The Formula 1 world is once again in turmoil following the recent publication of the Power Rankings for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix, which many fans and insiders believe have done an injustice to Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver, who has been one of the most dominant figures in the sport for years, received a surprisingly low score from the F1 jury after an impressive performance in Montreal. The assessment has led to a storm of criticism, not only from Verstappen’s loyal supporters, but also from Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who described the jury’s decision as “absurd” and “incomprehensible”. The controversial assessment has reignited the debate about the objectivity of the Power Rankings, especially among fans of the four-time world champion.
During the race weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Max Verstappen delivered a great performance. Despite driving a Red Bull car that did not have the speed of the leading Mercedes of George Russell, Verstappen managed to put constant pressure on the Briton. Russell, who took pole position and eventually won the race, was praised by the jury with a rare perfect score of ten. Verstappen, on the other hand, had to make do with an 8.4, a score that placed him fifth in the rankings, behind drivers such as Kimi Antonelli, Fernando Alonso and even Nico Hülkenberg. This decision has led to astonishment among many followers of the sport, who feel that Verstappen is once again being treated more harshly than his competitors.
The controversy was further fuelled by an incident during the final safety car period of the race. Russell appeared to deliberately try to provoke Verstappen into making a mistake, in the hope that the Dutchman would receive a penalty that would see him suspended for the next race in Austria. However, Verstappen, who already has 11 penalty points after an earlier collision with Russell in Spain, kept his cool and avoided an infringement. Red Bull lodged a protest against Russell after the race, arguing that the Mercedes driver had displayed unsportsmanlike behaviour by driving erratically behind the safety car. However, the protest was rejected by the FIA, which only added to the frustration within the Red Bull camp. Horner expressed his displeasure in sharp terms: “It is ridiculous that a driver who is so clearly pushing the limits is rewarded with a perfect score, while Max, who drives a flawless race, is demoted in the rankings.”
Formula 1’s Power Rankings are designed to objectively assess drivers’ performances over a race weekend, but critics have criticised the judging panel for its lack of consistency. One example of this is the comparison with the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen drove a phenomenal rally from P17 to victory but still failed to receive a perfect 10. Russell now receives the score despite facing less competition in Canada and his victory being partly down to the superior speed of his Mercedes. For many fans, this is a sign that the judging panel is not giving Verstappen the credit he deserves, possibly due to his controversial driving style or past incidents.
In the annual Power Rankings review, Russell’s high score has taken him to third place in the rankings, just 0.3 points behind Verstappen. The Dutchman himself is in second place, also 0.3 points behind McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who leads the rankings this season. Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris dropped to fifth place after crashing into his own teammate in Canada and being kicked out of the race. The incident once again highlighted McLaren’s dominance this season, but also the tensions within the team.
For Verstappen and Red Bull, the situation is worrying. With a car that is less competitive than those of McLaren and Mercedes, the Dutchman must rely on his exceptional driving skills to stay in the title race. The ongoing speculation about a possible suspension, combined with the low ratings of the Power Rankings, puts extra pressure on the shoulders of the four-time champion. Nevertheless, Verstappen remains unperturbed. In a reaction after the race, he said: “I race as I always do. This nonsense about penalty points does not change my approach.” With fourteen races left in the season, it is clear that Verstappen will do everything in his power to silence his critics, both on and off the track.
The Canadian Grand Prix proved once again that Formula 1 is not just a sport of speed, but also of strategy, politics and controversy. For Verstappen and his fans, the battle is far from over, but the question remains whether the jury of the Power Rankings will ever give a fair assessment of the Dutch superstar.
