Formula 1: Drivers with most Podium finishes in 2023

Max Verstappen leads the way with the most podiums this season, as the three-time Formula 1 World Champion continues to topple records left, right, and centre. 

However, throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season, a total of 11 drivers have gone on to step on the podium, with some new faces and some older ones making it a regularity.

In this article, we’ll have a look at all the 11 podium finishers so far this season.

11. Esteban Ocon: 1 Podium

Esteban Ocon’s season has been a rather topsy-turvy one, with six retirements but also a good podium at Monaco and 10-point finishes. However, with Alpine firmly placed in the midfield table and unable to break into the top-four fight, Ocon would be hoping for more from the French outfit come 2024.

10. Pierre Gasly: 1 Podium 

The French driver has had a good season so far with Alpine. He grabbed his first and only podium of the season at the Dutch Grand Prix, while he has also registered 10-point finishes in 19 races to stand in 10th place in the driver’s championship.

9. George Russell: 1 Podium 

It has been a rather disappointing season for the British driver, with him currently sitting in eighth place in the driver’s standings and only one podium finish this season. Besides, he’s been a distant second to his teammate, who’s currently pushing for the runner-up position in the driver’s standings, which says a lot about how underwhelming his season has been.

8. Oscar Piastri: 2 Podiums 

It has been an impressive debut campaign by the Australian driver, with two podium finishes, as he continues to impress everyone up and down the paddock. Moreover, his impressive pace and ability to challenge Lando Norris have been the standout features of his season.

7. Carlos Sainz: 3 Podiums 

Although Leclerc has had one lap pace over Carlos Sainz for much of this season, when it comes to race pace and optimising strategies, the Spaniard has had the bigger say on his teammate. The ever-consistent Sainz has looked more in tune with his car than his teammate, which is more impressive given this is only his second season with the team.

6. Charles Leclerc: 4 Podiums 

The Monégasque driver has had a frustrating 2023. After mechanical failures and Ferrari’s lack of pace hindered much of Leclerc’s first half of the season, a resurgent Leclerc and development in the right departments have meant Ferrari stand a chance to finish second in the constructor’s championship. Besides, his recent good run means he’s closing in on both Fernando Alonso and Sainz with just three races remaining.

5. Lando Norris: 6 Podiums 

McLaren turned up at pre-season testing with a car that could hardly challenge for points finishes, let alone a podium shout. However, with their big upgrades flocking in ever since the Austrian GP, McLaren and Lando Norris haven’t looked back since. Post-Austria, Lando Norris has claimed six podium finishes in 11 races for the resurgent Woking-based outfit.

4. Lewis Hamilton: 6 Podiums 

The seven-time world champion has been in fine form this season as he continues to push Checo till the end for second place in the driver’s standings with just three races remaining. While they haven’t been able to catch Red Bull so far this season, Lewis’ consistency has meant that Mercedes still holds a slender advantage over Ferrari in the constructor’s battle.

3. Fernando Alonso: 7 Podiums 

Fernando Alonso showed the world that even at the ripe age of 42, he’s still got what it takes to challenge those at the front. When Aston Martin turned up in Bahrain with the second-quickest car on the grid, people up and down the paddock were amazed at how they were able to catch up with the limited resources at their disposal. Given they fell away as the season wore on, in the first eight races when they were competitive, Alonso registered six podium finishes and was sitting second in the driver’s championship.

2. Sergio Pérez: 8 Podiums 

The Mexican driver started the 2023 season on a great note, with two wins and three second-place finishes. However, following his DNF at Monaco, Sergio Pérez’s title charge also ended as he failed to pick up form and silly mistakes grew. As the season wore on, Pérez looked more at sea and uncomfortable with his car rather than growing into it. Despite his eight podium finishes, his inconsistencies and sketchy drives mean that with three races remaining, he’s in danger of losing his second place in the driver’s standings to Lewis Hamilton.

1. Max Verstappen: 18 Podiums 

The three-time world champion is on a demolition run. This season, the Dutchman has broken umpteen records, and with three races remaining, who knows how many more he’s going to break? This has been a season of total dominance. Apart from an aberration in Singapore, Red Bull and Max Verstappen have been picture-perfect.

For context, Max holds a 251-point lead at the front, which is more than Sergio Pérez’s total points tally (240 points); he has won 16 out of the 19 races held so far this season; and his only non-podium finish came in Singapore, where he very nearly snatched P4 from Charles Leclerc after missing out on Q3 in who knows how many years. Max Verstappen’s dominance is scary but something one has to stand up to and applaud.

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