Verstappen Leads 2025 in Average Finishing Position, Despite Title Loss
Despite losing the 2025 title, Max Verstappen recorded the season's best average finishing position, showcasing a consistency that even outpaced champion Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate.
Max Verstappen may have lost the 2025 drivers' championship, but a deeper look at the stats reveals he was the season's most consistent driver. The four-time world champion posted the best average finishing position of 3.67, the only driver to average better than fourth. Remarkably, newly crowned champion Lando Norris didn't even claim second place in this metric, finishing third behind his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri.
Why it matters:
Average finishing position is a key indicator of a driver's raw pace and consistency throughout a season, often revealing strengths that the championship standings might obscure. For Verstappen, this metric underscores his fundamentally strong performance in 2025, suggesting his title loss was more a result of specific circumstances rather than a lack of overall speed. It also provides a fascinating look at team dynamics, like the tight battle at McLaren and the clear pecking order at Ferrari.
By the numbers:
- Max Verstappen: Led the field with a 3.67 average finish, the only driver under 4.0.
- McLaren battle: Oscar Piastri (4.21) narrowly edged out champion Lando Norris (4.25) for second place.
- Mercedes & Ferrari: George Russell was a close fourth (4.54), while Charles Leclerc's 6.75 average was significantly better than teammate Lewis Hamilton's 8.5.
- Rookie watch: Kimi Antonelli was the only other driver to average inside the top 10, placing seventh with a 9.83 average.
- The bottom: Alpine's season struggles were reflected here, with Pierre Gasly (14.58), Franco Colapinto (16.06), and Jack Doohan (16.33) occupying the bottom three spots.
The big picture:
These statistics paint a picture of a highly competitive 2025 season where the championship battle didn't tell the whole story. Verstappen's consistency proves Red Bull's package remained a force, while the razor-thin margin between Piastri and Norris sets up an intense intra-team rivalry for 2026. At Ferrari, Leclerc's clear advantage over Hamilton establishes a clear team leader, and for Alpine, the numbers confirm a complete overhaul is needed to become competitive again.