{
  "id": 6742938,
  "title": "F1 power rankings: Can anyone challenge Antonelli with 10 races to go?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/f1-power-rankings-can-anyone-challenge-antonelli-with-10-races-to-go-6742938",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2026/09/11/f1-power-rankings-can-anyone-challenge-antonelli-with-10-races-to-go/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Madrid awaits Formula One drivers for the first Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit. Expect chaos as they navigate 22 unfamiliar corners. Our power rankings assess who will arrive in Spain in the best shape, considering recent form, raw speed, car performance, momentum and how well each driver's strengths suit Madrid. Here are our top 10 and a prediction for the race in Spain.\n\nNico Hulkenberg (Audi) finished P8 at Zandvoort and P12 at Monza. He secured four useful points in Zandvoort and climbed to eighth at Monza, highlighting his experience and ability to capitalize on opportunities. Hulkenberg is currently in P15 in the championship.\n\nArvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) had a disappointing finish at Zandvoort, with Max Verstappen's crash costing him a higher position. However, Lindblad managed a Q3 appearance at Monza and split the Alpines despite Racing Bulls losing speed on the straights. He has scored in seven of the past eight races, but Madrid may prove challenging due to crashes expected. Lindblad may suffer.\n\nCharles Leclerc (Ferrari) had plenty of pace at both weekends but crashed out in Monza due to aggressive driving. He finished second in the Zandvoort sprint and fifth in the Grand Prix, feeling unlucky as he had enough pace to push for a podium. Madrid offers Leclerc a chance to regroup.\n\nOscar Piastri (McLaren) started strongly at Zandvoort, passing Russell after the restart, but his pace faded dramatically after his first stint. A slow pit stop compounded the problem, leaving him behind by the Ferraris. At Monza, Piastri qualified third but dropped to sixth due to a grid penalty, finishing fifth after Norris passed him late on. There is more pace in Piastri and the McLaren, but Norris has struggled to extract more from the car in the past two weekends. Piastri is currently in P7 in the championship.\n\nPierre Gasly (Alpine) had a strong final lap in qualifying to claim his first pole position in F1, six years after his maiden victory at the same circuit. His driving and team performance helped him capitalize from the powerful slipstream. A point at Zandvoort and a P7 finish in Monza demonstrate positive steps. Gasly can push for bigger targets in Madrid.\n\nLewis Hamilton (Ferrari) felt a podium was within reach at Zandvoort, but his drive behind Leclerc while Ferrari debated car management was frustrating. At Monza, Hamilton started fourth but dropped to 10th after Leclerc squeezed him into the gravel, recovering to finish sixth. Ferrari's team principal promised better performance in Madrid.\n\nGeorge Russell (Mercedes) started at the front at Zandvoort but was beaten by his teammate due to max speed. Despite good drives at most circuits, Russell has been outpaced by his teammate and is concerned about adapting his driving to secure maximum speed. Mercedes' team principal will address this issue in Madrid.\n\nMax Verstappen (Red Bull) finished DNF at Zandvoort but showed a strong performance at Monza, working his way into the lead and influencing Mercedes' strategy. He finished P3. Verstappen's experience should make a difference in Madrid as the grid navigates the new chaotic circuit.\n\nLando Norris (McLaren) was outstanding at Zandvoort, taking pole in qualifying and finishing P1. He lost the lead to Antonelli at Monza but finished P4. Norris had an excellent start to the season and currently sits in P4 in the championship.",
  "summary": "Formula One heads to Madrid this weekend for the first Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit. Expect red flags, crashes and a lot of chaos as drivers attempt to navigate 22 unfamiliar corners. Our power rankings measure who will arrive in Spain in the best shape. We take into account recent form, raw speed, how much each driver is extracting from their car, momentum, and how well their…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "F1 power rankings: Can anyone challenge Antonelli with 10 races to go?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/f1-power-rankings-can-anyone-challenge-antonelli-with-10-races-to-go",
        "published": "2026-09-11T10:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}