What was the best F1 race of the 2025 season? Our writers have their say

From an action-packed 2025 Formula 1 season, selecting the best race of the campaign isn’t straightforward.

A 24-round F1 calendar makes that task even tricker, but our writers have given it a good go. Here’s what they have picked out as their favourite F1 race of 2025.

British Grand Prix – Filip Cleeren

The British Grand Prix truly had everything. Mixed weather is always a good start. Then there’s a jumbled starting grid, overtakes, Oscar Piastri being handed that divisive penalty for his safety car infraction, a home winner in Lando Norris and last — but definitely not least — Nico Hulkenberg’s long overdue maiden podium.

Hulkenberg’s fight to defend third was one of several key battles to follow, which also included some blue-on-blue violence as Haas’ Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman collided.

Brazilian Grand Prix – Jake Boxall-Legge

Given that it was probably the most entertaining race that I attended this season, I’ll plump for the Brazilian Grand Prix on the basis that the weekend was something of a rollercoaster throughout.

Expected storms rather suggested that running on Saturday might come at a premium, only for the worst of the weather to emerge overnight and left little beyond light showers and wind by the time morning arrived. That said, the weekend hardly needed the influence of rain; an all-action grand prix was spearheaded by Max Verstappen’s swashbuckling drive through the field, albeit one repelled by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s final stand as he looked to hold onto second. Plus, Sao Paulo’s always fun — the Fogo de Chao pilgrimage didn’t happen this year, but picanha and pao de queijo was had in great quantity.

And the return trip home with Lufthansa was one of those little unforgettable moments — after taking off on the Monday evening, imagine my surprise when I was awoken by the cabin crew bearing gifts a little over midnight — «Mr. Boxall-Legge, we understand it is your birthday today…»

I wouldn’t say I was entirely eager to spend turning 32 on a 12-and-a-bit hour flight, but the crew made it at least somewhat bearable!

Dutch Grand Prix – Owen Bellwood

The 2025 F1 season has been a mixed bag – some races turned up exciting on-track action and drama, while others became parades that were shaken up only by the iron fist of the stewards.

For me, the race of the year was one that had a bit of both: Zandvoort. This year’s Dutch GP, the penultimate instalment of the race, had heartbreak, a debut podium, a sprinkling of safety cars and a top 10 that few could have predicted. Sure, the tight nature of the track meant that on-track overtakes weren’t that common, but a mix of strategies, retirements from Ferrari and McLaren, and a mixed-up qualifying result meant that there was plenty to keep an eye on over the 72 laps.

In the end, it was Lando Norris’ shock retirement and Isack Hadjar’s surprise podium that dominated the headlines. Plus, there was a strong race from Alex Albon to fight through the pack, Fernando Alonso also had his fair share of battles, and the view of Charles Leclerc watching the race from a marshal’s phone after retiring from the race will go down as one of the images of the season.

Plus, this was the only race I got to attend as a fan this year, and the experience on the ground was great. The atmosphere at the track was electric, the fans in the stands were there for a good time and the novelty of being able to cycle along the beach to an F1 race will never get old. Zandvoort, you were class this year – here’s hoping the Dutch race can end on a high in 2026.

The race starts

Photo by: Gabriele Lanzo / Alessio Morgese / NurPhoto via Getty Images

British Grand Prix – Ed Hardy

It was very slim pickings because looking back, the 2025 Formula 1 season was full of storylines but not great races. Quite simply, if something at least mildly interesting happened then it was on the shortlist but thankfully, the British GP is an outlier here because that was a cracking weekend.

The action started off with Max Verstappen pulling out an incredible pole lap to surprisingly beat the McLaren pair by a tenth before, as usual at Silverstone, weather played its part on Sunday. Rain was on and off, drivers flicked between the intermediate and slick tyres, thus it was a matter of survival and those who kept it clean would benefit the most.

Quite shockingly that wasn’t Verstappen, who was overtaken by Oscar Piastri for the lead early on before lap 11 saw the four-time world champion slide off and hand second to Lando Norris. Verstappen regained the position in the pitlane, but then tumbled down the order after spinning on the lap 21 restart.

It thus handed a McLaren 1-2 with Piastri leading, but then a 10s penalty for a safety car infringement in which he significantly slowed down handed victory to his team-mate. But there was action throughout the grid, as Isack Hadjar ended up in the wall, the Haas drivers collided, and who could forget Nico Hulkenberg finally claiming an F1 podium? The British GP was mega and the best race of 2025.

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— The Autosport.com Team