Max Verstappen has been named the leading driver in the Max Verstappen team bosses ranking for 2025 after votes were tallied by all Formula 1 team principals. Verstappen’s strong season saw him earn the most points in this unique end-of-season poll, while Lewis Hamilton failed to secure a place in the top ten for the first time in several years.
Each year, Formula 1’s official website invites team principals from each of the ten teams to rank the season’s top drivers. Using a points allocation similar to the standard F1 system, votes are tallied resulting in a definitive ranking determined by those closest to the sport. Despite teammate Charles Leclerc placing seventh, Hamilton—seven-time world champion—was a notable omission this year, marking a sharp change from previous performances.
Breakdown of the Annual Team Bosses’ Driver Rankings
This ranking tradition is now in its eighth year, providing a candid perspective from the sport’s insiders. Max Verstappen, representing Red Bull, faced a challenging start in the RB21 but rallied impressively as upgrades were introduced, drastically closing a 104-point deficit and ultimately losing the championship by just two points to Lando Norris. Nevertheless, Verstappen’s performance earned him consistent recognition as the top driver from the team bosses for 2025.
Newly crowned world champion Lando Norris finished as runner-up in the team principals’ poll despite his title win, with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri taking third position. Fernando Alonso made significant progress, moving from ninth in the previous year’s poll up to fifth, reflecting his steady improvement during the season.
Hamilton’s Performance and Its Impact on Rankings
Lewis Hamilton, once a fixture in the upper ranks of this list—securing seventh spot in 2024 and fifth in 2023—experienced a difficult campaign after joining Ferrari. He set a new record as the Ferrari driver with the most starts without achieving a podium and became the first Ferrari driver to be eliminated in Q1 on three consecutive occasions during a single season. This year’s drop from the top ten underscores the turbulent nature of his debut year with Scuderia Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate at Ferrari, who had been listed as the third-best driver by team bosses last season, slipped four positions to seventh. This movement in the ranking highlights just how much can change across one campaign, influenced by both on-track results and the evolving opinions of F1’s leading decision-makers.
Verstappen’s Ongoing Dominance in Team Principals’ Polls
Verstappen claimed the accolade of team bosses’ top driver for the fifth consecutive season, beginning his streak in 2021 after surpassing Hamilton for his first championship. Remarkably, while Verstappen did not secure the drivers’ title this year—finishing only two points behind Lando Norris—he retained the unwavering support of the team principals, emphasizing his consistent excellence and resilience during difficult stretches.
The poll has seen Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as its only two victors since its inception, which speaks to their enduring influence at the highest level of racing. In 2024, Verstappen achieved an unprecedented 250 points, the maximum possible, obtaining the top vote from every team principal—an unmatched feat since the ranking began. Conversely, Hamilton achieved second place in 2020 during his own golden era but now finds himself excluded after a challenging transition to Ferrari.
Significance for Formula 1’s Upcoming Season
The latest results in the Max Verstappen team bosses ranking reaffirm Verstappen’s standing as one of the grid’s most respected drivers, regardless of championship outcome. The absence of Hamilton and the rise of Norris, Piastri, and Alonso in the team principals’ perceptions signal a dynamic shift in Formula 1, setting the stage for a highly anticipated new chapter where established legends and emerging stars vie for dominance on the world stage.
the drivers ranked by the f1 team principals! max as number one 😌😌 pic.twitter.com/kEuZZiB1yp
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) December 29, 2025
