23/08/2025 17:25
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 two, including a surprising goal for Lewis
Hamilton, will be published on Sunday, August 24th, with part one
below. Find out who can still save his F1 career, who can firmly
silence the long-term doubters and why Liam Lawson needs to prove a
point to Red Bull. Fernando Alonso The whole Aston Martin raison
d'être is 2026. Like Max Verstappen at Red Bull, Alonso must get
this team to gel and be ready to compete for a world title push.
It's his last big challenge in F1. Lance Stroll Stroll has had a
mixed season, with some lowlights, but then genuine pace, like in
Hungary, which was his best performance of the season.
Performances like that will ensure the ever-present question about
his status in the team is quietened down. Isack Hadjar Hadjar's
performances have led to the inevitable question of a step up to
Red Bull. He needs to simply continue on as he has and make sure
he is a strong candidate for that seat if Yuki Tsunoda does not
save himself. Pierre Gasly Gasly claimed earlier this season that,
given the unknowns of 2026, he can be world champion next season –
and that is a strong possibility given the scale of the changes.
Throw in the fact that Alpine is transitioning to Mercedes power,
he must continue to be the team leader and drive Alpine forward as
its new leadership team settles in. He is the rock on which Alpine
is built at the moment. Liam Lawson Lawson's form in the four races
before the summer break was outstanding with a sixth and two eighth
places in his results. He needs to keep that up and prove to Red
Bull it made a mistake in dropping him after just two races. Carlos
Sainz Sainz at Williams has been one of the biggest disappointments
of the season so far, save only Hamilton at Ferrari. Given the
pace of the Williams, helping the team to fend off challengers and
maintain fifth is Sainz's sole goal. Gabriel Bortoleto The reigning
F2 champion had a slow start to his career, in a difficult car, it
must be added, but points in three of the last four races is strong
progress. If you take Hulkenberg's podium out, he is just eight
points ahead of the Brazilian. Trying to close down the current
23-point gap as far as possible is Bortoleto's goal. Yuki Tsunoda
Very simply – save his Red Bull seat and F1 career. Oliver Bearman
Whilst there have been flashes of pace at times, Bearman has also
dropped one or two clangers – especially in FP3 at Silverstone,
where he attacked the pit-lane entry at full racing speed, despite
the track being under red flag conditions. He also had a red flag
infringement in Monaco. He needs to cut these out and try to edge
ahead of Ocon in the head-to-heads now that he has proven he can
match the established grand prix winner. Franco Colapinto Colapinto
has the one thing Jack Doohan does not: the car with which to
change his future. As long as he is in the Alpine, he can do
something to prove he should be in it next season as well. His
future is uncertain at the moment, but a good performance or three
can change all of that.
