A take a look at the winners and losers within the 2025 System One season which got here to a tense finish on Sunday with Lando Norris profitable the three-way title showdown in Abu Dhabi.
WINNERS
Norris: boyhood dream
Lando Norris had been dreaming of profitable the world championship since he was 5 and eventually fulfilled that dream 21 years later.
Scrappy at occasions in the course of the season when many questioned his internal power, the McLaren driver bounced again to win seven races, muscle previous his team-mate Oscar Piastri and do sufficient sufficient to carry off a rampaging Max Verstappen.
He was fast and, in the long run, he was gutsy. And a champion.
For McLaren, this was their thirteenth driver’s title and their first since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Additionally they galloped to the constructors title for the second yr working.
Rookie fashion
Of the six rookies who began the 2025 season, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli had essentially the most eye-catching yr, his dash pole in Miami making him the youngest ever pole-sitter in F1 historical past at simply 18 years and 251 days previous.
Isack Hadjar, who solely turned 21 in September, scored 10 top-10 finishes, together with his first podium when third within the Netherlands, and earned himself promotion from Pink Bull’s junior crew Racing Bulls to a seat alongside Verstappen within the senior crew.
Max Verstappen: All-time nice
Though he didn’t win a fifth successive title, Verstappen enhanced his repute with a staggering lone battle in opposition to the McLarens of Piastri and Norris.
With an inferior automobile, the Dutchman scrapped and fought and on events merely outsmarted his rivals.
He wrote himself out of the title race when he trailed by over 100 factors and but he almost snuck it in Abu Dhabi and ended the season with eight wins, greater than both of his rivals.
He additionally grew to become a father in Might which can be his biggest triumph in 2025.
System One
Odd one this however the sport itself has had a growth yr, helped by the Netflix actuality collection ‘Drive to Survive’ and the discharge in June of the Brad Pitt automobile ‘F1 The Film’.
The film, which has Lewis Hamilton as a co-producer, roared on to screens and has already taken over $600 million on the field workplace, making it the most important grossing film of Pitt’s stellar profession.
LOSERS
Lewis Hamilton & Ferrari
Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes and transfer to Ferrari was met with shock. Ultimately, though it promised a lot, it delivered little.
The seven-time world champion completed sixth within the title race however for the primary time in his profession did not make the rostrum. His dash win in China was no comfort.
Hamilton was seldom pleased along with his automobile and was at one level informed to “discuss much less, drive extra” by Ferrari F1 chairman John Elkann.
The Scuderia completed fourth within the standings with out a single win or second-place.
Poisoned chalice
Whereas Verstappen has been excellent, the function of his quantity two at Pink Bull has changing into an more and more uncomfortable seat.
Afer Sergio Perez was dispatched, Liam Lawson began the season as Verstappen’s sidekick however lasted simply two races earlier than being demoted to Racing Bulls with the extra skilled Yuki Tsunoda stepping up.
It ought to have been a breakthrough second for the Japanese driver however he posted simply seven top-10 finishes and by no means threatened the rostrum, finally dropping his seat to Hadjar.
Christian Horner within the nook
From the second that accusations of sexual misconduct (which he denied) had been made in opposition to Christian Horner in 2024, Pink Bull gave the impression to be floundering.
They closed that season on an ebb and Verstappen received simply two of the primary 12 races in 2025 as they appeared to cede the titles to McLaren.
With discuss of a Verstappen transfer getting louder, Horner was changed as crew principal in July by Laurent Mekies.
The temper lightened, outcomes improved and Verstappen got here inside a gnat’s whisker of profitable a fifth successive title.
After 20 years in cost, Horner acquired a pay-out within the area of £75 million and has been linked with a return to F1.
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
