F1 23 Driver Ratings: Alonso Joins Hamilton & Verstappen in Top Three

Image credit: EA Sports

As a new entry into the series of official Formula One games is due to drop this week, EA Sports have unveiled the driver ratings for F1 23 - including having the drivers guess their own ratings as well as that of others. The result: Not much changed at the top of the list, but the expected front-runners have new company.

The ratings comprise of four elements: Each of the 20 drivers on the grid has received an individual rating for their experience, racecraft, awareness and pace. Naturally, the rookie class of Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries score lower in experience than Sergio Perez, for example - or Fernando Alonso, who made his F1 debut in 2001 and is in his 20th season in the World Championship.

The Spaniard's overall rating ties with that of Lewis Hamilton, both drivers slotting in behind Max Verstappen - unsurprisingly, the reigning World Champion is top of the class. Behind the top three, it is a different story, however: Charles Leclerc, Perez and Lando Norris all share an 89 overall rating, with Carlos Sainz and George Russell hot on their heels at 88 each.

Only F1 Starts Count?​

An interesting oddity in the experience ratings is Nico Hülkenberg: Having made his debut in 2010, the 35-year old is due to make his 200th Grand Prix start at the Mexican GP as it stands, and has taken the overall victory at the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours alongside Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber in a Porsche 919 Hybrid. Hülkenberg is rated an 86 in this regard.

Meanwhile, both Perez and Valtteri Bottas have entered Formula 1 later than Hülkenberg, and have exclusively raced in the series since. They have more starts under their belts than the German, yet less experience outside of F1. They rank at 91 and 88, respectively - which hints at only the F1 careers of the drivers being taken into account.


The driver ratings are especially important in My Team mode, giving players an indication of what they are up against or who to hire for a seat in one of their cars. "This year, we have worked closely with our panel of experts to provide a better balance between well-seasoned drivers and those in the early to mid stages of their career, especially in terms of their experience rating", said John Merchant, F1 Brand Director at developer Codemasters.

Reflecting drivers' performances throughout the 2023 season so far, the ratings are going to be updated as the season progresses just like in previous entries to the series.

F1 23 Driver Ratings​

Your Thoughts​

Does the ranking of driver ratings hold any surprises to you? Where does your favorite driver slot in - and where should they, in your opinion? Let us know in the comments below!