Top 10 F1 Drivers – November 2019

With the Highest Social Interactions Among Fans

The 2019 edition of the F1 championship is now (sadly) over. The duo Hamilton/Mercedes proved once more they’re the best in the business, with the team continuing their unbeaten run in the hybrid era. While Ferrari and Red Bull maintained their place as 2nd and 3rd best, the battle of the mid-field teams has seen a clear winner emerge: McLaren.

The papaya-livered cars (and their no-less-colorful duo of drivers) made impressive improvements compared to the year before, which relegated main rival Renault F1 to 5th in the Championship after the last round in Abu Dhabi.

In November, 3 Grand Prix weekends took place including the Brazilian GP, which will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best races in recent years with Gasly recording a sensational first-ever podium, beating 2019 champion Lewis Hamilton in a drag race to the finish line. 

That was it for the track, but how did drivers fare on social media last month?

Lando Norris – 4.2m interactions

Norris had a magnificent rookie season, finishing 11th in the drivers championship and keeping experienced teammate Carlos Sainz honest throughout the season. But as much as his performances on-track were impressive, Norris quickly became a star in the F1 community thanks to his humorous posts on social. 

In November, Norris topped the charts for most interactions on social media (over 4.2m in total). He celebrated his birthday, joined his teammate on the podium in Brazil (after losing his access pass) and sported an awesome Texas Ranger-themed helmet livery during the American GP.  What a guy!

Carlos Sainz – 3.1m interactions

Sainz’s 2019 season was his best so far, with a 6th place in the drivers championship clinched on the very last lap of the season. In a chaotic Brazilian GP, McLaren’s smooth operator earned his first-ever podium after starting last on the grid (!), which also guaranteed his team’s 4th place in the Constructors Championship!

His great relationship with his buddy and teammate Lando Norris is also something that kept social media followers engaged throughout the season. The pair have documented their head-banging commute, champagne showers, and Lando’s 20th birthday celebrations.

Daniel Ricciardo – 2.4m interactions

With 9th in the drivers standing, it’s fair to say Renault’s Aussie superstar didn’t have the season he was hoping for. However, throughout the year the Aussie has manifested his happiness with his new role leading the Renault comeback to the front of the field. 

Always ready for some banter from down under, in November the Honey Badger juggled, practiced his American accent, and rapped with ASAP Freg. In between, he also stopped by Hollywood for the F1 festival to eat do some smokey donuts. 

The Wrap Up

With the season over, F1 fans will have to wait until next March to enjoy the racing again. But with teams and drivers being so active on social, we can expect to be kept entertained during the Winter months. Roll on 2020!

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Written by Alexandre Bourgeois

Alex is Customer Success Manager at Hookit EMEA – his main role is to support clients in understanding the value of their sponsorships. Prior to that, he worked as a social media analyst at Jellyfish, a global marketing agency, and was social media manager in a leading Esport organisation. Alex holds an MSc in Marketing from the University of Brighton, UK.