by Alex Johnston
Racing is coming back to us soon! With that in mind I’ve shortlisted five things that have me excited for F1 in 2025.
1. Hamilton for Ferrari
I feel like I’ve been ready for this one since it was announced. Hamilton in red is hard to think about - until we see those first images, it’s not going to feel very real.
So many aspects of this are exciting, two icons match up at last in the form of the seven time champion and the Prancing Horse, Hamilton may meet his match vs Leclerc, Hamilton for the first time won’t drive with a Mercedes engine…there’s so much to look forward to.
📸 He’s won at Monza five times already, imagine the Tifosi response if he can do it in a scarlet Ferrari?
2. Rise of the rookies
2025 will feature the most new full time drivers on the grid in what has been a long while. Liam Lawson(Red Bull), Kimi Antonelli(Mercedes), Jack Doohan(Alpine), Ollie Bearman(Haas), Gabriel Bortoleto(Stake) & Isack Hadjar(VCARB) are all new faces on the full time grid.
Lawson, Bearman and Doohan have some experience of course, but Antonelli, Bortoleto and Hadjar come in as very raw prospects and should be treated as such. At this stage however, Lawson and Antonelli in my opinion could be potential new race winners in 2025. Watch this space.
📸 Kimi Antonelli is one of the most highly anticipated rookies to ever step up to F1.
3. A new look grid
As well as the six new faces above, four other names have switched teams: Hamilton from Ferrari to Mercedes, Esteban Ocon from Alpine to Haas, Nico Hulkenberg from Haas to Stake and Carlos Sainz from Ferrari to Williams, all this giving the grid a very fresh look and some certain intrigue from fans.
Sainz’s first progress with Williams and Hamilton with Ferrari certainly pique curiosity but with so many driver changes, excitement is the main menu item in 2025.
📸 F2 vice champion Isack Hadjar completed the 2025 grid as the last driver announced.
4. A wealth of race winning experience
Granted the majority of this number comes from messrs Hamilton and Verstappen, but the 2025 grid contains 223 race wins from 10 winners (Hamilton - 105, Verstappen - 63, Alonso - 32, Leclerc - 8, Sainz - 4, Norris - 4, Russell - 3, Piastri - 2, Ocon & Gasly - each).
Really stunning stuff - could we have more than 10 by the end of the year?
📸 Could Liam Lawson - or someone else - become F1’s next first time winner this year?
Side note: 12 podium sitters once you add Lance Stroll and Alex Albon to the above names!
5. A change of World Champion
Personally, I don’t see Max Verstappen winning what would be a stunning fifth title in a row. I’ve been wrong before and if he did it he’d really stamp his name as one of the all time greats, but I feel though I’ll be right on this one.
In recent history, the driver who has won in Abu Dhabi the year before has gone on to win the title the season after. However, I feel that trend will be bucked in 2025.
Norris won the 2024 Abu Dhabi race but if I was going to put my money on anyone? Oscar Piastri. I will put my money where my mouth is in this one - the Aussie is special.
📸 The hype is real around this guy, and justified.
📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Sky Sports, Visa Cashapp RB, McLaren Racing, Red Bull Content Pool.
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