We have reached the end of another year, and the motorsports year is effectively over. We are so deep into 2025, seasons that will conclude in 2026 have already begun, but before we get into next year, let's honor the top moments from this year.
There were a number of incredible performances from the world of motorsports. Some racers confirmed their greatest and put their names even higher in the record books. Breakout performances came as we had expected. There were fierce challenges and a few tussles that went to the very last lap, even the last few corners. We also saw contentious moments that we wish had played out better. This was also a year where the action in the courtroom received just as much attention as the action on the racetrack.
Plenty of memorable moments occurred in 2025, and this is our chance to highlight what stood out over the last year.
Racer of the Year
Description: Given to the best racer over the course of 2025.
And the Nominees are:
And the Nominees are:
Lando Norris
Max Verstappen
Álex Palou
Kelvin van der Linde
Sébastien Ogier
Toprak Razgatlioglu
And the winner is... Álex Palou
In one of the most dominant seasons IndyCar has ever seen, Álex Palou left his mark as one of the greatest to ever compete in the series. If there was any question over how good Palou's talent is, it was answered in 2025.
Expectations were high for the three-time champion who had won the last two titles, but Palou floored us all with his next act. He had already achieved greatness, but this was a special level. He opened the season with consecutive victories, including a memorable drive from over ten seconds back at Thermal Club to win the race. After finishing second at Long Beach, Palou followed it up with three consecutive victories, the last of which was at the Indianapolis 500.
The only thing missing in Palou's already esteemed career, Palou topped IndyCar's most historic race. Already coming close to Indianapolis victory in 2021, Palou had a methodical race and waited for the moment to take control. With a well-timed pass into turn one, Palou took the lead from Marcus Ericsson and dared Ericsson and the rest of the field to beat him in the final sprint to the checkered flag. No one could. That was the theme of the season.
Palou didn't just win the championship, he comprehensively smashed the grid, and he set marks we have not seen since IndyCar reunification. Eight victories were the most since 2007. He clinched the title with two races remaining, the first time the title has been secured with multiple races to go since 2002. He scored over 76% of the maximum total points that could be scored in a season, the most for a champion when there has only been one IndyCar series since 1979.
Not to forget mentioning this was Palou's third consecutive championship and his fourth title in his six IndyCar season. And he is still only 28 years old. We are witnessing something breathtaking. There is no end in sight for Palou's greatness, and just when you thought you had Palou figured out, he came away and blew the doors off history.
On the other nominees:
Norris became World Drivers' Champion in what was meant to be his season for McLaren, but after a mechanical issue at the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris had work to do to overcome teammate Oscar Piastri, but in the final stretch of the season, Norris picked away at Piastri's lead. For over two months, Norris showed his ability to extract everything for the McLaren MCL39, and he could not be defeated. Piastri could not hold off nor keep up, and Norris capped off a seven-victory season, which include triumphs in Monaco and his home race at Silverstone, with a world title.
It wasn't for a lack of effort that Verstappen came up shy in earning his fifth consecutive world championship. It was frankly incredible that he came as close as he did. After his home race at Zandvoort, Verstappen was 104 points behind Piastri and 70 points behind Norris. After winning only twice in the first 14 races and only having five podium finishes in the same timeframe, Verstappen ended with ten consecutive podium finishes, six of which were victories, but it only brought him within two points of Norris. There were a few races where Verstappen left points on the table, his time penalty at Barcelona stands out, but when his back was to the wall, Verstappen rose to a level no one else could match. They were only fortunate they were able to hold off the charge.
It was a triple-champion season for van der Linde. It started with a GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup title with Team WRT co-driver Charles Weerts. Then van der Linde and Weerts combined for the overall GT World Challenge Europe championship, which included a victory in the endurance race at Circuit Paul Ricard. The most impressive title was the Intercontinental GT Challenge title, where van der Linde won four of five rounds, the Bathurst 12 Hour, 24 Hours Nürburgring, Suzuka 1000 km and the Indianapolis 8 Hour.
Most retirees spent their lives not doing what dictated their lives through their prime years and caused the most headaches and frustrations. Ogier did not get that memo. The Frenchman has been dabbling in rally the last few years, and that was the plan for this year. The problem was Ogier is still really good at what he does. Even after skipping rounds, his was still at the top of the championship. Soon he took the championship lead. The run at another title was too great to pass up. Ogier went for it, and even though he lost ground in the Central European Rally, Ogier did enough in Japan and Saudi Arabia to claim a record-tying ninth World Rally Championship.
How does one top an 18-win, 27-podium championship season? If you are Razgatlioglu, you win 21 races and stand on 31 podiums. You scored 89 points more than the year before and claim your third World Superbike championship. He started slow once again at Phillip Island, but once into the meat of the season, the Turkish rider could not be caught, winning 13 consecutive races at one point.
Past Winners
2012: Kyle Larson
2012: Kyle Larson
2013: Marc Márquez
2014: Marc Márquez
2015: Nick Tandy
2016: Shane van Gisbergen
2017: Brendon Hartley
2018: Scott Dixon
2014: Marc Márquez
2015: Nick Tandy
2016: Shane van Gisbergen
2017: Brendon Hartley
2018: Scott Dixon
2019: Marc Márquez
2020: Lewis Hamilton
2021: Kyle Larson
2022: Max Verstappen
2023: Max Verstappen
2024: Toprak Razgatlioglu
Race of the Year
Description: Best Race of 2025.
And the Nominees are:
Description: Best Race of 2025.
And the Nominees are:
Australian Grand Prix
MotoGP's French Grand Prix
Moto2's British Grand Prix
Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Finale from Hockenheim
And the winner is... MotoGP's French Grand Pix
The changing conditions caused minor chaos ahead of the MotoGP round from Le Mans. After one waved off start due to riders changing bikes, the race had an even more chaotic start as most started on slick tires before the rain began to fall again. This sent riders sliding and teams scrambling to adjust, but not all.
Johann Zarco and the Castrol LCR Honda team started on the wet tires from 11th on the grid. Zarco fell back to 17th on the first lap, but as the weather rolled in, he started picking up spots and by lap eight, he was the leader. Due to the pit stop and combination of long lap penalties, Zarco was significantly ahead of the field, and the intensifying rain made it difficult for anyone to overcome the deficit to the Frenchman. Zarco, for his part, rode a focused race, not pushing the limit, but running confidently to put more time between himself and the competition.
Throughout the field, riders clashed in an attempt to get the most out of this race. Fabio Quartararo went down early from pole position. Francesco Bagnaia went down and lost a lap he could never get back. Álex Márquez had a pair of falls ruin his race. But we also saw Fermín Aldeguer and Pedro Acosta slug it out for the final podium position. Takaaki Nakagami also started on wet tires and used it to finish sixth from 22nd. Lorenzo Savadori scored his career best finish as a replacement rider for the injured Jorge Martín, starting 21st and finishing ninth.
But the man of the hour was Zarco, an unexpected result created through adverse conditions. The Frenchman won on home soil by 19.907 seconds over Marc Márquez, ending Ducati's winning streak at 22 races, giving Honda its first victory in over a year, and it was the first French Grand Prix victory for a French rider since 1954.
On the other nominees:
The first race of the Formula One season told the story for the entire 2025 season. Oscar Piastri appeared to have what it took to bring the fight to Lando Norris at McLaren, but when the rains came, Piastri spun off the road and his shot at victory was gone. Meanwhile, after spending a portion of the offseason wondering how far Red Bull would fall, Max Verstappen showed he would be a threat and pushed Norris to the finish. Norris did not crack, and won by just over eight-tenths of a second. Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli made his debut and went from 16th to fourth. Alexander Albon had a competitive day at Williams, and Ferrari had a minor letdown.
Moto2's race from Silverstone was a tightly contested affair from lights out to the checkered flag. It was mostly a race between Arón Canet, David Alonso and Diogo Moreira. At the start of the final lap, it appeared we were watching Canet and Alonso chasing victory, but their battle opened the door for Senna Agius to sweep through the final few corners to take his first career victory while Moreira snuck ahead for second. Alonso was third while Canet went from first to fourth in the final two corners.
IndyCar's trip to Milwaukee saw an abundance of passing as the teams dealt with tire wear, and it became a factor in how the final results would play out. Álex Palou had a handle on the race though, and he looked set for another victory. But one spritz of rain slowed the race, and allowed a number of drivers to make a pit stop for tires about 40 laps to the finish. Palou stayed out to maintain the lead. Behind him saw a scramble as drivers looked to charge down the Catalan driver. Christian Rasmussen broke away from the pack, and picked his way to the front. He reached Palou, who made a strong effort to keep Rasmussen in second, but the fresh tires were the difference, and a pass on the outside put the Dane into first. Rasmussen drove on the ragged edge to the checkered flag, as he took his first career IndyCar victory.
The final race of the DTM season was a dream scenario. Seven drivers could have walked away from Hockenhem as champion. Marco Wittmann had one of the best cars in the race, but he was shuffled back during pit stops while Ayhancan Güven leaped into first during the pit cycle. As the race shook out, Güven was leading the championship despite entering the race fifth in points. However, the Turkish driver was only four points clear of Lucas Auer, and if Güven dropped to second, he would lose five points and fall to second in the championship. On the final lap, Wittmann took the lead out of turn 10, but diving into turn 12 in the stadium section, Güven used every bit of racetrack and even some grass to re-take the lead with four corners left in the season. Güven's move won him the race and the title.
Past Winners
2012: Indianapolis 500
2013: British motorcycle Grand Prix
2014: Bathurst 1000
2015: Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
2016: Spanish Grand Prix
2017: All the races at the World Superbike/World Supersport weekend at Phillip Island
2018: Petit Le Mans
2012: Indianapolis 500
2013: British motorcycle Grand Prix
2014: Bathurst 1000
2015: Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
2016: Spanish Grand Prix
2017: All the races at the World Superbike/World Supersport weekend at Phillip Island
2018: Petit Le Mans
2019: Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
2020: Turkish Grand Prix
2021: Monaco ePrix
2022: British Grand Prix
2023: 12 Hours of Sebring
2024: Indianapolis 500
Achievement of the Year
Description: Best success by a driver, team, manufacture, etc.
And the Nominees are:
Description: Best success by a driver, team, manufacture, etc.
And the Nominees are:
Nick Tandy's Completes the "Big-Six"
Sébastien Ogier's Ninth World Rally Championship
Shane van Gisbergen's Record for Victories in a NASCAR Cup Series Rookie Season
Corey Heim's Record for Most Victories in a Single NASCAR Truck Series Season
Álex Palou's Championship Season
And the winner is... Sébastien Ogier's Ninth World Rally Championship
I don't think anyone saw this coming.
With Ogier planning on running a part-time season in the World Rally Championship, Ogier's success pushed him to compete for the world championship. Through the first eight rounds, the Frenchman had the had missed as many rounds as he had rally victories (three) and yet he was still 21 points off the championship lead. Finishes of third, first and first in the next three rounds lifted him to first in points. Ogier's hand was forced to make a championship run.
But it wasn't easy. Ogier had to overcome issues in the Central European Rally. He was 13 points off Elfyn Evans with two rounds remaining. Ogier scored the maximum points with victory in Rally Japan, and a third in the inaugural Rally Saudi Arabia gave him a record-tying WRC title.
After three seasons running part-time, Ogier won a title while still part-time. The mark Sébastien Loeb first reached 13 years ago of nine world championships has now been matched, and I am not sure anyone saw that coming let alone the way it did. No one saw the record-tying title looking like this, going to a driver who was slowly stepping away from competition only to be so successful he had to keep returning to claim the ultimate prize.
On the other nominees:
We don't see new marks reached in motorsports, but Tandy achieved something no other driver had done in motorsports history. With his victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona, it gave him overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours Nürburgring, the 24 Hours of Spa, and now Daytona. He came the first driver to win all four of those 24-hour races overall. But it gets better! Six weeks later, Tandy won the 12 Hours of Sebring overall. Throw in an overall victory at Petit Le Mans a decade ago, and he is the first driver to win the "Big Six" endurance races overall. A Bathurst 12 Hour victory would put him in even more rarified air.
Did anyone think the record for most victories in a NASCAR Cup Series rookie season would fall even with van Gisbergen competing in a series with a half-dozen road course races? Van Gisbergen was the favorite in every road course race, but this is NASCAR. The favorite does not win that often. Cautions do not fall in a driver's favor. A restart is botched. Someone runs into someone else. Drivers become collateral damage. Not in van Gisbergen's case. He won five races, and most of those were shellackings. Entering this year, the rookie record for victories was three. Tony Stewart did it in 1999. Jimmie Johnson matched it in 2002. In 2025, van Gisbergen obliterated it. It is hard to see it being matched anytime soon.
Setting a series-record for victories in a season is impressive no matter the series. Heim was the championship favorite for the Truck Series in 2025, and he still exceeded the expectations of many. No driver had ever hit double-figures for victories in this category. Heim won 11 times. He won at Daytona (after Parker Kligerman was disqualified). He won at Charlotte. He won all three road course races. In the playoffs, he won five of seven races, including the finale to claim the title after having to restart ninth on new tires at the start of overtime. Heim's average finish was fifth. He had 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes. He led 1,625 laps. The next closest driver led 1,128 fewer.
Palou's season was incredible. Along with his third consecutive championship and fourth in his IndyCar career, this was only the ninth time since 1946 a driver has won at least eight races in a season. It was the sixth time a driver had at least 13 podium finishes and the ninth time a driver had at least 14 top five results. His 711 points were the most in a season since the Indy Racing League started awarding 50 points for a victory in 1998. He scored over 76% of the maximum amount of points. Without a question, Palou was the best driver in IndyCar in 2025.
Past Winners
2012: DeltaWing
2013: Sebastian Vettel for winning nine consecutive races on his way to a fourth consecutive title
2014: Marc Márquez: Setting the record for most wins in a premier class season.
2015: Justin Wilson Memorial Family Auction
2016: Jimmie Johnson for his seventh NASCAR Cup championship
2017: Jonathan Rea: For becoming the first rider to win three consecutive World Superbike championships.
2018: Robert Wickens for winning IndyCar Rookie of the Year despite missing the final three races.
2012: DeltaWing
2013: Sebastian Vettel for winning nine consecutive races on his way to a fourth consecutive title
2014: Marc Márquez: Setting the record for most wins in a premier class season.
2015: Justin Wilson Memorial Family Auction
2016: Jimmie Johnson for his seventh NASCAR Cup championship
2017: Jonathan Rea: For becoming the first rider to win three consecutive World Superbike championships.
2018: Robert Wickens for winning IndyCar Rookie of the Year despite missing the final three races.
2019: Joe Gibbs Racing setting single-season record for most Cup victories by a in NASCAR's modern-era.
2020: Donald Davidson for 55 years of service to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500
2021: Team WRT's championship success across multiple series and disciplines
2022: Max Verstappen achieving the most grand prix victories in a single season
2023: Max Verstappen breaking the record for highest winning percentage in a Formula One Season
2024: Jorge Martín and Pramac Racing's first MotoGP championship for an independent team
Moment of the Year
Description: The Most Memorable Moment in the World of Racing during the 2025 season.
And the Nominees are:
Description: The Most Memorable Moment in the World of Racing during the 2025 season.
And the Nominees are:
Team Penske's Attenuator Penalty at Indianapolis
McLaren Flipping Positions at Monza
Nico Hülkenberg's Podium Finish at Silverstone
William Byron's Flat Tire at Phoenix
23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports vs. NASCAR Settlement
And the winner is... A TIE! Nico Hülkenberg's Podium Finish at Silverstone and 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports vs. NASCAR Settlement
The news at the end of last week was too hard to ignore. One moment will stand out for the beauty of sport and perseverance. The other is the first domino to fall in seismic change to one of the largest sanctioning bodies in the world.
Hülkenberg had become the journeyman driver everyone loved. His Formula One career was over five years ago, but a few one-off drives as a super-sub kept him in the conversation. Everyone was comfortable with Hülkenberg being the record-holder for most grand prix starts without a podium finish, a dubious honor to hold, but one that has some meaning in terms of integrity and respect from those within Formula One.
The British Grand Prix did not appear to be the place for a historic first. Hülkenberg started 19th, but in a race of changing conditions, Hülkenberg and the Sauber team played the strategy right, and Hülkenberg was able to pick up positions. He was able to run with the big dogs, and in the closing laps, it appeared he would have his toughest test as Lewis Hamilton took on new tires in an effort to get on the podium. However, Hamilton's fresher rubber was not enough to leap ahead of Hülkenberg, and the German's tires held on. All eyes were on third as he took the checkered flag.
One record was gone. Another was created. In his 239th start, Nico Hülkenberg was able to claim his first career podium finish, a universally beloved result.
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For over a year, we have been anticipating a legal showdown in the NASCAR world. When 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports did not sign the charter renewals in September 2024, it signaled a challenge of NASCAR's order of operations that had largely gone uncontested for over 75 years. Over the entire 2025 season, the tension was building as a day in court was destined to occur.
We got nine days. Nine days where secrets were revealed and the fabric of the largest sanctioning body in the United States was torn. Everyone went into this trial knowing nothing would be the same when it was over, and after a few days and testimonies that were unflattering to NASCAR, a settlement was reached that saw charters become permanent as well as additional revenue being shared with the teams that previously remained entirely in NASCAR's control.
The dust is still settling in the aftermath of this case, and it will be a few years before we really see how the landscape of NASCAR has changed, but it is going to be different and it will all stem from Thursday December 11, 2025 after 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports did the unthinkable and questioned the France family's grip on premier stock car racing.
On the other nominees:
For the second consecutive year, Team Penske caused the greatest waves in IndyCar, and it wasn't for success on the racetrack. During inspection for the second day of Indianapolis 500 qualifying, it was found that the Team Penske cars all had illegal modifications to the attenuators. In the immediate aftermath, Will Power and Josef Newgarden were moved to the rear of the grid, strategists were suspended, and tempers flared once again in the aftermath of a Penske cheating scandal. It turned out to be a significant moment for the team, as team president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski and general manager Kyle Moyer were all dismissed from the team. Add to it that Penske had its worst season since 1999, and 2025 will be remembered for all the wrong reasons in Team Penske's long-esteemed history.
For a brief moment, Oscar Piastri was in control of the World Drivers' Championship. A victory in the Netherlands combined with Lando Norris' retirement saw Piastri up 34 points with eight races remaining. In the next race at Monza, Norris was ahead in second while Piastri ran in third. After the final pit cycle, Piastri moved into second after Norris had a slow stop changing the front left tire. Once the cars were back on track, Piastri was asked to readdress the positions and allow Norris through. Piastri reluctantly did, and it gave Norris three more points. In the moment it was suspect as to why the championship leader was returning points to his teammate, but at the end of the season, when Norris ended two points clear of Max Verstappen, that one decision stands out even more.
We were three laps away from a clean end to the NASCAR Cup Series season, and Denny Hamlin was three laps away from scoring his seventh victory of 2025, and claiming his first Cup Series championship. Suddenly, William Byron was in the wall, and the championship finish became even cloudier. It would come down to a final round of pit stops. Hamlin took four tires. Kyle Larson took two. Two tires were enough as Larson ended up third while Hamlin was sixth. It was another unsatisfying end to a NASCAR season, and one that could not be ignored.
Past Winners
2012: Alex Zanardi
2013: 24 Hours of Le Mans
2014: Post-race at the Charlotte and Texas Chase races.
2015: Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano
2016: Toyota Slows at Le Mans
2017: Fernando Alonso announcing his Indianapolis 500 ride
2018: Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson battle at Chicagoland
2012: Alex Zanardi
2013: 24 Hours of Le Mans
2014: Post-race at the Charlotte and Texas Chase races.
2015: Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano
2016: Toyota Slows at Le Mans
2017: Fernando Alonso announcing his Indianapolis 500 ride
2018: Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson battle at Chicagoland
2019: Kyle Kaiser and Juncos Racing knocking out Fernando Alonso and McLaren and Penske Purchasing Hulman & Co.
2020: March 12-13
2021: The entire Formula One season
2022: Ross Chastain's final corner at Martinsville
2023: Shane van Gisbergen winning the NASCAR Cup race at the Chicago street course
2024: The Indianapolis 500 Post-Storm
Pass of the Year
Description: Best pass of 2025.
And the Nominees are:
Description: Best pass of 2025.
And the Nominees are:
And the winner is... Ayhancan Güven on Marco Wittmann in turn 12 at Hockenheim
Güven had to make the move to win the championship. After pulling off a great pit strategy to put him in first, Güven had just lost the lead to a rather strong Wittmann, and the stadium section at Hockenheim is not the friendliest to passing.
Turn 12 is the last true braking zone before the flowing final four corners, and Güven took his shot up the inside. He dropped his left side tires into the grass, but he was side-by-side with Wittmann, and some contact was made. Wittmann was pushed wide, and Güven went through. There was no time for a counter move, and Güven's pass not only won a race but completed an astonishing championship drive.
On the other nominees:
Marc Márquez had made a slight mistake early into the sprint race from Austin, and it cost him the lead. Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia and his brother Álex split Marc exiting turn 18, but Marc was able to power down into turn 19 and dove up the inside. Effortlessly, he was back into the lead before the final corner of the circuit. It was a statement move of what was to come in 2025.
When the laps are running out at the Indianapolis 500, any pass feels risky. Ericsson led the race, but had an eager Palou behind him. Not to forget mentioning the leaders had two back-markers ahead and both leaders were in dirty air. This was to the benefit of Ericsson, as there was additional risk for Palou. The move was always going to come, but with 14 laps remaining, it may have come sooner than we thought. Palou made a late dive up the inside of turn one, and Ericsson could not react. Palou was into the lead. There was plenty of laps remaining, but at that moment, it felt like the race was over. Palou was practically unbeatable and he dared Ericsson and the rest of the field to take the Indianapolis 500 from him. No one could.
On the final lap of the Moto2 race from Aragón, the top two riders were going for their first career victories in the category. Deniz Öncü and Diogo Moreira were feeling each other out as it appeared the race would come down to the final lap. Moreira took the lead into turn five, but Öncü remained on the Brazilian's heels. Öncü made the move to the outside off the final corner and it was enough to beat Moreira to the line by 0.003 seconds.
The NASCAR Truck Series finale from Phoenix saw a late caution, and a slow stop for four tires knocked Corey Heim from the lead to ninth, and the fourth-best of the four championship contenders. At the restart for the first overtime attempt, Heim went to the very inside of the racetrack, and with four fresh tires he entered in eighth and came out the other side in second. Another caution had come out before the field could take the white flag, but this move set up Heim up to restart second for the second attempt, and right next to championship rival Ty Majeski. With the tire advantage, Heim was in control, and he pulled away to take the race victory and championship.
Past Winners
2012: Simon Pagenaud at Baltimore
2013: Robert Wickens at Nürburgring and Peter Dempsey in the Freedom 100
2014: Ryan Blaney on Germán Quiroga
2015: Laurens Vanthoor from 4th to 2nd on the outside in the Bathurst 12 Hour
2016: Scott McLaughlin on Mark Winterbottom at Surfers Paradise
2017: Renger van der Zande: From second to first on Dane Cameron at Laguna Seca
2018: Alexander Rossi for all his passes in the Indianapolis 500
2012: Simon Pagenaud at Baltimore
2013: Robert Wickens at Nürburgring and Peter Dempsey in the Freedom 100
2014: Ryan Blaney on Germán Quiroga
2015: Laurens Vanthoor from 4th to 2nd on the outside in the Bathurst 12 Hour
2016: Scott McLaughlin on Mark Winterbottom at Surfers Paradise
2017: Renger van der Zande: From second to first on Dane Cameron at Laguna Seca
2018: Alexander Rossi for all his passes in the Indianapolis 500
2019: Álex Rins on Marc Márquez in the final corner at Silverstone in the British motorcycle Grand Prix
2020: Pipo Derani on Ricky Taylor into turn one at Road Atlanta
2021: Shane van Gisbergen from fourth to second at Sandown
2022: Ross Chastain's final corner at Martinsville
2023: António Félix da Costa on Jean-Éric Vergne in turn eight of the final lap of the Cape Town ePrix
2024: Josef Newgarden on Patricio O'Ward for the lead on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500
The Eric Idle Award
Description: "When You're Chewing on Life's Gristle, Don't Grumble, Give a Whistle, And This'll Help Things Turn Out For The Best, and... Always Look On The Bright Side of Life."
And the Nominees are:
Description: "When You're Chewing on Life's Gristle, Don't Grumble, Give a Whistle, And This'll Help Things Turn Out For The Best, and... Always Look On The Bright Side of Life."
And the Nominees are:
Denny Hamlin
Connor Zilisch
Jack Doohan
The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Entry
Team Penske's IndyCar Program
And the winner is... Connor Zilisch
Zilisch smacked around the competition in NASCAR's second division in 2025. Ten victories, 20 top five finishes, 22 top ten finishes, eight pole positions and over 1,000 laps led.
And yet it did not end in a championship. Despite finishing third in the Phoenix finale, Zilisch lost the championship as Jesse Love won the race. It was Love's second victory of the season, his first since the Daytona season opener.
Zilisch was left emotional after his astonishing season that saw him overcome multiple injuries and multiple missed races would only be good enough for second in the history books.
The silver-lining is Zilisch had earned universal sympathy for his result. Going into the Phoenix finale, many dreaded how the season would end for all three NASCAR national series as in two of them there were two deserving champions who stood above the rest of the competition. Even in a loss, Zilisch won the admiration of many because over an entire season, everyone saw how his ability was greater than his competition.
On the other nominees:
Same story, different series. We all know what happened to Hamlin in the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series season. He had never been that close to a championship. Three laps is all that was behind him and a championship. In a format that ultimately only rewards what happens in the final race, Hamlin had done everything right. He led 208 laps. He was clear of the field and then one caution reset the field. One round of pit stops shuffled the deck. After two more laps, Hamlin was three positions short of his first career championship.
Doohan got six races in Formula One with Alpine, but even before the first race of the season, Doohan had lost the confidence of the team. He was always bound to lose his ride. Alpine had more interest in Franco Colapinto. It was only a matter of time before the Argentine would get the race seat. Doohan had no favors in an Alpine that was the worst car on the grid. With no points, the Australian was canned. If there is any consolation, Colapinto never scored a point in 2025, and he never looked any more competitive than Doohan did.
The year started with such promise with victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring for the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry, and it won at Long Beach to make it three wins on the spin to start 2025. However, the #7 Porsche could not get the championship over the line. The #7 Porsche of Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy finished tenth or worse in the final four races. Even worse, the #6 Porsche won the championship despite winning only one race the entire season.
This was one of the worst seasons Team Penske has ever had in IndyCar. The team did win a pair of races, but it failed to win any of the first 14 races. On five occasions did the team fail to have a single top ten finisher. None of the three drivers finished better than eighth in the championship, and the season was marred with another cheating scandal, this one leading to the dismal of three notable personnel.
Past Winners
2012: Ben Spies
2013: Sam Hornish, Jr.
2014: Alexander Rossi
2015: McLaren
2016: Toyota
2012: Ben Spies
2013: Sam Hornish, Jr.
2014: Alexander Rossi
2015: McLaren
2016: Toyota
2017: Nick Heidfeld
2018: Brett Moffitt
2018: Brett Moffitt
2019: Dennis Lind
2020: Marc Márquez
2021: Liam Lawson
2022: Linus Lundqvist
2023: Eli Tomac
2024: Kyle Larson
Comeback of the Year
Description: The Best Comeback in the 2025 season.
And the Nominees are:
Description: The Best Comeback in the 2025 season.
And the Nominees are:
Álex Palou overcoming a ten-second gap at Thermal Club.
José António Rueda: Last to first at the British Grand Prix
David Alonso: 11th to 1st at the Hungarian Grand Prix
Isack Hadjar: From failing to start the Australian Grand Prix to Formula One Podium
Max Verstappen: From 104 points back to two points short of a fifth world championship
And the winner is... José Antònio Rueda: Last to first at the British Grand Prix.
Moto3 championship leader Rueda was forced to start last at Silverstone after being penalized for slow riding on the racing line during qualifying. Rolling off 26th, Rueda would have 15 laps to get back to the front after he was supposed to start on pole position.
Rueda was up eight spots in the first lap. He was up four more spots after lap two. He gained positions on each of the first seven laps, which saw him rise to fifth. It became a little more of a struggle as he reached the top of the grid, but he was up to third on lap 11, and second on lap 12. On lap 13, he took the lead with two laps remaining, but the final lap brought a stiff challenge from Máximo Quiles, who took the lead, but Rueda outmaneuver Quiles in the final corners as an outside-inside move saw Rueda slip through in the final corner to win by 0.046 seconds.
On the other nominees:
IndyCar's trip to Thermal Club looked to be wrapped up with 20 laps remaining. Patricio O'Ward was over ten seconds ahead of the field heading into the final round of pit stop. However, Palou had a new set of alternate tires for the final run to the finish. O'Ward had primary tires, and this was the difference. Palou clawed back time in a blink, and soon he was in the lead, checking out on the competition. What went from a ten-second deficit turned into a ten-second victory for Palou in fewer than 20 laps.
David Alonso did not get off to a great start in Hungary. Dropping from eighth to 11th on the first lap of the Moto2 race, Alonso had some work to do in the inaugural visit to the Balaton Park. Alonso started slow on a circuit where it was difficult to pass. He was back up to eighth by lap four. He spent the next six laps in seventh before he cracked the top five on lap 14 of 25. The final stretch is where Alonso came to life. He went from fourth to second in four laps, and he had Manuel González in his sights for the lead on the final lap. Alonso got it, but nearly threw it away running wide in the final set of corners, but the Colombian had enough to cross the line first, scoring his maiden Moto2 victory.
For a split second, we all thought there wasn't a way Isack Hadjar would survive a full season after he spun on the formation lap. We saw a driver despondent to his mistake, as Hadjar seemed to also believe he had thrown his Formula One chance away. The saving grace was Hadjar meeting Anthony Hamilton, Lewis Hamilton's father, in the paddock area where Hamilton consoled the heartbroken and devastated driver. That moment of comfort possibly has saved Hadjar's career. This mistake on his first act on stage did not derail the promise we had seen. Instead, Hadjar went on to score his first points two races later. He ended up finishing third at the Dutch Grand Prix and ended the season 12th in the championship, the top Racing Bulls driver.
It didn't quite fully pan out, but the fact Verstappen went from over four races behind the championship lead to being alive for the title at the Abu Dhabi season finale is nothing but staggering work. At no point over the first two-thirds of the season did it appear Verstappen had what it took to challenge the McLaren drivers, but he ended the season with ten consecutive podium finishes, six of which were victories. He came two points short. He could find two points wherever he wishes from this season. The obvious spot is Barcelona, where causing a collision with George Russell cost him a ten-second penalty, dropping him from fifth to tenth, a nine-point penalty in terms of positions lost. Verstappen nearly pulled it off. It was remarkable he made it that close.
Past Winners
2013: Michael Shank Racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona
2014: Juan Pablo Montoya to IndyCar
2015: Kyle Busch
2016: Max Verstappen from 15th to 3rd in the final 18 laps in the wet in the Brazilian Grand Prix
2017: Kelvin van der Linde: From third to first after a botched pit stop in the final 20 minutes in the 24 Hours Nürburgring
2018: Billy Monger: Returning to racing after losing his legs and finishing sixth in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with four podium finishes and a pole position at Donington Park.
2013: Michael Shank Racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona
2014: Juan Pablo Montoya to IndyCar
2015: Kyle Busch
2016: Max Verstappen from 15th to 3rd in the final 18 laps in the wet in the Brazilian Grand Prix
2017: Kelvin van der Linde: From third to first after a botched pit stop in the final 20 minutes in the 24 Hours Nürburgring
2018: Billy Monger: Returning to racing after losing his legs and finishing sixth in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with four podium finishes and a pole position at Donington Park.
2019: MotoE: For getting to the grid after fire destroyed every motorcycle prior to the first round of the season
2020: The #7 Acura Team Penske: Coming from last in the championship to winning the IMSA DPi championship
2021: Kyle Busch's victory at Pocono
2022: Robert Wickens
2023: McLaren's 2023 Formula One Season
2024: Chase Sexton: From last to first in Hangtown
Most Improved
Description: Racer, Team or Manufacture Who Improved The Most from 2024 to 2025.
And the Nominees are:
Description: Racer, Team or Manufacture Who Improved The Most from 2024 to 2025.
And the Nominees are:
Álex Márquez: From eighth on 173 points with one podium finish to second on 467 points with three victories in MotoGP.
Ayumu Iwasa: From fifth on 63.5 points to first on 124 points in Super Formula
Christian Rasmussen: From 11.6 points per start and his best finish being ninth as a rookie to 18.41 points per start and a victory in his sophomore season.
Dale Coyne Racing: From no finish better than 13th to a podium finish and seven top ten finishes.
Ford Multimatic Motorsports: From no cars in the top five of the IMSA GTD Pro championship to a third-place championship finish and three victories.
And the winner is... Álex Márquez
On a year-old Ducati and with his brother Marc with the factory team, Álex Márquez rose to his greatest heights in MotoGP. Álex somehow beat Francesco Bagnaia. We thought 2025 would see Marc Márquez and Bagnaia duke it out over 22 races in a fierce competition between the factory Ducati riders. Instead, Marc Márquez's closest competition was his brother on the older model.
Álex was in Marc's wing mirrors the entire season, and few got as close as Álex did. Álex led the champion after Austin. At Jerez, he scored his first career MotoGP victory after Marc had a fall early, and Álex was still in the championship lead. That would not stick as Marc showed his might over the summer, but no one else kept up as well as Álex did.
Along with the Jerez victory, Álex Márquez also won at Barcelona and Sepang. He had seven runner-up finishes this season and he had another two finishes in third. He won three sprint races and had 15 sprint race podium finishes. Marc missing the final four races allowed Álex to finish 78 points behind his brother. At the time of Marc's injury in Indonesia, he was 183 points clear of his brother, but Álex was 114 points clear of Marco Bezzecchi in third, and he was the second-best Ducati rider as Bagnaia wound up fifth.
On the other nominees:
In year two in Super Formula, Iwasa was more competitive and was competing well with the veterans Sho Tsuboi and Kakunoshin Ohta. Iwawa scored his first career victory at Sportsland SUGO, and he was a regular podium finisher, but a few bad days pulled down his championship hopes. Entering the final round from Suzuka, he was 14.5 points off the championship lead. A retirement in the first race was a set-back, but a fourth in a makeup race from the second Fuji doubleheader revived his title chances. In the final race of the season, Iwasa won from pole position to take the title by 5.5 points over Tsuboi.
After a good but not great rookie season, Rasmussen showed better strength in his second IndyCar season. He was difficult to race at times but Rasmussen was getting better finishes with Ed Carpenter Racing. He scored his first career podium finish at Gateway after overcoming a fueling issue that threw off his strategy the entire race. He looked good at all the ovals. At Milwaukee, taking tires with about 40 laps to go when a spritz of rain slowed the race allowed Rasmussen to make a late charge. Passing the likes of Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, Alexander Rossi and Patricio O'Ward, Rasmussen found himself battling Álex Palou for the victory, and Rasmussen powered through to take an unforgettable first career victory.
In 2024, Dale Coyne Racing was an afterthought in IndyCar. At no point could the team string together a good run of results. With a constant rotation of drivers, the team never had a top ten finish. Its cars were the bottom two in the Leaders' Circle program. In 2025, Coyne was in the fight thanks to Rinus VeeKay. It was ninth in the opening race. VeeKay was fourth and pushing for a podium at Barber Motorsports Park. The Dutchman had a run of top ten finishes during the summer, and it hit a high at Toronto, when VeeKay led a good portion of the race before finishing second when he fell behind Patricio O'Ward during the final pit cycle. VeeKay was only 13th in the championship, but he was ahead of Alexander Rossi, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Ericsson, Nolan Siegel and all three Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers, a good leap forward for a Dale Coyne Racing driver.
The Ford Mustang GT3's first season in IMSA was good. It wasn't great. There were some teething issues but there was some promise. That promise developed into success in the opening race of 2025. The #65 Ford of Christopher Mies, Denis Olsen and Frédéric Vervisch won the 24 Hours of Daytona. The #64 Ford of Sebastian Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller would go on to win at Detroit and at Indianapolis. With three victories, Ford was tied with BMW for most GTD Pro victories.
Past Winners
2012: Esteban Guerrieri
2013: Marco Andretti
2014: Chaz Mostert
2015: Graham Rahal
2016: Simon Pagenaud
2017: DJR Team Penske
2018: Gary Paffett
2012: Esteban Guerrieri
2013: Marco Andretti
2014: Chaz Mostert
2015: Graham Rahal
2016: Simon Pagenaud
2017: DJR Team Penske
2018: Gary Paffett
2019: Cooper Webb
2020: Joan Mir
2021: Francesco Bagnaia
2022: Scott McLaughlin
2023: Jorge Martín
2024: McLaren
And that will do it. At the end of every year, the moment presents itself to ask if we saw this coming. Did this past year play out as we thought? Even when things occur as we predicted, I don't believe any of us can accurately predict all the little details well enough to say there were no surprises. There is always something that we could not script mostly because it is more detailed than we can even imagine.
This year felt the same way. There are no surprises with an Álex Palou championship, a Lando Norris breakthrough, Marc Márquez returning to glory, and another unsatisfying end to the NASCAR season, but with how each played out, from the sheer dominance of Palou, the three-way fight for Norris, Márquez being miles clear of the competition, and the utter shock of the final laps from Phoenix, it leaves me stunned thinking about how 2025 played out.
Let's hope 2026 plays out the same way. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We will be looking forward to the upcoming New Year very shortly.
