The 2025 Formula 1 Season Preview

It’s virtually “Lights out, and away we go!” for the 2025 Method 1 season, as this weekend all of it kicks off Down Underneath. The 20 greatest drivers on the planet can be chasing glory as soon as extra over the course of 24 races. Will Max Verstappen make it 5 in a row? Will Lando Norris clinch his first? Will Lewis Hamilton get Ferrari again on high and declare his eighth? Will any of the rookies win a race? Nobody is aware of for now, however it will likely be one other very fascinating 12 months, and I can’t wait to see what sudden and maybe stunning twists and turns will come! However earlier than we get forward of ourselves in pleasure, right here’s a rundown of this 12 months’s competing groups and drivers!

5 Rookies & Lewis in Crimson

After all, all eyes can be on seven-time World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, now wearing Rosso Corsa and driving for the Scuderia Ferrari. This much-debated switch is alleged to have ignited a brand new starvation within the British driver, however time will inform if the staff and Lewis can discover a profitable rhythm and have a shot at this 12 months’s title! I, for one, know that I can be on the sting of my seat to see how issues unravel from this weekend all the way in which to the season finale in December!

However that’s not all, as we additionally get 5 new drivers on the grid, together with two returning names now with a full-season contract. Probably the most storied debut is undoubtedly that of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, changing Hamilton over at Mercedes-AMG. The Italian teenager is alleged to be the following super-talent, has gained a number of titles in junior lessons, and competed in F2 final 12 months. He’s joined on the grid by 2024 F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, who will drive for the Stake F1 staff. Final 12 months’s F2 runner-up, Isack Hadjar, has discovered a seat within the Visa Money App RB staff. BWT Alpine junior driver Jack Doohan was promoted from a reserve driver position final 12 months to a full-time seat this 12 months. The ultimate two names you must know from earlier years, as Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson each raced a number of races in F1 already, changing sick or injured divers. Bearman will make his season debut at Haas F1, whereas Liam Lawson replaces Sergio Perez at Crimson Bull.

However that’s not all, as we additionally encounter some modifications within the guidelines which may shake issues up. The purpose for the quickest lap within the race is gone, the restraint on the variety of gearboxes allowed over a season has been lifted, the drivers can be fitted with cooling vests for a number of the sizzling races (Singapore, Qatar), and there are new DRS parameters. The controversial flex wings will even be underneath tighter FIA scrutiny, and there are a number of updates to the rules for irregular beginning procedures, akin to pit lane begins or interrupted begins. And on high of all that, we’ve got a brand new title sponsor in LVMH’s TAG Heuer!

Oracle Crimson Bull Racing – Max Verstappen & Liam Lawson – TAG Heuer

Oracle Crimson Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen had a difficult season final 12 months however managed to win his fourth consecutive title. The sturdy cost from the Ferraris and McLarens meant he needed to push to the restrict, and typically a bit past that, to come back out on high. In the long run, the sturdy begin of the season gave him sufficient of a result in keep forward of Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz and the Mercedes boys. Plus, a monumental drive in the course of the rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix just about sealed the deal. He’s joined by New Zealander Liam Lawsom, who made his F1 debut in 2023 when he changed Alpha Tauri’s Daniel Ricciardo for 5 races, scoring factors within the Singapore Grand Prix.

He was granted a seat on the Visa Money App RB staff halfway by way of the 2024 season, and now he’s been promoted to the Crimson Bull Racing staff. It is going to be very fascinating to see if the younger New Zealander can deliver the struggle to the remainder of the opponents and provides Crimson Bull two aggressive point-scoring automobiles once more! As anticipated, particularly given the entire revamp of the Method 1 assortment, together with an RBR particular version, the staff from Enstone depends on TAG Heuer as its timing companion.

Scuderia Ferrari – Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton – Richard Mille

The largest information final 12 months was Lewis Hamilton switching groups, nevertheless it needs to be mentioned that Ferrari’s on-track efforts within the 2024 season additionally made an impression! The scarlet automobiles had been within the struggle for wins all through the whole season, with Leclerc profitable three and the departing Carlos Sainz Jr profitable two extra. This 12 months, the staff from Maranello is seeking to do even higher and finish the 17-year drought (Kimi Räikkönen was the final to win the Driver’s Championship in 2007.

Forward of the 2024 season, information broke that seven-time F1 World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton would go away Mercedes-AMG F1 in favour of Ferrari. It despatched shockwaves by way of the whole F1 paddock, and lots of people had a tough time imagining Hamilton wearing purple. However right here we’re, as he replaces Carlos Sainz to hitch Charles Leclerc within the hunt for victories and, doubtlessly, the titles. He’ll be hell-bent to take advantage of his debut season for Ferrari, and it will likely be a really fascinating dynamic between Lewis and Charles, for positive! On the wrist of each drivers can be watches from Richard Mille, because the model has been a companion of Ferrari for years already.

McLaren formulation 1 Crew – Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri – Richard Mille

After a few very troublesome years and a quite poor begin to the 2024 season, the McLaren staff massively turned issues round within the second half. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri each put in very sturdy performances, profitable a number of races, with Lando coming inside inches of profitable the driving force’s title! The duo has been retained for this 12 months, and it appears the staff is seeking to do even higher within the 2025 season!

Fairly surprisingly, McLaren is one in every of solely two groups on the grid with the identical driver lineup because the earlier season! Zak Brown is as soon as once more chomping on the bits to see his staff not solely win the Constructor’s Championship once more, the primary since 1996, however the Driver’s Championship too. Each drivers could be noticed carrying Richard Mille’s as this staff, too, has partnered with the expressive Swiss watchmaker for years already.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Method 1 – George Russel & Andrea Kimi Antonelli – IWC Schaffhausen

Mercedes-AMG F1 has left an indelible mark on the hybrid period of Method 1 by profitable 8 consecutive titles between 2014 and 2021. Since then, the staff has struggled to place in a constant sufficient degree of efficiency to struggle for the championship. The failed zero-pod idea, in addition to points with porposing, has allowed different groups to catch up. Now the staff can be dealing with the departure of Lewis Hamilton, who can be changed by the rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli can be becoming a member of George Russel on the grid, who will tackle the position of lead driver for the staff. Russel has proven good tempo and efficiency within the Mercedes, typically ending forward of Hamilton within the final season or two. Now it’s only a matter of discovering rhythm and velocity once more so as to compete for race wins and titles! Timing companion for the Mercedes-AMG F1 staff can be no shock, because it has been working with IWC for greater than 10 years (and even longer with the road-car facet of the Mercedes model).

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Crew – Ferando Alonso & Lance Stroll – Girard-Perregaux

Subsequent to McLaren, the guy Brits of Aston Martin have additionally caught with their pairing of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Broadly mentioned main as much as the 2025 season is the arrival of engineering mastermind Adrien Newey, who left Crimson Bull in pursuit of a brand new problem. It stays to be seen whether or not that pays off instantly or if the much-desired velocity and efficiency will are available in later seasons, however it’s going to have an effect on efficiency for positive!

Fernando Alonso is the oldest and most skilled driver on the grid, making his debut in F1 earlier than a number of the present drivers had been even born! Lance Stroll has additionally matured in F1 fairly nicely and is commonly discovered scoring factors for the green-clad staff. Just like final 12 months, the partnership with Girard-Perregaux continues, and we’re anticipating some extra particular editions coming from the 2.

BWT Alpine F1 Crew – Pierre Gasley & Jack Doohan – H. Moser & Cie

One other driver making his full-time debut on the grid is Australian expertise Jack Doohan. Already a reserve driver for the BWT Alpine staff for the previous two years, he raced within the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, changing the outgoing Esteban Ocon. He joins skilled BWT Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, who can be beginning his ninth season in Method 1. He’ll be seeking to enhance on his tenth end within the 2024 Driver’s Championship.

The BWT Alpine F1 staff is the continuation of Renault, which has been concerned within the sport for many years and is, after all, a part of the Renault Group. However, and this got here as a giant shock to everybody, Renault introduced that it’ll stop its engine-building actions after this season. So, regardless of the Alpine title prone to be on the grid from 2026 onwards, it is not going to be powered by a Renault engine. For 2025, although, it will likely be Renault throughout. Besides on the wrist of the drivers, as H. Moser & Cie is the staff’s official timing companion.

Visa Money App Racing Bulls F1 staff – Yuki Tsunoda & Isack Hadjar – Tudor

Oracle Crimson Bull Racing’s sister staff, Visa Money App Racing Bulls (or V-CARB), will as soon as once more area Yuki Tsunoda for the upcoming season, alongside newcomer Isack Hadjar. He makes the soar from F2 to F1, as a number of different kids are doing too. Hadjar completed in second place in F2 final 12 months and now will get a shot within the huge league. The staff can be hell bent to enhance from final 12 months’s fairly disappointing efficiency, the place it completed eighth within the Constructors’ Championship (out of 10 groups).

To take action, Visa Money App RB could have a works Honda engine within the again, which can be changed by a Ford-badged engine constructed by Crimson Bull Energy Trains for subsequent 12 months. Previously, the staff previously often called Torro Rosso and Alpha Tauri has all the time managed to ship surprisingly spectacular outcomes all through a season (Vettel profitable the 2006 Italian Grand Prix towards all odds!), so let’s hope they will spring again this 12 months. Tudor joined the staff as timing companion final 12 months, with a hanging black-and-blue Black Bay as the primary business end result, prone to be adopted with one other particular version this 12 months.

Moneygram Haas F1 – Esteban Ocon & Oliver Bearman – Bianchet

The Haas F1 staff has opted to vary their driver line-up utterly, as Nico Hulkenberg has moved to Stake F1 Crew Kick Sauber, and Kevin Magnussen has left F1 fully. Changing them can be Esteban Ocon, who was informed by BWT Alpine that there could be no place for him transferring into the brand new season, and Oliver Bearmen, who confirmed his abilities when he changed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in 2024 for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and impressively completed seventh.

It’s all the time a raffle to vary each drivers directly, as normally, groups will look to stay with one skilled driver as a substitute of two new ones. Esteban Ocon is, after all, not new within the sport and has gained a race for Alpine, so he’ll doubtless be desirous to push the staff ahead as lead driver, with Oliver Bearman hopefully getting within the groove shortly, too. Because the staff is intently tied to Ferrari for the engine and several other different key elements, they may show fairly fast, contemplating final 12 months’s tech could have trickled right down to Haas by now. When it comes to watches, Ocon is a model ambassador for Bianchet, nevertheless it has not prolonged right into a staff partnership presently.

Atlassian Williams Racing – Alexander Albon & Carlos Sainz – Unknown

Because of being compelled out of a seat at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz has joined the Atlassian Williams Racing staff. He can be pushing for factors, and doubtlessly extra, together with his teammate Alexander Albon, who has put in some spectacular outcomes lately regardless of not having the quickest automobile on the grid. As one of many longest-running groups within the sport, there’s all the time a particular sentiment surrounding Williams, and it might be superb to see them return to race-winning type!

Throughout testing, Sainz clocked in some impressively quick lap occasions within the Mercedes-powered FW47, so expectations are excessive! On the time of scripting this, there’s not a phrase on an official timing companion for Williams, though they’ve labored with Oris and Bremont prior to now. Carlos Sainz. So it’s one other staff and driver duo we can be protecting shut tabs on to see what they may put on!

Stake F1 Crew kick sauber – Nico Hulkenberg & Gabriel Bortoleto – Unknown

The Stake F1 Crew Kick Sauber can declare two issues: essentially the most complicated title on the grid resulting from worldwide playing and sponsorships laws and coming in stone lifeless final within the 2024 F1 season. I discover it unhappy that the once-solid-performing Sauber staff has slipped right down to this degree, so I hope they are going to be capable to discover a means ahead once more quickly. Subsequent 12 months, Audi is taking on the reigns of the staff, so a minimum of there’s loads of funding coming!

The staff has parted methods with Valtteri Bottas and Gyuanyu Zhou and has employed Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto as drivers. The previous brings in a ton of expertise, whereas the latter is final 12 months’s Method 2 Champion. So, even if each are new to Stake, they do possess a ton of expertise and, hopefully, velocity! Right now, there’s no phrase on an official timing companion, so we’ll hold an eye fixed out on what the 2 could be carrying in the course of the season!

For extra info on the upcoming Method 1 season, please go to Formula1.com or any of the staff web sites:

Editorial Be aware: The photographs portrayed are sourced from Formula1.com, a choice of the groups (see above for hyperlinks) and F1-Fansite.com.