Halfway through the 2025 Formula 1 Championship, surprises have dominated the season. Many expected another routine win for Verstappen and Red Bull, but with the summer break approaching, this year’s championship has already delivered plenty of unexpected twists—both on and off the track.
We’ve seen a fierce teammate rivalry at McLaren, Red Bull’s dominance slipping, rumours swirling around Verstappen’s future, and Sauber’s shock podium. At the halfway mark, one thing is clear: anything can still happen. Here’s a look at the biggest storylines so far—and what to watch for when racing resumes in Zandvoort.
Norris vs. Piastri: Winner Takes It All
McLaren has stamped its authority on the title fight, winning 10 of the first 13 races. The team has only missed the podium once, at the Canadian Grand Prix. With a 200+ point lead over Ferrari in the standings, McLaren looks on course for back-to-back constructors’ titles.
The bigger question: who will become their first world drivers’ champion since Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 triumph? Lando Norris has grown with McLaren over seven seasons, helping restore the team to winning form. Oscar Piastri, however, has adapted with astonishing speed. With six wins to Norris’ five, he’s the first non-Mercedes or non-Red Bull driver to lead the championship in eight years.
There’s no doubt about their talent or determination—both deserve the crown. But the second half of the season won’t just be a battle on the track. Mental strain and psychological pressure will play a massive role. It’s hard enough to fight for a first title; it’s even harder when your main rival sits across from you in the same garage. Tensions may already be brewing at McLaren, and that dynamic could decide who lifts the trophy in Abu Dhabi.
Sauber: The Unexpected Glow Up
Last season, Sauber scraped together just four points and sat at the bottom of the standings. This year, they scored more than that in a single race—and have stayed competitive in a tight midfield fight.
Kick Sauber’s glow-up this season has been one that spectators have been closely monitoring. Nico Hülkenberg has spearheaded the team’s revival, bringing in crucial points with measured yet aggressive drives. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto is still adapting, but he’s shown promise—most notably with a P6 in Hungary. He’s also outqualified Hülkenberg in the last three races.
After a post-Australia slump that lasted seven races, Sauber turned their form around. Consistent points finishes have pushed them steadily up the leaderboard. Their race management has matured, their development direction is clearer, and Hülkenberg’s experience has been transformative. At Silverstone, he delivered Sauber’s first podium in 12 years, standing alongside championship leaders Piastri and Norris.
Currently sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, Sauber has a real shot at breaking into the top five before year’s end—a huge leap from 2024.
The Instability of the Number 2 Seat
In Formula 1, the second driver’s seat often feels less like a race seat and more like a pawn in a high-stakes chess game—always one move away from being sacrificed.
This season, that instability has been most visible at Red Bull and Alpine. Both teams have rotated their second drivers quickly, leaving little time for development and putting all their faith in their lead men—Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly—to keep results steady.
For these teams, the second seat carries a load of misfortune and uncertainty driven by the constant reshuffling of drivers with little time to prove themselves and a foundation built on their main drivers (Verstappen and Gasly) fighting at every turn to keep their teams upright and consistent.
The reshuffle echoes similar themes of Red Bull’s past: a lack of patience, minimal time to prove themselves, and the constant focus on long-term development of the team rather than nurturing drivers; previous examples include Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon.
Despite the praises Tsunoda received, he didn’t live up to the team’s high standards: with three points and no higher than ninth place. However, since the introduction of Laurent Mekies as team principal, the Japanese driver has shown momentum, starting by qualifying in 7th place during sprint qualifying in Belgium.
As always, the team’s sole foundation is built on Max Verstappen’s shoulders to maintain their place in the championships.
Alpine’s Search for Stability
At Alpine, Jack Doohan’s seat never looked secure. With only five races to prove himself, the pressure stifled his performance. Franco Colapinto replaced him mid-season after a brief stint at Williams in 2024. While confident in his approach, Colapinto hasn’t yet delivered results and is now under scrutiny in an underperforming car.
Both Tsunoda and Colapinto are shouldering the weight of massive expectations and the fear of being replaced by the next best driver out there, exposing a systematic issue of whether these teams care about driver development or have a desperate need for immediate results.
Verstappen: Fifth Title or F1 Exit?
Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 has been the centre of attention over the last few months, particularly following the shockingly prompt exit of long-time Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. From confirmed talks with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to under-the-radar appearances at the Nürburgring Endurance Series, rumours started going around about a potential departure of the Dutchman from Formula 1.
It is true that with RedBull’s performance decreasing this season and the few early-season driver swaps for the second seat, whispers around the paddock claimed that Verstappen might activate his contract clause and leave the team. However, he failed to finish fourth or lower by the Hungarian Grand Prix and is therefore still bound to his contract with Red Bull.
Ahead of Hungary, Verstappen dismissed the chatter:
“I think it’s time to basically stop all the rumours, and for me it’s always been quite clear that I was staying anyway.”
Still, questions linger. Is Red Bull’s reduced performance affecting his results—or is his championship hunger fading?
What to Expect in the Second Half
This season has thrown up more twists than anyone predicted. The McLaren fight could go down to the wire. Norris may finally get his crowning moment, or Piastri could snatch the title in his sophomore year. Sauber might keep climbing, riding momentum and Audi’s looming influence. Verstappen’s loyalty to Red Bull will remain under the microscope. And the second-driver merry-go-round could foreshadow even more turbulence for 2026.
When racing restarts in Zandvoort, we’ll find out which stories define the final chapter.