How Norris and Piastri’s on-track success came with a hefty cost
The 2025 Formula 1 season delivered historic success for McLaren as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured the team’s first constructors’ and drivers’ championship double since 1998. Yet behind the trophies and celebrations, a costly reality unfolded: crash damage placed significant strain on several teams’ cost-cap budgets.
While Norris ultimately claimed the drivers’ crown in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen by just two points, he was also one of the most expensive drivers on the grid in terms of repair damage. Only two drivers generated higher crash-related costs for their teams across the 24-race campaign.
Gabriel Bortoleto topped the 2025 crash damage bill
According to data from MostlyF1, Verstappen was the least costly driver in 2025, causing just $450,000 (£337,767) in repair damage — only 15.5% of Norris’ total. In contrast, Gabriel Bortoleto produced the most expensive crash record of the season.
The Brazilian rookie’s incidents at the São Paulo Grand Prix alone cost Sauber $2,359,000 (£1,769,202) after a massive 57g crash in the sprint and another collision in the main race. Across the full season, Bortoleto’s crashes accumulated a staggering $3,976,000 (£2,983,607) — the highest total of any driver in 2025.
Even the combined totals of Verstappen, George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli barely matched what Bortoleto cost Sauber at Interlagos during that single weekend.
Norris and Tsunoda among the most expensive
Yuki Tsunoda ranked second overall, costing his teams $3,497,000 (£2,624,568) across his stints with Racing Bulls and Red Bull. A particularly damaging crash in qualifying at Imola destroyed the floor of his RB21 and alone accounted for $1,837,000 (£1,376,822).
Despite winning the championship, Norris placed third on the cost list, generating $2,899,000 (£2,175,757) in repair expenses for McLaren. His most expensive weekend came in Saudi Arabia, where a qualifying crash at Turn 4 resulted in $1,022,000 (£766,040) of damage after he lost control of the car while pushing to match Piastri’s pace.
Alpine and rookies suffered heavy financial blows
At Alpine, Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan together represented the most expensive crash pairing on the grid. Colapinto accumulated $1,877,000 (£1,407,703) in damage after joining at round seven, while Doohan’s incidents totaled at least $2,144,000 (£1,607,860) across just six races. His massive practice crash at Suzuka alone was estimated at £1.3m.
Elsewhere, Oliver Bearman inflicted $1,117,000 (£837,951) on Haas at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after multiple incidents across the weekend.
While championships are defined by points and trophies, the 2025 season also underscored a quieter but equally critical battle: managing millions in crash damage under the sport’s restrictive cost cap.
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