Ranking The 5 Best F1 Grand Prix Races Of 2025

Throughout 2025, there have been 24 races of varying quality that eventually saw McLaren driver Lando Norris win his first Formula One Drivers' Championship in the final race at Abu Dhabi.

Max Verstappen overcame a deficit of over 100 points at the midseason mark to pressure Norris all the way until the end, while Oscar Piastri was not able to capitalize on early-season momentum.

With that said, what were the peaks in terms of in-season drama on track? Here are the top five races of the 2025 F1 season.

5. Dutch Grand Prix

Isack Hadjar picked up his first podium only 15 races into his career. | Red Bull Content Pool

Oscar Piastri held a nine-point advantage entering the Dutch Grand Prix over McLaren teammate Lando Norris, and by the end of the race, it seemed the young Aussie was in an even more ideal situation to claim a championship come the end of the year.

Norris and Verstappen traded positions and fought for second at the start of the race, while Lewis Hamilton's crash on Lap 22 significantly hampered the race of Charles Leclerc, who had pitted only moments earlier, and brought out the safety car.

Mid-race saw a clash between the duo of Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson, before more drama emerged as a feisty move from Kimi Antonelli took out Charles Leclerc, bringing out the safety car again.

With only seven laps to go, Lando Norris succumbed to an engine issue from second place on the grid, and his teammate's win turned a nine-point gap into 34.

Norris' retirement led to a truly great moment when the race was all said and done. And Isack Hadjar's quietly brilliant race earned him a debut podium in his rookie season.

4. Las Vegas Grand Prix

McLaren collectively lost 30 points at the Las Vegas Grand Prix thanks to their unfortunate double disqualification. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

While the drama around the Las Vegas Grand Prix was less about the live race and more about what happened after, there were still some strong showings in the race, including an impressive third-place finish for Kimi Antonelli after qualifying 17th and Max Verstappen cruising to victory 23 seconds ahead of George Russell.

The real chaos was after: both the McLarens of Norris and Piastri, who finished second and fourth, were disqualified for excessive skid wear after car inspections concluded, which dramatically helped Verstappen in the drivers' standings, putting the Dutchman joint on points with Piastri and 24 points behind Norris with three races to go.

3. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lando Norris won McLaren their first Drivers' title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. | McLaren Racing

Maybe F1's final race of 2025 did not deliver in a traditional way, but a long season culminating in a three-way battle on the final Sunday of the calendar was always going to have viewers thinking 'what if?'

Norris could only finish third at Yas Marina, but was able to fend off Charles Leclerc in fourth to maintain the two-point gap between him and Verstappen, with the latter having a fairly untroubled path to victory — his seventh win of the year.

This race meant we saw the first new F1 champion in four years, with Norris' emotional interactions with his team and parents being a sweet cap-off to the 2025 season.

2. São Paulo Grand Prix

Max Verstappen gained sixteen positions on the way to his podium finish in Brazil. | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

A weekend that started well, with a shocking sprint race that saw big crashes for Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli, delivered on Sunday as well.

An opening period safety car brought out thanks to an incident between Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz saw the former's retirement midway through the race, and immediately on restart, a three-car collision occurred between Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc, with the Ferrari unable to continue.

The top two qualifiers, Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli, would both finish first and second respectively come the chequered flag — Mercedes' Italian youngster was rapid, being a clear standout in what was a great race.

Max Verstappen, however, was the real highlight, as the 28-year-old turned a pit-lane start into a third-placed finish, carving his way through the grid to fourth and gaining a further position thanks to a 10-second penalty for Oscar Piastri.

1. British Grand Prix

Nico Hülkenberg took a risk joining Audi from Haas at the start of 2025, but a first career podium made it all worth it. | Andy Hone | Press Stake F1 Team

While a strong start for Max Verstappen might have had fans thinking that he would cruise to a routine win, it was not so simple.

Verstappen's tire choice, being the intermediates, overheated in wet conditions, and meant that both McLarens were able to get the best of him on Lap 8, thanks to a rare off-track mistake from the four-time champion.

Weather conditions meant that the safety car came out on Lap 14, but the restart was more intense than anyone could have expected. Not only did Piastri seemingly brake-check Verstappen, but the latter also made yet another error only moments later, spinning his way into 10th.

Piastri served a five-second penalty for the restart, giving teammate Norris the lead, while the chaotic weather and numerous pitstops eventually meant that Nico Hülkenberg was all the way up in third, having gained 16 positions to get there.

Shockingly, the German held on to his position, meaning that the veteran, now deep into his 30's, managed to obtain his first ever podium, having taken part in 238 Grands Prix, cementing his place in the heart of F1 fans all over the world.

Norris claimed victory, with McLaren picking up their first win at Silverstone since 2009, while Verstappen was unable to claw his way back into a podium position, finishing fifth.

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