As Formula 1 takes a breather during its traditional summer break, now feels like the ideal time to reflect on a busy first half of the campaign. We asked our writers Lawrence Barretto, Chris Medland, James Hinchcliffe and David Tremayne to give us their take on the season so far, as well as sharing some bold predictions for what might happen during the second half\u2026<\/p>\n
What was the best race of the season so far?<\/p>\n
Lawrence Barretto (F1 Correspondent & Presenter): Lewis Hamilton<\/a>\u2019s first Grand Prix win for Ferrari<\/a> in Barcelona was a stunner. It had tension, jeopardy and some superb strategy from the Italian team in addition to the seven-time World Champion\u2019s supreme pace. It gave us one of the feel-good moments of the year.<\/p>\n Chris Medland (Special Contributor): Probably a tough call between Canada and Barcelona here, given Canada had the extra action of a Sprint that involved the Mercedes<\/a> drivers fighting each other hard. We\u2019ve had lots of races with great spells and moments in them, but those two either had the tension at the front, or some exciting strategy playing out. I\u2019ll go with Barcelona, because it was also the first time Mercedes were beaten on a Sunday, and Lewis Hamilton\u2019s first win for Ferrari was a big moment.<\/p>\n James Hinchcliffe (IndyCar Race Winner and Analyst): For me the standout race so far was Barcelona. Lewis Hamilton returning to the top step of the podium, for the first time in scarlet, was such a historic moment. It\u2019s been great in general seeing Lewis back to his old form, and he was masterful that day. After all the lows of 2025, seeing the hard work from the team and from himself personally pay off was tremendous. And he did it in style, too! Ferrari went bold on strategy, the race was on from the get-go, the Mercedes pair dicing, late retirement for the championship leader\u2026 it had a little bit of everything!<\/p>\n David Tremayne (Hall of Fame F1 Journalist): I\u2019ve enjoyed all of them, and especially witnessing the emergence of Kimi Antonelli<\/a> as Italy\u2019s best hope for a title since Alberto Ascari. As a dyed-in-the-wool romantic with a passion for the sport\u2019s history, I\u2019m loving all that. But on a purely personal level I hated seeing Lewis brought so low last year, and have to plump for his spectacular comeback to Victory Lane in Spain.<\/p>\n Who are the top three drivers from the season so far?<\/p>\n LB: Kimi Antonelli has been outstanding and deservedly leads the World Championship. I\u2019ve been impressed by Hamilton\u2019s resurgence in his second year at Ferrari, and I\u2019ll give the third spot to Isack Hadjar<\/a> who has brilliantly absorbed the pressure of racing in the second seat at Red Bull<\/a>.<\/p>\n CM: Kimi Antonelli is an easy pick, but beyond that I would probably go with Lewis Hamilton for the step he has made compared to last year, and then Isack Hadjar. That second Red Bull seat has been really tough, but Hadjar has handled the promotion so well, and is consistently picking up top-six finishes. Both Hamilton and Hadjar didn\u2019t have their finest weekends in Hungary, but the criteria I\u2019m going with is overall they have all performed above pre-season expectations.<\/p>\n JH: The top three drivers for me so far are Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen<\/a> and Lewis Hamilton. In reverse order, I\u2019ve already said how great it is to see Lewis confident and able to attack again. The way he has embedded himself in the team, made his side of the garage what he needs it to be, and stacked up so favourably against Charles Leclerc<\/a> this year has been mighty impressive.<\/p>\n On to Max, despite the RB22 rarely giving him what he wants and needs from a car, he still consistently drags it higher up the grid than it often deserves to be. The team are working overtime to right the wrongs and give him a car he can regularly challenge with, but Hungary showed us that he still has that Max magic that we\u2019ve become so accustomed to seeing.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s Kimi. Not quite sure what to say, as I think the teenager has exceeded the expectations of nearly everyone following his rookie season. I would include both Toto Wolff<\/a> and the man himself in that category, such has been the level of performance and consistency he\u2019s shown this year. Records have already fallen, and you can bet they will continue to do so. Enjoy the show, because we are watching history be made.<\/p>\n DT: Kimi, Max and Lewis.<\/p>\n Which driver has been the most under-the-radar performer this year?<\/p>\n LB: Liam Lawson<\/a> has had a stunning year. Around a season and a half since getting demoted from Red Bull, the New Zealander has looked reborn at Racing Bulls<\/a>. He\u2019s scored in six of the last seven rounds, is outperforming his highly-rated rookie team mate Arvid Lindblad<\/a> and sits ninth in the Drivers\u2019 Championship as the lead midfield racer.<\/p>\n CM: Seeing as I put Isack as a top-three so far, then Liam Lawson for me. The Racing Bulls car is clearly good, and Arvid Lindblad nearly made my top three for his rookie form, but while Lindblad has impressed I think Lawson has had to fight so hard to ensure he is not overlooked. He moved ahead of Pierre Gasly<\/a> in the standings in Hungary, and has nearly double the points of Lindblad \u2013 he just seems to find a way of maximising his result more often than not.<\/p>\n JH: So many drivers that aren\u2019t collecting trophies on race days are having phenomenal seasons. Whether it\u2019s Hadjar holding steady in the second Red Bull, Gasly scoring more often than not, both Racing Bulls drivers having terrific years for different reasons, I think they have all been covered fairly well. The most under-the-radar performer for me so far has been Sergio Perez<\/a> for Cadillac<\/a>. Stepping into a brand-new project was a monumental task, and not only has he embraced the challenge wholeheartedly, he has been a huge contributor to the team\u2019s progress throughout the year, and he has consistently had the measure of a 10-time Grand Prix winner in Valtteri Bottas<\/a>.<\/p>\n He\u2019s the only driver I can think of who was released from a contract, took a year off, had his stock go up in that year due to the struggles of his replacement, then join the field with a team still finding their feet at the back, and likely has had his stock rise again! It\u2019s been a tough season, and that is likely to continue, but the commitment and execution he\u2019s shown in his second go in F1 \u2013 Monaco restart notwithstanding \u2013 has been mighty impressive.<\/p>\n DT: Well, there\u2019s more than one, that\u2019s for sure! First I\u2019d pick Isack Hadjar. I like his volatile nature over the radio, which I think is more like a motivating pressure release valve because it doesn\u2019t often seem to upset his equilibrium when he\u2019s driving. He has done a great job alongside Max at Red Bull, matching his speed at times in practice and Qualifying, and is working hard on his race pace. He\u2019s scoring points consistently, which is exactly what the team want, and has strong potential.<\/p>\n Then there are Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, who figuratively and often literally have been inseparable chez Racing Bulls. Liam has recovered superbly from his unhappy pair of races at Red Bull and is a genuine points contender every time out when the VCARB 03 is performing well. He\u2019s seasoned now, and also smooth, fast and a good little fighter. And Arvid\u2026 well, it says everything that he\u2019s matching Liam already and looks like he\u2019s been in F1 for years rather than just 11 races. He\u2019s mature beyond his tender years, very confident, smooth and quick, doesn\u2019t make big mistakes and seems to be coping extremely capably with everything F1 can throw at a rookie. There\u2019s massive potential there.<\/p>\n Which team and driver will be under the most scrutiny in the second half of the season?<\/p>\n LB: Williams<\/a> are under pressure to up their game after a painful first half of the season. After finishing P5 last year, they were supposed to be cutting the gap to the front. Instead they\u2019re at the back battling F1\u2019s newest team Cadillac. While the upgrade they are bringing to Baku is encouraging, it\u2019s likely to bring only several tenths rather than seconds so more is needed \u2013 and quickly. When it comes to drivers, George Russell<\/a> will be under immense scrutiny after an underwhelming start to the year where the pre-season favourite has had no answers to his team mate\u2019s impressive performance. He\u2019ll be hoping for a proper reset when the season resumes in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n CM: Team-wise, after Aston Martin<\/a>\u2019s step forward in Hungary I\u2019m going to say Williams. After so much optimism last season \u2013 and largely ever since James Vowles<\/a> arrived in 2023 \u2013 this year has been a major disappointment, and it looks like repeat problems are being faced over the winter. A big upgrade is planned around Azerbaijan, and it really needs to deliver or Vowles could start to find himself coming under significant pressure.<\/p>\n JH: For me this one falls on Aston Martin. Aston will have to answer for the shocking start to the season they have had. We\u2019ve seen the first step of that in Hungary, and it certainly shows they are moving in the right direction. That said, there is still a long way to go to achieve the goals that Lawrence Stroll set out for the team, and keep two legends in Adrian Newey<\/a> and Fernando Alonso<\/a> from ending their incredible tenures in F1 on a low note.<\/p>\n DT: Inevitably, of those running up front it will be Mercedes and Kimi; but also Ferrari and Lewis. The former because everyone will want to see if he can keep up his strike rate, the latter because everyone loves a happy story, and what is more engaging than the seven-time World Champion still running at the sharp end at the age of 41, and keeping his young replacement at Mercedes on his mettle? Elsewhere, teamwise, how much more can Aston Martin improve, and when will all the verbiage at Williams finally translate into solid progress?<\/p>\n Who will win the Drivers\u2019 Championship?<\/p>\n LB: Kimi Antonelli has been the class of the field so far this year. The Italian may only be in his second season in F1 but you wouldn\u2019t know it, so fast, confident and assured has he been. It\u2019s difficult to see anyone stopping his march to a maiden world title.<\/p>\n CM: It has to be Kimi Antonelli at this stage. I think we have plenty more twists and turns ahead, and I\u2019m not sure it will always be comfortable, but Antonelli has yet to have a weekend where he looks in trouble in the way George Russell has at times. He has been impressively consistent even when the result hasn\u2019t gone his way through reliability issues or circumstance, so I think that will see him through.<\/p>\n JH: It\u2019s hard to bet against Antonelli at this stage. Not simply because he is quick, or that Mercedes have built a strong car, but because he is simply getting better every week. Gone are the rookie errors that we saw last year, and maybe expected to a lesser extent to continue this season. Gone are the question marks over his ability to handle pressure. Gone are any doubts about his ability to compete \u2013 and win \u2013 against the best in the world. Every new situation he has been placed in, he has responded exceptionally well, and you struggle to dream up any more curve balls that could be thrown at him that he won\u2019t handle with the same effectiveness that he\u2019s managed everything so far in 2026.<\/p>\n DT: Kimi. Mercedes keep having the odd spell of unreliability, but I don\u2019t see anyone else managing to strike gold and make the sort of astonishing comeback that Max and Red Bull managed last year, so long as Kimi keeps his head and, when he can\u2019t win, does what he did so well in Hungary last time out.<\/p>\n One bold prediction for the second half of the season?<\/p>\n LB: I\u2019m probably punching a bit too high here, but with Honda set to bring an upgraded power unit to Zandvoort and Aston Martin adding more chassis updates in Monza and Baku to the heavily upgraded car they brought to Budapest, I expect them to secure a top-five finish before the end of the year.<\/p>\n CM: McLaren<\/a>, Ferrari and Red Bull all win races after the summer break. This probably sounded more bold prior to Hungary and the drive we saw from Lando Norris<\/a>, and Mercedes may well make a step forward with their own upgrade around Baku, but I\u2019m going to say the final 12 rounds see wins shared between at least four teams.<\/p>\n JH: A Racing Bulls podium. Not unlike how Hadjar pulled one off last season for the Faenza squad, I feel there is a chance for one this season with how well that team have developed and how strong both drivers are at the moment. I\u2019m not going to say which one I think could be the more likely candidate, simply because I don\u2019t know. Both are delivering at a very high level throughout the weekends, and if things fall just right \u2013 maybe in our first rain-affected race of the year \u2013 it wouldn\u2019t surprise me if either Lawson or Lindblad were there to capitalise.<\/p>\n DT: Well, Kimi\u2019s already doubled my last bold prediction that he\u2019d win three times\u2026 But for what it\u2019s worth, I see Max winning a race or two. You can never rule him or Red Bull out, and that Ford-backed DM01 power unit that was inspired by team founder Dietrich Mateschitz and created by former Team Principal Christian Horner is doing some great things already, even if the package might be giving the four-time champion a few grey hairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As Formula 1 takes a breather during its traditional summer break, now feels like the ideal time to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":842328,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[441],"tags":[49,48,578,576,577,82],"class_list":["post-842327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-formula-1","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-f1","tag-formula-1","tag-formula1","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/842328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=842327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=842327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}