F1 2023’s over-achievers: Which drivers didn’t get enough credit?

Max Verstappen rightly stole the plaudits in F1 2023 thanks to his peerless performances, but which other drivers impressed the most?
(L to R): Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren celebrates his second position with third placed Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG
(L to R): Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren celebrates his second position with third placed Lewis…

Lewis Hamilton

It may have ultimately been another underwhelming campaign for Mercedes, and while 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton would have been disappointed to endure bacಞk-to-back winless seasons, his 2023 showed he is still at the top of his game despite the machinery at his disposal. 

Hamilton bounced back from his 2022 defeat to168澳洲5最新开奖结果: George Russell to convincingly outperform his younger teammate on his way to claiming third place in the drivers’ championship, behind only the Red Bull pair of Verstappen and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Sergio Perez

That marked a mighty achievement from the seven-time world champion, given he was unable to challenge for victory in a car that at times 💞was only the fourth-quickest on the grid. 

A stunning lap to take his first pole in two years in Hungary was a notable highlight, while Hamilton’s Sunday d🌞rives - including six podium finishes - were key to helping Mercedes beat Ferrari to P2 in the constructors’. 

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest, Hungary,
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, Hungarian Grand…

Fernando Alonso 

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Fernando Alonso proved that age is no barrier with some incredible performances over the season. The 42-year-old Spaniard capitalised on Aston Martin’🌱s fast start to the season by racking up six podiums across the first eight races. 

Although Aston Martin suffered a form slump as the y𝐆ear p൩rogressed, Alonso definitely did not, underlining every bit of his relentless attitude and remarkable skill set to provide his team with plenty of highlights. 

Even when the AMR23 was no longer the second-fastest car, Alonso was stillꦛ able to wring the absolute maximum out of it - demonstrated by hisಞ superb drives to second and third place at Zandvoort and Interlagos. 

Brazi😼l - where Alonso won a t🐓hrilling late duel against Perez’s much faster Red Bull to claim P3 - was a prime example of the two-time world champion’s continued brilliance. 

Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team celebrates his third position on the podium. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team celebrates his third position on the podium…

Charles Leclerc 

After a terrible start to the campaign with two retirements in the first three races, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Charles Leclerc and Ferrari turned th✨ings around, thou꧟gh it was not enough to muster a title challenge to the superior Red Bull. 

The Monegasque’s best moments came on a Saturday as he ⛦claimed five pole positions, with three coming over a run of four races in the closing stages of the season. Leclerc ended 2023 only second to Verstappen in terms of being the fastest driver 🎶in qualifying - the latest reminder of his immense one-lap speed.

Leclerc also turned in some great races. He put up a valiant fight against the Red Bulls in Baku and came agonisingly close to a win in Las♛ Vegas but saw his victory hopes ended bꦑy an unfortunately-timed Safety Car. Vegas was one of Leclerc’s best races in F1 as he ended the year strongly with back-to-back second-place finishes. 

Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23 takes the chequered flag at the end of the race to finish second ahead of Sergio Perez
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23 takes the chequered flag at the end of the race to finish…

Lando Norris 

McLaren started 2023 in miserable fashion bu🔜t a spectacular mid-season development turnaround completely transformed the ♈team’s fortunes. 

With McLaren emerging as front-runners, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lando Norris helped the team rise to fourth in the constructors’ champio𒆙nship, while he claimed sixth place with 205 points - marking his best🤪-ever season in F1. 

It was certainly a sea♒son of two halves for McLaren and Norris, who produced several memorable qualifying performances and drives as he notched up an impressive seven podiums, six of which were second-place finishes. 

Despite seeing his wait for a breakthrough F1 win go on, the 24-year-old Briton ceme🍰nted his status as a regular front-end runner and showed exact🥃ly why the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari are rumoured to be sniffing around him. 

Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren celebrates his third position on the podium. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 19, United States
Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren celebrates his third position on the podium. Formula 1 World…

Oscar Piastri 

F1’s standout rookie in 2023 was undoubtedly 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Oscar Piastri. There werꦕe big expectations placed on the young Australian’s shoulders given his title-winning exploits in F3 and F2, and the fact McLaren believed in him enough to prize him away from Alpine, leading to a messy divorce. 

But Piastri paid back McLaren’s faith and more with what was argu💫ably the most impress𒈔ive rookie campaign F1 has seen since Hamilton first burst onto the scene in 2007. 

Piastri’s excellent first F1 season had several ꦐhigh points, including a pair of superb sprint events in Belgium and Qatar, where he took both his maiden sprint pole and race win. He went on to finish Sunday’s main race just 4.8s behind winner Verstappen. 

The 22-year-old’s unflappable character, coupled with his raw speed, underpinned a successful campaign that fully justified McLaren’s choice to pick him as 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement. 

Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL60 celebrates being fastest in Sprint Shootout. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 18, Qatar
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL60 celebrates being fastest in Sprint Shootout. Formula 1 World…

Alex Albon 

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Alex Albon spent most of 2023 punching above his 🦩weight as he out-𓄧drove Williams’ car and took it to new heights and results that probably eclipsed what it really deserved. 

Williams rose to seventh in the constructors’ championship, an achievement that was practically single-handedly delivered by Albon, who scored all but one of the team’s 28 points, having dominated rookie teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Logan Sargeant

Much of Albon’s hard work was done on Saturdays, thanks to some exceptional qualifying laps. Fourth place at Zandvoort was a particularly special lap from the Anglo-Thai’s seven Q3 appearances (five more than Sargeant was capable of in the🃏 same car). 

Albo💜n has restored his♚ confidence and rebuilt his reputation since his gut-wrenching Red Bull demotion and is flourishing as he continues to lead Williams’ F1 recovery effort. 

Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing FW45. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy,
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing FW45. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand…

Notable mentions also go out to Ferrari’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Carlos Sainz, Alpine’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Pierre Gasly and AlphaTauri’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Yuki Tsunoda, all of whom turned in impressive campaigns. 

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