Lewis Hamilton has suffered humiliation after the principals in Formula One voted for their top 10 drivers of the 2025 season.
Hamilton made a mammoth move from Mercedes to Ferrari for the campaign, fulfilling his childhood dream of driving for the Scuderia.
The seven-time world champion replaced Carlos Sainz Jr as Charles Leclerc's partner on the grid and there was optimism that he could push on in new surroundings.
However, the 40-year-old endured a nightmare season with Ferrari, finishing sixth in the drivers' standings with 156 points.
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Hamilton went the entire season without a podium finish, with his only victory coming in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race in March.
He repeatedly expressed frustrations with his poor performance on the track, calling the season a "nightmare" after a multitude of issues with the car.
Hamilton's woes have been summed up by the team principals of each F1 side snubbing him in their best drivers vote.
In the vote, Max Verstappen was voted as the very best driver in the campaign. While the Dutchman failed to make it four championships in a row, he produced an excellent second half of the season - winning six of the last nine Grands Prix to take the title for the final day and finishing just two points behind winner Lando Norris after eight wins and 15 podiums.
That was enough to see him win 'Driver of the Year' for the fifth season in a row.
Norris came second in the vote, with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri coming third in a repeat of his final position in the 2025 drivers' standings.
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George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Sainz, Leclerc, Ollie Bearman, Isack Hadjar and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10, where there was no place for Hamilton.
The top 10 F1 drivers voted by principals
1.Max Verstappen
2.Lando Norris
3.Oscar Piastri
4.George Russell
5.Fernando Alonso
6.Carlos Sainz
7.Charles Leclerc
8.Ollie Bearman
9.Isack Hadjar
10.Nico Hulkenberg
Leclerc was down four from 2025, while Alonso had moved up four places to fifth. In 2024, Hamilton found himself down in seventh - two places down from 2023.
But it is in 2025 where Hamilton has been left off a list he last topped back in 2020 when he won his last F1 world title.
The rankings see the principals give their top ten in an anonymous vote, with their scores going off the F1 points system as the top driver gets 25 for the top driver and the tenth gets one.
Their scores are then added to give a final ranking.
Despite retirement rumours, Hamilton is still contracted with Ferrari until 2026 and splashed out on Christmas gifts for staff members.
The eagerly anticipated 2026 season begins in March with the Australian Grand Prix.
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1, Ferrari
Josh Lawless