Ranking The 10 Best F1 Drivers Of 2025

Lando Norris emerged from the 2025 Formula 1 world championship with a maiden drivers' title after a season-long, rollercoaster battle with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and eventual runner-up Max Verstappen.

The Briton finished just two points ahead of Red Bull's Verstappen to bring an end to four consecutive years of dominance from the Dutchman.

But there were plenty of other stories across the season with highlights across the field. Here then, is Grand Prix on SI's top 10 drivers of the 2025 F1 season.

10. Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin — Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team

Age may not be a factor when your name is Fernando Alonso, as he consistently pulled the Aston Martin to heights it perhaps shouldn't have reached.

The two-time world champion out-qualified teammate Lance Stroll on all but one occasion, and though the car wasn't always competitive, Alonso often made the most of weekends where it was on form.

Alonso never had a stellar, eye-catching weekend, though, which is why he is scored just inside the top 10.

9. Pierre Gasly

Alpine's season was nothing short of miserable, but that didn't stop Pierre Gasly from shining.

Our #10 💙 🤍 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wWLskhDOWa
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) December 17, 2025

Somehow, the Frenchman scored 22 points in 2025. The feat is even more impressive when noting Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto did not record a top-10 finish.

The genius of Gasly's performances was highlighted by the fact that he dragged the Alpine to Q3 on 11 occasions, arguably 11 more times than the car deserved. Like many, Gasly just needs to be given the machinery to properly show off his talents.

8. Alex Albon

Albon could not add to his teammate's points haul, but was credited by his team principal on the strategy front. — Atlassian Williams Racing

Sainz's teammate Alex Albon had a brilliant start to the season - a start that ensured he would finish above the Spaniard in the drivers' standings.

There were seven points finishes in the opening third of the campaign, a run of form which was the spearhead for Williams' stunning run to fifth in the constructors' championship.

But as Sainz's form improved, Albon struggled and would take just three points in the final eight races. That's why he falls behind his teammate here.

7. Carlos Sainz

It may have taken Carlos Sainz some time to warm to his new surroundings at Williams, but when he had settled in nicely, his performances shone.

Much of the first half of the season was underscored by bad luck and driver error, but post-summer break, Sainz showed his class.

Podiums in Azerbaijan and Qatar came on merit, but his consistency during this period was what was most impressive. Sainz is definitely one to watch in 2026.

6. Isack Hadjar

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls — Red Bull Content Pool

One of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent memory saw Isack Hadjar raise eyebrows enough for promotion to Red Bull for 2026.

It was a disastrous baptism for Hadjar, crashing out of the Australian Grand Prix before the race had even started. But his response to that heartache was stunning.

A podium at Zandvoort came from Norris' late retirement, though his performance to keep up with the top three for the entirety of the race cannot be ignored. While his qualifying runs through the year were exceptional, only the top five in the standings escaped Q1 elimination on more occasions.

He comfortably outperformed Lawson across the season and thoroughly deserves his call-up to become Verstappen's teammate.

5. Oscar Piastri

Piastri ended up third in a two-horse race, which goes a long way to explaining why he ranks fifth here.

Another impressive season for Oscar 💪#McLaren pic.twitter.com/6ed5hlOz9s
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) December 12, 2025

For the first 14 races, Piastri was pure class. He was unshakable, and his error at the British Grand Prix that cost him victory could be argued as a harsh ruling by the race stewards.

But to slump so dramatically after taking a 34-point gap with 10 rounds remaining, triggered by two crashes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and followed by a podium-less run until the penultimate race in Qatar, was unforeseen and one that could trigger a sliding doors moment for the Australian.

Will this make or break him?

4. Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc was able to capture his joint best finish of the year, second, at his home race - the Monaco Grand Prix. — Scuderia Ferrari

One of the moments of the season came when Charles Leclerc took a sensational pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, and that this is an incredible feat shows just how difficult the Ferrari was to drive this year.

The fact that he secured seven podiums when the McLarens, Verstappen, and George Russell were so strong underlines just how good a job Leclerc did, scoring almost 100 points more than new teammate Lewis Hamilton.

It was a strong year for Leclerc in disastrous circumstances. Can Ferrari provide the goods next year?

3. Lando Norris

Lando Norris, McLaren, Abu Dhabi 2025 — McLaren Racing

It may seem strange for the world champion not to be number one in the list, but, given McLaren's dominance, just a two-point championship victory over Verstappen highlights some of Norris' struggles.

He was his own worst enemy for much of the first half of the season and it looked as though he would be teammate Piastri's bridesmaid in the championship.

The second half of the season was good enough to shoot to the top of these standings, and Norris will only get better because of this term.

2. George Russell

Arguably Russell's best season in F1, the Mercedes driver was easily the best of the rest.

GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSELL, THAT WAS SENSATIONAL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/a980kT9DFT
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 5, 2025

Two race wins came in Canada and Singapore, both of which were dominant and ensured he was the only driver to take a victory other than Verstappen and the McLarens. In fact, he was the only driver who came close to disrupting that monopoly.

Russell takes his spot in second due to his consistently high performances across the season, with little to no mistakes during the 24-race calendar. If given the machinery, a world title looks likely for the Briton.

1. Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen, Red Bull | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen's story is the opposite of Piastri's: he finished second in a two-horse race that didn't concern him, missing out on the title by just two points.

The four-time world champion won more races than anyone [eight] despite Red Bull's struggles for much of the season.

This was all while Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda struggled in the second seat alongside him, as Verstappen scored 421 of Red Bull's 451 points across the entire season. That he was in the title hunt after the first half of the season is testament to his ability at the wheel of a racing car.

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