The pair is only as strong as the car - it is always car + driver. However, assuming an equivalent car for teammates, just for kicks:
1) Hamilton (9.5) -Rosberg (8.5) = 18
2) Alonso (9) -Kimi (9) = 18
3) Vettel (10) -Ricciardo (7) = 17
4) Hulk (7.5) -Perez(8) = 15.5
5) Massa (8) -Bottas (6.5) = 14.5
6) Grosjean (7.5) - Maldonado(7) = 14.5
7) Button (8.5) -Magnussen (5) = 13
8) Vergne(7.5) -Kvyat (5) = 12.5
9) Sutil (6.5) - Gutierrez(6) = 12.5
Some assumptions:
A. Vettel is the strongest driver on the grid right now, so he is a "10" and the rest of the numbers are based on that. Vettel will remain a 10. Ricciardo will be adapting to the new team. Probably 7.5-8 by year's end.
B. Hamilton entrenched in Merc in year 2 will be very strong, but I believe it will take some of the year to complete adjustment; Roseberg, an 8 this season will improve to 8.5 (with an outside possibility of 9ish)
B. Alonso in Ferrari year 5 levels him with Raikkonen because it is a new environment for the latter (although not a new team)
C. Perez will outrace the Hulk, moving from 7.5 to 8. Hulk remains at 7.5, with an outside chance of matching Perez for 8
D. Massa will shine. From 5 this season, he will shoot up to 8. Bottas will improve from 6 to 6.5.
E. Button will remain at 8.5 minimum, if the car improves a lot then he'll take that up a notch to near 9s.
F. Magnussen and Kvyat are automatic "5"'s because they are newbies. However, hype has it that we have too new young guns on the prowl. Let's see.
G. Vergne remains at 7.5
H. Sutil remains at 6.5 and Gutierrez takes it up a notch from 5.5.
I like your methodology, but don't agree so much with your ratings and therefore your final conclusions... So I'll borrow the method and re-calculate based on my own opinions for individual drivers.
I'll start with my assumptions that replace yours:
Some assumptions:
Preface: As 2014 has such a large rules reset, we can only use historical results for estimating driver strength. Any predictions of 2014 performance are merely guesses - we have no idea which drivers will adapt quickest to the new rules, nor which drivers will just naturally suit the new rules and be mega out of the box.
A. Vettel as reigning WDC, 4 times on the bounce, gets a 10. Also comprehensively dominated Webber over entire 2013. Ricciardo - has a lot of proving to do. Still improving, quick over a single lap, put Vergne in the shade. Noises coming out of the team suggest he's quicker than the STR allowed him to show. I'll give a generous 8, subject to revision once we see him against Vettel.
B. Alonso not as good on qualifying day, but at least as strong on race day. Qually results hampered race day results in 2013, so he gets a 9.5. Raikkonen. He's a damn fine driver, and very solid. I still have lots of question marks on exactly how good he really is that need answering, though, and I put him slightly behind all of the above for now. I expect Alonso to have the advantage - it's just a matter of how big. 8.5.
C. Hamilton had an up-and-down year but clearly showed he can challenge if Merc can produce the car. If he'd been consistent, a definite 9.5 but the consistency question drops him to a 9. Rosberg. If Hamilton gets a 9, Rosberg gets a 9.
D. Grosjean. Now he's stopped crashing, and re-found his pace without starting to crash again ... Still, a lot of doubts over his ability to deliver over a full season so 7.5. Maldonado - One impressive race over last two years, plus some thrown away. 6.5.
E. Hulk - Most impressive driver not in a top team. 8.5. Perez - Some great drives at Sauber, failed to consistently deliver at McLaren. I rate Grosjean as the better long term prospect, but Maldo as worse ... so 7.
F. Massa - He's faded since the highs prior to his injury. 7. Bottas - Improved towards the end of the season. Close enough to Maldo during his rookie year that I rate him slightly higher. 7.
G. Button - Not top drawer, but better than midfield. In a car he likes, a 9+. But his perennial struggles with a car he doesn't like drops him to an 8 for me. Magnussen - No F1 history, so I give him a baseline 7 on the basis he won FR3.5 against some rated drivers (same as the driver he replaces).
H. Vergne - Failed to deliver in qualifying, but managed some strong races and clearly has talent that gets demonstrated in the wet. Assuming renewed motivation for 2014, he squeaks a 7. Kvyat - Too young, jumping too many classes. Giving him a baseline guess of a 6, purely because the team believe in him.
I. Sutil - Solid midfield but nothing special. 6.5. Gutierrez - 6. Needs to deliver in 2014 or he'll disappear.
1=) Mercedes: Hamilton (9) - Rosberg (9) = 18
1=) Ferrari: Alonso (9.5) - Kimi (8.5) = 18
1=) Red Bull: Vettel (10) - Ricciardo (8) = 18
4) Force India: Hulk (8.5) - Perez (7) = 15.5
5) McLaren: Button (8) - Magnussen (7) = 15
6=) Williams: Massa (7) - Bottas (7) = 14
6=) Lotus: Grosjean (7.5) - Maldonado (6.5) = 14
8) Toro Rosso: Vergne (7) - Kvyat (6) = 13
9) Sauber: Sutil (6.5) - Gutierrez (6) = 12.5
Edited by GhostR, 23 December 2013 - 15:12.