Ranking Every 2025 F1 Driver from Worst to Best

The official standings only tell part of the story in Formula 1. Based on trackside observations and paddock insights from every session, here is a comprehensive ranking of the 2025 grid, evaluating each driver's performance relative to their machinery across speed, consistency, racecraft, and overall contribution.

Why it matters:

This assessment moves beyond championship points to reveal which drivers truly maximized their package, overperformed, or fell short of expectations. It provides a clearer picture of individual form and potential, crucial for understanding team dynamics and future prospects heading into the 2026 regulation shake-up.

The Details:

• The Struggle at the Back: Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) anchor the list, with limited race time and an uncompetitive car defining their seasons. Doohan showed flashes of speed but was error-prone, while Colapinto improved markedly in the latter half after a rocky start.
• High-Profile Underperformers: Yuki Tsunoda's mid-season promotion to Red Bull proved disastrous, as he struggled to match Max Verstappen's pace and scored only 30 points alongside the champion. Lewis Hamilton endured his worst F1 season, failing to adapt to Ferrari and often appearing dejected, finishing well behind Charles Leclerc.
• Rookie Standouts: Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) was the class of the rookie field, earning a 2026 Red Bull seat with consistent qualifying and a podium. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) had a strong start but faded after the summer break, while Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) overcame a patchy beginning to finish the season strongly with podium finishes.
• The Consistent Core: Drivers like Pierre Gasly (Alpine), who heroically dragged a poor car into Q3 eleven times, and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who remained the team's foundation at 44, delivered exactly what was expected of their packages.
• Championship Contenders' Contrast: Oscar Piastri's (McLaren) title challenge unraveled in the final third with costly errors, overshadowing a season where he led the championship for long stretches. Champion Lando Norris (McLaren) overcame early "embarrassments" to peak when it mattered, though his season was not without flaws.
• The Best of the Rest: George Russell (Mercedes) delivered his most complete F1 season with minimal errors and two victories, firmly establishing himself as a champion-in-waiting with the right car. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is ranked number one for consistently extracting maximum performance from a tricky Red Bull, keeping himself in the title fight until the final round.

The Big Picture:

The 2025 season highlighted the fine margins between success and struggle. While the championship was fought at the front, the midfield battles and intra-team performances revealed compelling narratives of adaptation, resilience, and raw talent. This ranking underscores that a driver's true performance is often contextual, shaped as much by their machinery and team environment as by their innate skill. The stage is now set for these evaluations to be tested anew under the transformative 2026 regulations.