If the 2024 Formula 1 season was a movie, the 2025 season is undoubtedly the highly anticipated blockbuster sequel.
Last season was filled with driver changes and shocking exits throughout a gripping title fight, and this season is expected to follow suit.
Here are three things to look forward to this F1 season.
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari
Hamilton’s announcement that he would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari was arguably the biggest shock of the season.
During his time at Mercedes, Hamilton won six Drivers’ Championship titles, 84 races and finished on the podium 153 times. He currently holds 51 F1 records including most wins, pole positions, career points and podiums, many of which he set during his time with Mercedes.
In his final seasons with Mercedes, Hamilton struggled to perform at his previous level, going winless in 2022 and 2023. Despite his struggles continuing into 2024, it seems like the move to Ferrari reinvigorated the British driver, who broke his 945-day winless streak at his home race at Silverstone.
Six new rookies this season
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson are all set to join the grid full-time this season. Bearman, Doohan and Lawson already made their F1 debuts.
Of the rookies, Lawson has the most experience in the series. He made his first appearance in 2023 at the Dutch Grand Prix and finished 13th, ahead of his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson will be replacing veteran driver Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull seat, and he has high expectations to live up to as Red Bull hopes to fight for another Constructors’ Championship this season.
Bearman made his unexpected F1 introduction after Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis and unable to drive at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2024. Bearman exceeded expectations, landing in the points and finishing P7. The British rookie continued to impress in his second race, this time with Haas, where he scored one point and finished P10.
Doohan made his debut in the final race of 2024, subbing for Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and finishing 15th out of 20 drivers. Doohan is only guaranteed to drive in five races with his current Alpine contract. The pressure is high for Doohan to deliver in these races as Alpine already has a replacement in mind.
Antonelli, Bortileto and Hadjar will all make their F1 debuts in the first race of the season at Albert Park in March.
Competitive title fights
McLaren won its first Constructors’ Championship since 1998 last season, ending a 26-year drought. This year, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and team principal Andrea Stella are hoping to repeat.
The Constructors’ Championship will not be an easy win though. Ferrari finished just 14 points behind McLaren last season. With the Italy-based team’s own 16-year drought looming, the rivalry will keep heating up.
While McLaren and Ferrari are favorites, Red Bull isn’t out of it. A young driver like Lawson could be just what Red Bull needs to help fellow driver Max Verstappen push the team back into championship contention.
The Drivers’ Championship is also expected to be tight.
Despite pressure from Norris last year, Verstappen was able to hold on to his lead and clinch his fourth-consecutive drivers’ championship at the Las Vegas GP.
This year he’ll have to be at his best if he wants to earn a fifth-consecutive title and tie Michael Schumacher’s streak set in 2004. Last year at the São Paulo GP, Verstappen broke Schumacher’s record for the most consecutive days leading the Drivers’ Championship.
He’s now led for 1,007 days and counting.
With Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri and Mercedes driver George Russell each winning multiple races last season, this year’s championship should be an exciting battle for the top spot.
