It seems that there is nothing special, but the list seemed interesting enough to make a translation of the material with explanations from journalists.
Still, I wonder why the champion Lando Norris didn’t even make the top 3 best drivers of 2025.
The best pilots of the 2025 season
1. Max Verstappen
Wins: 8
Podiums: 15
Total score: 2
Qualifiers against partner: 24:0 (Lawson, Tsunoda)
“We showed them again who’s boss here.” These were the words of Max Verstappen in a radio exchange with his engineer after the victory in Abu Dhabi. Yes, Max did not win a fifth title in a row and lost to Lando Norris by two points, but he produced an incredible season finale that showed all his overall class compared to the competition.
In the summer, Verstappen was eliminated from the championship race, but he did everything to return to them, showing his level at every opportunity.
Verstappen’s season was almost perfect, with the exception of the Barcelona race when he crashed into George Russell. Perhaps the penalty for this incident and a 10th place finish cost Verstappen the title.
Fans will remember the 2025 season as one where one of the most incredible comebacks in F-1 history almost happened.
2. George Russell
Wins: 2
Podiums: 9
Total score: 4
Qualification against partner: 21:3 (Antonelli)
“He doesn’t do anything, he’s always just third.” This meme became popular among F1 fans at the start of the season, when Russell regularly finished on the podium behind the McLarens. But the Briton’s performances during the year strengthened his status as a pilot who is already ready to become a champion. The Mercedes car did not allow to fight with the favorites, but George was always there and won two races.
Russell once again proved that he remains among the top F-1 drivers, he has “championship material”. He just needs a car that can help him fight for the title.
3. Charles Leclerc
Wins: 0
Podiums: 7
Total score: 5
Qualification against partner: 19:5 (Hamilton)
Ferrari created hype and raised expectations before the season, but could not live up to them. The car was often only 4-5 fastest, but Charles made the most of it and finished on the podium seven times. His teammate Lewis Hamilton ended the year without podiums and completely lost the fight in the qualifications.
Ferrari stopped updating the car in April, but Leclerc still gave more and more even in moments when the team showed weakness. It was a strong season from him.
Charles goes on vacation with a feeling of a job well done.
4. Lando Norris
Wins: 7
Podiums: 18
Total score: 1
Qualification against partner: 13:11 (Piastri)
Became the champion – and only the 4th place in the rating? It may sound strange, but there are reasons why the champion was not the best when all factors are considered.
Let’s start with the good: Lando is a champion. He did the right thing in the most important part of the season, when he dominated in Mexico and Brazil, he got the job done right in Abu Dhabi. There were also difficult moments: accidents in Jeddah and Canada, problems in Baku and difficulties in fighting with a partner for most of the season.
Is there room for progress? Definitely. Norris can still progress and raise the bar of his performances again. He proved that he can do it.
5. Oscar Piastri
Wins: 7
Podiums: 16
Total score: 3
Qualification against partner: 11:13 (Norris)
Oscar has been on fire for most of the season and led our ranking of the best drivers during the summer break. He had a minimum of mistakes and a maximum of correct decisions, which made you think: he is a champion. Piastre led most of the championship, losing first place only to Mexico.
Piastre’s last win came in the Netherlands, followed by a series of bad weekends with a lot of mistakes. While Norris and Verstappen reached their peak, and Oscar himself lost his title.
And he even dropped to the third step of the general standings. And yet Piastri showed that he has the makings of a champion.
6. Fernando Alonso
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Total score: 10
Qualification against partner: 24:0 (Stroll)
To use modern terminology, Alonso showed that “grandfather is still in order.” Aston Martin remained mediocre, but Alonso produced some excellent performances. The 44-year-old driver still hasn’t lost his energy, even though he hasn’t had a fast car for most of the season.
Alonso finished more than half of the season’s qualifiers in the top 10 and destroyed teammate Lance Stroll 24-0 in all qualifying races. Fernando had almost no failures or “quiet” Grand Prix. In the new season, Aston Martin will have a chance, given the changes in the technical regulations.
No one knows what the team’s car will be like, but one thing is known: Alonso remains a top driver who gives all his strength on the track.
7. Carlos Sainz
Wins: 0
Podiums: 2
Total score: 9
Qualification against partner: 15:9 (Albon)
It took the Spaniard time to get used to the Williams car after switching from Ferrari. In the first part of the season, Sainz had problems, mistakes and accidents. However, in the second half of the championship, Carlos took away the status of the team leader from his partner Alex Albon and twice finished on the podium, including in Qatar on a track that was inconvenient for the Williams car.
The team is clearly progressing, but the 2026 season will start with a clean slate for all participants. And yet Carlos, leaving Ferrari, showed that he can become the leader of a strong F-1 team.
8. Isak Hajar
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Total credit: 12
Qualifications vs. partner: 16:6 (Tsunoda, Lawson)
Hajjar’s debut season in Formula 1 started disastrously: an accident on the warm-up lap of the first race in Australia. Even Anthony Hamilton, Lewis’s father, reassured the driver. After that, however, Isaac’s season just got better and better. After two races, he already scored the first points, and in the Netherlands he won the first podium, becoming the youngest Frenchman in the history of F-1, who managed to finish in the top 3.
The statistics in the qualifications are also impressive: in the car of the middle-class team, Khadjar was in the top 10 16 times and was eliminated only once in the first segment.
All this was enough to earn a transfer to Red Bull for the 2026 season, where Isak will become Verstappen’s partner.
9. Oliver Berman
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Total score: 13
Qualification against partner: 14:10 (Okon)
F1 fans knew that Berman could be a fast pilot. Haas had car issues, but Berman mostly avoided rookie mistakes and delivered when needed. Oliver significantly improved his results after the summer break: this was especially evident in Mexico, where he finished fourth and could even claim a podium. Repeating the best result in the history of the team.
Ollie scored 41 points, but 35 of them came in the second half of the season. In the qualifiers, Berman beat the much more experienced Esteban Ocon 14:10.
In 2025, only the pilot confirmed the positive trajectory of his career.
10. Pierre Gasly
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Total credit: 15
Qualification against partner: 16:6 (Duane, Colapinto)
The French pilot had great limitations because of the car. Alpin’s weak machine, which was hardly updated during the year, did not prevent Gasly from showing the level. Very often the driver finished much higher than he should have, and this demonstrated the pilot’s class.
The top performance of the season came at Silverstone, where he finished sixth on a wet track. In qualifying, Pierre was in the top 10 11 times – more than Albon, Tsunoda, Lawson and Berman.
It was a difficult season for Alpin, because all efforts are focused on 2026 and the new regulations. If Gasly maintains his level, and Alpin improves the car even a little, then the 6th place will not be the maximum for the Frenchman.
Translated by Sport.ua
Source: sport.ua