#Vodafone Porsche Formula 1 Team | 2026 | Hard/Custom
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L22/71 - LAW has shown really impressive pace in this opening stint, and the team order comes for HUL to move aside to let the Kiwi make progress
L30/71 - Race Standings
The degradation on the intermediate seems to be significantly-higher than expected today, with many teams going for a two-stop approach for now - we appear to be the only cars committed to the one-stop still along with PIA and TSU ahead, with the thermal wear the worst in traffic
L31/71 - HUL is in but it's a slow stop, with the nut on the FR tyre getting jammed (5.450s) - he re-joins in P13
L33/71 - 🟡 SAFETY CAR - VER & ALB (RET)
An incident at T2 leaves ALB stranded in the wall and out of this race - VER carries on, but there may be the threat of a penalty if the stewards decide he wasn't far enough down the inside
⚠️ The stewards deem ALB at fault for turning in on VER, and the Thai driver will have to take a 3-grid place drop at the next race
The SC period comes at an excellent time for LAW who pits with PIA & TSU - the Kiwi rejoins P5
L38/71 - 🟢 Green flag
L40/71 - Race Standings
L51/71 - HUL gets by OCO at T1 for P8
L52/71 - LAW goes to the inside instead on RUS into T1, eventually getting the move done and up into P4!
L55/71 - Race Standings
It's shaping up to be a thrilling end to this race, with TSU/HAM/RUS/VER/RIC all question marks over if these tyres can go to the end! PIA has a commanding lead, but it could be anyone's game for P2 - LAW is well-placed currently with his exceptional tyre management throughout this race
L60/71 - HAM RUNS WIDE INTO T1 AND LAW IS IN P3!
HAM rejoins in P4, but the pack behind bunches up and the Ferrari driver's tyres are now dangerously worn
L63/71 - VER spins! An uncharacteristic error from the four-time champion shows just how tricky the conditions are out there as he re-joins in P8
HUL gets by the other Red Bull of RIC into T2 later in the lap, moving him up to P6 now!
L65/71 - RUS is really struggling now on his tyres, and HUL is up to P5 - an incredible closing to this race!
L66/71 - Race Standings
PIA has a dominant lead, but TSU is just hanging onto P2 from LAW - further back, HAM, RUS & VER are all really struggling on their tyres. As it stands, NOR will seal the WDC despite being out of the points after his engine troubles - also out of the points is BOR who has suffered immensely with Sauber's poor tyre preservation today, down in P17 after starting P5.
L68/71 - LAW is being urged to push as hard as he can to close up to TSU in P2 - the gap is just over 2s
L70/71 - HUL goes wide while pushing to get by HAM on the last corner - that may be his last attempt at P4 over
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OSCAR PIASTRI WINS AT INTERLAGOS! A dominant display from the Australian to earn his second victory of the season, as well as seal the constructor's championship for McLaren for the first time since 1998!
AND LANDO NORRIS CAN CELEBRATE AS HE SECURES HIS FIRST EVER DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2025!
It's pandemonium in the McLaren garage as the team celebrate taking both the WDC & WCC this season - LN4 will become LN1 in 2026! The 25-year-old may have finished out of the points with issues today, but 8 wins and 12 podiums this season have made him a deserving winner of the championship with two rounds still to go.
The celebrations should not overshadow the podium today though - Yuki Tsunoda delivers perhaps the finest weekend of his career so far to commandingly finish where he qualified yesterday, with the Japanese driver overwhelming winning DOTD for his second P2 result in Formula 1! Our very own Liam Lawson also completes a breathtaking drive from P9 to stand on the podium for the second time in his Porsche career - a magnificent result in his third-last race for the team.
Race Results
Team Report
**Nico Hulkenberg - P5 (Started P10) | Liam Lawson - P3 **(Started P9)
"LET'S GO! What a weekend overall - for Liam to secure a podium in both the Sprint and the race is an incredible performance considering where we've been at with car performance recently - we're all overjoyed for him. It was also a really solid weekend for Nico to bring home big points - one of our team's finest moments so far."
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Race Notes - Competitor Review
- While it was a fantastic weekend for McLaren, their main competitors struggled - particular Red Bull despite Verstappen's historic proficiency in wet conditions.
- Questions are beginning to be asked of Antonelli after 4/7 of his races this season have ended in a DNF, most recently in the incident with Leclerc this weekend - the 19-year-old is firmly in the spotlight after a brutal start to his F1 career.
- After Tsunoda's stunning weekend, he moves into P8 in the WDC and 10pts clear of Ricciardo, as well as cementing P6 for Racing Bulls in the WCC.
- An impressive drive from Ocon, Hadjar & Sainz to round out the points in challenging conditions.
- A horror home race for Bortoleto who fell from P5 to P19, with Sauber mixing both terrible strategy and tyre wear - Bearman also struggled all weekend and will be looking for answers to the lack of pace.
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The Formula 1 circus takes over the iconic strip in Las Vegas for the penultimate round of the 2025 championship - both titles may have been won already at Interlagos, but there's still much to play for across the grid! Much like Baku, this extremely high-speed street circuit usually offers up chaotic race weekends with the line between risk and reward very narrow, with the combination of low-speed cornering and top end speed also a rare combination on the calendar. As Yuki Tsunoda demonstrated last year with his maiden F1 podium in P2 for Racing Bulls, midfield teams can hit the jackpot if they react first to the events on track - it'll be a fascinating weekend. Looking inwards, we can be encouraged after the brilliant weekend in Brazil, as well as our result here last season where Nico took P5.
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Qualifying
Q1: We manage to get both cars through - LAW just scrapes through by 0.04s in P16, but HUL puts in a formidable lap to go P1 at the end of the session after receiving a perfect tow from VER ahead! The shock of the session is TSU going out in P21, with the Racing Bulls driver unable to put in a clean lap due to traffic.
Q2: HUL & LAW are both through to Q3 for the first time since Monza! A frantic end of the session after significant track evolution catches out multiple drivers, including NOR who only manages P12 after a compromised final lap - RIC is also eliminated in P13.
IT'S BACK-TO-BACK POLES FOR OSCAR PIASTRI! An assured lap at the end of Q3 for the Australian who is on a run of excellent form at the close of this season.
Russell once again comes so close to pole, but all eyes are on Isack Hadjar who incredibly goes P3 with a perfect lap in Q3 - Racing Bulls appear to have something special at this circuit!
Qualifying Top 10
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Team Report
**Nico Hulkenberg - P8 (+0.690 from Pole) | Liam Lawson - P6 **(+0.665 from Pole)
"A double Q3 appearance and really promising pace today! Liam continues his great run of form in this back segment of the season, with Nico also very solid with a slightly comrpomised final run - there's much to be excited about for tomorrow's race."
Las Vegas GP Starting Grid
⚠️ LEC (P10) has taken a 10-place grid penalty in total from powertrain components replaced after his crash in Brazil, as well as HAD (P3) taking a 5-place grid penalty for replacing a gearbox after Racing Bulls found a fault earlier in practice. ANT (P9) & ALB (P15) also serve 3-place grid penalties for their driving infringements in Brazil.
Qualifying Notes - Competitor Review
- The start tomorrow will be one to watch with the top four teams all represented in the first two rows, as well as Norris, Antonelli & Ricciardo all starting from the middle of the field.
- Drugovich is in a prime position to score his first points in Formula 1 and escape being the only full-time driver on the grid yet to score this season - the Brazilian will be determined to show why Aston Martin resigned him for 2026 with a breakthrough performance.
- Hadjar will be crushed to start P8 after his career-best qualifying effort, but he has a fresh gearbox for the race ahead and will be looking to consolidate points to go with his pace.
- Leclerc's horror finish to the season continues, with Ferrari having to take a slew of grid penalties once again after his crash with Antonelli last race left the #16 car with significant damage. Unless he can overcome a 20-place gap to finish ahead of Piastri, Leclerc will slip to P4 in the WDC after challenging for the title at the midpoint of the season - how much longer can he endure the heartbreak at Ferrari?
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Race
Race Strategy: With the high chance of safety cars in Las Vegas, we split the strategy - we think most will go for an aggressive two-stop, but Nico will attempt a long stint on the hard tyres in hopes of a late SC period.
L1/50 - It's lights out and away we go here in Las Vegas - HAM gets a fantastic start and is up to P2!
LAW goes deep into T1 though! Disaster as he flat spots the soft tyre and rejoins just ahead of BEA in P15
L6/50 - HUL has been fighting since the opening lap to keep position ahead of NOR & RIC, with some epic racing - NOR finally gets by for P7
L8/50 - Race Standings
The tyre degradation here is absolutely huge, with those starting on the soft having to come in not even 10 laps in - this is shaping up to be a race of strategic execution and tyre management
L12/50 - LAW's strategy is coming undone from the wear and his earlier lockup on L1 - some options are currently being explored on the pit wall as his lap times start to fall off the cliff
L14/50 - NOR pits from the lead after starting on the soft - intriguingly, McLaren fit another pair of softs onto the #4! It's now just HUL (P3) & LAW (P7) who have not stopped
L15/50 - LAW pits one lap later for hard tyres, coming out in P15
L20/50 - HAM pits for his second stop of the race before HUL makes his first! Interestingly, the tyre delta seems to cover an extra stop, with HUL now battling NOR & RUS to hold onto P5 as he was in the first few laps
L21/50 - HUL finally stops to go onto the hard tyre, coming out in P10 - he does seem to be getting enough distance out of the tyres to stay on this planned one-stop
L25/50 - Race Standings
As we hit the halfway mark of the race, it's anyone's guess for the podium - there's a shuffle of cars between pit cycles, but PIA is perhaps still in the best position to win this race if he can nurse his hard tyres to the finish
It's nervous stuff on track for us as HUL & LAW fight it out for P8 ahead of NOR - the team has given them both the clearance to race, but LAW is yet to make another stop
L32/50 - NOR gets by LAW after a drawn-out battle for P6 on track, with cars ahead such as HAD & RIC stopping
BUT THE 2025 WORLD CHAMPION GOES DEEP AT T5 AND HITS THE WALL! He rejoins, but there's significant damage on that car - his run for the points is over and he faces the second consecutive race out of the points!
L34/50 - HUL gets by HAM for P4, with the Ferrari driver really struggling on those hard tyres
L35/50 - RUS pits from the lead and rejoins in P4, making VER the race leader 2.5s ahead of PIA - Mercedes fit soft tyres to the #63 though to try to charge to the finish
L37/50 - LAW makes his final stop onto the medium, coming out in P11 behind LEC
Further ahead, RUS easily goes by HUL for P3 - the British driver is lapping over 2s faster than anyone else on track at the moment, with the gap under 10s to PIA. This lap speed has remarkably convinced Red Bull to pit VER from the lead - he comes out in P4 and over 15s from PIA in P1 with only 13 laps to go! It's going to be a thrilling finish with RUS & VER now on fresh softs to chase down PIA on worn hards.
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L43/50 - HUL is putting in a fantastic drive in P4 to just hang onto the DRS of RUS ahead, with the soft tyre starting to fall off in performance - LAW is under heavy pressure from RIC on fresh softs for P8
L45/50 - Race Standings
VER & RUS are closing in at 1-1.5s a lap, but they may run out of both tyre life and laps to catch PIA who is doing an excellent job to manage his 23-lap old hards. Further back, HAD is challenging HAM for P5 which would equal his career-best finish - this result would move him up to P14 in the WDC after a breakout rookie season.
L49/50 - RIC dives down the inside at T1 on LAW, taking back P8 - the Kiwi is told to give everything he's got to get that place back with just under two laps remaining!]
RUS has hurdled VER but is still just over 3s away from PIA who approaches the final lap - remarkably, HUL is holding P4 having stopped only once in this race!
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L50/50 - LAW dives down the inside into the last chicane complex after a massive DRS-assisted slipstream, but RIC has conserved more ERS and fires back past just before the line!
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OSCAR PIASTRI CONVERTS ANOTHER WIN FROM POLE TO MAKE IT BACK-TO-BACK SWEEPS! The 24-year-old Australian is in formidable form right now, with today's result moving him into P3 in the WDC after a slow start - McLaren will surely be ruing his departure at the end of this season
It was a valiant drive from Russell who ultimately just lacked the pace to compete with Piastri tonight, with Verstappen coming home in P3 after suffering with tyre wear in the closing laps
Race Results
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Team Report
**Nico Hulkenberg - P4 (Started P7) | Liam Lawson - P9 **(Started P5)
"Another fantastic weekend for the team - Nico put in one of his best drives of the season to finish within 11s of P1 and make the one-stop work when no one else managed it. It was a more difficult race for Liam after the lockup at the start, but a finish in the points is still a result we can be happy with given our relative car performance on the grid."
Race Notes - Competitor Review
- A tale of two extremes at Ferrari, with Hamilton throwing away a podium via strategy while Leclerc executed a DOTD-winning comeback from P20 to P7.
- P6 for Hadjar is also particularly impressive given he started from P8 with grid penalties - Tsunoda also made up 8 places from the last row of the grid.
- A crushing experience for Drugovich to finish last after starting in P9, with Aston Martin heavily compromising him on strategy - the Brazilian looks destined to end the season as the only driver to not score points.
Championship Standings: Race 20/21
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Breaking News
The 2026 grid is complete! Yuki Tsunoda's promotion from Racing Bulls into Red Bull is made official, while Valtteri Bottas will return to the grid with Audi to pair Theo Pourchaire
The grid's worst kept secret is finally out in the open, with the 25-year-old getting his shot after five seasons at Racing Bulls. Tsunoda has truly shown his credentials this season in particular - he is the only full-time driver to finish every GP this season and has scored in 17/20 of those finishes, with highly-rated teammate Isack Hadjar only managing 6/20. He has also outscored the man he will replace at Red Bull, with Daniel Ricciardo currently 6pts adrift of the Japanese driver with only Abu Dhabi remaining - Red Bull acknowledged in their announcement that they were highly impressed Tsunoda's consistency in a season where despite Max Verstappen only being 50pts off the WDC lead, they sit 230pts away from McLaren in the WCC due to Ricciardo's struggles. However, Ricciardo is just the latest victim in a long string of drivers who have failed to impress in the second Red Bull seat - will Tsunoda be able to break the trend and deliver?
Meanwhile, Audi have announced their debut season lineup as they acquire Sauber in 2026 - most notably, Valtteri Bottas has been offered a lifeline back into the grid after being cut before the Dutch GP by Mercedes this season for prodigy Kimi Antonelli. The decision comes as perhaps an obvious one, with the Finn having spent three years at Sauber until 2024 - many in the team know him well and although he underdelivered at Mercedes, the 36-year-old is a dependable senior driver who will consolidate finishes and lead car development forward. Sauber have appeared to lack this kind of experience this season, with Theo Pourchaire struggling to extract consistent performance alongside McLaren-bound Gabriel Bortoleto in their rookie seasons. While many wondered if Audi would look elsewhere given the ex-F2 champion was a Sauber junior driver, they have ultimately renewed the 22-year-old for another season, with those inside the team believing the Frenchman has significant potential that can be fulfilled in the right car.
Round 21: Abu Dhabi
After a fascinating season, we arrive at the final round at the Yas Marina Circuit to close out 2025. While the WCC order seems to be mostly solidified, there is still much to play for in the WDC - P2-P4 is split by 22pts, as well as the gaps between P11-P16 all within a few points of one another. For us, it marks the end of a challenging but highly rewarding final leg to the season - with all developmental focus on 2026, we have had to execute to perfection to secure our results given the subpar car performance relative to the grid. This weekend also marks some farewells in the paddock - for us, Liam's last race with the team but for everyone, Daniel Ricciardo's last race before retirement. The 8-time GP winner will be looking to end on a positive note after such a bitterly-difficult season, with the sport set to miss his trademark personality and aggressive driving style.
Qualifying
Q1: HUL is eliminated once again in P19 after being unable to improve significantly in his last run, with LAW just scraping through in P16
Q2: LAW will start his last race at Porsche in P12 - LEC's dreadful luck continues as he is impeded and only manages P13!
THREE FROM THREE FOR OSCAR PIASTRI! He signs off on his McLaren career with a three-peat of poles to close out the season - watch out for this man in 2026!
It's set to be a battle in the race though, with Russell and Verstappen within a tenth of the McLaren driver
Qualifying Top 10
Team Report
**Nico Hulkenberg - P19 (+0.601 from Q2) | Liam Lawson - P12 **(+0.066 from Q3)
"A bit of a disappointment for Nico, but an excellent final qualifying for Liam given our performance here this weekend - hopefully we can close out our chapter together with some points tomorrow."
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Abu Dhabi GP Starting Grid
Qualifying Notes - Competitor Review
- A career-best qualifying for Antonelli, who will be looking to end this difficult year on a high from P5 - likewise for Ricciardo who lines up P7 in his final race.
- Ferrari continue to flounder, with Hamilton only fast enough for P8 even as the lead car.
- Another quality performance from Gasly who starts P6 - the pressure is ramping up on Colapinto as a comparison point though, with the Argentinean not making it out of Q1 again in P18.
Race
Race Strategy: With the race a two-stop strategy, we're going to split approaches - Nico has two mediums to use which is perhaps the more optimal approach, while Liam will run long on the hard and push home hard on the soft.
L1/58 - It's lights out and away we go in Abu Dhabi, with PIA holding around the outside of T1 to keep the lead from RUS!
L4/58 - It's a hard-fought few laps - TSU spins at T7, while NOR forces VER off-track and the Dutchman drops down to P5!
L5/58 - Race Standings
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A mix of tyre strategies to start the race here - the softs seem to be degrading particularly quickly
L10/58 - VER & HAM MAKE CONTACT AT T7 AND BOTH CARS ARE OUT! The Ferrari driver cuts across the Red Bull and there's substantial damage that forces both of them to retire - early drama here!
⚠️ The stewards have announced HAM will receive a 3-place grid penalty for the collision - he will have to serve it next season at the opening race, what a shame for the seven-time champion
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L19/58 - Both LAW & HUL pit, rejoining in P12 and P17 - LAW goes off the road immediately out of pitlane and drops to P14
L20/58 - Race Standings
After the first round of stops, RUS leads thanks to an undercut with the soft tyre - PIA's pace looks very strong though and it will be a hard task to challenge him without the tyre delta. RIC is also on for a dream podium finish to his Formula 1 career, but he'll have to fight for it with NOR & ANT showing pace behind.
L30/58 - LAW dives past COL for P7, with HUL within sight having worked his way up to P11
L34/58 - 🔴 RED FLAG - HUL (RET) & ALO (RET)
THE RACE IS HAULTED FOR ANOTHER T7 INCIDENT! A near-identical incident to VER/HAM but both cars are too damaged to continue and block the track - we'll have a restart here!
This will hurt the cars who had stopped twice already, such as RUS (P4), RIC (P8) & LEC (P9) - it is a huge chance though for those who haven't, particularly GAS, ALB & LAW who make up P5-7.
L36/58 - It's lights out and away we go again!
LAW is now on the soft tyre - we'll attempt to stop for another soft before the finish and push all the way, but it's perhaps a compromised strategy
⚠️ The stewards have announced ALO will also receive a 3-place grid penalty in the opening race of 2026 due to the contact with HUL
L41/58 - LEC capitalises on the fight between GAS & LAW to get by the Kiwi - our man is now in P7
L43/58 - LAW eventually gets by GAS for P6
L44/58 - LAW LOCKS UP AT T1 AND NEARLY HITS THE WALL! He's able to rejoin without damage, but the tyres are wrecked and he immediately comes under heavy pressure from behind - for now, he holds P9
L47/58 - LAW boxes for new soft tyres and rejoins P16 - surprisingly, ANT boxes the same lap from P2 with Mercedes taking a big gamble! Those ahead on the road are having to heavily manage their tyres to try to reach the end, so it could be a blockbuster finish here
LAW is also reporting on the out lap from the stop that his ERS isn't charging properly - how quickly things can change in this sport
L49/58 - NOW PIA PITS FROM THE LEAD! He comes out in P5 but critically in clear air - ANT & LEC are suffering massively in traffic further back
L50/58 - Race Standings
So with eight laps left in 2025, PIA is chasing down those ahead - Mercedes have seemingly thrown away a first podium for ANT, with the Italian now behind LEC and stuck in traffic. LAW is closing on those ahead, but he remains in P16 for now after losing so much time in that T1 lockup.
L51/58 - Bad goes to worse for LAW with a spin at T5 - the mission for points is over unfortunately in his last race with the team
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L55/58 - With three laps to go, PIA has only advanced to P4 and is stuck behind RIC - the Red Bull driver is defending as hard as he can in his bid to step on the podium one last time!
L56/58 - RIC's fairy-tale ending is seemingly shattered, with PIA up to P3
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LANDO NORRIS ROUNDS OFF HIS WDC-WINNING SEASON WITH A WIN HERE IN ABU DHABI! The perfect sign-off for the 35th driver to win the driver's championship who can celebrate now comprehensively - he's been a cut above the rest after the summer break, with today the final stamp on a authoritative season.
George Russell finishes just 1pt behind Charles Leclerc in the WDC after a strong drive to P2 amid the carnage, while Oscar Piastri completes a late-season charge and leaps Max Verstappen to P2 in the standings thanks to the Dutchman's DNF today - a thrilling close for the final order!
Race Results
Team Report
**Nico Hulkenberg - DNF (Started P19) | Liam Lawson - P12 **(Started P12)
"Not the closing weekend we hoped for, especially for Liam to narrowly miss out on points for his final race in the team, but we can still be really proud of what we've accomplished this season. P5 in the constructor's was our goal coming into this year and we've managed to go above and beyond by scoring above 200pts as a team - we truly believe next year has the potential to be special though, with two years of hard work set to take to the track soon."
Race Notes - Competitor Review
- Daniel Ricciardo may have just missed a podium finish for his last race in the sport, but he still goes out with an impressive drive from P7. The Australian has endured a nightmare final season in 2025 after what began as a fairy-tale return to Red Bull, but leaves an overall impressive legacy across his career (including two podiums this season).
- Kimi Antonelli may have finished P10, but he can be very encouraged by his pace this weekend - he deserved a podium before Mercedes dropped him into traffic with a terrible strategy call late on.
- A fantastic weekend for Alpine who nearly jump Williams in the WCC - another stunning P5 for Pierre Gasly is almost overshadowed by a DOTD-winning drive from Franco Colapinto to gain 11 places and finish P7.
Championship Standings: Race 21/21
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Season Analysis: 2025
Overview
The 2025 Formula 1 season will be remembered as a seismic shift in the competitive order, culminating in Lando Norris securing his maiden Drivers' World Championship and McLaren clinching a dominant Constructors' title. After years of incremental progress and flashes of brilliance, McLaren ascended to the pinnacle of the sport, dethroning the Red Bull juggernaut that had commanded the previous three seasons. The championship battle, while fierce in its initial stages, ultimately saw Norris pull away, securing his title with a round to spare at the Brazilian Grand Prix, marking a profound moment for both driver and team.
This season was a compelling narrative of evolving fortunes, strategic brilliance, and the relentless pursuit of performance. While Red Bull, with Max Verstappen at the helm, provided a stiff challenge and glimpses of their past dominance, particularly in the mid-season, they ultimately fell short. Ferrari showed significant progress, securing second in the Constructors' Championship, while Mercedes endured a more challenging campaign. Beyond the top three, the ascendancy of Porsche invigorated the midfield, adding another layer of intrigue to an already captivating season. The 2025 calendar delivered a blend of tactical races and high-drama contests, shaping a championship that was as much about reliability and consistent development as it was about raw pace.
Winners and Strong Performers
The undeniable champions of 2025 are McLaren. Their ascendancy was not just about driver brilliance but a testament to relentless car development and astute strategic execution. Starting the season with a competitive, but not dominant, package, McLaren progressively unlocked significant performance, turning their MCL39 into the class of the field by mid-season. The car’s late-season pace was formidable, outpacing rivals with consistent upgrades. This development trajectory was crucial, as they started competitively and ended as the clear pacesetters, a stark contrast to some competitors.
Lando Norris delivered a career-defining season. With nine victories and 13 podium finishes, he demonstrated the poise and speed long promised. His ability to manage races, extract maximum performance in qualifying (5 poles), and withstand pressure was exemplary. The wins at circuits like Monaco, Great Britain, and the Netherlands showcased his mastery, but it was his relentless consistency that truly separated him. He minimised mistakes and maximised opportunities, a champion's trait.
Oscar Piastri’s runner-up finish was equally remarkable. To secure P2 in only his third season, with three wins and eight podiums, speaks volumes of his talent and integration within McLaren. His victories in the Netherlands, Brazil, and Las Vegas were not merely opportunistic but demonstrated genuine pace and race craft. Piastri proved to be an invaluable wingman, consistently pushing Norris and, critically, ensuring McLaren accumulated points at an astounding rate, ultimately securing the Constructors' Championship with a commanding 631 points. Their intra-team battle was fierce but healthy, driving the team forward.
Beyond McLaren, the Porsche team emerged as a significant overachiever. Securing P5 in the Constructors' standings with 203 points is a phenomenal return for a manufacturer making a serious re-entry in only their second season. Both Nico Hulkenberg (P7) and rookie Liam Lawson (P10) delivered impressive performances. Hulkenberg, with two podiums, showed his enduring quality and experience, providing leadership. Lawson, a true standout among the rookie class, also claimed a podium and consistently scored points, validating his promotion to a full-time seat in 2024. Porsche's season was a clear success, signalling their intent for future campaigns.
Yuki Tsunoda at Visa Cashapp RB also deserves commendation. Finishing P8 in the Drivers' Championship with a podium finish is a career-best for the Japanese driver. His growth in consistency and pace was evident, often outperforming his teammate Isack Hadjar, though Hadjar himself showed strong flashes as a rookie. This performance was instrumental in VCARB securing P6 in the Constructors'.
A special mention must go to Williams and Alexander Albon. Despite a challenging car, Albon managed to secure a remarkable podium in Italy, showcasing his ability to seize rare opportunities. This highlight, alongside consistent points finishes, helped Williams to P7 in the Constructors', a commendable effort given their resources.
Disappointments and Underperformers
While not a "disappointment" in the traditional sense given his talent, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing undoubtedly fell short of their previous benchmarks. After three consecutive titles, Verstappen’s P3 finish and Red Bull’s P3 in the Constructors’ was a significant drop. The RB21 lacked the outright pace and bulletproof reliability of its predecessors, with four DNFs for Verstappen (Monaco, Italy, Mexico, Abu Dhabi) proving particularly costly. While Verstappen still managed four wins, the car's inconsistent performance and vulnerability to mechanical failures meant he was unable to mount a sustained championship challenge against a resurgent McLaren.
The intra-team comparison at Red Bull highlighted Verstappen’s continued prowess. Daniel Ricciardo, while securing two podiums, was significantly outscored by Verstappen (274 vs 99 points). Ricciardo's season was a mixed bag, with flashes of brilliance overshadowed by periods of struggle, reinforcing the impression that he was unable to fully extract the maximum from a challenging car consistently.
Ferrari, despite finishing P2 in the Constructors' with 458 points, also faced a season of unfulfilled potential. Starting strong with wins from Charles Leclerc, the SF-25’s development plateaued, allowing McLaren to pull away. Leclerc performed admirably, securing P4 in the Drivers’ Championship with three wins and nine podiums, consistently delivering for the Scuderia. However, the much-anticipated pairing of Leclerc and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton did not yield the expected results for Hamilton. In his debut season with Ferrari, Hamilton finished P6, significantly behind Leclerc (256 vs 202 points) and with only one win compared to Leclerc's three. His integration into the team appeared more challenging than anticipated, with several DNFs and a number of mid-pack finishes revealing a struggle to adapt fully to the car and extract consistent top-tier performance.
Aston Martin suffered a dramatic slump, finishing P10 in the Constructors' with a meagre 32 points, a far cry from their strong showing in previous seasons. The AMR25 proved to be an uncompetitive package, offering little opportunity for its drivers. Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, could only manage P16 in the standings, with a single podium in Monaco being the sole highlight in an otherwise frustrating year. His rookie teammate Felipe Drugovich failed to score any points, indicating the car’s inherent limitations. This decline is a major concern for the Silverstone-based team.
Mercedes, while securing P4 in the Constructors', remained in the midfield battle rather than challenging at the front. George Russell delivered a solid season, securing P5 with a win in Singapore and nine podiums, often elevating the W16 beyond its true capabilities. However, the gap to the front-runners remained substantial, indicating that their development trajectory has not caught up to McLaren or even Ferrari on consistency. Valtteri Bottas and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli contributed points, but neither could truly match Russell's output or push the team significantly higher. Antonelli, while showing glimpses of pace, still has a learning curve ahead.
Key Storylines
The central storyline of 2025 was undoubtedly the ascension of McLaren and Lando Norris’s championship triumph. For years, Norris had been touted as a future world champion, and 2025 was the year he delivered. His breakthrough signified a generational shift at the top of the sport, moving away from Verstappen's recent dominance. The narrative of a young, charismatic driver finally reaching the pinnacle, supported by a team that meticulously rebuilt itself, captured the imagination of many. McLaren’s engineering prowess in developing the MCL39 from a strong challenger to a dominant force was a masterclass in modern F1 aerodynamics and strategy.
Another significant storyline revolved around Red Bull's loss of dominance. The issues that plagued the RB21, particularly its reliability, raised questions about the team's ability to maintain its previously unshakeable performance. While Verstappen still performed heroics, the consistent threat from McLaren highlighted a vulnerability not seen in the Red Bull camp for several years. The internal dynamics, particularly Christian Horner's management, would undoubtedly face scrutiny regarding the team's readiness to defend its titles.
Lewis Hamilton's highly anticipated move to Ferrari was a major talking point throughout the season. The dream pairing of Hamilton and Leclerc, however, did not immediately translate into the fairytale success many envisioned. Hamilton's struggle for consistent top results and his comparative underperformance against Leclerc became a key narrative, sparking debates about the seven-time champion's adaptation and the car's suitability. While moments of brilliance were there, the overall picture suggested a challenging transitional year.
The impressive performance of Porsche was a compelling success story. Their immediate competitiveness, securing a solid fifth in the Constructors' Championship and multiple podiums, proved that a well-funded, well-managed new project can make an instant impact. It sets a high bar for any future new teams contemplating an F1 entry.
Finally, the dramatic turnaround of Alpine in the latter half of the season provided an interesting subplot. Despite a dismal start to the year, they finished with an incredibly strong car performance, demonstrating a significant development curve. While their Constructors' position (P8) doesn't reflect this entirely due to early struggles, their final race pace was among the top teams. This late surge offers hope for a more competitive 2026. Drivers Pierre Gasly and rookie Franco Colapinto had to work hard for points, but the underlying car improvement was undeniable. Similarly, Haas also showed encouraging late-season car development.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Formula 1 season will be remembered as the year Lando Norris finally fulfilled his destiny and McLaren completed their arduous journey back to the summit of the sport. It represented a compelling shift in the competitive order, demonstrating that sustained dominance in Formula 1 is incredibly hard to maintain. Red Bull's grip faltered, proving that even the best can be caught and surpassed by relentless innovation and execution.
McLaren’s triumph showcases the crucial role of in-season development. Their ability to consistently bring effective upgrades and maintain a clear development path was the differentiating factor. It also underscored the importance of a cohesive and strong driver pairing, as Piastri’s consistent points and podiums were vital to the Constructors’ crown.
Looking ahead, 2025 has reshaped expectations for 2026. McLaren enters the new year as the clear team to beat, with Norris now carrying the momentum and confidence of a world champion. Ferrari will be under pressure to refine their package and integrate Hamilton more effectively, while Red Bull will be eager to reclaim their previous form, addressing both performance and reliability issues. Mercedes, meanwhile, will seek to close the gap that has persisted for several seasons.
The strong performances of Porsche, and the late-season surges from Alpine and Haas, suggest a potentially more competitive midfield and a continued evolution of the competitive landscape. The rookie class also delivered some impressive debuts with Isack Hadjar in particular standing out, indicating a bright future for the sport's talent pool. The 2025 season truly set the stage for a fascinating era, hinting at a multi-team battle for supremacy in the years to come, a welcome prospect for fans of pure racing.
limber patio
Update
Hello!
Just leaving a note that I've migrated this thread into another server for the 2026 season - I'll forward the major results/news etc back into this thread.
(Appreciate everyone who came in and followed along last season, thank you ✨)
Vodafone Porsche Formula 1 Team | 2026 | Hard/Custom