As Formula 1‘s summer break rolls on, who have been the best performers so far and who needs to improve once cars return to racing at Zandvoort?
1) Charles Leclerc – 8.25
Charles Leclerc dragging a troubled car to results greater than it deserves has been a common theme during his Ferrari career, and 2025 has been no different.
The SF-25 has been another disappointing product for Maranello as Ferrari opted to change 99 per cent of the car after its strong end to the previous campaign.
Despite this, Leclerc has been a standout, collecting five podiums and a shock pole position in Hungary, while outracing Lewis Hamilton on all but two occasions.
2) Max Verstappen – 8.19
Up against the almost invulnerable McLaren duo, Max Verstappen produced some fine performances to put in an early bid for a fifth consecutive World title.
Verstappen dispelled the notion that his success was down to having the best package with a mesmeric pole lap in Suzuka, while he also prevailed at Imola.
However, as the season has gone on, Red Bull’s deficit to McLaren has continued to grow, and the reality is that the championship is essentially out of reach.
3) George Russell: 8.14
George Russell has ensured Mercedes hasn’t missed Lewis Hamilton’s presence as the experienced head in the team as he has thrived since stepping up to the void.
A fabulous victory from pole in Canada and five other visits to the rostrum place Russell a safe fourth in the championship, maximising what he can from the W16.
4) Oscar Piastri: 7.89
Oscar Piastri has had an incredibly consistent 2025 to date, and has been rewarded with a slim nine-point championship lead over Lando Norris going into the break.
The Australian is the sole driver on the grid to have scored points at each weekend, which has been vital in a season where his team-mate has been up and down.
5) Lando Norris: 7.5
Despite being arguably the quicker McLaren driver, some costly mistakes have made the difference between Norris and team-mate Piastri.
Key mistakes from the Briton in Saudi Arabia, Canada and Belgium have left Norris with a nine-point gap to his less-experienced stablemate.
Norris finished went into the summer break strong with a terrific gamble on the one stop to claim victory in Budapest from third on the grid.
The championship is still wide open between the two McLarens, but Norris needs to clean up his mistakes if he is to win a maiden championship.
6) Alex Albon: 7.42
Alex Albon has spearheaded Williams’ strong start to the season and has consistently been the number one driver for the Grove-based squad.
The Anglo-Thai driver has four top-six finishes so far in 2025 and has 54 points to his name, the most he’s scored since 2020 with Red Bull.
In a highly competitive midfield scrap, Albon has been a key reason for Williams’ impressive rise to fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.
7) Fernando Alonso: 7.14
Despite a crash in the season opener down under in Melbourne, the oldest driver on the grid has still shown why he’s a two-time World Champion.
Aston Martin is yet to return to the highs of 2023, but recent developments have pushed the team back towards the front as Alonso took a first top-five finish in over a year in Hungary.
The Spaniard is still the figurehead of the Aston Martin setup and will want to end the season strong before an exciting prospect of driving an Adrian Newey-designed car for F1’s new era.
8) Nico Hulkenberg: 6.92
After a wait of 239 races, 2025 has been the season in which Nico Hulkenberg finally stood on an F1 podium.
The German has been a solid points scorer for a revitalised Sauber team and took his maiden podium after a wet-weather masterclass at the British Grand Prix.
Despite being the third-oldest driver on the grid, Hulkenberg has shown he can still mix it with the best, capitalising on Sauber’s resurgence in competitiveness.
9) Isack Hadjar: 6.92
Isack Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, has made the step up to F1 with ease and has been the best rookie so far this season.
The Frenchman put a crash on the formation lap in Australia behind him quickly to become a consistent points scorer for Racing Bulls.
While recent results have slipped somewhat, Hadjar has been the strongest Red Bull-backed driver after Verstappen in 2025 and is putting himself on the radar for a potential promotion.
10) Pierre Gasly: 6.8
Pierre Gasly has almost singlehandedly carried Alpine during this campaign, as the Anglo-French squad has struggled once again.
Gasly has made seven Q3 appearances in a car stuck to the bottom of the standings, and his 20 points are the only thing keeping the Enstone-based team within reach of the rest of the grid.
READ MORE – Why McLaren envisages renewed Ferrari F1 challenge across remaining 2025 races
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