F1’s ticking time bomb revealed; McLaren truth rivals won’t want to hear — Report Card

McLaren completed the championship double in Abu Dhabi, confirming the team’s return to power in Formula 1.

It left several other F1 grandees on the outer, with bigger prizes on offer only when McLaren fumbled its chances.

The midfield battle was closer than ever in the final year of this regulation cycle, even with Williams rocketing from ninth to fifth in a powerful rise through the field.

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Sauber gave Audi hope that the German brand’s 2026 debut might be better than hoped, while Alpine’s struggles led to more serious questions about the team’s direction in Formula 1.

McLAREN — GRADE: A+

Championship: 1st, 833 points (2024: 1st, 666 points)

Wins: 14

Poles: 13

Average gap to fastest: 0.058 seconds (2024: 0.232 seconds)

Development trend: degraded by 0.109 seconds (8th)

What went well

Just about everything. The team opened the season with the fastest car, a status it retained for pretty much the entire season. It romped to the constructors championship with a record-equalling six rounds remaining. Lando Norris won McLaren’s first drivers championship since 2008, completing the team’s first title double since 1998. Remarkably he did so without a blow-up with Oscar Piastri, proving the team could manage their title rivalry cordially. After more than a decade in the wilderness, McLaren is back where it belongs in Formula 1.

What didn’t

Identifying problems would border on nitpicking, but the team made clear operational and executional errors late in the season to keep Max Verstappen in contention, especially its double disqualification in Las Vegas and then its strategic howler in Qatar that materially damaged Piastri’s title hopes. Really the drivers title should have been wrapped up much earlier. There are also some small questions for the team to ponder regarding the application of the so-called papaya rules and whether they always returned the fairest outcome for its drivers.

Target for 2026

Keep up the momentum without compromising on harmony. While the rules changes present a potentially massive challenge, McLaren is a team technically on the rise and still building. It will be expected to perform strongly next year. More challenging could be managing the next chapter of Norris and Piastri’s rivalry now that the Englishman enjoys world-title status. This is uncharted waters for the team and will test further its internal racing rules.

MERCEDES — GRADE: B

Championship: 2nd, 469 points (2024: 4th, 468 points)

Wins: 2

Poles: 2

Average gap to fastest: 0.366 seconds (2024: 0.435 seconds)

Development trend: degraded by 0.037 seconds (6th)

What went well

George Russell came of age as team leader, replacing Lewis Hamilton seamlessly as team leader with almost flawless execution throughout the season. Wins in Canada and Singapore were particularly satisfying given his defeats at those tracks previously. Andrea Kimi Antonelli also ended the season strongly, keeping the faith that his rapid elevation to Formula 1 could pay off.

What didn’t

Inconsistency again blighted the team. Though the 2025 car was arguably the most dependable of the ground-effect era, at too many weekends the team would mysteriously struggle for pace — or, more confusingly, be inexplicably strong. That should give the team pause for thought even ahead of next year’s rule changes.

Target for 2026

Return to title contention with a class-leading engine. The power unit is what catapulted Mercedes to greatness in 2014, the base from which it built an eight-season title-winning dynasty. Paddock rumour — though it is only rumour — suggests the German marque could be on track to take the lead in this field again. The team will also expect more steps from Antonelli, particularly given the Italian could make or break a championship challenge.

RED BULL RACING — GRADE: C+

Championship: 3rd, 451 points (2024: 3rd, 589 points)

Wins: 8

Poles: 8

Average gap to fastest: 0.252 seconds (2024: 0.152 seconds)

Development trend: improved by 0.052 seconds (5th)

What went well

Max Verstappen continues to carry the team, the four-time world champion performing at an exceptionally high level to come within two points of winning a most unlikely fifth successive title. He did so thanks to the team finally getting to grips with this year’s troubled car, the worst of the ground-effects era, which is at least a positive sign as the same designers tackle next year’s all-new machine.

What didn’t

Yuki Tsunoda perpetuated the second-seat curse, spectacularly failing to get anywhere near Verstappen in his 22-race stint. By most metrics he was the worst performing teammate of the season, for which he lost his seat on the 2026 grid. That in turn meant Red Bull Racing had no chance of fighting for the constructors championship, costing it prestige and prize money.

Target for 2026

Debut a competitive power unit inside a car that can be driven by more than just Verstappen. Isack Hadjar impressed this year, and his reward — or punishment? — is to replace Tsunoda. He must succeed not just for his sake but for the sake of the team, which cannot be taken seriously if it continues operating essentially with one car. How well the team performs overall, however, depends massively on how well it’s done with its first in-house power unit, built with support from Ford. It’s an enormous undertaking that could pay massive dividends, but perhaps only after causing short-term suffering.

FERRARI — GRADE: F

Championship: 4th, 398 points (2024: 2nd, 652 points)

Best finish: 2nd (2)

Poles: 1

Average gap to fastest: 0.468 seconds (2024: 0.312 seconds)

Development trend: degraded by 0.134 seconds (9th)

What went well

Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari was a massive marketing and publicity coup, creating considerable hype for the sport’s most famous team. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, continues performing at a high level, taking the team’s only pole and spearheading the losing battle to retain second in the championship.

What didn’t

A Ferrari season cannot be considered a pass without a win. Hamilton’s first season was deeply underwhelming and beset by transition issues that seemed unsolved even at the final round of the season, but of bigger concern was just how wayward this year’s car was after the team came within 14 points of the 2024 constructors title. It was never in genuine contention for grand prix wins and was rarely worthy of a podium. Chairman John Elkann’s bizarre intervention attempting to blame the drivers rather than the machinery for the team’s dire situation suggested all isn’t well in Maranello.

Target for 2026

Be better — much better. Ferrari cannot afford another season like 2025. Charles Leclerc has already described next year as “now or never” for a title. With the Monegasque one of the grid’s best, he’d be in hot demand elsewhere if the Scuderia tanked again. Hamilton and the team must also find a more effective way to work together lest this expensive marriage end in pointless acrimony.

WILLIAMS — GRADE: A

Championship: 5th, 137 points (2024: 9th, 17 points)

Best finish: 3rd (2)

Best qualifying: 2nd (1)

Average gap to fastest: 0.767 seconds (2024: 1.303 seconds)

Development trend: degraded by 0.042 seconds (7th)

What went well

Williams more than octupled its 2024 score in a sensational year that exceeded its wildest expectations. The team was prepared for pain this season given it abandoned development in favour of 2026 almost immediately, but the work it did during the off-season produced a car that immediately established what proved to be an unassailable lead for fifth in the standings, best of the midfield. Alex Albon was typically strong in the first half of the year, while Carlos Sainz found his feat in the second phase, delivering two meritorious podiums.

What didn’t

Operationally the team wasn’t polished enough. Sometimes it raised the ire of its drivers; other times it manifested in reliability problems that contributed to three DNFs and a DNS in just three grands prix. Albon also went missing in the second half of the year, failing to score in the last eight grands prix even as Sainz stepped onto the podium twice, leaving a small question mark over the team’s dynamic for 2026.

Target for 2026

Take the next big step. Team boss James Vowles has kept expectations in check, denying that anyone should expect Williams to become a frontrunner next year. But we should expect to see the team take a step clear of the midfield pack — albeit without knowing the shape of next year’s competitive order — to become a regular scorer of big points and perhaps a more frequent podium threat. Clearly the potential is there.

RACING BULLS — GRADE: B

Championship: 6th, 92 points (2024: 8th, 46 points)

Best finish: 3rd (1)

Best qualifying: 3rd (1)

Average gap to fastest: 0.783 seconds (2024: 1.004 seconds)

Development trend: improved by 0.092 seconds (4th)

What went well

Isack Hadjar was superb in his rookie season. Despite the car being on average the sixth quickest in qualifying, he was the sport’s eighth-best qualifier, speed that earnt him a Red Bull Racing promotion for next season. The team also fostered Liam Lawson’s rebuild after being dumped from RBR after just two rounds, making him a credible candidate to be re-signed for next year.

What didn’t

The team suffered for losing Tsunoda, who would have helped keep in touch with Williams in the first part of the campaign, when the gap to Racing Bulls ballooned to the point it was never likely to be closed. Lawson also needed time to rebuild his confidence before working his way into the fight with Hadjar.

Target for 2026

Finish fifth with two strong drivers. Former boss Franz Tost used to perpetually set the team the target of finishing fifth, just inside the top half of the title table, but without ever having achieved it. Next year’s rules shake-up could finally give it that chance on two conditions: first, that the Red Bull power unit is competitive, and two, that rookie Arvid Lindblad gets himself up to speed quickly enough to score early and regularly.

ASTON MARTIN — GRADE: D+

Championship: 7th, 89 points (2024: 5th, 94 points)

Best finish: 5th (1)

Best qualifying: 5th (2)

Average gap to fastest: 0.920 seconds (2024: 0.938 seconds)

Development trend: improved by 0.534 seconds (3rd)

What went well

Fernando Alonso continues to defy time, reliably snapping up points in unlikely situations, especially late in the year, when the car was no longer being developed. The team’s best news, though, is likely off the track, where Adrian Newey has spent almost all year penning Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger. Combined with its new infrastructure, 2025 should have the team well set up for 2026.

What didn’t

While the car was Aston Martin’s biggest problem, Lance Stroll continued to disappoint in his seat for life as sone of team owner Lawrence Stroll. The young Canadian was obliterated by Alonso on every metric, the most significant of which was qualifying, when he was obliterated by 0-23 with an average deficit of 0.353 seconds, the biggest in the sport behind Red Bull Racing and Mercedes. Eliminated from Q1 more often than any other driver, it’s hard to take Aston Martin’s title ambitions seriously when Stroll is performing at this level.

Target for 2026

Get back inside the top five in the standings. Aston Martin’s slump from a high-scoring fifth in the championship in 2023 to an anaemic seventh has been billed as a necessary sacrifice for a better start under next year’s new rules. Given the massive investment, it must pay off.

HAAS — GRADE: C+

Championship: 8th, 79 points (2024: 7th, 58 points)

Best finish: 4th (1)

Best qualifying: 8th (5)

Average gap to fastest: 1.084 seconds (2024: 1.030 seconds)

Development trend: improved by 0.604 seconds (2nd)

What went well

Considering the team’s all-new driver line-up, Haas’s steady-state result is a decent return, with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman outscoring their predecessors despite the team losing a place on the title table. Bearman’s strong second half of the season was impressive. Haas’s average gap to fastest undersells its performance somewhat owing to the team’s tough opening-round performance; it was within a second after the mid-season break.

What didn’t

Despite Bearman’s impressive season overall, the British rookie had some stinkers, especially in the first half of the season, and both him and Ocon as well as the pit wall left plenty of points on the table through the campaign. Despite the all-change circumstances, Haas will have been disappointed to have done little more than tread water year on year.

Target for 2026

Get the best from both drivers. Bearman’s progress should be strong given how good the second half of his rookie season was, but Haas will need a more consistent and dependable car to get the most out of Ocon, who can be quick when everything’s working for him but who went missing several times in 2025 when the car wasn’t quite to his liking. There’s potential in this car-drivers combination that’s yet to be unlocked.

SAUBER — GRADE: B+

Championship: 9th, 70 points (2024: 10th, 4 points)

Best finish: 3rd (1)

Best qualifying: 7th (2)

Average gap to fastest: 1.132 seconds (2024: 1.546 seconds)

Development trend: improved by 0.858 seconds (1st)

What went well

Sauber raised eyebrows when it said it would devote resources to this year’s car at the expense of 2026, but the benefits were clear. Sauber — soon to the Audi works team — learnt to believe in itself again after turning last year’s dire result into a thoroughly decent return in 2025. It was by far the biggest improver through the year as it upgraded the car, which got it within 22 points of sixth on the table. The team was strong to get Nico Hülkenberg his long-awaited maiden podium in Silverstone, while Gabriel Bortoleto’s selection was an inspired choice, with the 2024 F2 champion executing a quietly impressive season.

What didn’t

For all the good news, the team still finished ninth in the tight midfield battle. Hülkenberg was surprisingly easily matched by rookie Bortoleto too, which could raise questions about the German’s longevity at the team once Audi is fully set up. There’s also the question of cost to the 2026 project for developing so strongly in 2025.

Target for 2026

Don’t go backwards. The Audi story has been beset by all sorts of rumours of missed targets, with managerial bloodletting forming the backdrop. Much of that speculation has been tamped down this year, but few expect Audi to be competitive in its first season, especially as it’s debuting an in-house power unit. It must at a minimum finish ahead of the incoming Cadillac team; beating at least one other team to retain ninth in the championship — preferably with more competitive performances — would represent a decent starting position for a long-term project.

ALPINE — GRADE: F

Championship: 10th, 22 points (2024: 6th, 65 points)

Best finish: 6th (1)

Best qualifying: 5th (1)

Average gap to fastest: 1.114 seconds (2024: 1.172 seconds)

Development trend: degraded by 0.454 seconds (10th)

What went well

Pierre Gasly re-signed with the team until the end of 2028, securing Alpine a lead driver who this year continued performing at a high level despite his circumstances. The team has also signed up a bevy of new sponsors following Franco Colapinto’s elevation to the driver line-up.

What didn’t

Pretty much everything. The team was anchored to last place pretty much all year, which is deeply unbecoming for the Renault works team. It poorly handled the blooding of rookie Jack Doohan, who was turfed after only six races, and de facto team boss Flavio Briatore was forced to admit in the middle of the year that he had regrets over giving Colapinto a rack in the Australian’s place. The car has been dreadful all year. While the average gap to fastest makes it look like it’s in a close battle at the back of the midfield, it doesn’t reflect the mammoth decline in performance — half a second relative to the front for the season — that marked it as clearly the slowest car in Formula 1 for almost all of 2025.

Target for 2026

Be better. To be fair to Alpine, it was one of the teams that openly sacrificed any potential 2025 joy in the hope of boosting its performance next year. If it turns up with a most more competitive car next year — when it will be powered by Mercedes motors — then perhaps 2025 will be reflected upon as having all been worth it. Anything less than solidly in the midfield, rather than adrift at or near the back, and yet more serious questions will be asked of this team’s direction.