Is this F1's most underrated driver of 2023?

OPINION: Now that Formula 1 has four big-name teams rather than three, it's much easier for stellar drives from the midfield runners to go under the radar. Esteban Ocon has arguably been the most quietly impressive racer of the 2023 'second division' - although his year hardly got off to the best start...

If you were to walk through one of Formula 1's fan zones and ask 100 people who the best driver of 2023 has been so far, there'd probably be a nearly 50-50 split between Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. A few anomalies might emerge, as per the whims of natural biases, but the overwhelming majority would surely opt for one of those two protagonists.

How about the year's best drives? That's probably a bit trickier. Lance Stroll's broken-handed heroics in Bahrain should get a mention, as should Sergio Perez's Saudi Arabia win, or any of Max Verstappen's 'see ya later, alligator' disappearing acts to victory. But in this writer's opinion, the answer is none of the above: Esteban Ocon's dazzling run to the podium in Monaco was the standout thus far. Of the driver ratings that I've been in charge of putting together, the vertically gifted Frenchman's drive was closest to reaching the golden 10.

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Author Jake Boxall-Legge

Jake Boxall-Legge Autosport’s Technical Editor. Having studied Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at the University of Hertfordshire, West Country-born Jake's original ambition was to design racing cars. During a year between studies in which he accidentally rekindled a love of writing, he took up a Master's in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes. Halfway through his master's year, he was offered a place on the Autosport Academy, conducting occasional freelance duties before becoming the press officer for Formula 2 and GP3 in 2018. Autosport offered him a return to the fold later that year to serve as its Technical Editor. His voice appears on a number of videos and podcasts, and can often be found writing about terrible Formula 1 cars in excruciating detail. In his spare time, Jake enjoys baking and blames his failure to make it past the Great British Bake-Off interviews on his tenuous grasp on choux pastry. His dream is to open a brunch cafe - and his willingness to make outrageous puns in inappropriate situations has earned him the contempt of his colleagues.