What was the best storyline of F1 2025?

Every year Formula 1 always delivers plenty of drama and 2025 was no different with a title fight that went down to the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lando Norris ultimately prevailed in a three-way fight against McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

But it wasn’t just about what happened at the front, as there was drama throughout the grid. So, here are our writers’ favourite storylines of the 2025 F1 campaign.

Nico Hulkenberg does the unexpected — Jake Boxall-Legge

From a feel-good point of view, it has to be the conclusion to the 15-year-long quest that Nico Hulkenberg endured to finally reach the F1 podium.

Hulkenberg’s skill and talent had never been in doubt during that time, but it appeared that his time had come and gone; opportunities with Force India went begging, his Renault career petered out as the team began to find form vaguely resembling competitiveness, and his F1 career looked as though it was over before being called upon to replace Racing Point’s COVID-sidelined drivers in 2020.

Even when Hulkenberg came back to F1, his emergence at Haas had never looked like a podium combination — and given Sauber’s form in 2024, perhaps even less so when he rejoined the Swiss outfit for this season ahead of its Audi transition.

When it was arguably least expected, Hulkenberg’s long-awaited visit to the rostrum emerged like a rainbow in the wake of the dismal conditions at Silverstone. The crucial part was holding Lewis Hamilton off with weary intermediates, forcing the world champion to stop too early for the dry tyres.

But if we’re extending it to all sports, then I’m picking Valentin Vacherot’s Shanghai Masters win. Having entered the tournament as the world No. 204, Vacherot beat the likes of Alexander Bublik, Holger Rune, and Novak Djokovic on his route to a final match-up with cousin Arthur Rinderknech. At least one Monegasque won something this year…

Max Verstappen stages an incredible comeback to almost steal the F1 title — Ed Hardy

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images

The last two genuine F1 title fights couldn’t have been more different. First there was that battle in 2021, Hamilton versus Verstappen, the master versus the apprentice — and what an almighty fight it was. Drama, fights, crashes, two drivers at the peak of their powers and levels above the competition.

Then there was this year. Initially, Norris versus Piastri, a much tamer fight between the McLaren pair in which one could very much argue they weren’t levels above the competition with three drivers – Verstappen, George Russell and Charles Leclerc – performing better.

It was quite a boring battle to begin with, lacking any real oomph, but then the final third of the season saw Verstappen thankfully enter the mix. This can be put down to upgrades Red Bull brought to round 16 at Monza, thus transforming its season as the four-time world champion cut a 104-point deficit to still be in the title conversation come Abu Dhabi.

A win at the finale, his sixth in nine, still wasn’t enough to claim a fifth title as he finished two points behind Norris, but the way Verstappen fought back and changed conversations surrounding the championship fight was incredible to watch.

It put everybody on edge, caused them to think twice about where the title might be heading, and the ‘could he really do this’ question dominated office talk. Ultimately it wasn’t to be, but Verstappen’s resurgence is what I’ll remember most about 2025. Had he become world champion, it would have gone down as one of the greatest ever title-winning campaigns.

Colton Herta bids for F1 — Ben Vinel

Colton Herta, Hitech TGR

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Nowadays, it is quite rare for F1 drivers to have forays into other categories, and even scarcer for racers who are established in other series to give it all up as they dream of F1.

That’s why Colton Herta’s decision is so exciting. The 2024 IndyCar runner-up could easily have continued his career stateside, but the 25-year-old is gambling on a Cadillac test driver role and a move to F2 – which will be particularly tricky, given he has no experience of Pirelli rubber. 2023 Super GT and Super Formula champion Ritomo Miyata has been attempting the same and it’s spectacularly backfiring so far, with a single podium finish to his name in his first two campaigns.

Herta has a lot to lose in his bid for a 2027 F1 seat, but he’s still doing it. It will be fascinating to see how he gets on – just like WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera. The Finn is switching from rallying to Super Formula for 2026 as he attempts to reach the highest possible level in single-seaters; let’s see how far he can go.

Lando Norris comes of age to become F1 world champion — Filip Cleeren

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

I wrote a piece on this elsewhere, but having first covered Norris at the 2017 Pau Grand Prix — rest in peace, Euro F3 — it was intriguing to follow his growth over the past few years, particularly the last two.

How would he respond to having a winning car at his disposal and therefore come under pressure to win and to race Verstappen wheel-to-wheel?

There were plenty of wobbles in 2024, and a few more in the first half of 2025, but those really helped shape him into a world champion. The best part is he did it his own way, as he says, without the usual ruthlessness or the idea that a world champion has to be a bulletproof robot. 

Good on you, Lando.

We want to hear from you!

— The Autosport.com Team