Jonas Leo
In a significant annual assessment, Formula 1 team principals have once again cast their votes for the sport’s elite drivers, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen securing the top spot for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year. The Red Bull ace’s consistent brilliance earned him the accolade, despite the recently concluded 2024 season seeing McLaren’s Lando Norris clinch his maiden Drivers’ Championship title. Norris, the reigning champion, earned a commendable second place in the discerning poll, reflecting his breakout season and the dramatic championship battle he waged.
The comprehensive survey, a traditional end-of-season ritual, invites the sport’s most experienced leadership figures to rank their top 10 drivers based on performance over the preceding year, with aggregated points forming the final list. This year’s participants included McLaren’s Andrea Stella, Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, Williams’s James Vowles, Racing Bulls’ Alan Permane, Haas’s Ayao Komatsu, Sauber’s Jonathan Wheatley, Alpine’s Steve Nielsen, and Aston Martin’s senior leadership teams. Their collective insights offer a unique, expert perspective on driver talent, often valuing raw skill and adaptability beyond championship points alone.
Verstappen’s continued dominance in the principals’ eyes underscores a widely held belief in his exceptional driving prowess. Even though he ultimately finished second in the 2024 Drivers’ Championship, just two points shy of Norris, his late-season surge and ability to consistently extract maximum performance from his machinery clearly resonated with the sport’s strategists. His ability to recover ground and push the championship to the final race in Abu Dhabi, where he secured a race victory, demonstrated the formidable competitive spirit that has defined his career.
Lando Norris’s second-place ranking in the poll is a testament to a career-defining 2024 season. After a strong start that saw him, alongside McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, emerge as an early championship contender, Norris navigated a highly competitive field with increasing maturity and consistency. Following the summer break, his performances elevated, marked by a series of robust results that solidified his championship challenge. The internal competition with Piastri at McLaren proved a catalyst for both drivers, but it was Norris who found an extra gear in the crucial latter half of the season. His eventual championship victory, a hard-fought triumph, positioned him firmly among the sport’s current elite.
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The 2024 season itself unfolded as a captivating narrative of ebb and flow. Early indications suggested a two-way battle between the McLaren drivers, Norris and Piastri, who showcased the significant advancements made by the Woking-based outfit. Piastri, in his second year, displayed remarkable speed and race craft, often matching his more experienced teammate. However, a relentless Max Verstappen, driving with characteristic intensity, mounted a powerful late-season charge that saw him claw back a substantial points deficit. The championship ultimately culminated in a thrilling finale at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. While Verstappen secured the race win, Norris’s third-place finish was sufficient to seal the Drivers’ Championship by the narrowest of margins, two points, marking a new era in Formula 1. Piastri, after a stellar season, concluded the championship in third position, solidifying McLaren’s resurgence as a top-tier team.
Beyond the top two, the remainder of the team principals’ top 10 for 2025 features a mix of established stars, rising talents, and a notable, high-profile team switch:
- 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren): His impressive consistency and undeniable speed in his sophomore year earned him a strong third-place showing. Piastri’s performance in 2024, including his role in McLaren’s constructors’ challenge, demonstrated he is a future star.
- 4. George Russell (Mercedes): Despite Mercedes’ fluctuating performance across the 2024 campaign, Russell’s ability to maximize opportunities and deliver strong, consistent drives placed him fourth. His ongoing development and leadership within the team are highly regarded.
- 5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): The two-time world champion continues to defy age, with his enduring skill, strategic acumen, and race craft placing him fifth. Alonso’s ability to extract performance from any car remains a benchmark for the paddock.
- 6. Carlos Sainz (Williams): In one of the most significant implied transfers revealed by this poll, Carlos Sainz is listed as a Williams driver for 2025. This move, if confirmed, would represent a substantial coup for the Grove-based team and a new chapter for the Spaniard, who consistently delivered strong results in 2024, often outperforming expectations. His inclusion at sixth underscores his reputation as a highly capable and intelligent racer.
- 7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): Leclerc’s natural speed and qualifying prowess saw him secure seventh. While Ferrari’s 2024 season had moments of brilliance, consistency remained a challenge, yet Leclerc’s individual talent shone through.
- 8. Oliver Bearman (Haas): The inclusion of Oliver Bearman at eighth is a clear signal of his burgeoning potential. Confirmed to join Haas for 2025, Bearman likely impressed principals with strong performances in junior categories and potential F1 test or substitute appearances, marking him as a talent to watch.
- 9. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls): Another young talent making the list, Isack Hadjar’s ninth-place ranking suggests a highly promising trajectory. Set to race for Racing Bulls in 2025, Hadjar’s performances, possibly in F2 or during F1 development roles, have clearly caught the attention of team leaders, who see significant future potential.
- 10. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber): The veteran German driver rounds out the top 10. Hulkenberg, who will drive for Sauber in 2025, is valued for his experience, consistent race management, and ability to deliver solid points-scoring performances, making him a reliable asset for any team.
Conspicuously absent from the 2025 F1 bosses’ top 10 list is seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. His omission marks a notable departure from previous years and reflects what appears to have been a challenging 2024 season following his highly anticipated move to Ferrari. The expectation surrounding his transition to the Maranello outfit was immense, but the initial period seemingly involved a significant adjustment phase, hindering his ability to consistently compete at the very front. This suggests that while his legacy is secure, his immediate performance at Ferrari did not meet the high standards expected by the team principals for inclusion in their elite ranking for the upcoming season. The pressure will undoubtedly be on Hamilton to reassert his dominance as he enters his second year with Ferrari in 2025.
The annual team principals’ poll serves as more than just a popularity contest; it offers a critical barometer of perceived talent and current form from those best positioned to judge. It highlights not only the established titans like Verstappen and Alonso but also validates the ascendance of new champions like Norris and emerging stars such as Piastri, Bearman, and Hadjar. The implied major driver movements, particularly Carlos Sainz’s reported switch to Williams, also add an intriguing layer to the anticipation for the 2025 season. As teams prepare for the next campaign, these rankings provide a fascinating glimpse into how the sport’s decision-makers view the competitive landscape and the drivers poised to shape its future.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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