Rating Formula 1 Teams’ Performances So Far This Season

The first half of the Formula 1 season has punched above its weight. Max Verstappen was the favourite to blow the field away and shoot toward a fourth-world title.

The Red Bull driver got off to a great start by winning five of the first seven races. Then the wheels came off and the 26-year-old collected two wins in the last seven races before the summer break.

At the opposite end of the standings, there was turmoil at Alpine who scored one point in the opening seven races. This led to several high-ranking team members being fired by the French team, including team boss Bruno Famin.

We’ll summarise how each team has fared this season and rate them out of 10.

Alpine – 4

The only French factory team on the grid is under immense pressure. They have several DNFs and a catastrophic performance in Monaco, and they have parted ways with Esteban Ocon for next season. Last season they picked up three podium finishes, while in 2024 they look wayward and have scored 11 points in 14 races.

Aston Martin – 5

Aston Martin couldn’t repeat the magnificent start they made in 2024. Lawrence Stroll’s team sits fifth in the standings with Fernando Alonso scoring a third of the team’s 73 points.

Ferrari – 6

The Italian team looked racey in the opening few Grand Prix but fell in the pecking order towards the summer break. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc picked up wins, the latter winning his home race in Monaco. They’ll need to improve considerably if they want to challenge for the constructors’ championship.

Haas – 5

New team boss Ayao Komatsu took some time to get accustomed to running Haas but recent results indicate a turnaround for the American F1 team. Nico Hulkenberg’s two sixth-place finishes in Austria and Britain showed why Audi has signed him for next season.

McLaren – 9

McLaren has unseated Red Bull as the quickest car as the season progressed and scooped two victories. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri scooped their first F1 wins. Zak Brown’s troops are in a good position to overtake Red Bull in the constructors’ title race if they can maintain their current form.

Mercedes – 7

Mercedes has vastly improved and surprisingly scored three victories. Lewis Hamilton powered his way to an emotional win in his last British GP with the team ahead of his move to Ferrari. The Brackley-based team has turned the corner in figuring out the optimal setup and has a car that can challenge most circuits.

RB – 7

Daniel Ricciardo has been in the shadows of Yuki Tsunoda in 2024. The diminutive Japanese driver has scored the lion’s share of the points. RB is P6 in the constructors’ standings and Tsunoda is knocking on the door of a future move to the main Red Bull team.

Red Bull – 8

The reigning constructors’ champions kicked off 2024 strongly but have since faded as McLaren superseded them as the quickest team. Max Verstappen still holds a 78-point lead in the drivers’ standings but would love to lean on teammate Sergio Perez for assistance when the season returns in two weeks. McLaren trails Red Bull by 42 points in the standings, and Verstappen will need the Mexican driver’s assistance if they want to finish in P1.

Sauber – 2

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu haven’t scored a point thus far and that leaves Sauber dead last in the constructors’ standings. Audi will take over the team from 2026, but the current personnel will look to return from the break a lot stronger.

Williams – 4

The biggest news from Williams is that they’ve signed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for 2025. The Spaniard is a big coup for James Vowles and will partner Alex Albon in a strong driver line-up. The British team is rebuilding and scored four points this season, all from Albon.

Sean Parker

Sean Parker is a motorsport journalist and sports content creator at The South African. He has worked for the country's premier motoring publications, and is a Formula 1 contributor to Bet.co.za, the Bet Central podcast, and Vision View Sports radio.