Who truly deserves the title of F1's best driver in 2025? The answer might surprise you. While Max Verstappen's thrilling late-season surge fell just short of a historic fifth consecutive championship, his peers crowned him Driver of the Year for an unprecedented fifth time in our exclusive poll. But here's where it gets controversial: could Lando Norris, the newly crowned champion, have been overlooked? Let's dive into the eighth edition of our 'Drivers' Driver of the Year' vote, where the grid itself ranks the top talent.
In a unique twist, drivers could vote for themselves, though many chose not to, and even fewer placed themselves at the top. Each ballot was submitted under the condition of anonymity, ensuring honest opinions. We used the current F1 points system, awarding 25 points to the top driver on each list, down to 1 point for the 10th. These points were then combined to create our definitive top 10.
And this is the part most people miss: Verstappen's comeback was nothing short of remarkable. After trailing by a staggering 104 points after the Dutch Grand Prix in August, he stormed back, winning six of the final nine races, finishing a mere two points behind Norris. This relentless pursuit secured him the top spot in our poll, with six drivers placing him first on their lists.
Norris, who held off both Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri to claim his maiden title, secured second place in our ranking for the second consecutive year. George Russell, after a stellar season with Mercedes that included two Grand Prix victories and seven podiums, climbed one spot to complete the podium.
Piastri, once the championship favorite with a 34-point lead before the summer break, saw his form dip in the autumn, ultimately finishing fourth in our ranking, one place higher than last year.
Ferrari's struggles in 2025 were well-documented, ending the season fourth in the Teams' Championship, a stark contrast to their title contention in 2024. Charles Leclerc, however, maximized his car's potential, securing seven podiums, though he dropped two places to fifth in our ranking.
Carlos Sainz, after a challenging start at Williams, rebounded spectacularly in the second half of the season, earning two podiums and sixth place in our ranking, matching his position from last year with Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso, the double World Champion, climbed two spots to seventh, showcasing his skill in an Aston Martin that finished seventh in the championship.
Three new faces rounded out the top 10. Alex Albon's best-ever season with Williams, finishing eighth in the standings, earned him the same position in our rankings. Rookies Ollie Bearman and Isack Hadjar impressed in their debut seasons, securing ninth and tenth place respectively. Bearman's five-race scoring streak, including a fourth-place finish in Mexico, and Hadjar's maiden podium at Zandvoort, solidified their places.
Pierre Gasly, despite driving the slowest car on the grid, narrowly missed the top 10, impressing with 10 Q3 appearances. Notably, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton failed to make the top 10 for the first time in this ranking's history after a difficult debut season with Ferrari.
The drivers who participated in this year's vote (in alphabetical order) were: Alex Albon, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Esteban Ocon, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Carlos Sainz, and Max Verstappen.
So, who do you think truly deserves the top spot? Does Verstappen's comeback outweigh Norris's championship win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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