{"id":80978,"date":"2025-08-19T22:41:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T22:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/80978\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T22:41:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T22:41:15","slug":"mclaren-stars-shockingly-miss-out-on-no1-spot-2025-f1-mid-season-driver-ratings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/80978\/","title":{"rendered":"McLaren stars shockingly miss out on No1 spot | 2025 F1 mid-season driver ratings"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re 14 races into an enthralling 2025 F1 season.<\/p>\n

The title battle is finely poised between the two McLaren drivers with 10 rounds to go.<\/p>\n

Which driver has performed best so far this season? And who has work to do after the summer break?<\/p>\n

Here are Crash.net<\/a>\u2019s mid-season driver ratings\u2026<\/p>\n

The calculated rating is based on the race-by-race driver rating articles produced after each race weekend.<\/p>\n

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21) Jack Doohan \u2013 5.33<\/p>\n

The writing was on the wall for Jack Doohan<\/a> when Franco Colapinto <\/a>was announced as Alpine\u2019s test and reserve driver for the campaign. Despite the immediate pressure Doohan was placed under, he didn\u2019t disgrace himself. The problem for Doohan was that he was involved in several needless incidents and couldn\u2019t secure a standout result to ease the pressure on him.<\/p>\n

20) Yuki Tsunoda \u2013 5.54<\/p>\n

Yuki Tsunoda<\/a> only escaped last spot in our mid-season rankings due to his two races with Racing Bulls at the start of the year. Generally, Tsunoda has been nowhere relative to Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen<\/a>. In his defence, now the disparity in upgrades has been corrected slightly, Tsunoda has looked immediately more competitive.<\/p>\n

19) Franco Colapinto \u2013 5.79<\/p>\n

Colapinto has been incredibly underwhelming since returning to the grid with Alpine. It can be easily argued that Colapinto hasn\u2019t been an upgrade on Doohan whatsoever. Granted, the Alpine has often been the slowest car on the grid, but in the hands of Pierre Gasly<\/a> it has scored 20 points. Given how impressive Colapinto was alongside Alex Albon<\/a> last year, more was expected.<\/p>\n

\"Franco <\/p>\n

Franco Colapinto<\/p>\n

18) Liam Lawson \u2013 5.85<\/p>\n

Liam Lawson has slowly turned his season around after a miserable opening few rounds. His return to Racing Bulls didn\u2019t signify an immediate upturn in form. However, since Monaco, Lawson has been impressive with several top-10 finishes.<\/p>\n

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17) Lance Stroll \u2013 6.12<\/p>\n

Lance Stroll is level on points with Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso in the F1 drivers\u2019 championship \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t tell the whole story. Stroll has capitalised on chaotic races, scoring big in Australia and China. However, on pure performance, it\u2019s been a typical Stroll season.<\/p>\n

16) Kimi Antonelli \u2013 6.39<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a topsy-turvy rookie campaign for Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes. There have been a few highs, such as his sprint performance in Miami and his maiden podium in Montreal. However, Antonelli is viewed as a \u2018generational talent\u2019 and was handed an unprecedented amount of testing. Antonelli has generally been disappointing so far.<\/p>\n

15) Gabriel Bortoleto \u2013 6.57<\/p>\n

15th in our mid-season driver rankings doesn\u2019t do Gabriel Bortoleto\u2019s season justice. He\u2019s been more than a match for veteran teammate Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying. In the last four rounds, Bortoleto has capitalised on his strong qualifying displays to come away with big points hauls. One to watch in the second half of the year.<\/p>\n

14) Carlos Sainz \u2013 6.63<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that Carlos Sainz <\/a>has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season so far. Alex Albon has enjoyed a comfortable advantage over the Spaniard. Even if luck hasn\u2019t necessarily been on Sainz\u2019s side, explaining the significant points gap between the pair, more was expected.<\/p>\n

\"Carlos <\/p>\n

Carlos Sainz, Williams<\/p>\n

\u00a9\u00a0XPB Images<\/p>\n

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13) Ollie Bearman \u2013 6.79<\/p>\n

Ollie Bearman\u2019s outright speed is undeniable but he\u2019s struggled to convert it into clean weekends. Unlike teammate Esteban Ocon, Bearman\u2019s execution still needs work. However, Bearman\u2019s pace means it\u2019s a matter of time before he begins to get the upper hand at Haas.<\/p>\n

12) Lewis Hamilton \u2013 6.89<\/p>\n

Based on our mid-season ranking, 2025 has been Lewis Hamilton<\/a>\u2019s worst season in F1. He\u2019s on track to become the first Ferrari driver since 2014 (Kimi Raikkonen) not to finish on the podium in a grand prix. Hamilton has been poor. Even though he\u2019s reduced the deficit to Charles Leclerc in qualifying over the last eight races, we\u2019ve yet to see any real magic from the seven-time world champion on race day.<\/p>\n

11) Isack Hadjar \u2013 7.07<\/p>\n

Isack Hadjar is widely regarded as the rookie of the season so far. His position in our mid-season ratings is mainly due to his low score at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Without it, he\u2019d be comfortably in seventh place, which is a fairer reflection of his overall form in 2025.<\/p>\n

10) Fernando Alonso \u2013 7.11<\/p>\n

After a slow start to the year, amid Aston Martin\u2019s poor performance level, Alonso has found his form again to break into the top 10 of our mid-season ranking. The Spaniard has yet to be out-qualified by teammate Stroll in 2025, leading the way 14-0 on Saturdays. Despite this dominance, the pair are level on points in the drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n

9) Pierre Gasly \u2013 7.11<\/p>\n

Gasly continues to be one of the most dependable and consistent drivers in F1\u2019s midfield. He\u2019s scored 100 per cent of Alpine\u2019s points this year and remains their only positive.<\/p>\n

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8) Esteban Ocon \u2013 7.14<\/p>\n

Ocon has bagged 27 of Haas\u2019 35 points in F1 2025. In pure performance terms, teammate Bearman has had a slight edge. However, when big points have been on the table, Ocon has capitalised. The Frenchman will be pleased with how he has adapted at Haas after a winter move from Alpine.<\/p>\n

\"Esteban <\/p>\n

Esteban Ocon, Haas<\/p>\n

\u00a9\u00a0XPB Images<\/p>\n

7) Nico Hulkenberg \u2013 7.14<\/p>\n

Hulkenberg\u2019s long wait for a first F1 podium finally came to an end at the British Grand Prix, earning him a perfect 10 rating. Unlike during his Haas years, Hulkenberg has saved his best performances for Sunday afternoons. He trails Bortoleto in the qualifying head-to-head, which suggests there\u2019s still more to come.<\/p>\n

6) Lando Norris \u2013 7.46<\/p>\n

Lando Norris <\/a>sits just nine points off teammate Oscar Piastri in the race for this year\u2019s F1 world title. Unfortunately for Norris, it\u2019s been his worst season in F1 since 2020. The early part of the year was littered with mistakes, such as an error-strewn weekend in Bahrain. Norris\u2019 advantage over Piastri has evaporated compared to last year. It\u2019s been a poor season by his own high standards since 2021.<\/p>\n

5) Alex Albon \u2013 7.68<\/p>\n

Albon has been F1\u2019s standout performer in the midfield. The Thai driver has scored 54 of Williams\u2019 70 points this season. It\u2019s easy to forget that there were doubts around Albon after Colapinto\u2019s impressive short stint with the team at the back end of last year. Albon has risen to the challenge of Sainz\u2019s arrival spectacularly and has shown he\u2019s deserving of another chance at a top team.<\/p>\n

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4) Oscar Piastri \u2013 8.07<\/p>\n

Piastri has made a notable step forward over the winter. His performances across the board have improved. Unfortunately for him, he\u2019s only nine points ahead of his teammate in the championship standings despite generally out-performing him.<\/p>\n

\"Max <\/p>\n

Max Verstappen and George Russell<\/p>\n

\u00a9\u00a0XPB Images<\/p>\n

3) George Russell \u2013 8.32<\/p>\n

You can make a case that any of the top three drivers have been the best performer on the 2025 F1 grid so far. George Russell is one of them. Russell has been incredibly consistent, maximising the majority of weekends this season. Following Hamilton\u2019s departure, Russell has stepped up again and shown he\u2019s capable of leading Mercedes to F1 world titles in the future. A fine campaign for the Briton.<\/p>\n

2) Max Verstappen \u2013 8.32<\/p>\n

Verstappen has once again been close to his very best in F1 2025. His drives in Japan and Imola showed why he\u2019s one of the greatest drivers of all time. Verstappen\u2019s moment of rage in Barcelona ultimately cost him top spot.<\/p>\n

1) Charles Leclerc \u2013 8.36<\/p>\n

Leclerc tops our mid-season F1 driver ratings. The Monegasque has enjoyed a comfortable edge over Hamilton, leading him 10-4 in the qualifying head-to-head. Despite Leclerc\u2019s qualifying prowess, his race drives remain criminally underrated. He has scored all five of Ferrari\u2019s podiums this year and delivered a devastating pole lap at the Hungaroring. Leclerc has been far from perfect, though, with the British Grand Prix arguably the worst of his Ferrari career so far.<\/p>\n

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