F1 reaches midseason with three drivers falling short of expectations

2025 Formula1 season is now halfway through, and amid hot engines, trophies, and full-throttle racing, there are three drivers who, according to Sportskeeda, haven’t delivered the performance their teams hoped for.

Analysts and F1 fans alike had high expectations for this trio. Their contracts were signed with enthusiasm, and their arrivals were headline-worthy. Yet after 12 races, Franco Colapinto, Carlos Sainz, and Lewis Hamilton have left more questions than answers.

High expectations, low return

Franco Colapinto has puzzled many within Formula1. A strong season was expected for the Argentine driver at Alpine. He was hailed as a rising star after an impressive debut last year. His ability to challenge Alex Albon with zero prior experience in the car made him a diamond in the rough.

 

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Una publicación compartida de Franco Colapinto (@francolapinto)

But now, back with Alpine in F1, that spark seems to have dimmed. Colapinto hasn’t adapted well to the car, and his performance has been so inconsistent that there’s talk of a “race-by-race” evaluation.

Flavio Briatore’s presence in the team has sparked speculation about internal pressure, but the real issue is clear: the young driver needs to find his rhythm before this second shot in Formula1 turns into an early farewell.

Another underwhelming Formula1 story this season is Carlos Sainz. Williams went all-in on the Spaniard, with James Vowles building the project around him. The idea was simple: Sainz would replace Albon as the team’s anchor. But reality has taken a different route.

 

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Una publicación compartida de Carlos Sainz (@carlossainz55)

The Madrid native is trailing his teammate in both points and performance. While he’s attributed his struggles to an adaptation period, the gap is concerning. At Silverstone, Sainz was blunt: “I’m not where I expected to be.” F1 still has half a season to go, but the margin for error is shrinking—and the clock is ticking.

Hamilton rounds out the trio

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari with the intent to end his career on a high. But Formula1 hasn’t gone according to plan. Though he’s shown flashes of brilliance in races like China and Silverstone, the performance gap with Charles Leclerc is hard to ignore.

Hamilton has admitted it’s been difficult to feel comfortable in the car, and if Ferrari were in the thick of a title fight, that difference might’ve been costly. For many, the Brit has been the biggest disappointment of the 2025 Formula1 season—not due to lack of talent, but because expectations were sky-high.

 

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There are 12 races left on the F1 calendar. These three drivers still have time to turn things around. But in Formula 1, time flies faster than the cars. If they don’t react soon, their projects could collapse before the checkered flag arrives.