Why F1’s Podium Shake-up Means Big Business

While the main talk of recent Formula 1 races has revolved around the drivers’ championship title between McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, fresh faces on the podium have created celebratory moments for teams - and their sponsors. 

Let’s put the Piastri vs Norris title fight to one side for now, despite plenty of watercooler moments for those two in Monza and Baku. Let’s also forego the debate over whether we should include a certain Max Verstappen in that title conversation following his back-to-back victories.

Instead, we’ll turn our focus to teams and drivers who have well and truly earned a moment in the spotlight against the odds, giving their teams just cause for celebration and, in turn, creating impromptu opportunities for their partners to enjoy their own champagne moment.

Carlos Sainz’s measured performance in Baku – converting a sensational second on the grid into third place in the race – earned Atlassian Williams Racing its first top three finish of the season (and for Williams, its first since 2021), underpinning a stellar season for the team led by James Vowles. Fifth in the standings with 101 points, the team has been steadily enjoying a resurgence in 2025 – and we all love to see it.

On the commercial side, the team has also strengthened its portfolio with title partner Atlassian, new investment from Santander, Super Group – through Betway and Jackpot City - and continued commitment from Komatsu, Gulf Oil, Duracell, Kraken, and more. These partners will have expected Williams to be showing improved pace on-track but activating a podium result will have been an unplanned bonus.

You only had to see the celebratory reaction from the team to appreciate how much the result meant. At such a critical juncture in the season with contract renewals and new deals being considered for 2026, it was a result that could prove incredibly fruitful. For longer serving partners, the podium is a timely reward for sticking with the team during some tougher times in recent seasons.  

Seven of F1’s ten teams have now taken a podium in 2025 – including Kick Sauber and Racing Bulls. Few could forget the historic debut podium of Nico Hülkenberg at Silverstone, ahead of the team’s evolution into Audi in 2026, or indeed the outstanding performance of Isack Hadjar at Zandvoort. These moments offer the sort of celebration shots that engage audiences around the world, irrespective of team fandom, and reinforce F1’s position as a powerful human-interest story. 

Of the nine drivers who have laid claim to a podium in 2025, there remain some notable omissions. Who would have thought Lewis Hamilton would be podium-free upon his switch to Ferrari? Where are the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll? How do commercial teams balance success with off-track partnership activation with the need for a strong race result (or two)?

Teams that have in recent years been struggling at the back of the field are now fighting legitimately for podiums. They might be based on strong qualifying or clever strategic thinking (see also Alex Albon, Ollie Bearman or Lance Stroll at the Dutch GP), but they are all founded in performance.

It’s a reminder as we head into a transformative season in 2026 with new regulations and a shake-up to the order that there’s never been a better time to be a sponsor in F1 – and you never know when a new name might step into the spotlight.