Formula 1 2025 – Season Preview by RacerViews

2025 marks the start of the 75th season in Formula 1 history as teams begin the final countdown to race day in less than two weeks time. After a stellar 2024 season, drivers and teams look to make their mark in the final year of the current rules package before everything changes in 2026, leaving us to speculate about what could very well be the most competitive and exciting season in Formula 1 history.

Formula 1 Celebrates 75 years

As we usher in changes to driver lineups and team personnel, we felt it fitting to do a run down on a few of the major changes and story lines in anticipation of lights out in Melbourne in less than two weeks time. Keep an eye on RacerViews throughout the 2025 season as we continue revamping our coverage of Formula 1.

Lewis Hamilton officially joins Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 season is a seismic shift in the Formula 1 landscape. After a tumultuous final few years at Mercedes, Hamilton leaves the only manufacturer he’s ever driven for to join Charles LeClerc after signing a multi-year contract with the Scuderia, committing to the team for at least two seasons.

The decision, announced on February 1, 2024, caught many in the racing community by surprise – not only for the move, but the timing as well. Despite being the most successful team and driver pairing in history, Hamilton’s pursuit of and 8th drivers title has illuded him in recent years and the move sees many wondering if Hamilton can finally capture that eight title and bring Ferrari back to the top of the drivers championship.

Hamilton described leaving Mercedes as “one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.” This move fulfills a childhood dream for Hamilton, who has long expressed a desire to race for Ferrari.

Hamilton’s first day in Ferrari

Williams courts Carlos Sainz

After it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would be joining the Scuderia for 2025 and beyond, it was Carlos Sainz who was left on the outside looking in as his once-secure race seat was thrown into question. Despite a healthy 2024 campaign that saw the Spanish driver take two wins and finish 5th overall, it wasn’t until near mid-season that his future was announced.

James Vowles, the team principal behind the remarkable turnaround at Williams, made no small noise about his intention to secure Sainz alongside Alex Albon and his dream came true as the pair agreed on a contract that will see Sainz in the iconic Williams blue for the foreseeable future.

With the move to Williams, Sainz now has the opportunity to continue the teams rebuilding project, adding to his story of improving every team he has joined in the process. Though many lauded the move as pundits and media criticized other top teams for not signing Sainz, the Spaniard seems motivated and excited for the move as he set the quickest time in preseason testing, a move that no doubt drew the eyes of many despites its irrelevance in the overall season picture.

Sainz’s announcement sparks thills at Williams

Adrian Newey departs Red Bull, joins Aston Martin

While the drivers market is the hottest storyline in Formula 1, Adrian Newey nearly overtook Lewis Hamilton as the most surprising mover in 2024, announcing his departure from Red Bull Racing in favor of joining Aston Martin.

Considered to be the most successful design in Formula 1 history, Newey’s departure created a monumental shift within the Red Bull team that many saw as the blame for the lack of repeat success for the team in the constructors championship. Despite his successes prior to 2024, Newey cited a sense of going through the motions and a lack of fresh inspiration for the RB20 as motivations for his exit.

Aston Martin announces Newey

Newey officially started his new position within Aston Martin on March 1, 2025, taking on the role of Managing Technical Partner, a newly-created position within the organization. In addition to his role, he has become a shareholder in the Aston Martin team, signaling a deep commitment to the team’s future. His move is expected to provide a significant boost to Aston Martin’s ambitions in Formula 1, particularly as he will lead the development efforts for the upcoming 2026 season, which will see the introduction of new engine and aerodynamic regulations.

Newey’s decision was influenced by the team’s new AMR Technology Campus and its ambitious plans moving forward, a development that Fernando Alonso has praised, calling Aston Martin “the team of the future” with Newey at the helm.

McLaren the team to beat

The 2024 Constructors Champions left little to doubt for their 2025 campaign, with team CEO Zak Brown setting a “greedy goal” of a McLaren 1-2 in the drivers championship as they look to repeat as the constructors champion yet again.

Fresh off the heels of testing, McLaren look to be the favorite in 2025 as team officials have revealed that “pretty much every part” of the MCL39 has been changed in an effort to further expand on the success of the MCL38. Despite the confidence of the team, a cautious optimism remains as the successes of their competition still looks to keep the Woking team on their toes.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both targeting the Drivers’ Championship for the upcoming season. Norris, entering his seventh year with McLaren, seeks to build on his previous race wins. Meanwhile, Piastri, in his third season in Formula 1, feels fully prepared to challenge for the World Championship.

Norris emphasizes that McLaren has “no excuses” in their pursuit of both titles in 2025. With their recent successes and a proactive development strategy, McLaren is positioning itself as a strong contender for the Formula 1 World Championships.

McLaren.com – Eight reasons to be excited for 2025

Red Bull on the back foot?

After losing the Constructors’ title in 2024, Red Bull is determined to regain the crown with its revamped driver lineup. With Liam Lawson moving up from Racing Bulls to partner with 4-time World Champion, Max Verstappen, Team Principal Christian Horner has emphasized the importance of consistency across the 24-race season and addressing issues with car driveability that plagued them last year.

Despite securing the drivers championship in 2024, team officials have acknowledged that they are starting the season behind McLaren and Ferrari in terms of car performance and development. However, they plan to implement an aggressive development strategy to close this gap, particularly focusing on adapting to new regulations like the flexi-wing clampdown set for mid-season.

Although McLaren seem to be the team to beat, Red Bull’s history of solid race strategy and Verstappen’s ability to perform at unfathomable levels under pressure, means that despite the potentially slower pace they will still be a major threat to the field in 2025.

The Rookie Revolution

2025 will see an unprecedented six rookies join the grid in place of departing veterans such as Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, and Kevin Magnussen. Let’s take a look at these young drivers and where they’ll be for the season.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

• Age: 18
• Nationality: Italian
• Teammate: George Russell

Antonelli is stepping into the big shoes left by Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Despite his young age and limited Formula 2 experience, Mercedes has shown great confidence in his abilities. Antonelli has been part of the Mercedes program since he was 11 and impressed in his brief F1 practice session at Monza last year, despite an early crash.

Oliver Bearman (Haas)

• Age: 19
• Nationality: British
• Teammate: Esteban Ocon

Bearman made waves with his impressive substitute performance for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last year, scoring points on his debut. He has secured a multi-year contract with Haas after previously filling in for Kevin Magnussen in two races.

Liam Lawson (Red Bull)

• Age: 22
• Nationality: New Zealander
• Teammate: Max Verstappen

Lawson has been confirmed as Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull for the 2025 season. With 11 grand prix appearances over two years, he brings some F1 experience to his first full rookie season as he replaces Sergio Perez.

Jack Doohan (Alpine)

• Age: 21
• Nationality: Australian
• Teammate: Pierre Gasly

Doohan, son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan, will be making his full-time F1 debut with Alpine. Taking over for the departing Esteban Ocon, Doohan has already come under pressure as it was announced Alpine would be bringing 2024 rookie standout Franco Colapinto as reserve driver on a long-term contract.

Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

• Age: 19
• Nationality: French
• Teammate: Yuki Tsunoda

Hadjar will be joining the newly rebranded Racing Bulls team (formerly AlphaTauri), replacing Liam Lawson in the process alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)

• Age: 19
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Teammate: Nico Hulkenberg

Bortoleto, the 2024 Formula 2 Champion, will be making his F1 debut with Kick Sauber after being released from his duties as a McLaren Academy driver. He’ll be paired with the veteran German, Nico Hulkenberg, also joining the Kick Sauber squad after a successful 2024 campaign with Haas F1.

We’re looking forward to the action ahead as Formula 1 celebrates 75 years of premier motor racing in what is shaping up to be the most exciting season yet. With the first race around the corner, it’ll be lights out in Melbourne in one weeks time as Oscar Piastri looks to set his sights on the drivers title at home in Australia as Albert Park returns as the first round of the Formula 1 season since 2020.

FORMULA 1 LOUIS VUITTON AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025 Schedule

2025 Formula 1 Official Entry List

McLaren Formula 1 Team – Woking, United Kingdom
Chassis	MCL39	Power Unit	Mercedes
Team Boss	Andrea Stella	Technical Chief	P. Prodromou, N. Houldey
Drivers
Lando Norris		Oscar Piastri
4		81
Nationality – United Kingdom		Nationality – Australia

Scuderia Ferrari HP – Maranello, Italy
Chassis	SF-25	Power Unit	Ferrari
Team Boss	Frédéric Vasseur	Technical Chief	L. Serra, E. Gualtieri
Drivers
Charles LeClerc		Lewis Hamilton
16		44
Nationality – Monaco		Nationality – United Kingdom

Oracle Red Bull Racing – Milton Keynes
Chassis	RB21	Power Unit	Honda RBPT
Team Boss	Christian Horner	Technical Chief	Pierre Waché
Drivers
Max Verstappen		Liam Lawson
1		30
Nationality – Netherlands		Nationality – New Zealand

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team – Brackley, United Kingdom
Chassis	W16	Power Unit	Mercedes
Team Boss	Toto Wolff	Technical Chief	James Allison
Drivers
George Russell		Kimi Antonelli
63		12
Nationality – United Kingdom		Nationality – Italy

Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team – Silverstone, United Kingdom
Chassis	AMR25	Power Unit	Mercedes
Team Boss	Andy Cowell	Technical Chief	Enrico Cardile
Drivers
Fernando Alonso		Lance Stroll
15		18
Nationality – Spain		Nationality – Canada

BWT Alpine Formula One Team – Enstone, United Kingdom
Chassis	A525	Power Unit	Renault
Team Boss	Oliver Oakes	Technical Chief	David Sanchez
Drivers
Pierre Gasly		Jack Doohan
10		7
Nationality – France		Nationality – Australia

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team – Kannapolis, United States
Chassis	VF-25	Power Unit	Ferrari
Team Boss	Ayao Komatsu	Technical Chief	Andrea De Zordo
Drivers
Esteban Ocon		Oliver Bearman
31		87
Nationality – France		Nationality – United Kingdom

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team – Faenza, Italy
Chassis	VF-25	Power Unit	Honda RBPT
Team Boss	Laurent Mekies	Technical Chief	Jody Egginton
Drivers
Yuki Tsunoda		Isack Hadjar
22		6
Nationality – Japan		Nationality – France

Williams Racing – Grove, United Kingdom
Chassis	FW47	Power Unit	Mercedes
Team Boss	James Vowles	Technical Chief	Pat Fry
Drivers
Alexander Albon		Carlos Sainz
23		55
Nationality – Thailand		Nationality – Spain

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber – Hinwil, Switzerland
Chassis	C45	Power Unit	Ferrari
Team Boss	Mattia Binotto	Technical Chief	James Key
Drivers
Nico Hulkenberg		Gabriel Bortoleto
27		5
Nationality – Germany		Nationality – Brasil