The 2025 Formula 1 season delivered intense drama, fierce rivalries, and moments that kept fans worldwide on the edge of their seats. With Britain‘s Lando Norris emerging as champion in a dramatic finale in Abu Dhabi, this year’s campaign produced standout events now highlighted for you to relive, choose, and celebrate as the defining 2025 Formula 1 season highlights.
Reviewing an Unforgettable Title Chase
Throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri led a closely fought championship, coming down to a gripping showdown at the final round. The battle saw fluctuations in dominance—after breaking Verstappen’s string of four consecutive Red Bull titles, McLaren had the challenge of managing both Norris and Piastri as contenders, only for Verstappen to mount a late-season push and keep the championship open until Abu Dhabi.
Sky Sports F1 provided comprehensive coverage with familiar faces on its broadcast and digital teams reporting directly from the paddock. Journalists including Nigel Chiu, James Galloway, and Sam Johnston have now picked their favorite moments, inviting fans to vote for the defining highlights of the year.
Standout Races That Shaped the Season
The 2025 calendar featured several Grands Prix that stood out for their unpredictability, tension, and spectacle. Among these, the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park was particularly notable for its constantly changing weather, which proved challenging for even the most seasoned drivers. It demanded absolute focus from the opening lap as differing rain intensity and slick painted lines made the track treacherous. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone also produced a memorable afternoon, punctuated by heavy downpours and featuring Lando Norris as the first-time home winner. This marked the end of Nico Hulkenberg’s record wait for a podium and occurred as the circuit hosted more than 500,000 spectators across the weekend.
Hungary again brought drama for McLaren, with Norris and Piastri pursuing contrasting strategies that culminated in a dramatic finish. Piastri, on fresher tyres, nearly overtook Norris on the penultimate lap, but a lock-up almost caused disaster as Norris narrowly held on for a pivotal victory. Fast starts, shifting weather, and strategic gambits combined to make these races essential viewing for any fan of the sport.
The Most Surprising Twists of the Year
Several moments shocked the paddock and fans alike during the 2025 campaign. One major surprise came when Christian Horner was dismissed as Red Bull team principal after the British Grand Prix, ending his two-decade leadership of one of the championship’s powerhouse teams. His sudden exit proved seismic within the sport’s power structures.
Controversy also erupted in Las Vegas, as both McLaren cars came under investigation for excessive skid block wear—a significant development for the title race when penalties threatened to alter the championship’s closing stretch. As scrutiny grew, talk of disqualification heightened the stakes for the final rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari faced unforeseen struggles with their 2025 car. While it was expected that Lewis Hamilton, as the team’s new star signing, might need an adjustment period, few anticipated a season entirely devoid of podiums for the seven-time champion. The scale of the team’s competitive step backward was one of the campaign’s biggest shocks.
Pole Position Performances That Set the Pace
Qualifying saw exceptional displays of skill and risk-taking throughout 2025. Max Verstappen’s pole-winning lap at Suzuka in Japan was heralded as one of his finest, with the Dutchman threading through high-speed corners just millimeters from disaster and ultimately turning pole into a commanding win over the McLarens. According to Verstappen, the performance was “very special,” and Christian Horner called it “one of his best ever.”
Lando Norris returned to form in Monaco, snapping a dry spell since his opening win, by edging out local specialist Charles Leclerc for pole on the famously tight street circuit before claiming his first win there the following day. In Austria, Norris benefited from timely yellow flags in Q3 but had already established a lead, clinching pole and dominating every session he participated in that weekend.
Radio Exchanges That Captivated Audiences
Team radio communications offered humor, frustration, and insight into driver mindsets. George Russell was notably animated at the Mexico City Grand Prix, expressing mounting irritation at being held up behind his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s response to Charles Leclerc during the Australian Grand Prix, when the driver complained about a “seat full of water,” lightened the mood. Leclerc responded:
let’s add that to the words of wisdom
. – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver
Another memorable broadcast came during the Miami Grand Prix, when Lewis Hamilton, in his Ferrari debut season, became exasperated with slow strategy decisions over team radio:
Have a tea break while you’re at it!
– Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Driver
Flashpoints in Media and Paddock Interviews
The season was not without controversy and intrigue in the media beyond the racetrack. George Russell sparked intense speculation by telling Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok that ongoing uncertainty around his contract extension was due to team boss Toto Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen for Mercedes. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Flavio Briatore, newly returned to the F1 paddock as Alpine advisor, entertained reporters. Avoiding direct answers about Mick Schumacher, Briatore said:
We’re sitting here in the year 2000-something. I don’t understand. What you want to know?
– Flavio Briatore, Alpine Advisor
Lando Norris also stirred the media at the US Grand Prix in Austin, cryptically referencing potential “repercussions” from McLaren following his tangle with Oscar Piastri in Singapore, further fueling curiosity and backstage discussions among journalists and fans.
The Boldest Overtakes of 2025
On-track action was defined by aggressive, decisive moves for position. Lewis Hamilton’s double pass around George Russell and Esteban Ocon at a sodden Silverstone stood out, as he expertly navigated the wet outside line. Max Verstappen produced what was considered one of the decade’s top overtakes when he swept around the outside of Oscar Piastri entering Imola’s first chicane, expertly controlling the Red Bull against a rival who had shown tenacity in previous races.
Lando Norris exhibited racecraft early in one round by clearing Kimi Antonelli at the start, then working his way around Oscar Piastri at Turn 2 for a critical inside position that carried him past both rivals, including engagement with Verstappen. The stewards deemed contact a racing incident, and the bold maneuver gave Norris psychological momentum in the title challenge.
Unforgettable Grid Walk Moments
Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle’s pre-race grid walks have become an institution, and 2025 was no exception for unpredictable live TV. At the Belgian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg disrupted proceedings with direct questioning, highlighting recent tension from comments made about Christian Horner:
(Christian) Horner needs to go because he would destroy the team
– Jos Verstappen, Former Driver (via Nico Rosberg’s reminder on live TV)
Singapore featured a humorous moment as a mix-up involving the Capaldi brothers led to a comical exchange, while at another event, Chinese influencer Mr Unicorn nearly left Brundle speechless.
Looking Ahead: Fan Participation and the Legacy of 2025
With so many compelling chapters written in the 2025 Formula 1 season, fans are now encouraged to revisit these highlights and vote on the most impactful moments across key categories. Whether remembering daring overtakes, rain-soaked duels, dramatic exits, or wry paddock banter, the events of this year will resonate for years to come as a testament to the sport’s unpredictable nature and enduring appeal. As Formula 1 prepares for another evolution in 2026, anticipation is already building over fresh stories that might rival this season’s spectacle.
