With 14 races down and 10 to go, the 2025 Formula 1 season heads into the summer break full of twists, tension, and rising talent.
McLaren leads the way with Piastri and Norris locked in a tight title fight, while big names like Verstappen and Hamilton struggle to keep up. Here’s Fastest Formula News’ F1 mid-season drivers review.
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 284 pts (6 wins)
Piastri continues to lead the championship at the F1 2025 mid-season review point with remarkable composure and consistency, securing six victories so far: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Miami, Spain, Canada, and Monaco. Piastri’s P2 finish in Hungary kept him nine points clear of teammate Norris. His calculated driving has made him the benchmark of reliability in 2025.
His maiden pole came at China GP, where he became the first repeat pole-sitter of the year at Bahrain. That record-breaking weekend highlighted his qualifying prowess, beating Russell by 0.168s in Sakhir and setting the tone for the season.
The Australian’s tyre management and race-craft have matured significantly. Andrea Stella credits his transformation to improved tyre degradation handling, a weakness he has since turned into a strength
He has lost minimal ground under pressure, for example in Spain, he controlled the race through a late safety car, while Verstappen and Russell tangled ahead, allowing him to maintain composure and claim his fifth win. At Hungary, his overtake on Leclerc for P2 put him in position to challenge Norris right to the flag.
Rating: 9/10 — consistently precise, calm and dominant under pressure.
Lando Norris (McLaren) – 275 points (5 wins)
Norris claimed his fifth victory at the Hungarian GP, executing a bold one‑stop strategy that saw him fend off a late surge from Piastri. His comeback from fifth on the grid showcased his race intelligence and tyre preservation. It also marked McLaren’s 200th F1 win, emphasising the strength of team and strategy
Earlier in Austria, Norris pulled off a defensive masterclass, holding off Piastri for 15 laps on worn tyres in a fierce duel at Turn 3 and 4, earning plaudits for mental strength and tactical execution.
McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella highlighted Norris’s maturity, especially after recovering from a heavy crash in Canada to follow Piastri home to the win in Austria.
Rating: 8.5/10 — fearless, strategic and never shy of pressure.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 187 points (2 wins)
Verstappen’s two wins came in Japan and Emilia (Italy), but Red Bull’s early-season slowdown has left him trailing Piastri by nearly 97 points. Car performance inconsistency and leadership changes, including Horner’s exit after 20 years, have limited Verstappen’s ability to dominate as he once did.
Verstappen’s win at the Japanese GP was vintage, seizing the lead from pole and controlling the race from start to finish. He crossed the line ahead of Norris and Piastri, showcasing race pace that the McLarens couldn’t match through the Suzuka high-speed curves.
In Emilia-Romagna, Verstappen executed a stunning first-lap overtake on Piastri at Tamburello to seize lead early. Despite a scattering of Safety Car periods, he managed the gaps perfectly and retained victory, narrowing the championship deficit with calm authority.
Despite those challenges, his race-craft remains elite. In Britain, he pulled out an outstanding lap to start on pole, where he eventually finished fifth in wet-to-dry conditions. At the Hungarian GP, his struggles continued, he qualified P8 and finished P9, failing to score big in a race with limited overtaking opportunity.
Rating: 6.5/10 — race-winning talent held back by pace limitations and team instability.
George Russell (Mercedes) – 172 points (1 win)
Russell has been a beacon of consistency for Mercedes in 2025, delivering six podium finishes, including a commanding victory in Canada from pole. He started the season strong, never finishing outside the top five during the first six Grands Prix. Despite Mercedes’ underlying performance issues, his form has kept them competitive.
His Canadian Grand Prix win was a career highlight, maintaining the lead amid late drama when Norris and Piastri collided behind him. That race underscored his ability to capitalize on others’ mistakes and assert race pace when the car allowed.
However, Mercedes have struggled with recent aero and suspension updates that destabilised the car. Ahead of Hungary, Russell confirmed the team held internal meetings to diagnose slump in pace, reverting to earlier philosophy for the Hungaroring weekend.
Rating: 8/10 — sharp, disciplined, and often pacesetter in chaos.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 151 pts
Leclerc’s season has been a cycle of small victories undone by key errors. In Saudi Arabia, he claimed Ferrari’s first podium by executing a longer stint strategy at Jeddah, an effort he described as a rare highlight in a difficult start. In China, he was disqualified from a P5 finish after his car was declared 1kg underweight, part of Ferrari’s embarrassing double-DQ earlier in the season.
At the Japanese GP, Leclerc dubbed it “a bit of an annoying race” after finishing P4, 16 seconds off the podium. Despite feeling the car’s balance was decent, he struggled in all three sectors, particularly in the first, due to Ferrari’s aero and tyre limitations, never able to compete with McLaren or Verstappen. Still, he took positives from the weekend, highlighting lessons learned on car setup and balance.
A significant strategic misfire came in Canada—Leclerc began the wet race strongly but clashed with Ferrari over pit stop timing. A late switch to a two-stop strategy ignited frustration, and though he recovered to P5, he admitted his FP1 crash and traffic in qualifying cost him pace, not just the strategy itself. He clearly took personal responsibility, calling it “more down to my mistake” than Ferrari’s call.
Rating: 7/10 – flashes of brilliance marred by poor reliability and strategic calls.
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 109 pts
Hamilton endured a truly difficult season with Ferrari, culminating in a low point at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He qualified 12th, his worst ever result at the Hungaroring, and finished the race in the same position, failing to score. Despite Ferrari securing pole with Leclerc, Hamilton’s conditions fell apart when strategy and car setup failed him.
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 was met with huge anticipation, but adapting to the SF‑25 has proven slower and more frustrating than expected. Despite significant preseason testing and meticulous preparation, he’s yet to record a Grand Prix podium, his only victory coming in a sprint race at China.
Through 13 races, his best official classification has been a P4 in Austria and Britain. He often trails Leclerc in qualifying and races, including being disqualified in China for a technical breach and finishing well behind in multiple races.
Hamilton’s public frustration reached a peak at Hungary, where he called himself “absolutely useless” and quipped that Ferrari might need to “change driver” following his elimination in Q2. Although Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur reaffirmed the team’s support, media speculation is increasing. Ecclestone and Damon Hill have suggested Hamilton may benefit from a break or retirement. Hamilton insists he still loves racing and hopes to return strong post-summer break.
Rating: 4.5/10 – seven-time champion qualities still visible, but the wheel slips too frequently.
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 64 pts, 7th place
Antonelli began his rookie F1 season with promise, scoring a P4 in Australia and historic achievements such as becoming the youngest driver ever to lead a race and set a fastest lap in Japan. He also grabbed pole in the Miami Sprint and claimed his first podium with a P3 at the Canadian GP, an emotional milestone that made him the first Italian to podium since 2009. Despite this standout weekend, he has since slipped into a performance rut, collecting just one point in the last four races, including two DNFs.
The turning point came at Imola, when a new rear suspension spec undermined his confidence. Team principal Toto Wolff has repeatedly stressed the importance of steadying Antonelli’s mindset, and even Lewis Hamilton personally offered guidance. With his struggles becoming public, Mercedes acted decisively for Hungary by reverting to the old suspension setup that had served early in the year.
In Budapest, the change yielded immediate improvement. Antonelli posted P7 in FP1, claiming he was “getting the confidence back with the car.” He extracted the best from the W16 with a one-stop strategy in Sunday’s race, fighting adversity after his qualifying lap was deleted, dropping him from P11 to P15, and recovered to P10, securing Mercedes’ only rookie points of the weekend.
Rating: 6.5/10 – gifted and bold on pace, but now grappling with consistency and confidence issues.
Alexander Albon (Williams) – 54 pts
Rating: 7/10 — Regular top‑10 finisher, with standout drives in Belgium (P6) and Hungary helping Williams to sixth in the constructors. His mature consistency provides vital scoring for a midfield outfit who have often struggled in recent years.
Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) – 37 pts
Rating: 6.5/10 — Veteran brilliance at Silverstone (P3) lifted Sauber into the points antenna for the German’s first ever podium in Formula 1. Though lacking outright pace, his experience continues to deliver solidity in mixed conditions.
Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 pts
Rating: 6/10 — Impressive street‑circuit showings in Monaco (P7) and Spain (Q2) hint at Haas upside; hampered by inconsistent strategy calls and car upgrades delayed mid-season, leaving the team often towards the back of the grid.
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 26 pts
Rating: 6.5/10 — Delivered Aston Martin’s best result with P5 at Hungary while coping with hot cockpit conditions. Still one of F1’s smartest racers, though missing the pace to consistently score on power tracks.
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 26 pts
Rating: 6/10 — Mirrored Alonso’s points haul with P7 in Hungary, typifying his methodical, error‑free approach. A steady midfield contributor, though lacking explosive impact.
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 22 pts
Rating: 6.5/10 — Rookie showing fearless overtakes, including passing Lawson and Ocon in Monaco. Needs more consistency to convert raw speed into regular points finishes. Often out-performed former Red Bull driver Liam Lawson and current Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda.
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 pts
Rating: 6/10 — Qualified well at street tracks and midfield tight spots; however Alpine’s slower package often left him stagnant in race pace, making finishes in P10 range his ceiling.
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 20 pts
Rating: 6.5/10 — Performed strongly in chaotic conditions like Monaco (P8) and Brazil; consistency remains the main weakness. A turbulent but promising rookie campaign, just couldn’t handle the second Red bull seat earlier in the season, leaving him to be replaced mid-season.
Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) – 16 pts
Rating: 6/10 — Scored sparsely but reliably in P9–P10, particularly in Monaco and Canada. Still adjusting to Williams’ deficiencies, promising flashes in slow-speed corners.
Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 14 pts
Rating: 7/10 — Career-best P6 in Hungary capped an encouraging rookie campaign. Poised in midfield fights and steadily learning, high potential once Sauber upgrades arrive. Possible ‘rookie of the season’.
Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 pts
Rating: 4.5/10 — Aggression sometimes cost track limit penalties; occasional points but erratic qualifying. Needs maturity to justify his seat in a top team.
Oliver Bearman (Haas) – 8 pts
Rating: 6/10 — Executed a clean, tyre-smart drive to score first F1 points recently. Still raw, and Haas’ weak reliability hampered his exposure to race competitively.
Franco Colapinto & Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 pts
Rating: 4/10 each — Inexperience and Alpine’s frail performance package combined to leave both rookies scoreless and Doohan replaced by the Argentine mid-season. Their season highlights remain in practice pace rather than race results.
What’s next — title fight heats up
With ten rounds left, momentum could still shift. McLaren’s advantage looks firm, but Russell’s resurgence offers Mercedes a punch-pull dynamic. Ferrari must repair strategy reputation; Red Bull needs upgrades to return to the top three regularly. As Monza, Singapore and Austin loom, car strengths versus track demands will truly define the F1 2025 season and what lies ahead in the championship war.
