Max Verstappen entered into his first ever world title defence with a target on his back. He ended the year a double champion and the undisputed best driver of the season.
Driver rankings articles archive
Who were the best and worst F1 drivers each year? F1 Fanatic’s Driver Rankings consider the data and offer an opinion.
2022 F1 driver rankings #2: Lando Norris
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onBefore the 2022 season began, McLaren signed Lando Norris to a three year extension. He spent every race weekend proving them right to do so.
2022 F1 driver rankings #3: Charles Leclerc
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onThrough the first two months of the 2022 season, Charles Leclerc was a genuine title contender. It was not his fault his challenge unravelled soon after.
2022 F1 driver rankings #4: Fernando Alonso
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onFernando Alonso stunned many by signing for Aston Martin. After his 2022 season, it’s easy to see why the team want the 41-year-old on board.
2022 F1 driver rankings #5: George Russell
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onGeorge Russell’s first season at the front was likely not what he expected. However, he impressed alongside his illustrious team mate and secured Mercedes’ only win.
2022 F1 driver rankings #6: Lewis Hamilton
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onLewis Hamilton was determined to strike back after being denied the 2021 title. Instead he suffered his first ever winless season.
2022 F1 driver rankings #7: Sebastian Vettel
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onAfter 15 full seasons, Sebastian Vettel bowed out of Formula 1 in 2022. Despite a terrible start, he still showed why he is one of the very best this season.
2022 F1 driver rankings #8: Esteban Ocon
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onEsteban Ocon was the definition of solid in 2022 – consistent, reliable and occasionally great. But he also had a few run-ins with his team mate.
2022 F1 driver rankings #9: Sergio Perez
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onSergio Perez’s second season at Red Bull was more fruitful than his first, but he still regularly had no answer to his world champion team mate Max Verstappen.
2022 F1 driver rankings #10: Carlos Sainz Jnr
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onCarlos Sainz Jnr earned a contract extension from Ferrari early in 2022, then made a myriad of mistakes. Fortunately, by year’s end, he’d done enough to win back his team’s confidence.
2022 F1 driver rankings #11: Valtteri Bottas
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onValtteri Bottas left Mercedes and became a new man and driver in his first year at Alfa Romeo. A rich haul of early season points were vital as his car often let him down.
2022 F1 driver rankings #12: Kevin Magnussen
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onKevin Magnussen was as surprised as anyone to see himself return to Formula 1 in 2022. He enjoyed some of his best moments of his career, but some frustrating ones also.
2022 F1 driver rankings #13: Alexander Albon
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onAlexander Albon returned to Formula 1 after a year’s absence in 2022 and quickly won over his new Williams team. But he also showed he is not yet the finished article.
2022 F1 driver rankings #14: Pierre Gasly
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onFollowing his best season in Formula 1 in 2021, Pierre Gasly’s final year with AlphaTauri was more muted. He heads to Alpine with the risk of a ban hanging over him.
2022 F1 driver rankings #15: Lance Stroll
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onLance Stroll’s sixth season in Formula 1 saw him produce some respectable performances but his season was marked by too many errors and questionable moves.
2022 F1 driver rankings #16: Zhou Guanyu
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onF1’s only rookie of 2022, Zhou Guanyu earned himself a second season with his disciplined driving – despite being frustrated by an unreliable Alfa Romeo.
2022 F1 driver rankings #17: Yuki Tsunoda
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onYuki Tsunoda headed into his second season in Formula 1 looking to show a marked improvement over 2021. But some silly errors did not reflect well on him.
2022 F1 driver rankings #18: Mick Schumacher
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onThe third driver in RaceFans’ yearly countdown is another who will depart the grid at the end of the year. Mick Schumacher’s second season proved a disappointment.
2022 F1 driver rankings #19: Daniel Ricciardo
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onDaniel Ricciardo’s second season at McLaren was supposed to be a fresh start. But by the end, his time at the team – and possibly F1 – was cut unexpectedly short.
2022 F1 driver rankings #20: Nicholas Latifi
2022 F1 driver rankings
Posted onThe first of RaceFans’ driver rankings articles for the 2022 season sees the driver deemed the worst performer of the season. No surprises for guessing who occupies the bottom sport.