Fourteen races have been completed, with ten more still to come. After the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, the summer break officially began, and from this week the so-called summer shutdown is in force, meaning the ban imposed by the FIA on all teams, preventing any kind of factory work for the next 14 days.
While waiting to return to work on Monday, August 25, this break is the perfect opportunity to take stock of the situation and evaluate what has been seen on track so far. Without focusing too much on the front-running teams, it is interesting to dive into the midfield and analyze which drivers and teams have already proven themselves, and which ones will be called to make a significant step forward in the second half of the championship. The season will resume with the back-to-back races at Zandvoort and Monza between the end of August and early September.
The promoted
Alexander Albon
The 54 points scored by Alexander Albon out of Williams’ total of 70 have taken the Thai-British driver to eighth place in the standings, which makes him what is often referred to as “best of the rest.” Albon has confirmed himself as a solid and consistent driver despite the arrival in the team of a highly competitive and tough teammate like Carlos Sainz, against whom he is clearly winning the internal battle. The Spaniard has been experiencing a more complicated adaptation period than expected after leaving Ferrari.
Looking at the numbers, the former Red Bull driver has reached Q3 on eight occasions and finished inside the top ten nine times on Sundays. However, three consecutive retirements due to reliability issues deprived him of the chance to accumulate an even larger points haul.
Isack Hadjar
The mistake made during the formation lap in Melbourne and the excessive criticism from Helmut Marko already seem like a distant memory. Today, the young Frenchman is considered the main candidate for promotion to Red Bull in 2026, given the unlikely confirmation of Yuki Tsunoda, which would leave his Racing Bulls seat to Arvid Lindblad.
In the present, Isack Hadjar is without doubt one of the best, if not the single best, rookies of the first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season. He has adapted immediately to the world of Formula 1 to the point of still being the only driver in history never to have been eliminated in Q1. Although he suffered a slight dip in form over the last three races before the break, it can easily be forgiven.
Overall, Hadjar has consistently outperformed both Yuki Tsunoda earlier in the year and Liam Lawson later on. Considering that both Gabriel Bortoleto and Kimi Antonelli are also progressing rapidly, it will be difficult to agree unanimously on who deserves the title of “best rookie.” But one certainty remains: Hadjar, who entered Formula 1 with the label of being underrated and burdened by the disappointment of losing the Formula 2 title to a less experienced rival, has now made everyone acknowledge his real value.
Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly is single-handedly carrying an entire team. He is dragging the weakest car on the grid into positions it would never otherwise reach, even performing miracles such as his fourth place in qualifying at Sakhir. The driver from Rouen is now in the full maturity of his career, and it is worth saying openly that today he would easily deserve that Red Bull seat in Milton Keynes that came far too early for him back in 2019.
His 20 points scored with this Alpine are as good as gold, especially considering that the true value of the A525 is reflected in the constant struggles of his teammate Franco Colapinto at the back of the grid. While Flavio Briatore questions whether to recall Jack Doohan or ask Toto Wolff to loan Valtteri Bottas, Gasly is instead almost fighting Haas for ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Williams
The influence of James Vowles on Williams becomes more visible with each passing month. The Grove-based team currently sits in fifth place in the Constructors’ standings, thanks above all to an outstanding Alexander Albon but also to the fact that the FW47 has now left behind the days of being at the back of the grid. It has become a solid midfield benchmark.
If Williams confirms this result at Abu Dhabi, it would be their best overall finish since the 2017 season.
Sauber
The start of the year was extremely difficult, and the entire paddock assumed this would be another transitional season while waiting for Audi’s official arrival. However, the updates introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona have breathed new life into the Swiss team, leading to clear improvements in performance.
The results prove it: Gabriel Bortoleto unlocked his season in Austria, regularly entering Q3 and the points thereafter, while the experienced Nico Hulkenberg has confirmed himself as a reliable figure. He also enjoyed the satisfaction of his very first Formula 1 podium at Silverstone. These combined elements now allow Sauber to realistically aim for sixth place in the Constructors’ standings.
Racing Bulls
The VCARB 02 has proven to be a rather competitive car, particularly in qualifying compared to race pace. This explains why the Faenza-based team has enjoyed more satisfaction on Saturdays than on Sundays. They also managed the swap between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson smoothly, and the strong performances from Isack Hadjar allowed the team to remain competitive while Lawson regained confidence.
Except for the British Grand Prix, the New Zealander scored points in his last three races: sixth place in Austria (the best result of his career) and two consecutive eighth places in Belgium and Hungary. With two solid drivers now performing well, Racing Bulls have reasons to be optimistic about the future.
The failures
Carlos Sainz
As mentioned earlier with Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz has encountered far too many difficulties in adapting from Ferrari to Williams. Only 16 points have been scored, although there have been some good flashes such as three sixth places in qualifying at Jeddah, Miami, and Imola. However, this remains well below expectations for a driver like Sainz, whose career has been built on consistency.
Williams will also need his contribution in the second half of the year to defend fifth place from the many teams that are chasing closely behind.
Franco Colapinto
Franco Colapinto was called in by Flavio Briatore to improve on the disappointing performances of Jack Doohan. The result, however, has been identical: zero points scored. Worse still, he added costly mistakes such as the qualifying error at Imola.
Although he managed to reach Q3 in Canada, he has never finished higher than 13th in a race. Hopes for a contract renewal are still alive, but he urgently needs a step forward. Nobody expects him to consistently beat Pierre Gasly, but at the very least, he needs to be closer to him in performance.
Lewis Hamilton
Who would have predicted that Nico Hulkenberg, driving a Sauber, would have more podium finishes by mid-season than Lewis Hamilton with Ferrari? The answer is nobody.
The truth is that Hamilton’s impact at Ferrari has so far been far more negative than anyone anticipated. Although he is up against Charles Leclerc, a driver in peak form and arguably at the best stage of his career, the numbers are disappointing for a seven-time World Champion. The comparison so far: podiums 5–0 in favor of Leclerc, poles 1–1 (with Hamilton’s being only for the 100 km sprint race), and points 151–109, a 42-point gap.
The only real highlight came in China during the Sprint weekend. Beyond that, Hamilton has been inconsistent, with flashes of brilliance too rare and too isolated, like the flickering lights of a Christmas tree. The Ferrari SF-25 is not the easiest car to handle, but Hamilton must deliver more consistency. His discouraged and sometimes resigned body language has even fueled speculation about an early retirement. Yet many still believe that the most successful driver in the history of Formula 1 has a lot to give to the most successful team in the sport’s history.
Red Bull
Just as Alpine is clinging to Pierre Gasly, Red Bull is entirely dependent on Max Verstappen. However, as seen at the Hungarian Grand Prix, even Verstappen cannot always perform miracles. Budapest reflected the reality of today’s Red Bull: difficult to understand, unpredictable, and weakened by upgrades that did not deliver the expected improvements.
Making matters worse, the contribution from the second driver remains practically non-existent. This makes it impossible for Red Bull to fight seriously in the Constructors’ Championship, not even for second place against Ferrari and Mercedes. Ironically, Sergio Perez – who is still under contract but sidelined – has performed better in the past than the last five teammates who partnered Verstappen.
Alpine
The situation is increasingly bleak. Performances are not improving, and unless something extraordinary happens, the French team looks destined to finish last in the championship. This became even clearer when Pierre Gasly confirmed in a press conference that there will be no further updates for the car until the end of the season.
Similar to Red Bull, Alpine suffers from a major weakness in its second driver position. Franco Colapinto is performing even worse than Jack Doohan, despite having raced in more than double the number of Grands Prix compared to Doohan, who had much less time to prove himself.
Ferrari
In simple words: another disappointing season. Expectations that had been raised internally by the team have not been met, and promises have not been kept. Charles Leclerc himself admitted before the season that he would be disappointed if Ferrari did not win at least one title this year.
Looking more closely at the on-track situation, there have been improvements. Ferrari is currently the second strongest team, and the upgrade package, which included a new floor and a redesigned rear suspension, showed positive results. However, a major issue remains: the mysterious tire wear problem that appeared at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The same problem had earlier led to disqualification in China, and it continues to be a black mark on Ferrari’s 2025 season.
This issue cost Charles Leclerc a possible victory at the Hungaroring, leaving Ferrari as the only top team without a win this season, while rivals have all tasted success. The objective for the second half of the year is clear: Ferrari must finally secure that elusive win.
The pending cases
Kimi Antonelli
Like Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli’s start in Formula 1 has been more positive than expected. His debut race in Australia was remarkable, finishing fourth in chaotic, mixed conditions. Interestingly, his strongest results have come at circuits he had never previously raced on, while he has struggled more at tracks familiar from junior categories.
The Monaco–Spain–Austria triple-header was disastrous, with zero points due to both errors and reliability problems. On the other hand, Miami was outstanding: Antonelli took pole position for the Sprint and third place in qualifying for the main race. Canada was also special, giving him his first Formula 1 podium.
After Montreal, however, he entered his first real slump, which he admitted was partly due to the off-track pressures that come with Formula 1 – sponsor events, marketing duties, and media commitments.
Despite failing to get out of Q1 in both Belgium and Hungary, Antonelli went into the summer break with renewed optimism thanks to a strong recovery drive from 15th to 10th at the Hungaroring, scoring his first point since Canada. This is the momentum he will try to build on in the second half of the season.
Aston Martin
It has long been known that Aston Martin is focusing heavily on the next regulatory cycle, investing in facilities like CFD, simulators, and a new wind tunnel, as well as signing Adrian Newey. Nevertheless, the current season still deserves to be judged. Without the Hungarian Grand Prix, the campaign would have looked like a clear failure.
Until Budapest, the team had endured many disappointing weekends, with Lance Stroll showing no consistency and Fernando Alonso stuck at zero points until the ninth round. A big upgrade package introduced in Belgium could not be fully evaluated due to the Sprint format and the adverse weather conditions.
The strong result in Hungary, with both drivers in the points and a third-row lockout in qualifying, delays the final judgment. But continuity will be essential if they want to salvage their year.
Oliver Bearman
Oliver Bearman, the young driver from the Ferrari Driver Academy, has shown good flashes of speed, especially in qualifying. On six occasions he outqualified Esteban Ocon, proving his raw pace. In races, however, he has struggled more, scoring just eight points so far and trailing his more experienced teammate by 27.
He has often been unlucky, with four consecutive eleventh places in Canada, Austria, Silverstone, and Spa. That said, his seventh place in Jeddah on debut, as well as coming close to Q3 in qualifying there, revealed his talent early.
Bearman clearly dreams of driving for Ferrari full-time one day, and his path seems destined for it. He has been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, and the Scuderia continues to follow his progress closely from the other side of the pit lane.
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