Six races into the 2025 Formula 1 season and the true picture of the form book is starting to emerge. It always takes a few samples to get a proper reading, and the sextet of different venues, each with its own challenges, has provided some intriguing evidence.
Matters were complicated by rain on race day in Melbourne, a compressed sprint schedule and track resurfacing in China, and partial resurfacing in Japan. Bahrain was perhaps the first straightforward weekend, and teams also had knowledge from February’s test session on which to draw. Then came the unusually high-speed night race in Jeddah, and another busy sprint weekend – in hot conditions – in Miami.
After a short break action resumes this weekend in Imola, the first leg of a triple header that is followed immediately by the unique street event of Monaco, and then Barcelona.
This run could see some changes to the status quo. Firstly the Italian and Spanish races are likely to see teams bring update packages, and secondly in Barcelona there will be stricter FIA checks on wing flexing.
While McLaren is adamant that its current arrangement complies and the team won’t have to do anything to meet the new standards and ensure legality, some rivals still insists that the pacesetters may be compromised.
Also worth watching out for in Imola is the first appearance of Pirelli’s new soft tyre, the C6, which has not yet been run in anger by the teams. It will also be used in Monaco.
The leaders
McLaren’s momentum at the end of 2024 suggested that it would be the team to beat this season, and that has proved to be the case. The papaya cars have usually been at the top of the order, and the team has won five of the first six races, losing out to Max Verstappen and Red Bull in Japan.
However the opposition is close enough to keep McLaren on its toes, and any deviation from perfection is costly. Indeed only twice in six GPs has the team secured a one-two finish, in Shanghai and Miami, and it has failed to secure pole three times in GPs, and twice in sprints.
A fascinating duel between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is emerging. The more experienced driver had the upper hand last year, but his Aussie team mate has been much stronger in 2025.
Norris won in Australia, where Piastri lost time with an off in the rain, but the latter bounced back to win from pole in China, and then matched that feat in Bahrain, where he became the season’s first repeat winner. In Sakhir Norris’s frustration at how his season isn’t quite going to plan was very apparent as he noted that he is not comfortable with the MCL39, and not doing a good enough job.
A huge qualifying crash in Jeddah was another setback, and having been handed the advantage Piastri won easily – before logging his fourth success of the season in Miami. He clearly now has the momentum, and while he did win the Miami sprint – helped by lucky virtual safety car timing – Norris needs to hit back with a victory in a full-length race.
The team’s big strength has been its ability to control tyre temperatures in races, and how it is doing that is vexing rivals.
The chasing pack
The only team to beat McLaren in a GP thus far is Red Bull Racing, and that was more down to the brilliance of Max Verstappen than the form of the RB21, which has proved to be a tricky and unpredictable beast.
The World Champion found the sweet spot in Japan and took pole, and he was able to keep the McLarens behind in the race with a virtuoso drive. It was back to reality in Bahrain, where he could not better sixth as he fought brake and balance issues. He then took further stunning poles in both Jeddah and Miami, although he had to settle for second and fourth respectively in the races.
The quick replacement of the troubled Liam Lawson by Yuki Tsunoda after just two weekends created some added turmoil in the RBR camp, and the Japanese driver is still getting up to speed.
Verstappen aside the most consistent challenger to McLaren has been George Russell, who appears to have slipped easily into the role of clear Mercedes team leader in the absence of Lewis Hamilton. He was third in both Australia and China, and in Bahrain he successfully stayed ahead of Norris in the closing laps to claim second, despite dealing with some electronic issues in the cockpit. He was then fifth in Jeddah and third in Miami, where he was on pole in the sprint.
His young team mate Kimi Antonelli has impressed and has finished in the top six in every race except Bahrain. The rookie’s steady progress up the order in qualifying – culminating in sprint pole in Miami – says a lot.
The positive for the team is that unlike its predecessors the car is no longer a “diva”, and it responds well to changes. However tyre management has been an issue in races, and that has been costly.
The high spot for Ferrari thus far was pole and victory for Lewis Hamilton in the Shanghai sprint, but the Italian outfit has not been able to repeat that form elsewhere, and has generally had the third or even the fourth fastest car. Hamilton has been open about his struggles to adapt, and he was despondent after Bahrain qualifying before putting in a strong drive in the race. In Miami he was strong in the sprint, but then had a frustrating main race, where he found himself in a team orders controversy.
The generally quicker Charles Leclerc has been high as third on the Bahrain grid, and he logged his only podium thus far with third in Jeddah. The team has much work to do, and is pinning its hopes on updates for its home race this weekend.
The midfield
Several teams have appeared at the head of the midfield pack, and have on occasion been well inside the top 10.
Williams has a fast car in qualifying, with Alex Albon starting as high as fifth in Miami and finishing in the same position both there and in the Melbourne opener. Carlos Sainz is still finding his feet at his new team, but the Spaniard has been impressive in recent weekends, and has occasionally outpaced Albon. The car is clearly a step over last year, and while the team has already outscored its 2024 points total, it could have done even better.
In terms of points and overall race performances Haas has been impressive since a troubled start in Melbourne, helped by floor revisions. The car is not at its best over one lap or in fast corners. However Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman have both done a good job to regularly make the points.
Alpine got off to a disappointing start to the season. However Pierre Gasly earned an impressive P5 in Bahrain qualifying, and he converted that to seventh in the race to log the team’s first points of 2025. It remains to be seen if that form can be repeated, and Miami was especially disappointing.
Meanwhile it was a steep learning curve Jack Doohan in the early races, who was under pressure to retain his seat, and the Aussie has now been bundled out to make way for Franco Colapinto. The Argentine driver impressed on his nine races with Williams last year, but he still has a point to prove. Meanwhile the abrupt departure of team principal Oliver Oakes has added to the instability in the camp.
Rookie Isack Hadjar has impressed at Racing Bulls, starting as high as seventh in both China and Japan, although the French youngster has only made the points a couple of times. However, there have been clear signs of talent. As with the sister team the Tsunoda/Lawson swap was disruptive, and the Kiwi hasn’t had much luck so far. There’s clearly potential in the car, which has a much more friendly operating window than the Red Bull.
The strugglers
Two teams are clearly on the back foot thus far in 2025, although coincidentally both took some pressure off by scoring early points thanks to good strategy in the Melbourne rain.
In normal dry conditions neither Aston Martin nor Sauber have been close to breaking into the top 10. Aston in particular is struggling for pace, and while outwardly upbeat, Fernando Alonso is clearly not happy. Frustratingly changes to the car don’t appear to make much difference. Sauber is also missing qualifying speed, and there’s little than Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto can do.
These are both teams with big ambitions and who will have to turn things around for 2026.
