BREAKING:Why a Major F1 Star is Missing from the Official Drivers’ Standings…read more
BREAKING:Why a Major F1 Star is Missing from the Official Drivers’ Standings…read more
As the 2025 Formula 1 season enters its third race, the drivers’ championship standings are beginning to take shape. However, one of the sport’s biggest stars is notably absent from the leaderboard.
Oscar Piastri’s commanding win at the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend marked McLaren’s second consecutive victory, following Lando Norris’ win in Melbourne. Norris is determined to improve on his second-place finish from last season and currently holds an eight-point lead over defending champion Max Verstappen in the 2025 standings.
Mercedes’ George Russell has been the season’s biggest surprise so far, with two podium finishes putting him in third place, ahead of Piastri and his new teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Lewis Hamilton’s start with Ferrari has been rocky, having earned just nine points, eight of which came from a Sprint race win in Shanghai. His teammate Charles Leclerc has one point fewer. Both drivers were disqualified after the Shanghai Grand Prix for failing post-race FIA checks, making their chances of becoming serious championship contenders a tough challenge.
While Ferrari is still struggling, they are at least ahead of Fernando Alonso, whose name is absent from the official F1 standings heading into the third race in Japan.
The Aston Martin driver has yet to finish a race this season, completing only 36 laps in total, which means he hasn’t been classified as a finisher in either of the first two races. To be considered a classified finisher, drivers must complete at least 90% of the race winner’s distance, even if they don’t finish the race. Alonso will be looking to change this at the upcoming Japanese GP, where he and teammate Lance Stroll will return to action.
Despite his struggles, Alonso has played down expectations for the year ahead with Aston Martin, even after the team secured the addition of design expert Adrian Newey. Alonso believes the team is aiming to be a consistent contender from 2026, when new engine regulations are set to come into effect, offering a potential fresh start for both him and Aston Martin.
