Written by Meghana Sree, Edited by Tarun Suresh
The 2025 Formula One season dawns upon us in a month. Read on for our top ten things to look forward to this season, as we near the first lights out in 2025.
After months of patient waiting, it’s finally the month to get ready for some excitement in the world of F1! 2024 was a whirlwind of memorable moments and landmark victories, and with the 2025 season drawing ever closer, it’s safe to say that we can all expect even more unforgettable races this year.
With everything from historic driver-team pairings to intense rivalries brewing, the 75th year of the F1 World Championship has all the ingredients for what could be the greatest season the sport has witnessed.
75th Anniversary celebrations and car reveals
To kick off the fun, an all-out season launch event will be held on 18th February 2025 at The O2 in London, with all ten teams expected to reveal their 2025 liveries with pizzazz.
In a first-ever season launch event to mark F1’s 75th anniversary year, drivers, team principles, and top names in the sport will be in attendance — giving fans the chance to enjoy exclusive interviews and hear from teams about expectations for the upcoming season.
The event also packs immersive performances alongside the livery reveals, with entertainment promised to rival the likes of the Las Vegas Grand Prix ceremonies.
For those who weren’t able to get tickets, the event is set to be live-streamed, likely on F1TV, yet official details have not been released yet.
In addition to revealing their liveries at The O2, teams will be launching their 2025 challengers with their own car reveals. Check below for teams that have confirmed car reveal dates ahead of the pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Team | Car Launch Date |
Williams | 14th February |
Haas | 16th February |
RB | 17th February |
Ferrari | 19th February |
Aston Martin | 23rd February |
Mercedes | 24th February |
Red Bull | 25th February |
Calendar shakeups
Although 2025’s calendar holds 24 rounds, the same as the previous year, there has been some notable reshuffling.
Most evidently, the Australian Grand Prix returns to its traditional position as the season-opener. Since it returned to the calendar in 2022, the Albert Park race weekend was held as the third round, after Bahrain and Jeddah. However, the two Middle Eastern rounds will be delayed this year owing to the March dates of Ramadan, allowing the Australian Grand Prix to initiate the season as usual.
As for the Sprints, Shanghai, Miami, Spa, Austin, São Paulo and Qatar are the six venues set to host the format. Spa makes its return to the roster after Spielberg hosted the Sprint in 2024 instead, while other venues have stayed the same.
The season closes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 7th December 2025, the 24th round in the 2025 F1 season.
Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari
The announcement of Lewis Hamilton's switch from Mercedes to Ferrari was by far the biggest headline in the sport’s recent history, making waves worldwide.
Joining Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia, Hamilton completes one of the most hotly anticipated driver lineups for 2025, and fans will have to wait just a little longer to see the seven-time World Champion make his Grand Prix debut in the iconic Rosso Corsa outfit.
With Ferrari’s first social media posts of Hamilton decked in red racking up numbers, and his historic test drives at Fiorano drawing worldwide attention, it’s safe to say that his groundbreaking first outing with the team in Australia will be met with nothing but fanfare and sensation.
As the season progresses, Hamilton will undoubtedly remain in the limelight as fans judge how well he adapts to the Italian team, and more interestingly, how his relationship with Leclerc will pan out.
With some expecting fair competition and others suggesting intense rivalry, it remains to be seen who will be the number one driver and whether the two will be able to finish the job that the team came close to fulfilling in 2024 — win the Constructors’ Championship.
Hamilton likely also has an agenda of his own; to claim his eighth world title. With all these storylines set to unfold, the Hamilton-Ferrari linkup will absolutely be one to delight in 2025.
Rookies galore
Boasting six rookies making their official full-season debut, 2025’s season start will be in stark contrast to 2024, which opened with a rare total of zero rookies and team swaps.
This was only the calm before the storm, as soon after Hamilton’s bombshell announcement of his switch to Ferrari, the driver market saw a flurry of activity, welcoming in a new generation of F1 drivers:
2025 Rookie | Team |
Liam Lawson | Oracle Red Bull Racing |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team |
Jack Doohan | Alpine F1 Team |
Oliver Bearman | Moneygram Haas F1 Team |
Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls |
Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber |
The upcoming season will undoubtedly be one to watch for promising talent as well as future champion potential. One of the strongest lineups of F1 rookies in recent history, this new class of drivers will be bringing fresh blood and fun to the sport.
It will also be exciting to see how these rookies fare against their more experienced teammates in their respective teams. The veteran-rookie dynamic is sure to stir up many narratives across the season, particularly between Liam Lawson and his four-time World Champion teammate Max Verstappen.
Similarly, Kimi Antonelli too has hefty expectations placed upon him after being promoted to Mercedes following just one year in Formula 2. Stepping into the seat left by Hamilton, the 18-year-old has massive shoes to fill alongside George Russell.
Another driver entering the season with a high bar to reach is Alpine’s Jack Doohan, With Alpine signing 2024’s breakout star Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver, the Australian is under pressure to deliver solid results. Recent reports suggest Doohan has a limited window to showcase his potential, and if he is not up to par, he could risk replacement.
Who will come out on top?
After Red Bull’s out-and-out dominance in 2023, fans expected much of the same in 2024.
What no one did expect though were seven multiple Grand Prix winners in one season for the first time in the sport’s history, historic home wins, unprecedented team shakeups, and just eight points separating McLaren and Ferrari going into the final round — a battle that was won by the Papaya team who clinched the World Constructors’ Championship after 26 long years.
Red Bull’s fall-off began early into 2024, but picked up steam going into the European rounds mid-season. Despite their underwhelming team performance, Verstappen powered through and managed to keep both hands on the Drivers’ Championship, but it would not be too far-fetched to predict that he will have a harder time in the hunt for his fifth title.
A Lando Norris who has learnt from his mistakes, a recharged Hamilton seeking an eighth title, a Monegasque resolved to fulfil his sobriquet ‘Il Predestinato’, and dark horses like Oscar Piastri, Russell, or Lawson also eyeing the cup will keep the pressure steady on the defending champion throughout 2025.
On the Constructors’ side, McLaren’s resurgence and Ferrari’s hunger to stay in the fight, with Mercedes not far behind, will prove a difficult challenge for Red Bull in 2025 if they haven’t made bigger steps forward over the winter break. The title fight has been thrown wide open and is absolutely anyone’s for the taking.
If 2024 taught us anything, expect spicy rivalries, thrilling title fights, and plenty more drama to go around this season.
Changing team dynamics
The new season is packed with everything from driver changes to team restructuring.
Out of ten, only two teams have retained the same lineup as 2024 — McLaren and Aston Martin. The rest are fielding all-new driver pairings brought on by the silly season being in full swing last year.
Apart from the teams with veteran-rookie pairings, we also have Williams who have signed the Ferrari-departing Carlos Sainz alongside Alex Albon. Sainz’s decision to join the Grove-based outfit saw apprehension from fans, but he remains confident about his decision, stating: “I know Williams have a good project, they have the backing, and they have good people.”
Additionally, two teams will be helmed by new team principals. Aston Martin replaced Mike Krack (who will remain as the team’s Chief Trackside Officer) with Andy Cowell, a name previously linked with Mercedes.
Sauber also sees a change at the top, part of the restructuring efforts ahead of their Audi campaign in 2026. Jonathan Wheatley, formerly Red Bull’s Sporting Director, will be joining as team principal in 2025 but his start date remains unconfirmed.
Another unprecedented personnel switch that will shape 2025 and beyond is Adrian Newey’s Red Bull exit. He joins Aston Martin with a long-term deal as Managing Technical Partner. The aerodynamics design mogul is expected to officially start with the team on 1st March 2025, bringing decades of championship-winning experience to a constructor that is working hard to climb the ranks.
Over at Haas, historic promotions are taking place. Laura Mueller is set to become F1’s first-ever full-time female Race Engineer, who will be working with Esteban Ocon.
2025 also sees the return of familiar faces to teams in new roles, with Valtteri Bottas joining Mercedes as a reserve driver and Zhou Guanyu taking on the same position with Ferrari.
Regulation amendments
Although the new era of regulations will be in effect from 2026 onwards, 2025 will also see a few amendments in the sporting and technical regulations.
Notably, the fastest lap point will be dropped, a decision that emerged after Daniel Ricciardo nicked the point from Norris in the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix in an effort to help Verstappen’s title campaign.
The FIA will also double down on the sanctions for swearing, as indicated in the latest version of the International Sporting Code.
Unsurprisingly, this has drawn much scorn from pundits and fans alike, and no doubt the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) is also incensed on risking punishment for something as trivial as swearing.
Technical regulations will see several changes too, with a new driver cooling kit being introduced this year to combat the extreme heat conditions drivers were exposed to in races like the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Usage of these cooling kits will be overseen by the FIA, and in case of heat hazards, teams will be mandated to equip their drivers with the cooling system.
Another beneficial amendment for drivers will be an increase in their minimum weight from 80 kilograms to 82 kilograms, as well as an increase in the minimum weight limit of the car without fuel, from 798 kilograms to 800 kilograms.
Rear wing adjustments also see the slot gap for the Drag Reduction System (DRS) changing from 10-15 millimetres to 9.4-13 millimetres in 2025.
Additionally, the appearance of junior drivers in Free Practice sessions will be increased from once per season to two times per season.
New partnerships
Going into their 75th year, F1 has teamed up with the luxury conglomerate LVMH for a ten-year Global Partnership.
This deal paves the way for a return of names like TAG Heuer and Moët & Chandon to F1, with the brands becoming the Official Timekeeper and Official Champagne of F1 respectively. Louis Vuitton will also be the title partner for the Australian Grand Prix, opening up huge opportunities in the burgeoning synergy between F1 and haute couture.
F1 is also taking more strides in the commercial market, stretching the sport’s appeal to a wider range of new audiences as well as longtime fans through their partnerships with Mattel and Lego.
Mattel, the global toy and family entertainment company, recently unveiled the iconic Hot Wheels Formula 1 collection, complete with track sets. Similarly, Lego too has collaborated with all ten teams to bring fans closer to the technical world of F1 through their globally-recognised brick sets, suitable for both children and adult builders.
These pioneering partnerships launching in 2025 signal a new era of F1 — one that will have a larger cultural and commercial impact to connect with more fans, giving them interactive experiences with their favourite teams.
Final goodbyes
Although we are far from the season’s end, it’s worth knowing what we’ll be leaving behind in 2025 before the 2026 season.
Renault will end its deal with Alpine, and will no longer be an engine supplier in the sport. The Enstone-based team will become a customer of the Mercedes power units, making 2025 the final season for Renault.
2025 will also be the final season for the Sauber outfit, who are set to transition into the Audi works team beginning in 2026.
With the regulations, this season will be the final season featuring the DRS which was introduced in 2011.
As for the drivers, it remains to be seen who stays on the grid and who completes their 2025 swansong in December.
The F1 movie
Bolstering F1’s recent efforts to cast the net across wider audiences is the brand new motion picture F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.
With Hamilton being one of the producers, the Apple Original Film is set to be released worldwide in the summer of 2025. The movie promises to bring thrilling racing action to IMAX screens, including action-packed scenes that were shot during actual Grand Prix weekends across 2024.
Featuring the fictional APXGP team battling it out with the other ten F1 teams, the movie is set to give fans a close-up look at realistic racing and rivalries.
Bonus: Gearing up for Cadillac in 2026
The 2025 season hasn’t even kicked off yet, but one thing’s for sure. Expect talk of F1’s incoming 11th team to frequently cycle through the headlines this season.
The American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) is confirmed to join the grid in 2026, opening the door to more talent vying for the two new seats.
GM has entered a partnership with TWG Motorsports to construct challengers for the Cadillac F1 team. This project will be backed by Scuderia Ferrari who will provide power units and gearboxes to the American team starting 2026.
Fans can anticipate more talking points emerging as the 2025 season marches on. From driver lineups to personnel signings, not to mention takes that discuss the implications of an 11th team for the rest of the grid, this storyline will remain a hot topic in 2025.
With so much to look forward to in 2025, the season start couldn’t come any sooner. What are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
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