F1 Season Update: Pre-Dutch Grand Prix Reflections

As we kick off this week, the F1 grid is enjoying a brief pause before the action ramps up again with the Dutch Grand Prix next weekend. But, honestly, the season is well underway.

To gear up for the second half of the 2025 campaign, here are some key stats that illuminate how things have unfolded so far:

Let’s start with the most recent race, the Hungarian Grand Prix.

On that Saturday, Charles Leclerc clinched pole position with an impressive lap time of 1:15.372, finishing ahead of Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.026 seconds and Rand Norris by 0.041 seconds.

What’s particularly remarkable is the close times from the top drivers. Isack Hadjar, sitting in 10th, clocked in a lap of 1:15.915, creating a tight margin of just 0.543 seconds between the first and tenth positions.

This has set a new benchmark for the closest gap in the 75-year history of F1 qualifying.

Historically, the record was 0.577 seconds, a mark established back in 2003 at Interlagos. That year, Fernando Alonso managed to qualify 10th with a lap time of 1:14.384.

This season’s Hungarian Grand Prix illustrates just how tiny the margins can be in Formula 1.

Speaking of tight races, the battle for the drivers’ championship is heating up. Oscar Piastri leads by just nine points above his teammate Rand Norris, showcasing how competitive this season is.

In contrast, after 14 races last year, Max Verstappen had a staggering 78-point lead over his teammate, Sergio Pérez. The year before, Verstappen enjoyed a 93-point advantage after the same number of races.

The nine-point differential between Piastri and Norris marks the smallest gap between McLaren teammates since 2021.

And it’s worth noting that all 10 teams have managed to score points this season—a stark contrast to last year when Sauber only broke into the points in the second-to-last race. Similarly, in 2021, Haas didn’t score any points at all throughout the season.

This year, of the 21 drivers racing, 19 have managed to earn at least one point, leaving only Jacques Douhan and Franco Colapinto from Alpine without any points so far.

Douhan started the season alongside Pierre Guthrie but was replaced by Cora Pinto after the Miami Grand Prix. Unfortunately, neither driver has added to Alpine’s points tally.

Meanwhile, it’s worth mentioning that Alpine’s season has faced several hurdles, including the recent resignation of team principal Oliver Oaks due to personal issues. In comparison, Pierre Guthrie has grabbed 20 points this year but has struggled to keep pace.

Shifting to the battle for podiums, Nico Hülkenberg finally secured his first F1 podium at the British Grand Prix after 239 race starts, marking the longest wait in sport’s history for a driver to reach the podium.

On the McLaren front, the ongoing rivalry between Piastri and Norris has captured attention, with Norris starting strong this year. He won the Australian Grand Prix, while Piastri’s persistence led him to a ninth-place finish despite some early struggles.

As the season progresses, it’s evident that the battles are tight, and each race could heavily influence the standings. Currently, McLaren is leading the Constructors Championship with 559 points, a significant lead over Ferrari, who have accumulated 260 points this year.

Looking ahead, the strategies and performances of teams like Red Bull will play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the remaining races. It’s going to be an exciting time in F1 as every point counts in this close contest.