Schumacher: 'The best driver didn't win' in 2025

Former F1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Ralf Schumacher has delivered a blunt assessment of the 2025 season, stating that the world champion was not the best driver on the grid. In his view, Max Verstappen, not title-winner Lando Norris, was the strongest performer, despite missing out on the championship by a mere two points.

Why it matters:

Schumacher's comments cut to the heart of a classic F1 debate: does the championship table always reflect pure driving talent? His analysis suggests that factors beyond a driver's control—team structure, car performance fluctuations, and internal stability—played a decisive role in the final outcome, potentially overshadowing Verstappen's individual prowess. This perspective challenges the simplistic narrative that the champion is automatically the season's best performer.

The details:

Schumacher attributes Verstappen's narrow defeat to a confluence of issues at Red Bull, most notably the mid-season leadership change. "There are many reasons: the car in between, the structure in the team, having to set everything up anew," he explained, referencing the team's decision to part ways with long-time team principal Christian Horner after the British Grand Prix.

• He praised Verstappen's significant personal development, transforming from a pure racer into a true team leader who unified the squad during a turbulent period. "Now it's a unit. You could also see it in the emotions after the race," Schumacher noted.
• Regarding Norris, Schumacher acknowledged the McLaren driver's remarkable consistency and improvement, particularly in qualifying—a previous weakness. "He was over 30 points behind his teammate in the season, but he stepped on the gas, caught up, and was consistent. He always delivered when it counted."
• He conceded that Norris benefited from Red Bull's "weak phase" but emphasized that the champion earned his title through clear personal progress.

The big picture:

Schumacher's commentary highlights how modern F1 championships are won through a fragile alchemy of driver skill, team operational excellence, and technical reliability. Verstappen's perceived superiority in raw performance was negated by organizational instability, while Norris's growth and McLaren's operational strength delivered the crucial points. Furthermore, Schumacher expressed appreciation for Norris representing a new, more openly vulnerable generation of drivers, which he sees as a positive shift for the sport's culture. The 2025 season ultimately serves as a case study in how the 'best' driver and the champion are not always synonymous, with team dynamics often writing the final story.