A broader steadiness on the grid
The sudden flop for McLaren in Baku, brought about largely by disappointing performances from each Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, opened the door to a shock podium end. With Ferrari additionally underperforming, Carlos Sainz seized the chance and delivered third place for Williams. The Spaniard, a former Ferrari driver, gave the Grove-based group its first top-three outcome since 2021.
Williams has now change into the seventh totally different group to see a minimum of one in all its drivers stand on the rostrum in the course of the 2025 Components 1 season, which can be the ultimate 12 months below the present technical rules. Whereas McLaren has dominated the season total, there was clear convergence among the many remainder of the sector. Behind the papaya automobiles, the gaps have narrowed considerably, permitting midfield outfits resembling Racing Bulls, Williams, and Sauber to capitalize on chaotic races. This has been the case in Baku, but in addition earlier in Zandvoort and Silverstone, the place the third step of the rostrum went to Isack Hadjar and Nico Hulkenberg respectively.
A traditional “finish of regulation” state of affairs
SeasonNo. of groups on podiumNo. of profitable teams2021 (earlier rules)84202243202362202454202573
The final season by which a minimum of seven groups managed to succeed in the rostrum was 2021, the ultimate 12 months of the earlier regulation cycle. That marketing campaign additionally noticed a outstanding leveling of efficiency throughout the grid. Through the season outlined by the legendary Verstappen-Hamilton title battle, eight groups positioned a minimum of one driver inside the highest three. It ought to be remembered, nonetheless, that George Russell’s second place for Williams in Belgium was successfully as a result of race not being held on Sunday due to heavy rain.
With seven rounds nonetheless to go within the 2025 season, it stays to be seen whether or not the present discipline can match and even surpass the 2021 benchmark earlier than the game enters its subsequent regulatory period.
Selection, however solely on the rostrum
It is very important notice that this selection is restricted to the variety of groups reaching the rostrum. With regards to race winners, the quantity has by no means exceeded 4 in the course of the present rule cycle. To seek out the final season the place greater than 4 groups took a victory, we now have to return to the extraordinary 2012 marketing campaign – well-known for having seven totally different winners within the opening seven races. That 12 months, six groups managed to win a Grand Prix. It also needs to be identified that again then the grid featured 12 groups, in comparison with the ten we now have at this time.
This underlines how uncommon the present state of affairs actually is: whereas McLaren stays the dominant power, the battle behind them is nearer than ever, providing smaller groups an opportunity to shine earlier than Components 1 embarks on a brand new technical chapter in 2026.
Sep 26, 2025
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