2019 F1 Championship Standings

Overview & Report

2019 F1 Championship Overview

2019 F1 World Championship

NO	Grand Prix	Date	Winner	Team	Laps	Time
1	2019 Australian F1 GP	March 17	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	58	01:25:27.325
2	2019 Bahrain F1 GP	March 31	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	57	01:34:21.295
3	2019 Chinese F1 GP	April 14	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	56	01:32:06.350
4	2019 Azerbaijan F1 GP	April 28	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	51	01:31:52.942
5	2019 Spanish F1 GP	May 12	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	66	01:35:50.443
6	2019 Monaco F1 GP	May 26	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	78	01:43:28.437
7	2019 Canadian F1 GP	June 9	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	70	01:29:07.084
8	2019 French F1 GP	June 23	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	53	01:24:31.198
9	2019 Austrian F1 GP	June 30	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	71	01:22:01.822
10	2019 British F1 GP	July 14	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	52	01:21:08.452
11	2019 German F1 GP	July 28	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	64	01:44:31.275
12	2019 Hungarian F1 GP	August 4	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	70	01:35:03.796
13	2019 Belgian F1 GP	September 1	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	44	01:23:45.710
14	2019 Italian F1 GP	September 8	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	53	01:15:26.665
15	2019 Singapore F1 GP	September 22	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	61	01:58:33.667
16	2019 Russian F1 GP	September 29	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	53	01:33:38.992
17	2019 Japanese F1 GP	October 13	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	52	01:21:46.755
18	2019 Mexican F1 GP	October 27	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	71	01:36:48.904
19	2019 USA F1 GP	November 3	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	56	01:33:55.653
20	2019 Brazilian F1 GP	November 17	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	71	01:33:14.678
21	2019 Abu Dhabi F1 GP	December 1	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	55	01:34:05.715

2019 F1 Championship Report

Hamilton overtakes Fangio with number Sixth

Some changes were introduced for the 2019 season, such as the enlargement of the front and rear wing to promote overtaking. The several winglets of the front wing were banned, while the DRS gap of the rear wing was enhanced to help drivers overtake the car in front.

The 2019 drivers pose for a group photo during the Australian GP at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on March 17

Sporting changes had some little tweaks, with a point awarded for the Fastest Lap of each race. To earn the Fastest Lap point, the driver needed to finish the race inside the top 10.

The year was always going to be exciting, with rookies such as the F2 champion from 2018, George Russell (Williams) and the two drivers who were part of the top three, Lando Norris (McLaren) and Alexander Albon (Toro Rosso, then Red Bull for the second half) entering the sport. Also, Antonio Giovinazzi had earned a full drive with Alfa Romeo alongside Kimi Raikkonen, who took Charles Leclerc’s seat at Alfa Romeo after the Monegasque went to Ferrari in the Finnish driver’s place.

Also, the return of Grand Prix-winner Robert Kubica after his near-fatal rallying accident in 2011 was a major talking point. The Polish driver returned to the sport with Williams as Russian Daniil Kvyat also returned with Toro Rosso after a year of absence. Carlos Sainz (now at McLaren), Pierre Gasly (now at Red Bull), Daniel Ricciardo (now at Renault) were after new challenges after switching teams too for the 2019 season.

Hamilton and Mercedes were favored to win the championship after the Englishman had dominated in 2017 and 2018. The British driver was aiming for his sixth Formula 1 World Championship, but after winter testing, a heavy challenge was expected from Ferrari.

F1, Tests, Barcelona, Mercedes W10 driven by Lewis Hamilton

Despite struggles in winter testing when trying to unlock the potential of the W10, Mercedes hit the ground running in the first race, at Australia. Lewis Hamilton qualified on Pole Position and Valtteri Bottas was second, six tenths clear of the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. Max Verstappen lined up fourth in his first race with a Honda engine, while the Ferrari debut for Leclerc was not the best, with fifth and almost a second away from first.

Bottas led a Mercedes 1-2 while Verstappen gave Honda its first podium since Rubens Barrichello had finished third in the 2008 British Grand Prix with the works Honda team. Verstappen’s strategy helped him take third from Vettel, who found himself under attack from Leclerc late in the race.

The second weekend was different, as Ferrari locked up the front-row with Leclerc on Pole as the second youngest pole-sitter ever. After some controversy with team orders being called upon to prevent Leclerc from overtaking Vettel in Australia, the Monegasque qualified on Pole ahead of the German.

However, a spin from Vettel while fighting Hamilton and a cylinder misfiring on Leclerc’s engine prompted the second consecutive Mercedes 1-2 of the year and Hamilton’s first win of the year.

Lewis Hamilton sheers up Charles Leclerc who lost his maiden win due to a power unit issue

Although Ferrari did not get the result at Bahrain, they were competitive and had the best car of the field at that track and a championship fight was expected. However, Mercedes again dominated the next rounds, with consecutive 1-2s at China and Azerbaijan.

At Azerbaijan, the Silver Arrows broke the record for most 1-2 finishes to start the season, previously held by Williams from the 1992 season. Leclerc seemed to be the early contender against Mercedes, but an untimely mistake in Q2 left him well behind.

After four rounds, Hamilton and Bottas had two wins apiece. At Spain, Bottas achieved his third straight Pole and there was talk around many media outlets that he could eventually upset Hamilton’s title bid.

However, Hamilton’s steamroller as too much to overcome and he won the next four races in a row. At Monaco, the entire week which preceded the race was marked by the death of legendary three-time World Champion Niki Lauda. The Mercedes team chose to honor the Austrian champion by wearing red caps and painting the halo of their cars with red, Lauda’s characteristic color.

Tribute to Niki Lauda during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco on May 26

The race was dramatic, with Hamilton leading and Verstappen second after he had overtaken Bottas in the pit lane. Verstappen had earned a 5-second penalty for putting Bottas in the wall of the pit lane, but he was attacking Hamilton, who was struggling after Mercedes had put him on the medium tyre for the final stint of the race, with rivals on the hard tyre.

After a desperate attempt to overtake from Verstappen into the Nouvelle Chicane were the Red Bull and the Mercedes touch, Hamilton was able to win the race in honor of Lauda. Vettel finished second and Bottas third, as they took advantage of Verstappen’s penalty. Gasly took the Fastest Lap and finished fifth after starting eighth.

A hot moment of the year arrived in Canada, where Ferrari showed again their straight-line speed to claim Pole Position, this time with Sebastian Vettel’s SF90. Hamilton lined up second, a couple of tenths off the German’s lap and Leclerc was third, albeit seven-tenths behind his teammate. For Renault, Ricciardo starting fourth was a brilliant sight, given the team had scored only 14 points in the first six Grands Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel almost hit during the 2019 Canadian F1 GP

On Sunday, Vettel protected his lead at the start and was closely followed by the Silver Arrow of Hamilton during the entire race. On lap 48, Vettel had to cut Turn 4 after a mistake heading into the corner, as he returned to the track, Hamilton was about to overtake him but the German left no space and the Englishman had to back out of the move, otherwise, he would have been put into the wall by the Ferrari.

Vettel was given a 5-second penalty for his move and Hamilton crossed the line in second but won the race to Ferrari’s and Vettel’s anger. Vettel showed his frustration in the post-race ceremony and Ferrari announced they would appeal the sanction, but eventually, it did not deliver the result expected by them.

Sixth and seventh for Renault at Montreal was a solid result for the team and what they had been waiting for the entire campaign.

After 10 straight wins for Mercedes (eight for Hamilton) going back to the last two races of 2018, it was Verstappen’s day at Austria, home of Red Bull Racing. After Leclerc had taken Pole Position and Hamilton was penalised for impeding Raikkonen in qualifying, the Dutchman started second. Even though Verstappen had a really bad start and lost several places, he managed to put himself in contention and a great display of overtaking left him close to Leclerc in the closing laps.

Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium as second placed Charles Leclerc looks dejected in Austria (2019)

Verstappen got past after a great fight and even forced Leclerc out of the track (cleanly) when the Monegasque tried to hold his position and won the race. A stunning drive from the Dutchman which delivered Honda’s first F1 victory since the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix (won by Jenson Button). Bottas was the other podium finisher, ahead of Vettel and Hamilton.

Hamilton won a record sixth British Grand Prix at Silverstone in another Mercedes 1-2. At this point, Hamilton had won seven of the first 10 races and his championship lead was a comfortable 39 points over Bottas. The following race was at Hockenheim and despite Hamilton’s Pole Position in the weekend where Mercedes was celebrating 125 years of motorsport in their home circuit, it all went wrong in the race.

Verstappen went on to win a crazy wet-dry-wet race at Hockenheim with Vettel (who recovered from last to P2) and Kvyat, who scored his second career podium and the first for Toro Rosso since Vettel’s win at Italy in 2008, on the podium.

Hamilton managed to still increase his lead at the top with ninth place, after the two Alfa Romeos were penalised for driver aids at the start. Also, Kubica scored his one and only point of the year, with P10 for the Williams.

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) gets passed by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) in lap 67 in Hungary

At Hungary, the in-form Verstappen got his first career Pole Position before losing in a great battle on Sunday to Hamilton, who got a different strategy and performed a magnificent final stint to catch and pass the Dutchman.

After Hamilton had won eight of the 12 Grands Prix in the first half of the year, a fight for the championship was unlikely with Bottas 62 points behind. However, the second half of the year was stunning, with more than one team with chances to win almost in every race and a fantastic show of power from the Ferrari engine, which would raise many eyebrows in the process.

At Spa and Italy, Ferrari and mainly Leclerc showed that their engine was comfortably ahead of the field. Both wins were emotional for Leclerc, not only because they were his first two (and only wins to date), but because at Spa-Francorchamps, his childhood friend Anthoine Hubert had died on Saturday after a terrible and sad crash on the F2 Feature Race. At Italy, the emotions were different, as it was Ferrari’s first win in front of the Tifosi since 2010 (when Fernando Alonso beat Button to the win).

Ferrari kept dominating with a surprise 1-2 at Singapore, where engine power should not have given them such an advantage. A new downforce package and a good strategy from the team helped Vettel turn a 1-3 for the team (led by Leclerc) into a 1-2 and what was his only win of a tough year.

Sebastian Vettel VS Charles Leclerc on track in the SF90 at Sochi (2019)

Moving on to the Russian Grand Prix, Ferrari again dominated Saturday with Leclerc being untouchable at the front. Hamilton managed to qualify second, ahead of Vettel. In the race, Vettel led ahead of Leclerc after a great start, which was arranged by the team before the race in order to put Vettel ahead of Hamilton.

However, Vettel did not let Leclerc get past and the situation helped Hamilton (who started on the medium tyre compared to the soft-starting Ferraris) maintain within striking distance. Eventually, Leclerc stopped before Vettel and was ahead after the German pitted. However, an engine failure for Vettel brought the Virtual Safety Car out and Hamilton made a free stop to keep the lead.

Hamilton won in another Mercedes 1-2 with Leclerc third. By this race, the new Red Bull driver, Albon, had finished in the top six in his four races with the Milton Keynes-based team and had scored more points than Verstappen in that span.

The weekend in Japan was a different one, with Saturday's action cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis. On the Sunday-morning qualifying, Vettel put his Ferrari in Pole, ahead of Leclerc, Bottas and Hamilton.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport celebrates their 6th constructors F1 title after winning the 2019 Japanese GP

Eventually, Bottas won in front of Vettel and Hamilton, securing Mercedes’ sixth straight World Constructors’ Championship, which tied Ferrari (1999-2004) for the longest streak ever. The two Renault cars were excluded from the race days after the GP because of the use of driver aids on the car (automated brake bias system).

The next race, at Mexico, was won by Hamilton from third place on the grid, ahead of Vettel and Bottas. Pole Position was initially taken by Verstappen, but he failed to slow down in Q3 after Bottas had crashed, earning a three-place grid penalty and Pole was handed to Leclerc.

In the race, Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the first corner of the first lap but both managed to continue running after both had excursions to the grass.

At this point, rumours about the legality of the Ferrari engine had started. Technical directives from the FIA regarding fuel-flow limits and new sensors to measure it had seemingly hindered Ferrari’s performance on the Power Unit side. Verstappen, always vocal, had accused the Italian team of cheating.

Lewis Hamilton wins his 6th drivers title after finishing the United States GP 2019

At Austin, Hamilton had the chance to secure his sixth championship and move ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio’s tally of five. Fifth place in qualifying was not a great omen for the championship leader with his teammate in Pole, but Hamilton had a great start and his one-stop strategy left him fighting for the lead with Bottas in the late stages of the race.

Hamilton finished second behind Bottas and secured a glorious sixth Formula 1 championship which put him one ahead of Fangio and just one behind Michael Schumacher’s tally. Also, it was the sixth straight Drivers’ title for Mercedes, an unprecedented feat.

The Englishman became the fourth driver after Fangio, Schumacher and Vettel to secure at least three straight titles in F1 history. He also joined Schumacher in winning five championships with the same team (the German legend did it with Ferrari).

The final two races of the year had some interest, as third in the championship was not sealed yet, with Verstappen and the two Ferraris in contention. A fight for sixth in the World Drivers’ Championship was also open between Sainz, Gasly and Albon.

The start of 2019 F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 17 in Sao Paulo

Verstappen won a crazy race at Brazil in front of first-time podium-finishers Gasly and Sainz. Gasly had given Toro Rosso its second podium of the year, while the Spaniard gave McLaren its first since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

At the race in Sao Paulo, the two Ferrari drivers crashed into each other and had to retire from the race while fighting for third place.

In the finale at Abu Dhabi, Hamilton dominated from Pole Position, with Verstappen and Leclerc filling the podium places. Verstappen maintained his third place in the World Drivers’ Championship, while Sainz secured a solid sixth in the standings ahead of two drivers who had driven Red Bull cars for half of the year.

Hamilton’s Sixth Symphony was fitting to celebrate the 70th season of Formula 1 racing.

Drivers Standings

2019 F1 Standing Drivers Championship

P	Driver	Pts	AUS	BAH	CHI	AZE	SPA	MON	CAN	FRE	OST	BRI	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	SIN	RUS	JAP	MEX	USA	BRA	ABU
1	Lewis Hamilton	413	2	1	1	2	1*	1	1	1	5	1*	9	1	2	3*	4	1*	3*	1	2	7	1*
2	Valtteri Bottas	326	1*	2	2	1	2	3	4*	2	3	2	DNF	8	3	2	5	2	1	3	1	DNF*	4
3	Max Verstappen	278	3	4	4	4	3	4	5	4	1*	5	1*	2*	DNF	8	3	4	DNF	6	3	1	2
4	Charles Leclerc	264	5	3*	5	5*	5	DNF	3	3	2	3	DNF	4	1	1	2	3	6	4*	4*	18	3
5	Sebastian Vettel	240	4	5	3	3	4	2	2	5*	4	16	2	3	4*	13	1	DNF	2	2	DNF	17	5
6	Carlos Sainz	96	DNF	19	14	7	8	6	11	6	8	6	5	5	DNF	DNF	12	6	5	13	8	3	10
7	Pierre Gasly	95	11	8	6*	DNF	6	5*	8	10	7	4	14	6	9	11	8	14	7	9	16	2	18
8	Alex Albon	92	14	9	10	11	11	8	DNF	15	15	12	6	10	5	6	6	5	4	5	5	14	6
9	Daniel Ricciardo	54	DNF	18	7	DNF	12	9	6	11	12	7	DNF	14	14	4	14	DNF	DSQ	8	6	6	11
10	Sergio Pérez	52	13	10	8	6	15	12	12	12	11	17	DNF	11	6	7	DNF	7	8	7	10	9	7
11	Lando Norris	49	12	6	18	8	DNF	11	DNF	9	6	11	DNF	9	11	10	7	8	11	DNF	7	8	8
12	Kimi Räikkönen	43	8	7	9	10	14	17	15	7	9	8	12	7	16	15	DNF	13	12	DNF	11	4	13
13	Nico Hülkenberg	37	7	17	DNF	14	13	13	7	8	13	10	DNF	12	8	5	9	10	DSQ	10	9	15	12
14	Daniil Kvyat	37	10	12	DNF	DNF	9	7	10	14	17	9	3	15	7	DNF	15	12	10	11	12	10	9
15	Lance Stroll	21	9	14	12	9	DNF	16	9	13	14	13	4	17	10	12	13	11	9	12	13	19	DNF
16	Kevin Magnussen	20	6	13	13	13	7	14	17	17	19	DNF	8	13	12	DNF	17*	9	15	15	18	11	14
17	Antonio Giovinazzi	14	15	11	15	12	16	19	13	16	10	DNF	13	18	18	9	10	15	14	14	14	5	16
18	Romain Grosjean	8	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	10	10	14	DNF	16	DNF	7	DNF	13	16	11	DNF	13	17	15	13	15
19	Robert Kubica	1	17	16	17	16	18	18	18	18	20	15	10	19	17	17	16	DNF	17	18	DNF	16	19
20	George Russell	0	16	15	16	15	17	15	16	19	18	14	11	16	15	14	DNF	DNF	16	16	17	12	17

DNQ = Did Not Qualify, DNS = Did Not Start, Ret = Retired, DSQ = Disqualified, NC = Not Classified

Drivers Stats

2019 F1 Drivers Statistics Table

Driver	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	Laps	FL	RET	PTS
Lewis Hamilton	21	11	4	2	17	5	1262	6	0	413
Valtteri Bottas	21	4	7	4	15	5	1233	3	2	326
Max Verstappen	21	3	2	4	9	2	1180	3	2	278
Charles Leclerc	21	2	2	6	10	7	1216	4	3	264
Sebastian Vettel	21	1	5	3	9	2	1178	2	3	240
Carlos Sainz	21	0	0	1	1	0	1133	0	4	96
Pierre Gasly	21	0	1	0	1	0	1234	2	2	95
Alex Albon	21	0	0	0	0	0	1245	0	1	92
Daniel Ricciardo	21	0	0	0	0	0	1120	0	5	54
Sergio Pérez	21	0	0	0	0	0	1169	0	2	52
Lando Norris	21	0	0	0	0	0	1102	0	5	49
Kimi Räikkönen	21	0	0	0	0	0	1224	0	2	43
Nico Hülkenberg	21	0	0	0	0	0	1182	0	3	37
Daniil Kvyat	21	0	0	1	1	0	1194	0	3	37
Lance Stroll	21	0	0	0	0	0	1214	0	3	21
Kevin Magnussen	21	0	0	0	0	0	1188	1	3	20
Antonio Giovinazzi	21	0	0	0	0	0	1211	0	2	14
Romain Grosjean	21	0	0	0	0	0	1043	0	7	8
Robert Kubica	21	0	0	0	0	0	1179	0	2	1
George Russell	21	0	0	0	0	0	1182	0	2	0

Teams Standings

F1 Constructors Standings 2019

P	Team	Car	AUS	BAH	CHI	AZE	SPA	MON	CAN	FRE	OST	BRI	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	SIN	RUS	JAP	MEX	USA	BRA	ABU	Pts
1	Mercedes	44	2	1	1	2	1	1	1	1	5	1	9	1	2	3	4	1	3	1	2	7	1	739
		77	1	2	2	1	2	3	4	2	3	2	DNF	8	3	2	5	2	1	3	1	DNF	4
2	Ferrari	5	4	5	3	3	4	2	2	5	4	16	2	3	4	13	1	DNF	2	2	DNF	17	5	504
		16	5	3	5	5	5	DNF	3	3	2	3	DNF	4	1	1	2	3	6	4	4	18	3
3	Red Bull	1	11	8	6	DNF	6	5	8	10	7	4	14	6										417
		23													5	6	6	5	4	5	5	14	6
		33	3	4	4	4	3	4	5	4	1	5	1	2	DNF	8	3	4	DNF	6	3	1	2
4	McLaren	4	12	6	18	8	DNF	11	DNF	9	6	11	DNF	9	11	10	7	8	11	DNF	7	8	8	145
		55	DNF	19	14	7	8	6	11	6	8	6	5	5	DNF	DNF	12	6	5	13	8	3	10
5	Renault	3	DNF	18	7	DNF	12	9	6	11	12	7	DNF	14	14	4	14	DNF	DSQ	8	6	6	11	91
		27	7	17	DNF	14	13	13	7	8	13	10	DNF	12	8	5	9	10	DSQ	10	9	15	12
6	Toro Rosso	1													9	11	8	14	7	9	16	2	18	85
		23	14	9	10	11	11	8	DNF	15	15	12	6	10
		26	10	12	DNF	DNF	9	7	10	14	17	9	3	15	7	DNF	15	12	10	11	12	10	9
7	Racing Point	11	13	10	8	6	15	12	12	12	11	17	DNF	11	6	7	DNF	7	8	7	10	9	7	73
		18	9	14	12	9	DNF	16	9	13	14	13	4	17	10	12	13	11	9	12	13	19	DNF
8	Alfa Romeo	7	8	7	9	10	14	17	15	7	9	8	12	7	16	15	DNF	13	12	DNF	11	4	13	57
		99	15	11	15	12	16	19	13	16	10	DNF	13	18	18	9	10	15	14	14	14	5	16
9	Haas	8	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	10	10	14	DNF	16	DNF	7	DNF	13	16	11	DNF	13	17	15	13	15	28
		2	6	13	13	13	7	14	17	17	19	DNF	8	13	12	DNF	17	9	15	15	18	11	14
10	Williams	63	16	15	16	15	17	15	16	19	18	14	11	16	15	14	DNF	DNF	16	16	17	12	17	1
		88	17	16	17	16	18	18	18	18	20	15	10	19	17	17	16	DNF	17	18	DNF	16	19