F1 mid-season review: Norris and Piastri on collision course, Hamilton falling behind and rookies on the rise

2025 campaign resumes this weekend with F1 looking set for a new order

Lando Norris, left, and Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Getty Images

Formula One's summer break is drawing to a close and fans are gearing up for what should be an enthralling restart.

With 10 races left in the season, there is a lot on the line. McLaren are in a title fight, which was expected. But what has been shocking is that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are no longer the ones dictating terms.

Ferrari have again flattered to deceive, while Lewis Hamilton is still finding his feet. Over at Milton Keynes, it was the end of an era at Red Bull with Christian Horner gone after 20 years.

F1 is changing fast and by the time the season finally rolls into Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi in December, we will know who has taken control of Formula One’s new order.

As the season prepares for resumption this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, we analyse the key talking points from the first half of the season.

Lando Norris v Oscar Piastri

Since 2019, every driver who has won four of the first six races has gone on to take the drivers' title. The only exception is 2021, when no driver reached four wins in that span. This year, Piastri has won four of the opening six races to position himself as titl favourite.

The Australian has grown into a calm and composed driver who deserves to be leading the standings. His adaptability stands out, matched by a level of control that has impressed.

Nowhere is that clearer than in braking - the most demanding part of the lap. Piastri has managed the phase with the precision of the very best. He brakes later without overshooting, squeezes every ounce of grip, then rotates the car decisively before powering cleanly out of the corner.

What has truly lifted Piastri this year is his all-round abilities. His throttle work is measured, allowing him to protect his tyres without losing pace, and his race management has taken a major step forward.

Zak Brown, chief executive of McLaren, with Oscar Piastriat the Hungaroring. PA

Where Norris has occasionally struggled, Piastri has kept tyre degradation under control and converted strong qualifying positions into consistent results. That blend of outright speed and composure on Sundays reflects a maturity well beyond his experience. He no longer looks like an exciting newcomer, but a seasoned driver capable of becoming champion.

Nine points behind him in the standings sits Norris, who entered the 2025 season as the title favourite after a standout 2024 campaign. Yet his challenge has been hampered by mistakes in both qualifying and races, with questions raised about his composure under pressure.

Despite those setbacks, his victory at Silverstone in a high-stakes environment demonstrated his determination to correct past errors as the season barrels towards the decisive phase.

When asked if falling short of the title would amount to failure, Norris said: "I'd have to say I didn't succeed in what my goal was but I don't think you can ever call it a failure because I don't believe like I've failed anything.

"I feel like maybe I just didn't live up to what I believed I could have done or the level I should have done at certain times.”

Will Ferrari and Hamilton live up to expectations?

Ferrari’s 2025 season has been one of frustration, with Hamilton at the centre of it. After 14 rounds, the Scuderia are still without a victory, while McLaren have dominated with 11 wins.

Within the team, Charles Leclerc has been the more consistent performer, holding a 42-point advantage over Hamilton, out-qualifying him 10-4 and beating him in 11 of the 13 races where both finished. Seven-time world champion Hamilton sits a lowly sixth in the drivers’ standings, still searching for his first Ferrari podium.

The transition has been anything but smooth. Hamilton has spoken openly of feeling “useless” in the SF-25, a car that behaves like "an alien" compared to the Mercedes with which he built his dynasty. His biggest struggles have come in braking. Ferrari’s system does not suit his hard-hitting approach into corners, and although engineers have tweaked the setup to accommodate him, the balance has rarely been found.

Away from the track, Hamilton has been working tirelessly, submitting detailed reports and holding meetings with Ferrari’s leadership and technical staff. His feedback has highlighted issues with engine braking, suspension and balance, while also feeding into the design of the 2026 car.

Despite his input, Hungary and Spa underlined his difficulties, with more frustration than progress. Leclerc, meanwhile, has extracted more from the same machinery, maximising the upgrades and further exposing Hamilton’s struggles to adapt. Were Ferrari right to bring in Hamilton and was he right in choosing this new challenge?

Ferrari’s drought stretches back to 2008 in the constructors’ championship and to 2007 for a drivers’ crown. Hamilton’s solitary highlight remains a sprint win in Shanghai, a fleeting reminder of the form that once made him the sport’s dominant force.

The summer break offers Hamilton a much-needed reset. Critics have questioned whether Ferrari, a team steeped in tradition and obsessed with their modus operandi, are truly taking his feedback on board. The challenge now is for Ferrari to make him feel like an integral part of the project, a team willing to adapt and modernise in its pursuit of victories.

End of an era at Red Bull

The biggest shock of the season was the sacking of Christian Horner. After 20 years in charge and eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ crowns, the man who built Red Bull into Formula One’s dominant force was shown the door.

His departure was seen less as a sporting decision and more the product of office politics, fuelled by rumours of a power struggle at the top. It followed months of turmoil, allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by a female employee, though Horner was twice cleared by independent investigations.

The atmosphere, however, had turned toxic. Horner was booed by fans at the RB21 launch in London, a striking sign of how damaged his reputation had become.

With Adrian Newey leaving for Aston Martin, Jonathan Wheatley moving to Kick Sauber and Rob Marshall joining McLaren, Red Bull’s old guard has been dismantled. Horner’s abrasive style divided the paddock but his record was undeniable, guiding Sebastian Vettel to four consecutive titles and Max Verstappen to another four. With Laurent Mekies promoted from Racing Bulls, the team now feels somewhat unmoored.

Red Bull’s form has underlined how track-dependent the RB21 has become. At Spa, Verstappen’s sprint victory showed its strength on high-speed layouts where aerodynamics and a low downforce rear wing gave it an edge. Yet at the Hungaroring, where stability, grip and sharp direction changes are crucial, those advantages vanished, exposing the car’s lack of adaptability.

The second seat has only compounded Red Bull’s pain. Liam Lawson was axed after two races, while Yuki Tsunoda has laboured, managing just 10 points, some of which came during his time at Racing Bulls, compared with Verstappen’s 187. Verstappen’s brilliance remains a lifeline and the only reason the team are not at the bottom of the standings.

Verstappen's decision to commit through 2026 ought to provide much-needed stability, but it’s safe to say Red Bull’s aura of invincibility has faded.

Year of the rookies

The 2025 rookie class has delivered a compelling mix of promise and teething problems. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) has been the standout, collecting 64 points with a best finish of third place. He made history as the youngest sprint pole-sitter in Miami and backed it up with a composed podium in Montreal, becoming the first Italian on the rostrum since 2009.

His debut was equally eye-catching, finishing fourth in Melbourne, but momentum has been checked by a run of retirements, with Mercedes conceding that car issues have played a role. Even so, the 18-year-old sits seventh in the standings, with both the team and George Russell highlighting steady progress and clear signs of potential. What remains is for Antonelli to rediscover the raw speed that first marked him out as Mercedes’ next big star.

At just 20 years old, Isack Hadjar has quickly established himself as one of the most impressive rookies on the grid with Racing Bulls. His debut ended in disappointment after a crash on the formation lap in Australia, but he responded in style with a series of assured drives that underlined his potential. He has already collected 22 points and shown real consistency in qualifying, regularly advancing into Q2 and Q3.

The highlight of his season so far came in Monaco, where he delivered a mature performance to secure sixth place, his best result to date. That drive, combined with his steady points-scoring ability, has made him the second-highest ranked rookie in the championship at mid-season, behind Antonelli.