F1 Rivals Crown Max Verstappen Best Driver of 2025 in a Snub to Lando Norris

Imagine finally achieving your lifelong dream. You climb the mountain, you beat the odds, and you hoist the World Championship trophy above your head. You are the king of the world.

And then, mere days later, your co-workers all get together and publicly agree that the guy you just beat is actually way better than you.

Welcome to Lando Norris’s life right now. Despite securing the 2025 Drivers’ Championship in a nail-biter of a finale, the McLaren golden boy has been dealt a pretty savage emotional blow.

In the annual poll conducted by Formula 1—where drivers anonymously vote for their top performers—the grid decided that Verstappen is still the undisputed boss of the tarmac.

1. Verstappen Takes the Crown (The One That Doesn’t Count)

It’s becoming a bit of a tradition at this point. For the fifth year in a row, Max Verstappen has been voted the Drivers’ Driver of the Year. It didn’t matter that he missed out on the actual title by a heartbreaking two points; his peers clearly saw something behind the wheel of that RB21 that the final scoreboard didn’t quite capture. To add insult to injury, it wasn’t just the drivers. The Team Principals also cast their votes earlier in the week and came to the exact same conclusion: Max is number one. It’s a clean sweep of the popularity contests for the Dutchman. You have to wonder what the group chat looks like right now. The voting system allows drivers to rank their top ten, and while they can vote for themselves, many chose the humble route. Clearly, plenty of them looked at Max’s season and thought, “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to race him either.”

2. The Comeback That Almost Broke the Internet

So, why the love for a guy who technically lost? Context is king here. Verstappen didn’t just have a “good” season; he went on a tear that terrified everyone. Midway through the season, things looked grim for Red Bull. Max was staring down a massive 104-point deficit to Oscar Piastri, who was leading the charge at the time. Most drivers would have packed it in and started looking at 2026 concept art. Instead, Verstappen went full “video game mode.” He won six of the final nine races. He drove like a man possessed, clawing back points every single weekend until the title fight went down to the absolute wire in Abu Dhabi. Sure, he lost the championship to Lando Norris in the end, but that late-season surge was the kind of stuff they make movies about. It’s hard not to respect the hustle, and clearly, the rest of the grid felt that sheer force of will was worth more than the consistency Norris brought to the table.

3. Is Lando Norris Actually a “Deserving” Champion?

While Lando Norris was undeniably consistent—racking up 18 podiums across 24 races—the vibe in the paddock suggests people aren’t entirely sold on his dominance. Former F1 driver Michael Bleekemolen didn’t mince words in a recent interview, essentially saying Norris doesn’t stack up when you compare him to the raw talent of Verstappen. Bleekemolen pointed out moments, such as the Canadian GP, where Norris seemed stuck behind his teammate Piastri, calling it “dramatic.” It’s a harsh take, but it echoes a sentiment floating around social media: Did Lando win it, or did the others lose it? When you have a car as dominant as the McLaren was for the majority of the season, expectations skyrocket. Finishing second in the peer vote suggests that his rivals think he did a great job, but perhaps not a “legendary” one. Looking past the drama at the top, the rest of the list has some fascinating nuggets. George Russell snagged third place, which is honestly impressive given he wasn’t really in the title fight. He managed to keep Mercedes relevant while Ferrari seemed to forget they were a top team (Leclerc in 5th and Sainz in 6th tells you everything you need to know about the Scuderia’s year). Then there are the rookies. You have to give it up for Ollie Bearman. The kid had a debut season that most veterans would kill for, including a five-race scoring streak and a P4 in Mexico. Landing 9th on this list proves he’s not just hype. And let’s not forget Alex Albon in 8th—the man is dragging that Williams to places it has no business being, and his peers clearly respect the grind.

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