As the Formula 1 circus prepares to roll back into action, how has each team shaped up so far in 2025?

Alpine – E

Best Result: 6th (X1)

This season has been a downturn in form for the Enstone-based squad, with the team propping up the Constructors’ Championship, 15 points adrift at the bottom.

Alpine have failed to kick on from the double podium in Sau Paulo last season that vaulted it up to sixth in the Championship come season end in 2024.

While Pierre Gasly has starred this season, overperforming an underachieving package so far in 2025, the other side of the garage has much to improve.

A mid-season switch between Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto has been a side step at best, with 13th being the best result on that side of the garage so far.

Haas – D

Best Result: 5th (x2)

Haas has endured an inconsistent campaign, which goes some lengths to explaining the team’s slide to ninth in the Constructors’ Championship in a tight midfield.

A whole new driver line-up for this season has settled in well with Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman both able to score points when the VF-25 has enabled them to.

There have been standout showings in both China and Belgium that showcased the potential, though it’s something the team has been unable to harness regularly.

And while the team has already accumulated 60 per cent of its 2024 points total, Haas has work to do to climb the order to obtain a bigger portion of the prize pot.

Red Bull: D+

Best Result: 1st (x2)

The manner in which Red Bull is poised to end the ground effect era would have been unimaginable 18 months ago when it was continuing to thrash the opposition.

Despite some initial promise in 2025 as Max Verstappen prevailed at Suzuka and Imola, the Dutchman suspects he won’t add to that across the remaining 10 races.

That has culminated in Red Bull electing to end Christian Horner’s two-decade stint in charge as the team prepares to undergo a rebuild under Laurent Mekies’ watch.

And while Verstappen has pledged his commitment to the team, Mekies and Red Bull have a decision to make on who will partner him amid Yuki Tsunoda’s struggles.

The second seat next to the reigning F1 champion has continued to be a poisoned chalice, culminating in Red Bull dropping to a distant fourth place in the standings.

Racing Bulls: C-

Best Result: 6th (x2)

Despite languishing down in eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship, Racing Bulls has arguably been the more impressive Red Bull-backed team in 2025.

Isack Hadjar has been a revelation with six points finishes, while Liam Lawson has put his sudden Red Bull demotion behind him with points in the last two races.

The Faenza-based squad has one point less than its entire total last year as it endeavours to record its strongest season since morphing into Racing Bulls in 2024.

Ferrari: C

Best Result: 2nd (x1)

Ferrari has endured a tumultuous 2025 as a fundamental design flaw with the SF-25 has thwarted the team’s strive to mount a renewed bid to win the Constructors’ title.

While Lewis Hamilton has the team’s only first-place finish in the Shanghai Sprint, Ferrari is the sole team among the leading quartet that hasn’t won a Grand Prix to date.

The aforementioned Hamilton has also struggled to adapt to his new home, and he is seemingly discontent with some ongoings in the background at the Italian marque.

Ferrari hasn’t gone winless across a season since 2021, yet the reality is 2025 is looking to be a season to forget for the Scuderia before the big regulation change in 2026.

Aston Martin: C+

Best result: 5th (x2)

Despite a slow start to the season, especially for two-time champion Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin has recovered well to score five times in the past seven rounds.

Aston Martin went into the summer break on a high as a vintage Alonso performance saw him take fifth in Hungary, while Lance Stroll made it a double points finish.

Sixth place in the championship is still not where Aston Martin will wish to be, but recent results have at least ensured that the campaign will not end with a whimper.

The prospect of an Adrian Newey-designed car for F1’s new era in 2026 will be the driving force that both Alonso and Stroll will need to push on in the remaining races.

Williams: B

Best Result: 5th (x3)

Having spent most of the ground effect era at the wrong end of the pecking order, Williams looks to be ending the ground effect era heading in the right direction.

Sitting fifth in the Championship sees Williams on for its best season since 2017, when it also secured fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

The Grove outfit can attribute a lot of its success to Alex Albon, whose 54 points and three top-five finishes put Williams on the front foot in the tight midfield battle.

And while Carlos Sainz, like Hamilton, has taken some time to adapt to Williams, his 16 points have still been vital even if he hasn’t matched his team-mate’s highs.

Sauber: B

Best Result: 3rd (x1)

Having racked up a meagre four points across the previous campaign, 2025 has represented a substantial step forward for the Swiss-based Sauber team.

Despite a run of seven races without scoring after a seventh-place finish in the season opener in Melbourne, the team has scored 40 points in the last six races.

As well as this, the team has stood on the podium for the first time since 2012, with Nico Hulkenberg securing an emotional podium after a wet-weather masterclass at Silverstone.

The experienced midfield peddler has been the perfect mentor for rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who secured a career-best finish in Hungary before the summer break.

With an exciting prospect of a partnership with Audi for 2026, this campaign could be the Swiss team’s best season since the start of the ground effect era in 2022.

Mercedes: B

Best Result: 1st (x1)

Mercedes has had a mixed 2025 as it has embarked upon an F1 season without Lewis Hamilton for the first time since 2012.

George Russell has slipped into the shoes of team leader perfectly, with a stunning win from pole in Montreal the highlight of a season with five other podium finishes.

Meanwhile, promising rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has also shown his raw talent, taking an inaugural pole in the Miami Sprint as well as a first-ever podium in Canada.

While Antonelli is on a run of only two points finishes in the last eight races, a solid point in Hungary before the break could be the confidence booster the youngster needs.

McLaren: A

Best Result: 1st (x11)

While McLaren has taken 11 victories in 14 races, it has been susceptible to a few slip-ups and could have won every race.

The Woking-based squad is on course for a first title double since 1998, with a near 300-point advantage over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship.

The only concern is a possible repeat of the 2007 bust-up between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fight for a maiden title.

READ MORE – The winners and losers of the 2025 F1 season so far

The post Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Mid-Season Team Ratings appeared first on Motorsport Week.

With more than half the Formula 1 season behind us, who can look at 2025 as a success and who needs to hit the ground running strong once racing resumes?

The Winners

McLaren

McLaren has continued the form that saw the team claim a first Constructors’ Championship since 1998 and has become the dominant force in 2025.

The Papaya machines have been scarily dominant at times and have won all but three Grands Prix this season.

The two clashing styles of drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have set up a fascinating fight for the World Championship in a clear two-horse race.

The last time the Woking-based squad did the Championship double was almost 30 years ago, but it is set to end the ground effect regulations as top dogs.

Max Verstappen

Despite the pursuit of a record-equalling fifth consecutive title fading, Max Verstappen has once again been one of the sport’s top performers this season.

The Dutchman’s two wins in 2025 came about through magical drives, while he has managed to upset the McLarens over one lap despite a car disadvantage.

But although Verstappen is pessimistic for the remainder of 2025, fearing he won’t win another race this season, he has still urged Red Bull not to give up.

George Russell

George Russell has solidified his position as one of the best on the grid, maximising his Mercedes W16 to six podium visits in 2025, the most of anyone other than the McLaren duo.

The Briton has put himself into positions to pick up podiums when not always on the pace for the rostrum, and like Verstappen, has been able to pull a few shocks out over one lap.

The highlight of his campaign has been his controlled victory from pole position in Canada, withstanding the challenge of Verstappen from lights to flag.

With tracks to come that should suit the Silver Arrows’ package, there are more opportunities for further victories as he pursues a new contract with Mercedes.

Williams

Williams is looking to end the ground effect era revitalised and heading in the right direction.

Alex Albon has been a key to the team’s success so far in 2025, with 54 points on the board already and four top-six appearances to his name.

While the adaptation to the team has taken some time for Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard has still played his part in the Grove-based squad’s push to the top of the midfield.

Sainz has picked up points in seven of the 14 race weekends to date, though misfortune has stopped him from scoring at the rate that his team-mate has.

Sauber

2025 has been a huge year for the Swiss-based Sauber team, and leaves them in good stead for the impending transition into Audi ownership for 2026.

Nico Hulkenberg has once again shown his quality as a midfield peddler and finally ended his wait to stand on an F1 podium after a wait of 239 races.

As well as this, 2024 Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto has really started to shine, putting an under the radar start to the season behind him to score in three of the last four.

Isack Hadjar

Isack Hadjar put a shaky start in Australia behind him to stake his claim to the title as best rookie on the grid so far in 2025.

The Frenchman has been a consistent points scorer and has easily been the second-best Red Bull-backed driver behind Verstappen.

22 points to his name, including a stunning run to the top six in Monaco, have Hadjar in prime position to make the switch to the senior squad for 2026.

The Losers

Ferrari

Despite maintaining second place in the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari’s limitations with the SF-25 have consigned it to trailing 299 points behind McLaren.

Charles Leclerc’s five visits to the podium have been the best Ferrari has mustered, though the Monegasque hasn’t stood on the top step.

Besides this, seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is yet to fully settle into his new environment in Maranello, with questions being asked about the goings on behind the scenes.

Yuki Tsunoda

Getting the call-up to the senior Red Bull team hasn’t been the dream come true for Yuki Tsunoda, as the Japanese driver has become the latest to struggle alongside Max Verstappen.

With seven points to his name as a Red Bull driver, and on a run of seven consecutive races without a point, Tsunoda looks to be the next driver to fall by the wayside for Red Bull.

Liam Lawson

Having got his rightful promotion to Red Bull for 2025, Lawson’s dream descended into a nightmare as he was demoted back to Racing Bulls after two race weekends.

However, in recent races Lawson has seemingly put that behind him and has scored points in four of the last seven weekends, including a career-best in Austria in July.

In the circumstance where the New Zealander manages to sustain this form past the summer break, he’ll surely be ending the season with more positives than negatives.

Alpine

2025 has been yet another disappointing campaign for Alpine, with Pierre Gasly being the only shining light for the Enstone-based squad.

The Frenchman has produced seven Q3 appearances and has 20 points to his name, the only thing keeping Alpine anywhere near the rest of the field.

On the other side of the garage, there has been disappointment with very few positives coming from an early-season driver swap between Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto.

While the team has the highest amount of points for a team last in the championship, it will come as little joy to a team once again wondering where it all went wrong.

READ MORE – Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Mid-Season Driver Rankings

The post The winners and losers of the 2025 F1 season so far appeared first on Motorsport Week.

As Formula 1‘s summer break rolls on, who have been the best performers so far and who needs to improve once cars return to racing at Zandvoort?

1) Charles Leclerc – 8.25

Charles Leclerc dragging a troubled car to results greater than it deserves has been a common theme during his Ferrari career, and 2025 has been no different.

The SF-25 has been another disappointing product for Maranello as Ferrari opted to change 99 per cent of the car after its strong end to the previous campaign.

Despite this, Leclerc has been a standout, collecting five podiums and a shock pole position in Hungary, while outracing Lewis Hamilton on all but two occasions.

2) Max Verstappen – 8.19

Up against the almost invulnerable McLaren duo, Max Verstappen produced some fine performances to put in an early bid for a fifth consecutive World title.

Verstappen dispelled the notion that his success was down to having the best package with a mesmeric pole lap in Suzuka, while he also prevailed at Imola.

However, as the season has gone on, Red Bull’s deficit to McLaren has continued to grow, and the reality is that the championship is essentially out of reach.

3) George Russell: 8.14

George Russell has ensured Mercedes hasn’t missed Lewis Hamilton’s presence as the experienced head in the team as he has thrived since stepping up to the void.

A fabulous victory from pole in Canada and five other visits to the rostrum place Russell a safe fourth in the championship, maximising what he can from the W16.

4) Oscar Piastri: 7.89

Oscar Piastri has had an incredibly consistent 2025 to date, and has been rewarded with a slim nine-point championship lead over Lando Norris going into the break.

The Australian is the sole driver on the grid to have scored points at each weekend, which has been vital in a season where his team-mate has been up and down.

5) Lando Norris: 7.5

Despite being arguably the quicker McLaren driver, some costly mistakes have made the difference between Norris and team-mate Piastri.

Key mistakes from the Briton in Saudi Arabia, Canada and Belgium have left Norris with a nine-point gap to his less-experienced stablemate.

Norris finished went into the summer break strong with a terrific gamble on the one stop to claim victory in Budapest from third on the grid.

The championship is still wide open between the two McLarens, but Norris needs to clean up his mistakes if he is to win a maiden championship.

6) Alex Albon: 7.42

Alex Albon has spearheaded Williams’ strong start to the season and has consistently been the number one driver for the Grove-based squad.

The Anglo-Thai driver has four top-six finishes so far in 2025 and has 54 points to his name, the most he’s scored since 2020 with Red Bull.

In a highly competitive midfield scrap, Albon has been a key reason for Williams’ impressive rise to fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.

7) Fernando Alonso: 7.14

Despite a crash in the season opener down under in Melbourne, the oldest driver on the grid has still shown why he’s a two-time World Champion.

Aston Martin is yet to return to the highs of 2023, but recent developments have pushed the team back towards the front as Alonso took a first top-five finish in over a year in Hungary.

The Spaniard is still the figurehead of the Aston Martin setup and will want to end the season strong before an exciting prospect of driving an Adrian Newey-designed car for F1’s new era.

8) Nico Hulkenberg: 6.92

After a wait of 239 races, 2025 has been the season in which Nico Hulkenberg finally stood on an F1 podium.

The German has been a solid points scorer for a revitalised Sauber team and took his maiden podium after a wet-weather masterclass at the British Grand Prix.

Despite being the third-oldest driver on the grid, Hulkenberg has shown he can still mix it with the best, capitalising on Sauber’s resurgence in competitiveness.

9) Isack Hadjar: 6.92

Isack Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, has made the step up to F1 with ease and has been the best rookie so far this season.

The Frenchman put a crash on the formation lap in Australia behind him quickly to become a consistent points scorer for Racing Bulls.

While recent results have slipped somewhat, Hadjar has been the strongest Red Bull-backed driver after Verstappen in 2025 and is putting himself on the radar for a potential promotion.

10) Pierre Gasly: 6.8

Pierre Gasly has almost singlehandedly carried Alpine during this campaign, as the Anglo-French squad has struggled once again.

Gasly has made seven Q3 appearances in a car stuck to the bottom of the standings, and his 20 points are the only thing keeping the Enstone-based team within reach of the rest of the grid.

READ MORE – Why McLaren envisages renewed Ferrari F1 challenge across remaining 2025 races

The post Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Mid-Season Driver Rankings appeared first on Motorsport Week.

When it was announced that Formula 1’s statistical greatest driver of all time was uniting with the sport’s most successful team of all time for 2025 the expectations were high, but 14 races into the season and the Lewis Hamilton-Ferrari partnership may need the new era in 2026 to relight the fire.

While Hamilton produced the second-worst debut in the Scuderia’s history with 10th in Melbourne, the seven-time World Champion quickly put that behind him.

The Briton converted Sprint pole in Shanghai to a dominant first victory in Ferrari red in his second weekend with the team.

Despite such early success, Hamilton only has one other top-three finish in 2025, with third place in the Miami Sprint after a masterful strategy call in changeable conditions, and is therefore yet to stand on a Grand Prix podium in red.

Until F1’s most recent race in Hungary Hamilton had consistently scored points every weekend, yet has missed out on that elusive silverware so far, coming closest at Imola and Silverstone.

In fact, only one driver in the team’s history has had to endure longer without a Ferrari podium, with Didier Peroni having to wait 19 races back in the 1980s.

There have been sparks of the potential of the partnership; however, recent weekends have started to extinguish them as Hamilton’s confidence drops.

A double Q1 exit at Spa preceded a Q2 knockout at one of Hamilton’s most beloved circuits in Hungary, culminating in Hamilton even suggesting Ferrari should replace him.

But why is Hamilton struggling so much with Ferrari, and could F1’s new era in 2026 be a possible last reckoning for the series’ most established name?

Adapting to a new home

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has seen him have to adapt to a completely new setup, having spent almost 20 years with Mercedes.

The switch to the Italian marque means a complete change of team atmosphere as well as a different team culture, including a difference in language as well.

Hamilton essentially had the team at the Silver Arrows built around him, something that was key to his tremendous success.

It has been clear from the start that Hamilton is pushing for change within the Ferrari team and has been making somewhat cryptic comments about what goes on in the background.

Hamilton divulged to Sky Sports F1 that there are some behind-the-scenes dealings that he is not content with.

“There’s a lot going on in the background that’s not great,” he conceded.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur opined after the race in Hungary that “Lewis is very demanding, he’s very demanding with the team, with the car, with me.”

“I think he’s also very demanding with himself. It’s the approach from a seven-time champion to be very demanding with everybody and with himself.”

Additionally, there’s the adaptation to a completely new power unit and how the Ferrari engine works compared to the Mercedes one he’d become entuned to after so long.

Meanwhile, thereis the difference in philosophy between Ferrari and Mercedes and how the Italian team have optimised its machine for the ground effect regulations.

The current cars have not suited Hamilton’s late-braking driving style. And while there have been moments of vintage Hamilton, it has mostly been a disappointing era.

A new era and a new hope?

But will the revamped technical regulations on the horizon be Hamilton’s last chance to return to his best and clinch an elusive record-breaking eighth title?

The 2026 F1 cars will return to something more similar to the pre-2022 spec machines, something that should provide Hamilton with an immediate boost.

But should that not come to pass and he is still trailing team-mate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton could elect to not even see out his Ferrari deal and call time on his career.

However, Hamilton has dismissed that his downbeat demeanour in recent weeks is a sign that he is throwing in the towel, a sentiment that is shared elsewhere.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who oversaw Hamilton’s exceptional championship-laden success between 2014 and 2020, believes the Briton has “unfinished business”.

“He kind of never got happy with ground effect cars, in the same way, it beats him,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week.

“So, he shouldn’t go anywhere. Next year, brand new cars, completely different to drive, new power units that need an intelligent way of managing the energy.”

“If he has a car that’s not giving him the feedback that he wants, and that was the Mercedes of the past few years, and that seems to be the Ferrari, and even worse, then not. But you ask me whether he has it, he definitely has it.”

The summer shutdown has arrived at a crucial time for Hamilton, who admitted there would be some tears during the break as he takes stock.

“Just from a work perspective, integrating into a new culture, into a new team. It’s not gone smoothly in all areas, and it’s been a real battle.”

“I definitely need to get away and recharge. I’m sure there’ll be some tears at some point, and I think that’s really healthy,” he concluded.

READ MORE – Charles Leclerc fearing winless Ferrari 2025 F1 season after Hungarian GP collapse

The post Is 2026 F1 reset a last reckoning for self-proclaimed ‘useless’ Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari? appeared first on Motorsport Week.

A shock pole position from Charles Leclerc in Hungary was not enough for Ferrari to take its first Grand Prix victory of 2025, as a familiar set of issues reared their ugly head and exposed Formula 1’s most successful team’s fundamental design flaw.

Despite missing out on a first Constructors Championship since 2008 by 15 points last season, Ferrari took the bold decision to change 99 per cent of its car going into 2025.

And unfortunately, it has been a gamble that has backfired terribly for the Prancing Horse, as while the team remains in second in the Constructors’ Championship, it is an incredibly distant second to the dominant McLaren.

Despite five podiums from Leclerc, Ferrari sits second mostly due to the circumstances surrounding both Red Bull and Mercedes.

Both teams have arguably the quicker package than the Maranello-based squad, but lack the consistency with both cars that Ferrari has been able to rely on with its driver line-up.

The Italian marque goes into the summer break winless in 2025, with Lewis Hamilton’s Sprint triumph in Shanghai back in March the only victory to Ferrari’s name so far.

A magical lap from Leclerc stole pole away from the McLarens in Hungary, though, giving Ferrari its greatest shot at victory all season on a circuit where overtaking is notoriously hard.

However, Ferrari, and especially Leclerc’s race, unravelled due to a problem that has plagued the team from race one and doesn’t seem like it will be rectified anytime soon.

A millimetre from success

From the very first weekend of the season Down Under in Australia, Ferrari has struggled with setting the car up to avoid high wear on the plank.

This has been a nightmare all season, with the car’s design only being optimised when it’s run lower to the ground, but at a higher risk of being disqualified due to excessive wear.

In fact, Shanghai Sprint winner Lewis Hamilton lost a sixth-place finish in the Grand Prix a day later due to that exact technical violation.

Now the rules surrounding plank wear are tight, with only one millimetre of wear allowed over a Grand Prix distance of around 300km.

Despite this, no team has struggled with the threat of wear like Ferrari has in 2025, being unable to realise the full potential of the car on a regular basis because of it.

The Ferrari SF-25 evidently has potential, and when it can be harnessed, the car is second only to McLaren, with the ability to even challenge the papaya machine.

Unfortunately, said potential can only be realised when the car is run low to the ground, something Ferrari is unable to risk on a regular basis.

The team introduced a new rear suspension design for the Belgian Grand Prix to mitigate the issue, the hope being that the new design would allow the car to be run lower.

On multiple occasions, we have heard both Leclerc and Hamilton being told to ‘LICO’ (lift and coast) to protect the plank as the car lifts under slower speeds at the end of straights.

However, it seems that while the update has been a step forward for Ferrari, it can’t fully fix the fundamental flaw with the SF25 – and no more changes are in the pipeline.

Ferrari limitations to remain prevalent in 2025

Leclerc was able to take the race to McLaren and Oscar Piastri in the opening stints in Hungary, but the Monegasque would be told to back off the protect the plank in the latter stages, seeing him not only lose the lead, but fall off the podium completely, ending up fourth.

And while Hamilton suffered a poor weekend of his own, branding himself “useless” after being knocked out in Q2, the Briton’s race was also heavily affected by this issue.

In fact, the seven-time F1 champion was told to start LICO as early as Lap 3, mainly to protect the brakes while in traffic, but no doubt also to remedy potential wear on the plank.

This stunted any chance of Hamilton making any progress, as well as destroying the team’s chance at a first Grand Prix win since the Mexico City Grand Prix last October.

Ferrari had a golden chance to enter the summer break with a victory, but ultimately would leave the paddock following the same disappointment that has stalked it all season.

And with development now being fully turned towards the new 2026 regulations, it seems unlikely that a development will be made this season to solve its chronic weakness.

The only hope for Ferrari lies in finding some kind of setup-related sweet spot, where it can balance the plank wear and performance equally.

Ferrari hasn’t gone winless over a campaign since 2021, but with McLaren looking impenetrable in race trim and a car with a glaring limitation, a difficult reality may be on the horizon.

READ MORE – Ferrari explains decision to extend Fred Vasseur despite winless 2025 F1 campaign

The post How the Hungarian GP exposed fundamental design flaw with 2025 Ferrari F1 car appeared first on Motorsport Week.

As Formula 1 heads into the summer break, who needs the time to reflect and who goes in with momentum on their side after the Hungarian Grand Prix?

Lando Norris: 8.5

Despite a poor opening lap, Norris was the beneficiary of a great strategy call from McLaren to leapfrog pole-sitter Charles Leclerc and team-mate Oscar Piastri.

The Briton resisted the fast-charging Piastri in the closing laps to go into the summer break only nine points behind the Australian and with the wind in his sails.

Oscar Piastri: 8.5

Piastri could not better his starting position come race day in Hungary, losing out to team-mate Norris and unable to make a late race tyre delta pay off.

The championship leader looked to be biding his time in the early stages behind Leclerc’s Ferrari, and pounced on the Monegasque after the second round of pitstops.

However, he was unable to make an attack stick on Norris, almost careering into the back of his team-mate with a bold late braking manoeuvre on the penultimate lap.

George Russell: 9

George Russell returned to the rostrum for the first time since his win in Canada back in June as Mercedes’ reversion to a previous-spec suspension paid dividends.

The Briton managed to take his place on the podium at the expense of pole-sitter Leclerc as the Ferrari driver struggled with a chassis problem during his third stint.

A sixth podium this season is the boost Russell needs as his future at Mercedes becomes a lot more secure for 2026 and beyond.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli: 6.5

Andrea Kimi Antonelli put his run of pointless races behind him as he recovered from a Q2 exit to claim the final point in Budapest.

His best time in Q2 was deleted for track limits, although it wouldn’t have been enough for a top 10 start, leaving him more work to do.

But a one-stop and some good late race defending will give Antonelli a little, but much-needed, confidence boost after a disappointing recent run of form.

Charles Leclerc: 9

Leclerc claimed the Hungaroring was his “worst track” in the lead-up to the weekend, but he put that bed with a stunning lap to beat the McLaren duo to pole position.

The Ferrari racer was looking strong in the opening half of the race, until an unknown problem with his chassis once he exited the pits a second time thwarted his bid.

Leclerc dropped behind Piastri and then Russell, who was unimpressed with his rival’s driving as he moved under braking twice into Turn 1, landing him a time penalty.

Lewis Hamilton: 3

Lewis Hamilton was unable to be his vintage best at a venue where he is the most decorated driver, as he produced another below-par weekend in a Ferrari.

Having twice been knocked out in Q1 in Belgium, Hamilton endured another premature elimination as he qualified 12th, while Leclerc would go on to take pole.

Starting on the Hard tyre and aiming to go long, the Brit spent most of the race stuck in a DRS train and then emerged from the pits on the Mediums in 16th.

And on a track where passing is notoriously difficult, Hamilton could only return to his starting position, finishing a weekend outside the points for the first time in 2025.

The summer break will be one of reflection for the seven-time champion, having branded himself “useless” and suggesting Ferrari should look to replace him.

Fernando Alonso: 9.5

Aston Martin put the disappointment of last weekend at Spa behind them and stormed back into the top five in Hungaroring as Fernando Alonso rolled back the years.

Despite missing out on FP1 after suffering back pain after the weekend in Belgium, the Spaniard stormed into the top five in qualifying, 0.109s away from pole position.

And the two-time champion would masterfully convert it on race day too, taking a first top-five finish of the season and a first since the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Lance Stroll: 8.5

Lance Stroll perfectly backed up team-mate Alonso to secure a fourth Grand Prix points finish in 2025, matching his result from Silverstone.

The Canadian was also marginally close to a shock pole position, just 17 thousandths behind the more experienced Alonso on Saturday.

Seventh on race day is the boost Stroll and the Aston Martin squad need heading into the summer break in F1’s tight midfield scrap, where every point matters.

Gabriel Bortoleto: 9

A best-ever start was backed up by a career-high finish in sixth for Gabriel Bortoleto in Hungary as the Formula 2 champion continued his strong recent run.

The Brazilian has been riding the crest of a wave somewhat in recent weeks, with three points finishes in his last four to quietly put himself into the equation for rookie of the season.

Nico Hulkenberg: 5

Nico Hulkenberg was once again in the shadow of his rookie teammate as a Q1 exit in 19th left the German with a mountain to climb on a track where overtaking is difficult.

A five-second penalty for moving before the lights went out compounded his difficulties. The alternate two strategy was not enough to recover to the points, 13th his position.

Liam Lawson: 9

Liam Lawson will enter the summer break with the run of results the Kiwi would like, as Budapest saw him score for the fourth time in six races in 2025.

The New Zealander would be the highest finishing Red Bull-backed car on race day, holding off the senior team’s Max Verstappen in the latter stages.

Lawson would convert his ninth place on the grid to eighth on race day and a continuation of the form that saw him viewed as the future of Red Bull less than a year ago.

Isack Hadjar: 6

Isack Hadjar ensured both Racing Bull machines made it into Q3 on Saturday; however, he was unable to convert like his teammate could come race day.

The Frenchman complained of pain in his hand after being struck by gravel thrown up by a car ahead of him, which would have affected his charge to the top 10.

He was unable to pass Antonelli in the latter stages, but he did hold off his hero Hamilton to just miss out on points in 11th place.

Max Verstappen: 6

On the weekend the reigning champion told the media he feared he won’t win another race in 2025, it was possibly Red Bull’s worst weekend in terms of performance.

A lowly ninth on the grid was all Verstappen could manage in qualifying. On race day his RB21 seemed harder to drive than ever at the Hungaroring as he slumped to ninth.

Yuki Tsunoda: 5

Despite being a little over a tenth and a half behind Verstappen in Q1, Tsunoda would still find himself eliminated in 16th.

A pit lane start for new engine components left the Japanese driver a mountain to climb, and with his RB21 suffering more than ever, 17th was all he could muster.

Carlos Sainz: 5.5

Hungary has always been a circuit that has gone against the strengths of recent Williams cars, and 2025 was no different.

Knocked out in 13th in qualifying, the choice to start on the Soft tyre gained the Spaniard some places early on.

However, an early stop, combined with a collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, for which the Frenchman would be penalised, stunted a charge into the top 10.

Alex Albon: 5

Alex Albon was unable to back up his run to the top six at Spa in Hungary, as a 15th-place finish was all he could manage after being knocked out in last place in Q1.

Esteban Ocon: 5

Esteban Ocon was another driver who could not repeat his heroics from Belgium, being knocked out in Q1 and ending up a lowly 16th at the chequered flag.

Ollie Bearman: 7

Being on a run of four consecutive 11th-place finishes, Bearman would qualify in the very same 11th and was on course for a potential points finish.

However, the Briton would have to retire the car on Lap 48 after suffering a large amount of rear-end damage to his Haas car.

Franco Colapinto: 6

Despite a low 18th, Colapinto could take positives from the fact he out-qualified and finished ahead of teammate Gasly for the second time this season.

Pierre Gasly: 4.5

Gasly has essentially carried Alpine on his back single-handedly so far in 2025, but it was an off weekend for the Frenchman in Budapest.

Out in Q1, starting on the Hard tyre and collecting a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Sainz saw Gasly cross the line as the last of the finishers in 19th.

READ MORE – Lando Norris resists Oscar Piastri to head McLaren 1-2 in F1 Hungarian GP

The post Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Hungarian GP Driver Ratings appeared first on Motorsport Week.

The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix cemented the reality that it’s realistically a two-horse race for the Formula 1 World Championship between the McLaren drivers.

Once the track had dried up, the split strategies between the McLaren duo showcased the approach that has split Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris this season.

While race leader Piastri went for the Medium tyre and a strategy that would require much more consistency and tyre management, Norris avoided the double stack and pitted a lap later for the Hard compound tyre, one that requires less management and could be leaned on.

The idea for Norris was clear: as Piastri would have to manage his tyres to get to the end, he could simply push hard and close the gap and try and win the race that way.

Both strategies reflected each driver’s strengths, but also came to expose a rather costly weakness for Norris in particular in 2025.

Unfortunately for the Briton, a slew of costly mistakes while in pursuit of the Australian would see him lose out, not only on race day, but his championship pursuit, too.

And ultimately, the clash in strategies and the way they were executed perfectly mirrored the two distinct styles between the two McLaren drivers, which may come to define who comes out victorious in F1’s title race.

Metronomic consistency versus raw speed

2025 has been a defining season for both McLaren drivers, now with a car capable of not only taking victories but winning and dominating the World Championship.

For Norris, in his seventh season in F1, the chance to realise his potential and win the ultimate prize, something he’s been tipped for since his debut back in 2019.

The Briton’s raw speed has been clear since he stormed into McLaren, out-performing more experienced team-mates Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo from the get-go.

Meanwhile, Piastri has taken a huge leap in his third season, improving in all areas across one lap speed, race pace and, importantly, tyre management compared to 2024.

Norris might possess the upper hand in raw speed, but Piastri has developed into a metronome when it comes to generating consistent results to maintain the edge.

A key to Piastri’s points lead is his consistency, currently on a 41-race points scoring streak, running back to his debut season in 2023, the third longest streak in F1 history.

Despite the Australian’s improvement in 2025, it is still generally understood that Norris has greater raw speed and the ability to pull out a lap from nowhere more often.

However, his superior underlying pace does come with a flaw, in that he tends to commit a greater number of mistakes when it matters most.

Norris has, on multiple occasions this season, made costly errors, which have culminated in him facing a 16-point deficit to Piastri with 11 rounds now remaining.

Will Norris’ errors come at the ultimate cost?

An error in Q3 in Saudi Arabia meant he would only start 10th, while Piastri started on the front row and then took victory as his team-mate recovered to fourth.

Blunders in Q3 in both China and Bahrain also put the Briton on the back foot, but the most costly one came on F1’s annual trip to Canada last month.

In an attempt to make a late overtake on Piastri, Norris inexplicably went for a gap that didn’t exist, colliding with the rear of his team-mate and retiring on the spot.

Then there was the trio of blunders when in pursuit of Piastri at Spa-Francochamps.

Norris lost a combined three seconds from three separate errors in Belgium, with an off at Pouhon and two lockups at La Source defining moments in a race he would eventually lose by just over three seconds.

Meanwhile, Piastri harnessed his reliable consistency to manage his tyres and manage his lap times to perfection, not putting a foot wrong as Norris started homing in at on average half a second a lap.

With his victory at Spa, Piastri managed to weather the storm of Norris cutting into his championship lead.

As F1 approaches its summer break and heads towards the business end of the season, will Piastri’s consistency or Norris’ raw speed win out in the race for the title?

READ MORE – Where McLaren thinks Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri F1 title battle will be decided

The post How the Belgian GP perfectly epitomised F1’s 2025 title fight appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Another wet-dry Belgian Grand Prix may not have produced a thriller, but who perfectly sailed through the conditions on Formula 1’s third Sprint weekend of 2025?

Oscar Piastri: 8.5

Despite smashing the track record by seven tenths in Sprint Qualifying, gapping the field by almost half a second in the process, the Australian would make it a Sprint Race second-place hat-trick in 2025 after being passed by Max Verstappen into Les Combes and being unable to repass the Dutchman with his lower downforce set-up.

Beaten by his team-mate in Grand Prix qualifying, the championship leader swiftly despatched Norris into Les Combes as the race went green after a long delay.

He controlled the race and had pace in reserve to combat a charging Norris, who was put on the alternate strategy as drivers moved onto the slick tyres.

Victory at Spa-Francochamps means his lead in the standings is extended to 16 points as F1 heads to the scene of Piastri’s first-ever race win in Budapest.

Lando Norris: 7.5

Norris failed to capitalise not only from the momentum of a maiden home victory at Silverstone, but also from starting on pole position on race day in Belgium.

The Briton bounced back having been comfortably beaten by Piastri in Sprint Qualifying, starting and finishing third behind both Verstappen and his team-mate.

However, a scrappy race day cost Norris a shot at cutting his title deficit, losing out to Piastri by just over three seconds come the chequered flag.

Losing the lead gave Norris the chance to roll the dice strategy-wise, but despite being on the better tyre for the longer stint, three errors cost him in his chase.

Charles Leclerc: 9.5

Charles Leclerc cast aside a difficult British Grand Prix and one again maximised his upgraded SF-25, as he has done so many times this season.

After converting a rather lonely fourth-place finish in the Sprint, Leclerc produced another classic qualifying performance, pipping Verstappen to third by three thousandths.

That’s a result he would cling on to to secure a fifth podium finish of the season in the process, holding off Verstappen through wet to dry, despite a few sketchy moments.

Lewis Hamilton: 6

Having shown an improvement in recent weeks, Lewis Hamilton had perhaps his worst weekend with Ferrari in Belgium.

Knocked out in Q1 in both qualifying sessions left the Briton with a mountain to climb on a weekend where overtaking was harder than ever at the famous circuit.

Being stuck in a DRS train meant Hamilton’s top-three Sprint streak would come to a crunching halt, gaining just three spots from 18th on the grid on Saturday.

However, Ferrari timed the switch from Inters to slicks on Sunday to perfection, allowing Hamilton to storm from a pit lane start up to seventh place rapidly.

A higher downforce setup for the Grand Prix hampered any further progress, though, as he was unable to deal with the straight-line speed of Alex Albon’s Williams.

Despite the poor weekend, Hamilton keeps up the record of being the only driver other than championship leader Piastri to score points in every weekend so far in 2025.

Max Verstappen: 9

Another strong weekend for Verstappen saw him claim a 12th Sprint victory since the format was introduced in 2021, 10 more than his nearest challenger.

Splitting the McLarens in Sprint Qualifying gave Verstappen the perfect opportunity to spoil McLaren’s day, utilising a lower downforce setup to storm past pole-sitter Piastri.

The switch to a higher downforce setup meant that Verstappen’s focus switched from fighting the McLarens to Charles Leclerc, with the Dutchman unable to pass the Ferrari.

Fourth will be disappointing for the recent King of Spa, but overall, there wasn’t much more the reigning champion could do as he drifts ever further from the two McLarens.

Yuki Tsunoda: 6

Red Bull’s opening weekend under Laurent Mekies’ watch saw sparks of hope that were dashed for Yuki Tsunoda as the promise ended without a points return.

Having had the updated floor rushed onto his car after a lacklustre 11th in the Sprint, Tsunoda advanced to Q3 and secured an encouraging seventh on the grid.

Tsunoda would have had a good chance to convert that had a miscommunication with his race engineer not culminated in him completing an extra lap on the Intermediates.

George Russell: 6.5

It was a difficult weekend for a Mercedes team that stormed to victory at Spa 12 months ago with a 1-2 on the road, George Russell heading Hamilton.

After being knocked out in SQ2, a Sprint result of 12th showed Mercedes had work to do to recapture the team’s magic at the venue from 12 months ago.

For the Grand Prix, Russell converted his sixth-place start into a distant and lonely fifth, prompting him to be concerned that Mercedes is going backwards.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli: 3

The Belgian GP weekend was not the confidence-boosting weekend that Antonelli was aiming to achieve.

The Italian was knocked out in Q1 in both Sprint and Grand Prix Qualifying, and was unable to recover all the lost ground.

It’s now one point’s finish in seven races, that one being his maiden Grand Prix podium at the Canadian Grand Prix in June.

Alex Albon: 8

It was a weekend of two halves for the Anglo-Thai racer, who stormed to a fourth top-six finish of the season on race day.

A disappointing Sprint saw him finish a lowly 16th, but a cracking lap in Grand Prix Qualifying saw him beat the Mercedes of George Russell to fifth.

Despite the tricky conditions, Albon would steer his Williams through to sixth place, using his straight-line speed edge to hold off Hamilton upon the switch to slicks.

It was a much-needed boost for Williams, the team having admitted in recent weeks that it has fallen behind the power curve by not bringing updates to its package.

Carlos Sainz: 6.5

Much like his team-mate Albon, Sainz endured a divided weekend.

Sainz did well to split the Haas cars in Sprint Qualifying and then converted his sixth place start at the chequered flag for a first points finish since Montreal.

But a pit lane start after qualifying a lowly 15th with a set-up tailored towards the wet was compounded by being held up in the pits when the change to slicks came.

The switch to a two-stop saw him finish a lowly 18th, marking another disappointing Grand Prix Sunday for the Spaniard, who is now 38 points behind his team-mate.

Liam Lawson: 8.5

Lawson continued to show his recent upturn in form, being a comfortable top 10 runner all weekend.

10th in the Sprint race was backed up by a strong eighth place finish in the Grand Prix, holding off both Sauber cars to make it three points finishes in his last six races.

The Kiwi has really started to emerge from the shadows of team-mate Hadjar as he strives to return to the form that saw him promoted to Red Bull in the first place.

Isack Hadjar: 6

Hadjar was another driver who despite scoring in the Sprint race, went on to have a rather disappointing Grand Prix as an issue with his car contributed to a sudden slump.

Thus, the Frenchman couldn’t replicate his eighth place from the Sprint on Sunday, being the only car to be lapped in last place, well in the shadow of team-mate Lawson.

Gabriel Bortoleto: 8.5

Bortoleto pieced together another encouraging weekend in his maiden campaign, as he showed that his heroics in Austria weren’t a flash in the pan.

The Brazilian was a constant threat to the top 10 all weekend, and comfortably had the measure of experienced team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Ninth place at the chequered flag and two valuable points is how he and the Sauber team would have wanted to kick-start the second half of the 2025 season.

Nico Hulkenberg: 5

Hulkenberg couldn’t reproduce his Silverstone magic at Spa despite similar conditions in the race, as he was comfortably beaten all weekend by Bortoleto.

Having had to move over for Bortoleto after the switch to slicks, a two-stop strategy turned out not to be the one for Hulkenberg as he was unable to recover back to the top 10.

Pierre Gasly: 9.5

Pierre Gasly has been dragging his Alpine to places it shouldn’t be throughout the campaign, and that was no different last weekend in Belgium.

Making Q3 for Sprint Qualifying, a water leak just before the start cost the Frenchman a shot at a points finish, as he emerged two laps down for what became a testing run.

And after starting 13th for the Grand Prix, he made the one stop work, held off a train of faster cars to finish 10th on Sunday, to pick up another valuable point for Alpine.

Franco Colapinto: 3

While the superlatives are flowing about Gasly, unfortunately, the same can’t be said for current team-mate Franco Colapinto.

The Argentine spent most of the weekend languishing at the back, managing to fade into the background of even a more boring race.

Colapinto’s prospects of surviving beyond the summer break were already in danger, and this weekend’s results will only put him more at risk.

Ollie Bearman: 7.5

Oliver Bearman had a much cleaner weekend in Spa, scoring his first points since Bahrain in the Sprint race with a solid seventh.

That could have been replicated in the main race had a sudden engine issue as he exited the Bus Stop chicane not cost him several places as he came home 11th.

Esteban Ocon: 7

Esteban Ocon seems to have an affinity with Spa Francorchamps, and 2025 was no different.

Ocon stormed to fifth place on the grid in the Sprint, spearheading the team to a double SQ3 appearance for the first time in 2025, a result he would back up in the race itself.

However, the Frenchman would be on the end of some bad luck on race day.

Starting just outside the top 10, he was left out for too long on the Inters, followed up by a slow pitstop left him a distance behind the field and a mountain to climb to try and recover.

Fernando Alonso: 5

In a weekend which saw Aston Martin bring another raft of upgrades, a first-ever back row lockout in Grand Prix Qualifying is not what the team would have anticipated.

In fact, the Aston Martins seemed to lack pace all weekend, with Alonso failing to threaten the top 10 on one-lap speed or race pace.

14th in the Sprint and 17th from the Grand Prix will leave the Spaniard scratching his head as to where his team’s form disappeared to in Belgium.

Lance Stroll: 5.5

Lance Stroll too suffered like Alonso, unable to threaten the points like he did at Silverstone.

Despite the poor weekend, the Canadian will take heart in beating his more experienced team-mate in both the Sprint and Grand Prix, although 13th and 14th is nothing to write home about.

READ MORE – Lewis Hamilton slams FIA for ‘overreating’ to Silverstone with Belgian GP delay

The post Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Belgian GP Driver Ratings appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Despite the 2025 Formula 1 season seeing two teams retain identical line-ups, Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes could cause an even greater shift.

Ever since the news was that talks between Verstappen and Mercedes were ongoing, the rumour mill has begun to go into overdrive as silly season looms large.

With the summer break coming, a lot of driver market activity for the upcoming 2026 will take place, including the truth surrounding the Dutchman’s whereabouts.

The recent sacking of Christian Horner after his 20-year spell at the helm of Red Bull has been seen as a possible final dice roll in retaining the reigning champion.

However, the Dutchman’s decision will more than likely be down to whether Red Bull can provide him with the car to rival the package Mercedes will have in 2026.

Verstappen ending his tenure with Red Bull would only cause the Milton Keynes-based team to adjust its own priorities, but also Mercedes regarding his team-mate.

With two strong drivers in five-time winner George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the books, adding Verstappen would give the German marque a headache.

A Verstappen-Russell duo would mean the Silver Arrows have to find Antonelli a temporary new home for 2026, with Alpine being touted as favourites in that regard, aligning with the Anglo-French setup’s new power unit deal with Mercedes for the upcoming season.

But should Mercedes head in the opposite direction and adopt a Verstappen-Antonelli partnership, Russell’s destination would be sure to dominate the driver market.

From being the future to becoming the past

If Mercedes decides that the Verstappen-Russell partnership would be too much to manage, then it would see the shock departure of the driver once seen as the team’s future.

The potential of a straight swap between Verstappen and Russell could be an option, although the Austrian drinks giant is reported to have multiple contingencies in place.

It is reported that Russell is among a shortlist of drivers that include Alex Albon, Carlos, Sainz and Pierre Gasly to partner Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar at Red Bull.

But Russell has also been linked with Aston Martin, where the opportunity to work with design guru Adrian Newey under new rules could deliver a better crack at a title.

Despite Aston Martin boss Andy Cowell insisting the team is committed to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the chance to obtain Russell’s services would test that resolve.

With the potential returns to Red Bull for Albon, Gasly and Sainz also being earmarked, the departure of Verstappen could open up holes in both Williams and Alpine.

The Alpine squad will already be considering its options for 2026, and that’s without the potential departure of experienced Frenchman Gasly as the team’s figurehead.

The Enstone-based squad’s decision to switch Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto hasn’t paid dividends yet, with Valtteri Bottas being touted as a potential replacement.

New team, new opportunities

The introduction of F1’s 11th team in Cadillac for 2026 adds another two seats to fill and an opportunity for drivers both old and new.

The American outfit has been heavily linked with the experienced pair of Bottas and Sergio Perez, but also with Mick Schumacher and Zhou Guanyu.

However, if there is already movement in the driver market, potential other moves could come out of the blue for the newest addition to the grid.

With the door seemingly closing on his time at Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda could be on Cadillac’s radar, something the Japanese driver could do with after a confidence-draining stint at the senior team following his promotion from Racing Bulls.

A new name linked with Cadillac has been Doohan, the 21-year-old Australian having been harshly axed from the Alpine setup after just six weekends in 2025.

Doohan is not the only Aussie linked with F1’s newest team, though Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon quickly shot down rumours surrounding a Daniel Ricciardo return.

With an entirely new team on the grid and a potential huge move in the pipeline, it’s set up that as F1 enters a new era in 2026, it will be a busy year in the driver market again.

READ MORE – Why McLaren hopes Mercedes don’t sign ‘awesome’ Max Verstappen

The post The potential F1 driver market chaos Max Verstappen to Mercedes could trigger for 2026 appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Alpine has pinned hope on the impending deal to use Mercedes engines in Formula 1 inspiring an upturn, an agreement that could provide an additional unexpected bonus.

Since the firing of Chief Executive Laurent Rossi in 2023, there has been a major managerial upheaval at Alpine, with senior figures going in and out like a revolving door.

In fact, it culminated in the controversial return of ex-boss Flavio Briatore, 16 years after receiving a lifetime ban from the sport due to his involvement in the ‘Crashgate’ scandal in 2008.

Uncertain prospects upstairs, coupled with disappointing results from the engine department in Viry-Chatillon over multiple seasons, have led to unease amongst the Alpine ranks.

This resulted in the announcement at the end of 2024 that Alpine would call time on Renault’s own engine programme after 2025,

taking on a partnership with Mercedes until at least 2030 to run the German marque’s power units, as well as the German marque’s gearboxes until at least 2027.

And with preliminary reports looking like Mercedes will have the best engine for 2026’s regulation reset, it looks like a good time to jump ship as F1 enters a new era.

However, Alpine might also receive an extra bonus from Mercedes should certain developments in the driver market result in Andrea Kimi Antonelli becoming available.

An end to the troubled Renault F1 project

The incoming partnership with Mercedes will see Alpine embark on a new chapter, one that will close the door on Renault’s esteemed stint as an engine manufacturer.

Despite being the supplier to Red Bull during a period of dominance between 2010 and 2014, the French marque’s V8 units were never regarded as the best in class.

On circuits when engine power was a priority, Renault-powered cars would tend to struggle, and that became more pronounced with the later switch to V6s in 2014.

High levels of reliability issues, too, would lead then Red Bull boss Christian Horner to publicly slam Renault, declaring the performance and reliability “unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Adrian Newey began stepping back from his full-time technical role, disillusioned by the inability to compete with an engine that limited his design genius.

Renault continued as a works team when Red Bull opted to switch to Honda in 2010, but the investment has not returned a result better than fourth in the championship.

The call to shut down the engine department aligns with the decision to cut the team at Enstone from 1,150 to 850 in a move that Alpine hopes “will optimise the resources and put the team in a position to work efficiently and strategically, to quickly recover performance and compete again at the sharp end of the grid” once the regulations change next season.

An unexpected bonus from Mercedes deal?

But while Alpine will hope the agreement with Mercedes will deliver an improvement in competitiveness, it could also help the team solve its ongoing driver conundrum.

As rumours regarding a potential Max Verstappen to Mercedes have gained more and more traction in recent weeks, Antonelli’s prospects have been thrown into doubt.

The possible addition of Verstappen opens up the question about who could partner him: the established George Russell, or the man branded the “next Verstappen” in Antonelli?

However, Alpine will have no issue with Mercedes pursuing Verstappen if the outcome of it all means the Anglo-French marque might end up with the promising Italian.

In the circumstance where Verstappen is paired with Russell in an all-star line-up, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff would be eager to ensure Antonelli remains on the F1 grid.

With Alpine’s mid-season driver swap still to reap a tangible reward, the Enstone-based squad would be wise to be receptive to taking Antonelli, even on a loan agreement.

The fast-tracked rookie has already made his mark in F1, taking his first pole and podium already, while being well inside a competitive margin of one of the best drivers on the grid.

This, alongside a consistent midfield performer in Gasly, who has gone under the radar performance-wise in 2025, would bolster Alpine’s chances tenfold at moving up the order.

READ MORE – Pierre Gasly dismisses Valtteri Bottas to Alpine F1 rumours as ‘a lot of noise’

The post The unexpected bonus Alpine could attain from 2026 Mercedes F1 engine deal appeared first on Motorsport Week.