24/08/2025 15:40
At the halfway point of the F1 season, it is a good time to take
stock and evaluate how every driver is doing, and what they must do
in the remaining 10 races when the campaign resumes. With this in
mind, in a two-part special, RacingNews365 has taken a look at each
of the 20 drivers and has come up with a simple target each should
aim to achieve. Part one, including a Red Bull-sized target for
Liam Lawson, was published on Saturday, August 23rd, and is
available to read here. Find out who needs to reassert his
authority against his team-mate, who is chasing a near-decade best
result and a scarcely believable target for Lewis Hamilton. Oscar
Piastri Piastri must arrest the growing momentum Norris has gained
since their Canadian GP collision. Norris has three wins from four
and came out on top in a wheel-to-wheel battle in Austria. Piastri
must reassert his authority on this championship. Lando Norris
Since Miami, Norris has only finished one grand prix, not in first
or second – that was the classified 18th in Canada after his moment
of indecision, which could yet come back to haunt him in the final
points standings. But he simply must continue this run of form,
which has seen him win four of the last seven races, finishing
second in two others. Max Verstappen For Verstappen, the 2025 title
has gone. He won't be winning a fifth crown this year. Therefore,
all attention must be on 2026 and ensuring this team, which has
been through so much turbulence in the last year, is fighting fit
for the massive change on the horizon. George Russell Now it is
almost certain he is staying for 2026, Russell's goal for the rest
of 2025 is simple: Beat Max Verstappen to third in the drivers'
standings. He is 15 points behind, with 14 races remaining.
Charles Leclerc Leclerc must continue to be Ferrari's figurehead
and try to lead the team to second place in the constructors'
standings, given the struggles across the garage. Lewis Hamilton's
arrival has given him a boost in confidence, and he is delivering.
Lewis Hamilton As remarkable as this is, the goal for the
seven-time champion, 105-time grand prix winner, 104-time
pole-sitter and 202-podium visitor must simply be to score a
podium. It has, China Sprint excepted, been dreadful so far, and a
simple podium visit, whilst not that big in the grand scheme of
things, is the low-hanging fruit Hamilton needs. Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli has had a typical rookie season. Some outstanding
highlights and typical rookie mistakes. His goal is to continue
gathering knowledge and understanding rather than chasing the big
headline results. Just keep plugging away and taking each race as
it comes. He's got another season in the bank already for 2026.
Alex Albon Since 2016, the highest points return for a Williams
driver was Valtteri Bottas in 2016, with 85. Albon currently has
54. Beating that, and guiding Williams to fifth in the
constructors' would represent an outstanding season. Nico
Hulkenberg Now that the podium monkey has firmly been shifted,
Hulkenberg's goal is to ensure this team is as ready as it can
possibly be for the transformation to Audi. It is why he was
signed to lead the project. There has been remarkable progress from
Stake, and it is now a regular Q3 and points contender, and
ensuring that progress is not lost and transformed to Audi is key.
Esteban Ocon Of all the team-mate battles, Ocon and Oliver Bearman
is the closest in the field. The Frenchman must simply try to beat
Bearman as much as possible and make the final tallies as
reflective of a driver in his eighth full season compared to a
rookie.
