Verstappen Tops F1 Bosses' Driver Rankings, Hamilton Snubbed

Max Verstappen has been voted the top driver of the 2025 season by Formula 1 team bosses, pipping newly-crowned world champion Lando Norris to the top spot. The annual poll, which aggregates the top 10 selections from team principals, saw Verstappen claim the number one position for the fifth consecutive year, while a notable omission was seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who failed to make the list after a difficult first season at Ferrari.

Why it matters:

This peer-review vote from the most influential figures in the paddock offers a unique perspective on driver performance, separate from the championship standings. It highlights the immense respect Verstappen still commands despite finishing second in the title race and serves as a stark, public assessment of Hamilton's struggles, marking a significant shift from his perennial status as an elite driver.

The details:

• The Top Three: Verstappen took the top vote, followed closely by 2025 champion Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished third in both the championship and the team principals' vote.
• A Tight Title Fight: The vote reflects a season where the championship went down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. Norris clinched the title by just two points from Verstappen, despite the Red Bull driver winning the season finale.
• The Full Top 10: The list was rounded out by George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, and Nico Hülkenberg.
• Hamilton's Shock Exclusion: The seven-time world champion's absence is the major talking point. His move to Ferrari was widely anticipated, but his season was marred by difficulty adapting to the car, leading to a perceived drop in performance that team principals clearly noted.

Looking Ahead:

The results set a fascinating narrative for the 2026 season. Verstappen and Norris's rivalry is now framed not just by their on-track battles but also by this peer-vote validation. For Hamilton, the snub adds immense pressure to deliver a strong comeback and silence the critics in his second year with Ferrari, while the inclusion of young talents like Bearman and Hadjar signals the next generation is firmly on the radar.