F1 2025 Game Driver Ratings vs Reality: Who’s Overrated, Underrated, and Just Right?

As F1 25, the newest installment in Formula 1’s official video game franchise, gears up for release on May 30, Codemasters and EA Sports have revealed this year’s driver ratings, a highly anticipated and hotly debated list that aims to numerically rank each F1 driver’s ability. But as always, fans are asking: Do the numbers match reality?

We’ve compared the in-game ratings to the actual 2025 Drivers’ Championship standings and explored what the discrepancies say about reputation, potential, and performance.

A Quick History: From EA to Codemasters… and Back Again

The F1 video game franchise has evolved dramatically since its debut:

• F1 2000, the first official game, was released by EA Sports on February 29, 2000.
• The franchise was then taken over by Codemasters in 2009, who launched a new era beginning with F1 2009 and F1 2010.
• In a full-circle moment, EA acquired Codemasters in 2021 and resumed publishing duties with F1 2021, bringing back the EA Sports label.
• Now, F1 25, built on Codemasters’ EGO engine, launches on May 30, 2025 with enhanced physics, a new Dynamic Driver Path career mode, and co-op campaign options.

This marks the 24th official F1 game and the 16th developed under Codemasters, showing just how deeply embedded this series has become in the F1 fan experience.

Game Ratings vs 2025 Championship Standings

To test the accuracy of F1 25‘s driver ratings, we compared them directly with real-life 2025 points as of early May.

Max Verstappen once again tops the chart, but his rating slips from 96 in F1 24 to 95 in F1 25. While he remains the benchmark, the margin between him and the chasing pack is now razor thin. He’s still Max. But that 1-point drop is like the game saying ‘we’re watching you.’

Three of the biggest upgrades this year are Lando Norris going from an 89 to 91, George Russell from an 87 to 90, and Oscar Piastri from an 84 to 87. Their jump reflects growing form and consistency. Lando’s 2024 win and constant podiums propelled him into elite territory, while Piastri’s upward trajectory is clearly being recognized.

The most dramatic fall belongs to Fernando Alonso, whose rating plummeted from 92 to 88. While still a respected presence, his Aston Martin performances have failed to match early-2023 highs. Alexander Albon and Lance Stroll both saw a drop, Alex from 85 to 83, Lance from 80 to 78.

Ratings Winners: Piastri, Antonelli, and Albon

The most glaring miss in this year’s ratings is Oscar Piastri, who leads the actual championship with 131 points but is rated just 87 in the game, behind Sainz, Alonso, Gasly, and even Ocon. It’s a disconnect that fans and analysts alike were quick to point out.

Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, sits 6th in points but holds a bottom-tier 72 rating. It’s a clear case of a rookie being undervalued based on limited historical data, not current form.

And then there’s Alex Albon. Consistently outperforming expectations and now 8th in the standings, his 83 rating still lags behind midfielders who aren’t delivering results.

All three drivers are proving week after week that they deserve more digital respect.

Ratings Misses: Sainz, Alonso, and Gasly

Carlos Sainz may be one of the game’s top-rated drivers at 90, but his actual 2025 campaign has been anything but. Sitting 13th in points, the performance just doesn’t match the prestige.

Fernando Alonso, too, is rated 88 despite scoring zero points so far this season. The number reflects his legacy more than his current pace, a trend that Codemasters still seems reluctant to shake.

Pierre Gasly, rated 86, trails behind teammates and rivals in both form and results. And yet, in the game, he remains highly ranked.

In each case, the game seems anchored to past performance and reputation over current momentum.

Driver Reactions: Sainz Rated Higher Than Hamilton: A Digital Redemption Arc?

One of the most talked-about moments from the F1 25 ratings reveal came during the official Codemasters video, where Carlos Sainz was visibly amused to find himself rated higher than Lewis Hamilton, the very driver who replaced him at Ferrari for the 2025 season.

Sainz: “I’m higher rated than the GOAT.”

Before the moment could settle, Alex Albon fired back with one of the most viral lines of the segment:

Albon: “You’ve been replaced and you’re rated higher.”

The timing, the delivery, and the irony combined for a perfect burn. It highlighted exactly the kind of strange tension that comes when real-world storylines clash with in-game rankings. Sainz may be 13th in points, but in F1 25, he’s still elite.

It’s the little victories.

What’s New in F1 25?

Beyond the ratings, F1 25 introduces several major upgrades:

• EA SPORTS Dynamic Driver Path: A branching career narrative shaped by your choices and performance.
• Two-Player Career Mode: Co-op or competitive play through a full season.
• Improved physics: Enhanced tire, suspension, and aero models for more realistic handling.
• Fully updated 2025 rosters, liveries, and circuits.

It’s the most feature-complete entry in the series to date, but as always, it’s the driver ratings that spark the most debate.

Final Thoughts: Reputation vs Reality

The F1 25 driver ratings serve as a snapshot of how Codemasters and EA view the grid, but they also expose the tension between legacy and form. When rookies outperform champions and still rank lower, and when underwhelming campaigns are rewarded with top-tier stats, fans notice.

For some drivers, like Piastri, Antonelli, and Albon, the game has some catching up to do. For others, like Sainz and Alonso, the digital world remains a comforting alternate universe. They can fix the physics, the graphics, and the handling… but they’ll never fix the drama over these ratings.

And honestly? That’s part of the fun.