F1 driver power rankings: Can upgrade help Norris challenge Antonelli in Baku?

The Formula One season takes a shift to Baku this weekend, following Kimi Antonelli's two consecutive wins in Madrid. To determine which drivers will arrive in Azerbaijan in the best form, our power rankings consider recent performance, raw speed, utilization of their cars, momentum, and how their strengths may suit the street circuit.

The 6km track features one of the season's longest flat-out sections, as well as some of its tightest corners around the old city. With F1's longest full-throttle segment, it will gauge how the new cars perform. Our top 10 rankings and predictions for the Baku race are as follows:

10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren): Form has seen him finish P5 in Monza and P8 in Madrid. He currently sits in P7 in the championship. Piastri has had a love-hate relationship with Baku and may recover for this race.

9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls): Performing well, with P8 finishes in Monza and P9 in Madrid. He's scored points at nine of the past 10 race weekends in his rookie season.

8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls): Signed off Red Bull's seat after Isack Hadjar's injury. Lawson's strong result in Monza, despite serving an engine penalty, and a strong qualifying position in Madrid make him a contender.

7. Franco Colapinto (Alpine): Colapinto's best race weekend execution this year, as evidenced by qualifying fifth in Madrid, then finishing seventh. His season has been buoyed by Alpine's pace.

6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): After a costly Monza crash, Leclerc struggled to recover in Madrid, finishing P4. The Monegasque's performance could hinge on whether he takes an engine penalty in Baku.

5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari): Hamilton's form has been strong, despite a DNF at Monza. He recovered to sixth in Madrid after a challenging start. Fresh optimism exists for his Baku performance.

4. George Russell (Mercedes): Russell's pace has been underwhelming, particularly in Madrid. Despite finishing second in Monza, he's struggled to maximize his car's potential. Baku has historically been a lucky circuit for him, with three podium finishes in the last four years.

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Verstappen continues to extract more from his Red Bull. He secured third place in Monza and followed it up with an excellent performance in Madrid, starting third and finishing second. Verstappen heads to Baku with back-to-back podiums.