 4s. Even though they may get the odd points finish, they're not very reliable. They make mistakes. Their results are inconsistent. They can be half a second or more off their team mate and always seem to finish further down the timesheets.

Finally you have your Tier 5s if such a thing exists. Criticised often, this is the guy you'd fire before the season has even come to an end, if it wasn't for the large amount of money he pays to be there.

So, let's scatter a few names and see where the rest come out.

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Tier 1
Lewis Hamilton

Tier 2
Valtteri Bottas

Tier 3
Carlos Sainz

Tier 4
Pierre Gasly

Tier 5
Lance Stroll

I'm pretty sure that most, if not all members, would agree Lewis should be in Tier 1.

Should Vettel be with them as well? He won 4 WDCs but people argue he's had it easy. I'd say he's had it harder than Lewis did.

Tier 1
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
Sebastian Vettel (based on historical performance. If it was 2019 only, he'd be down in 2 or 3)

Tier 2
Charles LeClerc
Kimi Raikkonen
Valtteri Bottas
Daniel Ricciardo

Tier 3
Carlos Sainz
Alexander Albon
Kevin Magnussen
George Russel
Sergio Perez
Lando Norris

Tier 4
Pierre Gasly
Romain Grosjean
Nico Hulkenberg (maybe the top of the #4s)
Daniil Kvyat

Tier 5
Lance Stroll
Antonio Giovianzzi
Robert Kubica (2019 version - I'm a bit sad about this)

Vettel is obviously no longer a Tier I driver, he was badly exposed this season. He's not a team driver #2 but no way I put him with Sennas & Schumachers of this world. It would be a joke.

Tier I
Hamilton
Verstappen

Tier II
LeClerc
Vettel
Bottas
Sainz
Raikkonen
Ricciardo

Tier III
Perez
Hulkenberg
Norris
Kvyat
Albon

Tier IV
Magnussen
Russell
Gasly
Grosjean
Kubica
Giovinazzi

Tier V
Stroll

Stroll is the F1's version of Marco Andretti these days.

Pretty much with you on that list @XcraigX. Pre-2019 aside, only Max and Lewis get to Tier 1. Kubica probably bottom of the pile below Stroll, but we can assume it's because of his injury.

I would put Hulkenberg in Tier 3 though, he's pretty solid, but pretty average at the same time.

PTRACER wrote: ↑4 years ago Pretty much with you on that list @XcraigX. Pre-2019 aside, only Max and Lewis get to Tier 1. Kubica probably bottom of the pile below Stroll, but we can assume it's because of his injury.

I would put Hulkenberg in Tier 3 though, he's pretty solid, but pretty average at the same time.

I struggled on where to put Hulkenberg. 2 years ago a solid 3. However, he seems to be sliding down recently.

XcraigX wrote: ↑4 years ago

PTRACER wrote: ↑4 years ago Pretty much with you on that list XcraigX. Pre-2019 aside, only Max and Lewis get to Tier 1. Kubica probably bottom of the pile below Stroll, but we can assume it's because of his injury.

I would put Hulkenberg in Tier 3 though, he's pretty solid, but pretty average at the same time.

I struggled on where to put Hulkenberg. 2 years ago a solid 3. However, he seems to be sliding down recently.

He's no different to Nick Neidfeld. Sure seems a long, long time ago since his maiden (and only) pole position for Williams at Interlagos. I thought that would be his breakthrough, but alas...

Hulkenberg is definitely Tier 3. He's proved himself, even next to Ricciardo, who not long ago got the better of Vettel. Vettel, Tier 2, but a floater towards Tier 1. I think it can be fluid - depends on the car, how committed they are that year, etc. Would be interesting to see Ricciardo next to Bottas in the same team, or even LeClerc next to Verstappen or Hamilton.