The 2025 F1 season enters the summer break to close what has been an incredible, thrill-seeking, and unpredictable first half of the season. Undoubtedly, the world has witnessed Formula 1 at its very best over the last few months.
The mandatory two-week shutdown is once again in place this year to allow both drivers and their respective teams to recharge and regroup, ahead of a tantalising second half of the 2025 season. How will the second half of the season live up to the first? Well, F1 never fails to disappoint, especially as the grand finale set under the lights at the Yas Marina Circuit edges ever closer.
As F1 2025 pauses, here’s a mid-season roundup, reminiscing the most memorable and headline-grabbing moments of the season so far.
The Chronicle Headlines – F1 2025 Part 1
- Lawson and Tsunoda swapped after just 2 races – Red Bull’s second seat dilemma continues, with Lawson being dropped to Racing Bulls after poor results in Australia and China; Tsunoda promoted to Red Bull.
- Hamilton takes maiden win for Ferrari in China Sprint – Qualifying pole position for the sprint proved crucial for Hamilton, who went on to win the sprint race – his first taste of glory in red.
- Doohan demoted, Colapinto promoted – Alpine’s struggles continue, with them opting to swap Doohan and their reserve driver, Colapinto, shortly before Emilia-Romagna. However, Colapinto is yet to score.
- Antonelli achieves podium in rookie season – Antonelli took his maiden podium in F1 in Canada, in a successful weekend for the Silver Arrows with Russell also achieving their first win of the season. At eighteen years old, Antonelli is the third youngest driver to ever step foot on the podium.
- Norris is victorious on home turf – After six seasons in F1, Norris finally climbed to the top step of the podium at Silverstone, achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a British GP winner.
- Hulkenberg breaks podium curse – The Sauber driver ended his podium drought by finishing P3 at Silverstone. On his 239th start in F1, Hulkenberg achieved his debut podium – the longest wait for a podium in history.
- Horner departs Red Bull after 20 years – Horner was released of his duties with immediate effect post-Silverstone. Racing Bulls team principal, Laurent Mekies, has since replaced Horner as Red Bull CEO and team principal.
- Verstappen to remain at Red Bull for 2026 – The reigning world champion has put the rumours of a potential move to Mercedes to bed, confirming his commitment to Red Bull for next season.
As It Stands at the Summer Break
Drivers’ Championship
The battle for the Drivers’ Championship is very much heating up. Heading into the summer break, Oscar Piastri remains in pole position, but only just. Pre-Hungary, Piastri led Norris by sixteen points. Just nine points now separate them, after Norris’ hard-fought first win in Budapest. Eighty-eight points behind Norris in second place, the closest contender to the McLarens for the Drivers’ Championship is none other than the four-time world champion, Max Verstappen. Even with the RB21 proving difficult to drive, Verstappen has pulled mighty results out of the bag in the first fourteen races. This includes two race wins, five podium finishes, and a Belgian Sprint win.
George Russell’s “Mr Saturday” title is replaced with “Mr Consistent” this year, as he sits comfortably in P4. Russell is followed by the Ferraris – Charles Leclerc in P5 and Lewis Hamilton in P6 – who have both already faced their fair share of challenges this season. Hamilton’s replacement at Merecedes, the Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, has achieved an incredible seventh place in the standings at the halfway stage of his rookie season in F1.
The Williams of Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg in the Sauber, and Esteban Ocon at Haas, complete the top ten. The bottom half of the field is separated by only twenty-six points, so it is all to play for when racing resumes at the end of August.
Constructors’ Championship
McLaren lead the Constructors’ Championship heading into the break, by a huge margin of two hundred and ninety-nine points to Ferrari in P2. This is an extraordinary points haul by the team from Woking of over double Ferrari’s total points, with ten races of the 2025 calendar remaining. McLaren are, arguably, untouchable. If they can carry their momentum and form from the first half of the season into the second, they will almost certainly secure a second Constructors’ Championship title in consecutive seasons.
Fred Vasseur’s scarlet red Ferraris are looking to claim P2 for two consecutive seasons, but will have to battle it out with both Mercedes and Red Bull who are close on their tail. However, with the second driver unable to match Verstappen’s pace and the car proving consistently problematic, it seems increasingly likely that Mercedes will keep their position over Red Bull.
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have increased Aston Martin’s chances of finishing P5 in the Constructors’ Championship by achieving a double points finish in Hungary. This is a sign of improvement and hope for the team, after a disappointing first thirteen races where points were hard to come by. They chase Williams for P5, who have struggled with reliability issues in recent races.
Kick Sauber, Racing Bulls, Haas and Alpine are right in the mix of the battle for P5. Williams in P5 and Alpine in P10 are separated by just fifty points which, in F1, is not a lot when you consider there are two drivers in each team. If teams can maximise points scoring opportunities where the top four teams fail to score points, this will place them at a real advantage over their closest rivals in the Constructor’s Championship fight.
“Papaya On Top”
The first fourteen races of the F1 2025 season can be summarised in two words: McLaren dominance. As was the case in the second half of the 2024 season, Papaya are on another level to their rivals. The statistics speak for themselves. 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship, P1 in the Constructors’ Championship, 11/14 races won, twenty-four podium finishes, eight pole positions, and a sprint race win.
Piastri vs Norris – Only One Can Become World Champion
In head to heads in 2025, Piastri beats Norris with six wins to five. However, with Norris winning three out of the last four races – including his home race at Silverstone – he will surely be feeling quietly confident entering the break. He will want to carry this momentum into the second half of the season, attempting to add to his tally of wins and displace his teammate at the top of the standings.
The title fight between the two McLarens looks like it may go down to the wire. With only nine points separating them at this moment in time and ten races left, the Brit and the Aussie may end up fighting it out for the title in the season finale in Abu Dhabi. This would make for a dramatic end to a season which has already provided a whole load of drama with tight battles, extraordinary overtakes, and rivalries.
Piastri and Norris have come close to blows on numerous occasions in 2025 – the most notable being during the final laps of the Canadian Grand Prix. In an attempt to overtake Piastri for the win, Norris drove into the back of car number eighty-one, colliding with the wall and sustaining enough damage that he could not continue in the race. Norris immediately admitted that this was a costly mistake on his behalf, as he gained no points from the race. On the other hand, his closest rival and teammate extended his championship lead by twenty-five points.
With McLaren CEO Zak Brown continuing to enforce “Papaya Rules”, will the McLaren pair continue to race fairly, or will the title being close within their reach heighten emotions and result in competitive natures getting the better of them?
Hamilton Faces Ferrari Struggles
The first season in red has proved challenging so far for the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Beginning on a high in China by qualifying pole position for the sprint race – and proceeding to take his maiden Ferrari win – Hamilton has faced difficulties ever since. He is yet to finish on the podium of a Feature race – something F1 fans are taking some getting used to.
It appears the summer break has come at a much-needed time for Lewis. In an interview with Sky Sports F1 after qualifying in Hungary, Hamilton criticised himself and his performance:
“I’m useless, absolutely useless. You’ve seen the car’s on pole, so, uh, we probably need to change driver.”
Hamilton has proved time and time again that he is one of the greatest the sport has ever seen, but it is forgotten that he is also a human being with emotions like everybody else. The summer break is a crucial time for drivers to recharge after an intense few months of travelling the world, participating in back-to-back race weekends. A few weeks rest might just be what Hamilton needs to reignite his spark.
Is Leclerc Ferrari’s Number One Driver?
Ferrari brought upgrades to Belgium which, on Leclerc’s car in particular, have looked more promising for the Scuderia. Leclerc, who has seven seasons under his belt for Ferrari, qualified and finished P3 at Spa. In Hungary, he achieved a mighty pole position – Ferrari’s first Grand Prix pole of 2025 – but lost out on a podium due to lack of pace in the final stint of the race.
As for Hamilton, he has continued to struggle in the SF-25. At Spa-Francorchamps, his lap time in Q1 was deleted for track limits, meaning he began Sunday’s race in 16th on the grid. In Budapest, his bad qualifying run extended when he was knocked out in Q2, starting P12 for the race.
Leclerc’s recent form is piling the pressure on the seven-time world champion to deliver results, especially with Ferrari currently sitting P2 in the Constructors’ standings. Will Lewis regain his focus and passion post-summer break to deliver for Ferrari, creating a comfortable gap behind to Mercedes and Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship?
Horner & Red Bull = No More
Wednesday 9th July 2025: a day which shocked the whole of the motorsport community. Christian Horner sacked by Red Bull with immediate effect. Formula 1’s longest-serving team principal of twenty years, dropped with no warning. That’s how gruelling this sport can be.
Red Bull have claimed the last four Drivers’ Championship titles under Horner’s leadership, as well as two consecutive Constructors’ championships in 2022 and 2023. However, the team’s winning run looks to end this season. There is no doubt that the McLaren car, the MCL39, is in a league of its own – much like Red Bull’s cars in recent years.
At the halfway stage, Norris in P2 is clear of Verstappen by eighty-eight points. At this exact point in the 2024 season, Verstappen held a seventy-eight point advantage over Norris, which he held onto in the second half of the season to win his fourth WDC. It is a tough ask for Verstappen – even with his capabilities – to close this gap to the McLarens in the last ten races of the season. The Papaya show no signs of slowing down and letting Max into the fight between Oscar and Lando.
It is not only poor performances and results which may have contributed towards the sacking of Horner. Accusations of inappropriate behaviour from a female colleague against Horner surfaced in February 2024, and Red Bull have been under scrutiny ever since. On top of this, key team members – such as Adrian Newey – have left the team to begin new chapters in their careers.
A New Era at Red Bull
With the RB21 proving problematic, Horner’s relationships within the team somewhat fractured, and rumours about Verstappen’s future circling, the team have opted for a new leader in the hope of returning back to the top. Red Bull have taken little to no time in choosing who will replace Horner, appointing former Racing Bulls team principal, Laurent Mekies, almost instantly.
Since Mekies’ appointment, the drivers’ performances have looked more promising. Verstappen clenched a sprint race win in Belgium, after a world-class overtake on Piastri into the first corner. On the other side of the garage, Tsunoda qualified seventh for the Belgian GP – his best qualifying performance since joining the team.
Red Bull’s Second Seat Curse
Since his arrival at the team, Tsunoda has ultimately failed to deliver results which could assist Max and the team in pushing Ferrari and Mercedes for P2 in the Constructors’. Despite making it into Q3 in Belgium and back racing under his previous team principal at Racing Bulls, Yuki is yet to finish inside the top 10 of a race for Red Bull in 2025. He is currently on the worst pointless streak ever recorded by a Red Bull driver (not including DNF’s).
Can Tsunoda finally find some pace and performance in the RB21, with substantial upgrades to come in the second half of the season, bringing them back into contention under Mekies?
Verstappen Shuts Down the Rumours
The departure of Horner hasn’t been the only headline surrounding Red Bull in recent months. Rumours around Verstappen’s future with the team have also been circulating. At the previous race weekend in Budapest, Verstappen put to bed these rumours. In an interview with Sky Sports F1, he confirmed his commitment to Red Bull for the 2026 season.
Although there has been speculation that talks have taken place between Verstappen and Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff, over a potential move to the Silver Arrows for 2026, the four-time world champion remains faithful to the team he has been a part of since he was a teenager.
This news also means that Mercedes no longer faces questions on which of their drivers Verstappen would replace. Both Russell and Antonelli are yet to confirm their contracts for 2026, but it seems increasingly likely – now that the Verstappen rumours have cooled down – that both will continue to race for the team based in Brackley in 2026.
What to Watch For When F1 Returns
- Piastri vs Norris – who will win their first ever WDC?
- Will McLaren extend their lead and secure the Constructors’ trophy for two consecutive seasons?
- The fight for P2 in the Constructors’ – will it be Ferrari, Mercedes or Red Bull to come out on top behind McLaren?
- Can Hamilton finally find some momentum and consistency at Ferrari?
- Red Bull without Horner – can Mekies make changes which will bring Verstappen and Red Bull back into contention?
- The battle at the back of the field – will Williams hold onto P5, or will it be Aston Martin, Kick Sauber, Racing Bulls, Haas or Alpine who snatch it at the last hurdle?
Next: F1 2025 Season 1, Part 2
Formula 1 returns after the summer break for the Dutch Grand Prix at the iconic Zandvoort circuit. With Zandvoort leaving the F1 calendar after 2026, can Max Verstappen add to his tally of three home race wins, and clench a penultimate win at the circuit? Or, will the Papaya disrupt the Dutch army’s celebrations, and extend their lead in the Constructors’ Championship?
Find out on Sunday, 31st August – when it’s lights out and the second half of the 2025 season gets underway.
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Feature Image Credit: McLaren