With the Formula 1 season underway with the completion of the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix, some drivers have separated themselves from the rest while others have fallen short of sky high expectations, such as the case of Lewis Hamilton. In this list, drivers will be ranked through a combination of a power ranking and their total career success.
10. Nico Hülkenburg
Nico “Mid” Hülkenberg’s 2025 Chinese Grand Prix performance was marred by early misfortune. After running wide in Turn 1 and nearly losing control in Turn 3, he sustained significant floor damage to his car, compromising its aerodynamic balance. Despite these challenges, Hülkenberg completed the race, finishing 18th and gaining valuable data on the new car. Nico was much more successful at Albert Park, where he finished in 7th, beating both Ferraris. He gets the #10 spot due to his ability to be in eleventh place in the Driver Standings while driving the Kick Sauber tractor.
9. Alex Albon
Alex Albon has demonstrated a strong start to the 2025 F1 season with Williams Racing. At the Australian Grand Prix, he secured a 5th-place finish, marking his best result since joining Williams and the team’s highest placement at Albert Park since 2016. In the Chinese Grand Prix, Albon celebrated his 29th birthday by finishing 7th, later promoted due to disqualifications, earning valuable points. These consistent performances have positioned him 6th in the Drivers’ Championship standings, surpassing his total from the previous season. Albon’s early-season form reflects both his personal growth and the advancements made by Williams Racing.
8. Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri’s 2025 F1 campaign has shown both resilience and exceptional skill, earning him the new nickname “Nick Eh 30.” At the Australian Grand Prix, Piastri was in contention for a podium finish until a late-race spin into a runoff area on a rain-soaked track dropped him to 9th place. The following race week, he delivered a commanding performance at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading from pole position to secure his third career victory and contribute to McLaren’s 50th one-two finish after coming in 2nd behind Hamilton in the Sprint Race. These results position Piastri 4th in the Drivers’ Championship, just 10 points behind teammate Lando Norris. His early-season form has contributed to his growing prominence in F1.
7. Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc’s hyped 2025 F1 season has begun slowly. At the Australian Grand Prix, he secured a disappointing eighth-place finish after a spin at Turn 11 and a breakdown in strategy caused a delayed switch to intermediate tires during late-race rain, which may have leaked into the car, both of which cost him valuable positions. The Chinese Grand Prix brought further disappointment. Leclerc initially finished sixth but was disqualified post-race due to his car failing to meet the minimum weight requirement. This disqualification added insult to injury and highlighted Ferrari’s early-season struggles. Fraudulent Team Principal Fred Vasseur emphasized the necessity for internal analysis and improvement to remain competitive, however, nothing will likely change as these issues are just a continuation of last season. Despite all of this, Leclerc is still one of the best drivers on the grid and will hopefully turn things around, whether he gets help from the team or not.
6. Lewis Hamilton
After aurafarming all off-season, Lewis Hamilton’s inaugural season with Ferrari has been a massive disappointment. At the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton finished in a low 10th place, struggling to find comfort with his new team, saying he felt the car’s performance has tapered since Bahrain testing. However, the following weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix showcased his resilience. Hamilton secured pole position and dominated the Sprint Race, leading from start to finish and claiming his first victory for Ferrari. Unfortunately, his momentum was halted when he was disqualified from the Feature Race due to excessive skid block wear, resulting in a loss of valuable points. Apart from the DQ, the race was still a disappointment as Hamilton’s Sprint Race pace had faded before Qualifying. As the season progresses, Hamilton and Ferrari are focused on addressing these setbacks to enhance their performance in upcoming races.
5. George Russell
George Russell has commenced the 2025 F1 season by quietly sneaking into podium finishes, highlighting his and Mercedes’ competitive form. At the Australian Grand Prix, Russell secured third place, adeptly managing the race’s challenging, mixed weather conditions. He made sure to stay out of trouble, and Mercedes made the right strategy choices, particularly regarding tire changes during the rain-affected race. In the Chinese Grand Prix, Russell continued his strong performance by finishing third once again.
4. Lando Norris
Lando Norris has had a strong start to the 2025 F1 season with McLaren. He secured a victory at the Australian Grand Prix, navigating terrible conditions from the downpour and fending off rain master Max Verstappen. In the Chinese Grand Prix, Norris achieved a second-place finish, being the second part of McLaren’s one-two finish. These performances have positioned Norris at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings with 44 points. Despite this success, some critics have questioned his consistency, pointing to errors in both Australia and China, calling into question how much of his success is skill and how much is from the car.
3. Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen has had a controversial start to his 2025 season. At the Australian Grand Prix, he secured a second-place finish, narrowly trailing Lando Norris by 0.895 seconds. This is in contrast to teammate Liam Lawson, whose DNF caused many critics to call out Red Bull for favoring Max in car design, while others called the car a disaster. In the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen finished fourth while trying to manage the RB21’s unforgiving nature. Despite Red Bull’s challenges, including the RB21’s reliability issues and the departure of key car development personnel, Verstappen remains second in the Drivers’ Championship with 36 points. His ability to extract strong results under these circumstances is why he finds himself in the #3 spot.
2. Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro Cenamor Rincón Rebollo Virto Moreno de Aranda Don Per Urrielagoiria Pérez Del Pulgar
Carlos Sainz’s transition to Williams for the 2025 season has encountered significant challenges, but he has persisted. In the Australian Grand Prix, he crashed out on the opening lap due to a torque surge during a gear shift, leading to an early retirement. After retiring, he helped guide his teammate Alex Albon to his 5th-place finish, showing his top-of-the-line strategy skills. The Chinese Grand Prix offered a modest improvement; starting from 15th on the grid, Sainz finished 10th. Through no fault of his own, he struggled with the car’s balance and performance, expressing puzzlement over the lack of pace compared to his teammate, Alex Albon, leading some to theorize the team gave him an old chassis, which the team denied. Sainz’s adaptation to the Williams FW47 continues to be a work in progress as he seeks to align his driving style with the team’s setup and extract better performance in upcoming races. In the face of these challenges that are out of his control, Carlos Sainz continues to show off his driving skills. Once he gets used to his new car, he will quickly be back on the podium.
1. Kimi Antonelli
Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian racing prodigy, has made a remarkable start to his blossoming F1 career with Mercedes. In his debut at the Australian Grand Prix, Antonelli finished 4th, becoming the youngest F1 debutant to score points. Starting from 16th on the grid, he skillfully navigated challenging wet conditions as if he were a veteran driver and recovered from a five-second penalty, which was later reversed, showcasing his immense potential. At the Chinese Grand Prix, Antonelli continued to impress by securing 6th place after post-race disqualifications. His performance earned him the Driver of the Day award, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressing admiration for his handpicked rookie driver. These early results position Antonelli as a future legend of Formula 1.
