Formula 1 Mid-Season Recap: McLaren Dictates the Tempo

Tracks around the globe slipped into quiet mode since the scintillating showdown in Silverstone. The summer break of Formula 1 hits full swing, but don't get fooled: everything is ready to burst into action for the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps (July 25th-27th), one of the most beautiful tracks in the entire F1 calendar.

But if teams are compelled to sit it out for three weeks, we are not. We'll use the lack of racket and tyre screech to recount the action-packed mid-season itinerary of the F1's anniversary season. We'll look into the Piastri/Norris double header, Verstappen's chances of catching them, the remarkable achievement of Nico Hülkenberg, as well as which rookie has impressed the most so far.

McLaren Running Away

The further we progress into the season, the bigger the gap between McLaren and the rest. Teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are having a back-and-forth all season long, entering the summer break separated by a mere eight points.

Things looked a whole lot different a few weeks ago ahead of Austria. Norris trailed by 22 points, having just hit the back of Piastri's car in Canada. But the Brit got back on track to win two grand prix in a row, securing top spot at the Red Bull Ring and home at Silverstone.

The season depends on what you put Norris' newfound form down to. Is it the front-suspension tweak on his MCL39, or is it just Piastri throwing the lead in the UK by driving carelessly behind a safety car (and receiving a deserved 10-second penalty)?

Either way, speed will have little to do with who wins their maiden F1 title. The Australian is a mere 0.088 seconds faster on average and a marginal BetPanda head-to-head favorite, but has a steep 9-5 advantage across all sessions so far. Experts attribute it to the Aussies' cool demeanor, whereas Norris tends to buckle under pressure.

Max Verstappen Trailing

The title chances for last year's champion are slipping away with each passing round, as Red Bull goes through their lowest points total midway through the season in the last 10 years. The champ cried wolf as early as April after the infamous Lawson/Tsunoda swap in Japan, stating that the car was the team's main problem, not the drivers.

Despite concerns about the Red Bull power units, the team remains optimistic and has already lined up improvements ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Verstappen won his team two races so far, and had there not been the unfortunate Antonelli clash in Austria or the Russel incident in Spain, who knows what the standings would look like? He wouldn't be retailing 69 points to Oscar Piastri, that's for sure. Anyway, he’s 5.00 at Stake to win Belgium.

There's something else, too. Rumors that Verstappen might change shirts and leave Red Bull at the end of the season are getting louder by the day. Mercedes and Aston Martin are nosing around, but the rumors are likely a targeted wake-up call for RB to step up their tech game and fix the car already. For now.

Highlight Moments of the Half-Season

From dramatic clashes to surprise sackings, here are the moments that defined the Formula 1 season so far.

Hülkenberg Hitting the Podium

If there's one man who couldn't care less who wins the ultimate accolades, it's Nico Hülkenberg. Before clinching third at Silverstone earlier in July, the German had never climbed the F1 podium despite having 238 race starts and several P4 finishes.

Kick Sauber F1 team driver Nico Hulkenberg on the podium in Silverstone.

Despite early promise, the German driver’s career never really took off. He was replaced in 2011 in Brazil despite securing the pole position, whereas eight years later, in front of his home fans, Hülkenberg crashed out of the fourth. In the meantime, though, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche, one of the few F1 racers to do it.

Finally, on his third stint in the F1 division now with Kick Sauber, Nico beat Lewis Hamilton to third and climbed the podium for the first time in his veteran career.

The Crash in Canada

Admirable though his heroics are, perhaps the most dramatic moment of 2025 occurred in Canada. Lando Norris, who's shown better practice lap times in Montreal than Oscar Piastri, hit the back of his McLaren teammate and main title rival. The duo never really looked like winning the race—they were effectively battling for fourth and Lando had the better time starting from the seventh—but the round was media-touted as whether Norris could finally overcome Piastri and get into the title mix.

It was this pressure, more than anything else, that prompted Lando to force the issue and look for inside space that was never really there. The Brit admitted the mistake, but it remains one of the most defining moments of the McLaren duo head-to-head.

Christian Horner Axe

Equally dramatic was the behind-the-camera sacking of Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner after 20 years of service. The shock decision was made even more shocking since Red Bull never gave a reason for the axe, neither to the media nor to Horner himself.

The news sent shockwaves across the division. Several whys surfaced and resurfaced since—from allegations of the inappropriate behaviour toward a female employee to the fact that the car is struggling. Be that as it may, Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls took the wheel, himself replaced by Alan Permane at Bulls.

Rookies of the Mid-Season

2025 is also the year of young talents, some of whom fared better than others. The 18-year-old prodigy Kimi Antonelli took the spotlight by accruing 63 points with Mercedes. The young Italian has achieved several top-6 finishes and even took the lead in Canada at one point, hinting at the prospect of possibly climbing the podium by the season's end.

Just as impressively, Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls scooped up 21 points for his team and earned the respect in the paddock. More than respect, he earned rumors of moving to Red Bull as early as 2026. The same rumors also suggest that the team prioritizes him over Liam Lawson for the role.

On another note, the Alpine duo of Franco Colapinto and the man he replaced after six races, Jack Doohan, have both shown promise. No points yet between the two, but there’s a lot to build on.