The summer break is almost over, but the assessments of what we have seen in this first part of the season are not. In this feature, we will take a close look at the performances delivered by the 22 drivers on track, naming the mid-season successes and failures. Today, we will focus on those who have fallen short of expectations: here are our flops.
A fallen prince
George Russell (6-) ends this first part of the season on a negative note. Expectations were very different, given that everyone, including the Briton, believed that all it took to become the best was the fastest car. However, Antonelli shattered that dream, as did the W17, a car with which George has always had an inconsistent feel. Some of the blame certainly also lies with the #63.
Bad luck and reliability issues have compounded matters: mathematically, he is still in contention for the title, but his chances of overturning the expected outcome are very slim indeed.
Watching... their team-mates
Oscar Piastri (6-) has also suffered in comparison with Lando Norris: 2026 has not seen McLaren shine, but neither has the Australian done much to change that. Aside from a few isolated results, Norris is making the difference in a team that appears increasingly restrictive for the #81, who many believe is looking for new challenges. Budapest, beyond the breakdown of his car, provided a major jolt, with the MCL40 coming back to life: from Zandvoort onwards, will we see the Papaya duo fighting for victory again?
It has also been a rollercoaster for Colapinto and Hulkenberg (6), who have shone less brightly than Gasly and Bortoleto but have nevertheless managed to spark into life during the season. When racing resumes, the aim is to return to form and consistently target far more competitive results.
A challenge won without too much effort
Ollie Bearman (5.5) is close to a pass mark, having brought Haas their first points of the season: if, at the start, he seemed a threat alongside Gasly, he is now at the mercy of the difficulties of his VF-26, which has fallen well short of expectations and is far from the points positions. The talent is there, but without the car there is no room to shine. Pending further evidence, it is better to defer judgement until the end of the season.
Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon together in the paddock
The same cannot be said for Esteban Ocon (3), who has failed across the board and is probably heading for the exit. His Formula 1 future hangs by a thread, and we doubt he can turn things around in the second half of the season.
From great beauty... to the darkest failure
Williams are certainly the team that have disappointed the most. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon (3) are enduring the most difficult season of their careers, especially the Spaniard, who has been unrecognisable on track and all too often behaved over the top. The #55's despair is so great that it has driven him to seek other paths which, at the moment, appear out of reach.
The pair in action
Only time will tell what the future holds for them. At Grove, it is no longer time to lick their wounds, but to restore performance levels and aim for a more respectable end to the season and a far brighter 2027.
Never live on dreams
Finally, we come to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll (2): in 2025 they were making grand statements and even nurturing title dreams, but the blow was more than apparent from pre-season testing. The AMR26 was born with far too many shortcomings and weaknesses, with Adrian Newey left to his own devices in search of an identity that has been spectacularly lost. Building the second version of this car was not easy, yet small signs of improvement emerged in Budapest. We can only wait to see what the second half of the championship has in store and whether it can lift them back up.
Last but not least, Perez and Bottas (3): their return has not been brilliant, especially for the Finn, who has been far too subdued compared with the Mexican, who is aiming to remain on the grid and is monitoring the driver market. Cadillac had long been aware that it was entering a world as fast-paced as it is chaotic, but the adaptation period is now over. The work must urgently be translated into tangible results.
The countdown is shrinking: Zandvoort is just around the corner, what will it bring?
