Max Verstappen claims final 2025 F1 victory as final rankings revealed

The final results are in for RacingNews365's ever-popular driver ratings from the 2025 season.

After each grand prix, a member of the team rates each driver, and we have been keeping track of the scores throughout the season to observe the trends and to see who, in our mind, was the best driver of the season.

We have split the final rankings into two parts, with drivers in positions P11-P20 available to read here.

Read on to find out how we ranked the top 10, and let us know in the comments if you agree!

1st - Max Verstappen - 8.4

Highest score - 10 - Japan, Italy, Azerbaijan, United States, Abu Dhabi 

Lowest score - 4 - Spain

The criteria for these rankings is simple. You score a grand chelem, you get a 10, so that accounts for Azerbaijan, but his late season form proved who was the best driver in 2025. The Japan pole lap was lap of the season, and of the gods, but there is one major blot on his copybook. Spain, and despite what he might claim, that collision with Russell was extremely costly.

2nd - Lando Norris - 7.8

Highest score - 10 - Monaco, Austria, Mexico City, Sao Paulo 

Lowest score - 3 - Canada

A tricky start to the season was met with a dominant run of run through the latter half of the European summer, especially after that horror collision with Piastri in Canada, his lowest score of the season. Did all he needed to do to win the title, but it was far closer than it should have been. But in the end, he won't care.

3rd - Oscar Piastri - 7.5

Highest score - 10 - Bahrain, Spain, Netherlands

Lowest score - 3 - Azerbaijan 

Started the season like a train on fire, but his slump post-winning in Zandvoort was incredible to witness. Claimed that the Monza team orders impacted his dreadful weekend in Baku and then lost confidence in the car, leading to his wobble across the Americas leg. Ultimately, was Piastri's title to lose, and he did. 

4th - George Russell - 7.5

Highest score -  10 - Bahrain, Azerbaijan 

Lowest score - 4 - Monaco

Russell's best season in F1 yielded 319 points and two wins, and nine overall podiums. His performance in Bahrain to defend against Norris in the faster McLaren in a car suffering from major systems glitches, was one of the drives of the season, and only dipped below a five once in the ratings all season. A good building block for an expected championship challenge in 2026.

5th - Charles Leclerc - 7.4

Highest score - 9.5 in Austria 

Lowest score - 4 - in Britain

The one bright spark for Ferrari with Leclerc, dragging the car to seven podiums in an up-and-down year. Always had the measure of Hamilton over the year and demolished him in qualifying and race head-to-heads. A year of experience, but one to forget overall. 

6th - Isack Hadjar - 6.7

Highest score - 10 - in Netherlands

Lowest score - 4 - in Austria

How Hadjar bounced back from his heartbreaking formation lap crash in Australia to delay his F1 debut was outstanding. Breakout was eighth in Japan with impressive performances in Monaco and Spain to follow. Standout was an eye-catching weekend at Zandvoort, which arguably secured him the seat alongside Verstappen. 

7th - Alex Albon - 6.6

Highest score - 9 - in Australia, China, Miami, Emilia Romagna 

Lowest score - 3.5 - in Spain and Abu Dhabi

The fact that Albon's highest score of nine came in the season-opener and his lowest of 3.5 in the finale sums up his season. Started incredibly well with points in seven of the first eight races, including three fifth places. Only scored four more times after that, and not after seventh in Italy. 

8th - Oliver Bearman - 6.6

Highest score - 10 in Mexico City 

Lowest score - 4 in Australia, Emilia Romagna 

Bearman's average mid-season would have placed him in the bottom-half if it continued, but an 8.5 rating in the Netherlands started a boost up the charts. The highlight was a 10 for Mexico City, when he claimed fourth with a podium in sight. Trailed off afterwards, but still a strong first season. 

9th - Kimi Antonelli - 6.5

Highest score - 9.5 - in Sao Paulo

Lowest score - 3 in Monaco

How Antonelli performed well on the so-called more difficult tracks and struggled in Europe on the more familiar circuits was one of the stranger stories of the season. After Toto Wolff issued a firm disapproval after Monza, Antonelli kicked into gear with a strong performance in Azerbaijan. Genuinely had the measure of Russell in Mexico and Brazil, and his charge to the podium from 17th in Las Vegas was astonishing. 

10th - Carlos Sainz - 6.5

Highest score - 10 - in Azerbaijan

Lowest score - 4 in Australia

If you were to take Sainz's second half of the season and combine it to Albon's first half, that'd be an almighty good season as they had the inverse of each other's year. Podiums in Baku and Qatar were not by fluke and fully deserved as he began to assert his dominance over the team as the year wore on.