The ongoing controversy-laden, compelling Formula One season was kickstarted by Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell announcement to Ferrari in 2025. After missing a record-breaking eighth World Championship by a whisker in 2021, two meagre seasons and an uncompetitive ride prompted the Briton to jump ship from Mercedes – the brand he has represented his entire life – to the famous old red car.
Reasonable as his move may have seemed back in February, as the season heads into its mid-season break after this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, that picture seems to have blurred.
The dominance of Red Bull and Max Verstappen – a team with several internal fractures of their own – has been massively upended, with the championship suddenly featuring intense competition from McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari. This season alone has seen 7 different winners after 13 races, a stark contrast to last year’s 3 winners when Carlos Sainz was the only non-Red Bull victor.
McLaren’s one-two finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend strengthened their status as the quickest car on the grid, but Mercedes’ recent upgrades and performances have also buoyed spirits. Hamilton finished P3 in Budapest, making it his 200th podium – following up his 104th race win – and first since 2021 – in the previous race at Silverstone. The Silver Arrows have been on the podium for each of the last five races, and have won two of the last three.
