AI ranks the most attractive F1 drivers of all time

Max Verstappen is fending off Lando Norris and Charles LeClerc in the 2024 Drivers’ championship but when it comes to being the “most attractive driver” on the grid, the Dutchman is lagging behind them and more.

We tasked our AI to ascertain the looks of the drivers and using the ‘golden ratio’ rank them in terms of “attractiveness.” Using that methodology, it turns out that Valtteri Bottas is the most attractive driver currently racing in F1.

Verstappen, despite not faring so well in these rankings, will take comfort in the fact that he’s the moneyline favorite in the F1 betting odds for the Dutch Grand Prix.

The science behind the rankings

The core of our project lies in applying machine learning techniques to evaluate the facial aesthetics of Formula 1 drivers. Using OpenCV and MTCNN for image processing, each face was analyzed based on the golden ratio, a classical measure of beauty. The analysis involved:

1. Measuring the face's length and width, aiming for an ideal ratio of approximately 1.6, indicating a balanced facial proportion.
2. Dividing the face into three segments (from the forehead hairline to between the eyes, between the eyes to the bottom of the nose, and from the bottom of the nose to the chin) and assessing their symmetry to further determine facial attractiveness.
3. These measurements were facilitated by an advanced OpenCV Neural Network model tailored for face detection, showcasing the application of various techniques in facial analysis.

The aim of this analysis is to entertain sports bettors, who might also be interested in these BetMGM Bonus Codes.

The most attractive drivers on the current grid

As per our AI analysis, it’s Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas who is the most attractive driver in the grid with a golden ratio of 7.39. The Sauber driver is infamous for flaunting his posterior on social media but our research suggests that he should flaunt his face a lot more.

Second on the list is George Russell followed by his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Interestingly the top three in this list, all have raced for Mercedes. Maybe the golden ratio is a requirement to be a Mercedes driver.

Charles LeClerc with his chocolate boy looks is a heartthrob to millions but as per our analysis, he’s only eighth on the list. It’s still better than his teammate Carlos Sainz who’s been ranked 20th.

The most attractive F1 drivers of all time

We expanded the scope to consider all F1 drivers in history and interestingly, it’s Romain Grosjean who tops the list with a golden ratio of 7.625. The Frenchman raced for Lotus, Renault and Haas in F1 before joining IndyCar where he’s currently suiting up for Juncos Hollinger Racing.

Bottas, who’s the most attractive amongst current drivers, comes in at ninth when looking at all historic drivers. Interestingly, the likes of Ayrton Senna (149th), Michael Schumacher (220th) and Jenson Button (363rd), who were considered conventionally good looking, feature low down in the list.

No one from the Haas F1 team featured in our analysis unfortunately. Local Haas fans who know that their team is headquartered in North Carolina, might also want to check out some North Carolina Sportsbooks.