The 2025 Formula 1 season’s post-summer break stretch has delivered drama, comebacks, and a few unexpected twists. With the European leg behind us and the Asian flyaway races in full swing, the standings since the break tell a fascinating story about momentum — who’s rising, who’s faltering, and what these trends might mean for the remainder of the championship fight.
Here’s a breakdown of how the field has evolved since the summer break, what stands out most, and what it reveals about the competitive order.
Verstappen Back on Top Form
After a turbulent mid-season stretch, Max Verstappen looks like a man reborn. With 86 points scored since the summer break, the reigning champion has re-established himself as the benchmark once again.
His recent performances — including a commanding win at Monza and another dominant drive in Baku — have underlined that when Red Bull’s RB21 hits the sweet spot, Verstappen remains almost untouchable. His “rebirth,” as Helmut Marko called it after Italy, seems to have carried through every round since.
What’s most impressive is not just the raw pace, but the control. Even when rivals like McLaren have shown flashes of speed, Verstappen’s execution — managing strategy, tyres, and track position — has been near flawless. If Red Bull can sustain this form, they’re well-positioned to finish 2025 as runners-up in the Constructors’ Championship despite early-season inconsistency.
Russell and Mercedes Quietly Surging
Just behind Verstappen sits George Russell with 55 points since the summer break — a remarkable haul that highlights Mercedes’ late-season resurgence.
Russell’s Singapore victory proved pivotal. Despite battling illness, he delivered arguably his best F1 weekend to date, combining calm precision with race-winning aggression. Since then, Mercedes have looked more competitive than at any point in the last two years.
What’s changed? The W16’s upgrade package has unlocked balance and consistency, allowing Russell (and to a lesser degree, Antonelli) to extract its potential. Russell’s haul also underscores how Mercedes are thriving in this phase — their 89 points since the break place them just two behind McLaren in the Constructors’ fight.
It’s the clearest sign yet that Mercedes are back in contention — not for the title, but for the mantle of “best of the rest.”
McLaren: Brilliant but Bruised
The McLaren pairing of Oscar Piastri (52) and Lando Norris (39) continue to perform at an elite level — but cracks are beginning to show.
Piastri’s form remains remarkable. His Dutch GP Grand Slam marked one of McLaren’s proudest weekends in decades, and his calm, methodical approach continues to deliver results. He’s arguably been the most complete driver on the grid behind Verstappen since the break.
Norris, meanwhile, has shown bursts of brilliance but also frustration. Slow pit stops in Monza and team strategy calls in Singapore have cost him points — and perhaps wins. His 39-point tally doesn’t fully reflect his pace, but it does show that execution, not speed, is McLaren’s biggest challenge.
Still, the 91 points McLaren have scored since the summer break is just five shy of Red Bull’s total, reinforcing how close the top battle has become. If both drivers can align performance and execution, a late-season push could still see McLaren reclaim second in the Constructors’.
Ferrari Faltering
It’s been a disappointing stretch for Ferrari, who’ve collected only 38 points since the summer break. Both Charles Leclerc (22) and Lewis Hamilton (16) have suffered from a mix of reliability issues, strategic mishaps, and lack of outright pace.
Leclerc’s form remains strong in qualifying, but the race results haven’t followed. Ferrari’s struggles with tyre wear have been amplified in hotter conditions, and Hamilton’s adaptation to the SF-25 continues to be a work in progress.
Hamilton’s five-place grid penalty in Monza, followed by further reliability concerns in Baku, summed up Ferrari’s post-break woes. The team’s long-awaited upgrades haven’t produced the expected leap, leaving them sliding from early-season podium contention to the midfield mix.
For a team that started the year promising a title challenge, this has been a sobering few months.
Williams’ Resurgence
Williams have been one of the biggest winners since the break, scoring an impressive 32 points — just six fewer than Ferrari. Led by Carlos Sainz (16) and Alex Albon (16), the team has been the model of consistency.
Sainz’s Azerbaijan podium was one of the season’s feel-good moments — Williams’ first top-three finish in years. Albon, meanwhile, continues to deliver quietly brilliant drives, consistently bringing home points and often outperforming faster cars through strategy and racecraft.
This resurgence under James Vowles isn’t just a flash in the pan. It’s evidence that Williams are now a serious midfield force again, capable of exploiting chaos to their advantage and challenging established teams week in, week out.
The Midfield Battle Heats Up
The midfield has been incredibly close, with Racing Bulls (27), Aston Martin (16), Haas (11), Kick Sauber (4), and Alpine (0) all scrapping for minor points.
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Racing Bulls have had the standout story with rookie Isack Hadjar (17). His Zandvoort podium was a sensational moment — one that cemented his reputation as a star of the future.
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Aston Martin, by contrast, have continued to slide. Once a podium regular, they now sit mired in the lower midfield, with only 16 points since the break — the same total as Hamilton’s Ferrari.
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Haas have overperformed relative to expectations, occasionally sneaking into the points through clever strategy and strong qualifying from Oliver Bearman.
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Kick Sauber and Alpine, meanwhile, remain stuck at the back. Bortoleto’s single-digit haul and Alpine’s zero since the break highlight the challenge both face heading into the 2026 regulation change.
Key Takeaways
Verstappen is back in control, with a commanding pace advantage since Monza.
Mercedes are resurging, and Russell looks increasingly like their team leader.
McLaren have pace to win races, but operational errors continue to cost them.
Ferrari’s slide from contention is the biggest disappointment post-summer.
Williams are thriving, confirming they’re no longer outsiders.
Racing Bulls and Hadjar have been the surprise package of the midfield.
Final Thoughts
Since the summer break, Formula 1’s competitive order has been reshuffled. Red Bull have rediscovered their spark, Mercedes are back in business, and McLaren remain tantalisingly close to championship-winning form.
But perhaps the biggest story is how tight the grid has become. From Verstappen’s dominance to Williams’ resurgence, the post-summer standings paint a picture of a sport entering a thrilling, unpredictable new phase — where every point, every upgrade, and every decision could define the final outcome of 2025.
