Verstappen Crowned Best of 2025, Hamilton Named Biggest Disappointment in Season Review

Max Verstappen has been named the best driver of the 2025 Formula 1 season, while Lewis Hamilton was judged the campaign's biggest disappointment in a comprehensive season review by the RacingNews365 podcast team.

Why it matters:

These assessments from seasoned F1 analysts provide a distilled, expert perspective on a season's key narratives. Labeling a seven-time world champion like Hamilton as the year's biggest letdown underscores the immense pressure and scrutiny faced by top drivers, even in a competitive midfield car, and highlights how driver performance is measured against expectations as much as raw results.

The details:

The RacingNews365 podcast, featuring analysts Ian Parkes, Sam Coop, and Nick Golding, delivered its verdict on the 2025 season.

• Driver of the Year: Max Verstappen secured the top accolade, reinforcing his status as the sport's benchmark performer.
• Biggest Disappointment: Lewis Hamilton received this label, a significant critique of a driver of his historic caliber.
• Most Improved Driver: The panel also identified the driver they believed made the most significant progress over the course of the season.
• The review covered a broader range of crucial questions beyond these individual awards, dissecting team performances, strategic trends, and the overall competitive landscape.

The big picture:

Such post-season analyses are pivotal for framing the narrative arc of an F1 year. They solidify front-runners' legacies, like Verstappen's continued dominance, while critically examining where stars like Hamilton failed to meet the lofty standards they've set. These discussions set the stage for the upcoming winter, influencing fan debate and shaping storylines about redemption, pressure, and form heading into the next championship battle. The designation of a 'most improved' driver also shines a light on positive development stories that may have been overshadowed by the title fight.