Autosport magazine: F1 season review and the Top 50 drivers of 2025
by Kevin Turner · AutosportOur festive season kicks off with a review of the F1 year and Autosport’s traditional list ranking the best drivers
Who would have thought, after the first few Formula 1 races of 2025, that the championship battle would go down to the 24th and final grand prix of the season? Not many, but this roller coaster campaign carried Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to Abu Dhabi each with a chance of the crown.
All three played their part in a tense finale, but it was 26-year-old Norris who did enough to clinch the title by two points, becoming the 35th world champion. In our season review in this month’s magazine, we pick out the key moments and developments that decided the championship, select the star performers and highlight the best individual drives.
Jake Boxall-Legge takes a look at the tech battles that were waged in the final year of F1’s second ground-effect era, plus we assess the rookies, describe how Williams won the midfield battle, and outline the off-track political intrigue that was the backdrop to the season. Stuart Codling also delves into Lewis Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari, a year the seven-time world champion will doubtless want to forget.
It was a rather better time for another multiple title winner in the World Rally Championship. Sebastien Ogier took an incredible ninth crown in 2025 despite only contesting a part-season. He talks to Tom Howard in our Rally section.
This being our Christmas issue, it’s time for Autosport’s traditional Top 50 drivers of the year. We’ve crunched numbers and taken the views of many correspondents and experts in the field to attempt a ranking of the best exponents of 2025.
As ever, comparing drivers in different machinery, across an array of categories performing for a multitude of teams, has been a big challenge. We’re not going to pretend the list is definitive – or even that everyone at Autosport agrees with the final order! But we do hope that we’ve been able to highlight many of motorsport’s stars of the season just gone.
We’ve done something similar in our 21-page National section, too. Our team of UK contributors has helped us select the top 10 club drivers of the year, and the 10 best rivalries.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our readers. The next issue, out on 15 January, will focus on the new F1 rules in 2026.
For the best motorsport coverage, from F1 to Britain’s club-racing scene via the Le Mans 24 Hours, why not get Autosport magazine delivered to your door each month? Subscribe today and never miss your fix of motorsport: autosportmedia.com/offer/Autosport
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