The 2024 Formula One season simultaneously went as expected while also diverging off-course.
Max Verstappen won the World Drivers' Championship comfortably, but the woes of Red Bull led to McLaren and Ferrari leaping ahead of the Austrian outfit in the constructors' championship. For the first time since 1998, McLaren produced the best car and won the World Constructors' Championship. Verstappen may have won more races, but McLaren was 77 points clear of Red Bull in third.
Beyond McLaren taking the constructors' championship, four manufacturers won a race. Seven drivers won a race, and they all won multiple times. Never in Formula One history have that many drivers won multiple times. Expectations are certainly raised for the new season.
Entering 2025, change is expected. The status quo will not last forever. Everyone expects this to be the year of something new, but the old remains in the rearview mirror.
Schedule
Melbourne returns as the season opener for the first time since 2019 and it has been paired with the Chinese Grand Prix for a back-to-back to open the 2025 campaign. It is the first of eight occasions with races on consecutive weekends. Shanghai will be the first of six sprint races this season.
The second occurs after a week off and it is three consecutive rounds. Suzuka hosts the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6 before a trip to the Middle East with Bahrain on April 13 and Saudi Arabia on April 20.
The Miami Grand Prix will be May 4, and it will be the second sprint weekend of the season. Miami is also the final round before the European season begins. Imola, Monaco and Spain will happen over three consecutive weekends beginning on May 18.
There will be a brief detour back to North America with the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15. In 2026, the Canadian Grand Prix will move to May and be paired with the Miami Grand Prix on the schedule.
Austria leads a back-to-back with the British Grand Prix with these races taking place on June 29 and July 6. There will be a two-week break before a back-to-back with the Belgian Grand Prix and Hungarian Grand Prix. Spa-Francorchamps will be the third sprint weekend. The August 3 race from Budapest will be the final race before the summer break.
Competition resume with the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31, the penultimate Dutch round as it has been announced 2026 will be its final event. One week later, the Italian Grand Prix closes out the European season. Two weeks later, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will run.
After a brief layover in Singapore for a race on October 5, Formula One will be off to the Americas. The United States Grand Prix leads off the four-race swing on October 19, and it is the fourth sprint weekend. Mexico and Brazil will follow over the next two weeks. Interlagos remains a sprint round for a fifth consecutive season. There will be a week off before the Las Vegas Grand Prix is run on November 22, and at an earlier time.
The season closes with a pair of races in the Middle East. Qatar hosts the penultimate round on November 30, and Qatar will double as the final sprint round. Abu Dhabi closes out the season on December 7.
Constructors:
Oracle Red Bull Racing
Drivers: Max Verstappen (#1 Red Bull RB21) & Liam Lawson (#30 Red Bull RB21)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Verstappen. For all the concerns about Verstappen losing the drivers' championship for the first time in five seasons, the Dutchman should still remain in control within the Red Bull organization. Verstappen has vanquished everyone he has been paired with. No offense to Liam Lawson, but he isn't going to scare Verstappen.
All the pressure in the world is on Lawson to succeed, and until proven otherwise, the team has Verstappen's back every step of the way. Though Lawson has done reasonable well in his first 11 Formula One starts spread over the previous two seasons, he hasn't been up with the big boys yet, and that is where he will need to be to defeat Verstappen.
There is a chance the gap between Verstappen and Lawson could be just as large proportionally to what we saw last season between Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. If that is the case, Lawson will be feeling the heat.
Where should Red Bull finish in the championship?
Red Bull was third last season in a somewhat stunning drop. The dominance appears to be over, and it is back to being a team on the chase rather than being chased. Verstappen has enough talent to make a good car look great. He is going to win races and he is not going to go quietly into the night. It is still his team though, and without a strong number two driver who is comfortable with the car, it will cost Red Bull in the constructors' championship.
McLaren F1 Team
Drivers: Lando Norris (#4 McLaren MCL38) & Oscar Piastri (#81 McLaren MCL38)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Everyone believes this will be Norris' season to win the championship. If he does that, he will be ahead of Piastri and be the best in the McLaren organization.
Norris beat Piastri last year by 82 points. Norris got the better out of the car on a more consistent basis, though both drivers were phenomenal and contributed significantly to the constructors' championship. Norris could beat out Piastri but that does not mean he will thrash Piastri. Both drivers will have their days and be on top. More times than not, it will be Norris leading the way.
Where should McLaren finish in the championship?
First was seen as a reach for the 2024 season. "First or bust" is the mindset for the 2025 season. McLaren starts the season with the best car. This is being billed as Norris' year. Piastri is a capable driver who can win races and hold his own at the front. Both drivers should finish in the championship top five. All momentum is on McLaren's side.
This will be a tougher season than McLaren running away and winning 18 races. We saw it last year. Ferrari was much closer than people remember. A full season championship battle feels likely.
Scuderia Ferrari
Drivers: Charles Leclerc (#16 Ferrari SF-25) & Lewis Hamilton (#44 Ferrari SF-25)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
This could be the toughest one to decide. All eyes are always on Ferrari. This year, the attention is hyper-focused as Lewis Hamilton joins the Scuderia after 12 seasons at Mercedes. Hamilton ended his time with Silver Arrows on a good note, seventh in the championship with a pair of victories. Leclerc had a refreshing season in 2024 as well. The Monegasque driver won his home grand prix, as well as the Italian Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix, and not only did Leclerc finished third in the championship, he was one of the most productive drivers post-summer break.
It should be edge Leclerc. He was comfortable last year and ended last season as impressive as Lando Norris. Like the Ferrari duo, that doesn't mean Leclerc will thrash Hamilton. Though he won races last year, the Mercedes had its flaws. Ferrari was able to produce a rather reliable machine last season. In that car, Hamilton could be poised for a resurgence of his own.
Where should Ferrari finish in the championship?
First or second. Ferrari was good last year, but it had its blips that cost it ground to McLaren. Leclerc's impressive season, particularly at the end, showed Ferrari has found good form and it can make a challenge for the top spot. It has the drivers to put up such a fight.
If the Ferrari is bulletproof, it can take the top spot. With such a car, Leclerc and Hamilton should combine to beat Norris and Piastri.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Drivers: Andrea Kimi Antonelli (#12 Mercedes W16) & George Russell (#63 Mercedes W16)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
It should be undoubtedly George Russell.
For all the hype around Antonelli, he is 18 years old and was not spectacular in Formula Two. He was good, winning twice, one was a sprint race and the other was the feature race in Hungary, but he failed to score points in 13 of 26 starts. Besides his two victories, he only had two other podiums. Antonelli has been rushed into Formula One. The expectation isn't for success this year, it is for success two or three years down the road and Antonelli to grow into the seat. It is a dangerous way to handle a young driver.
Russell should beat Antonelli handily, especially if the Mercedes retains the flaws it has not been able to shake in this regulation set. The car could still be good for its five or six race weekends a season, especially if the weather is cooler, but if it is a bear for most of the season, it could break the Italian.
Where should Mercedes-AMG finish in the championship?
During testing, it did not feel like Mercedes had made a significant swing upward in its car. It didn't fall back, but it didn't feel like it made a jump into the top three and could be a regular contender for race victories. If the car is where it has been, it will be fine but not outstanding. If there is a stronger McLaren and a stronger Ferrari, Mercedes could slip a little and not win a handful of races.
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
Drivers: Fernando Alonso (#14 Aston Martin AMR25) & Lance Stroll (#18 Aston Martin AMR25)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Alonso. Even at 43 years old and approaching over 12 years since his most recent victory, Alonso would beat Stroll 80% of the time blindfolded. Alonso is going to beat Stroll for the next 25 years in a Formula One car. There really isn't much more to say.
Where should Aston Martin finish in the championship?
When it comes to the Formula One grid, it feels equally divided between the top half and the bottom half, and Aston Martin is snug in the middle. Aston Martin was miles away from the top four, but even the 29-point gap between it and Alpine for fifth was flattering to Alpine. The one thing that could cost Aston Martin is one-sided production. It cost them fourth in 2023. Alonso was responsible for 74.468% of Aston Martin's point total. Any teams with a balanced duo can leap ahead of Aston Martin, and fifth can quickly become sixth.
BWT Alpine F1 Team
Drivers: Jack Doohan (#7 Alpine A525) & Pierre Gasly (#10 Alpine A525)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Odds should be on Gasly because there is a strong chance Doohan will not make it through a full season. Franco Colapinto is the reserve driver and there is already a groundswell for the Argentine to be in the car, even though Doohan has only made one start for the team. Even if Doohan does run the full season, Gasly has the experience and is better set up for handling a less ideal race car.
Where should Alpine finish in the championship?
We must remember much of Alpine's championship finish last season was the team stealing second and third in the wet Brazilian Grand Prix. Alpine finished on 65 points, and 33 of those points came in one race. That isn't even counting the two points Gasly scored in the sprint race that same weekend. The team is already fractured and we haven't even run a race yet. Seventh is the ceiling; eighth is the sweet spot; ninth is realistic as well.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
Drivers: Esteban Ocon (#31 Haas VF-25) & Oliver Bearman (#87 Haas VF-25)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Bearman scored points last year on debut for Ferrari and he scored a point in his first race with Haas. Ocon pulled out what he could in the Alpine. This two could be closer than anticipated. If there is one team where the rookie can beat the veteran, it is Haas with Bearman.
Where should Haas finish in the championship?
Haas ended last season on a high note. It took seventh in the constructors' championship and it scored points in eight of the final nine races, including a double points day in Mexico. This is a lineup with a lot to prove. Ocon has been able to extract the most out of a good car. Bearman is moving up to Formula One and has already shown comfort at the top level. This is the biggest threat to knocking Aston Martin outside the top five.
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team
Drivers: Isack Hadjar (#6 VCARB 02) & Yuki Tsunoda (#22 VCARB 02)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
Tsunoda started the 2024 in good form, but he did not end strongly with only two points finishes in the final 11 races. The good news is his teammates only combined for three points finishes over that span, and none of them finished better than eighth while Tsunoda's best result was seventh.
The Red Bull development program is borderline psychological torture. Tsunoda was essentially passed over with Lawson taking the Red Bull seat. The Japanese driver knows he must perform. Hadjar was second in Formula Two last season, and he won four feature races, but we have seen Red Bull drivers enter Formula One flat. If Tsunoda is feeling the pressure, it could bode well for Hadjar.
Where should Racing Bulls finish in the championship?
Whatever you call Red Bull's junior team, the team formerly known as Toro Rosso should always finish better than it actually does in the championship. Last year, 19 points covered sixth through eighth in the championship. It feels like we will see that again, but possible with ninth also much closer to that mid-field battle. No one expects either driver to ever finish in the top six or seven at any point. If the team is never expected to score more than four points in any race, it isn't going to be better than seventh or eighth.
Atlassian Williams Racing
Drivers: Alexander Albon (#23 Williams FW47) & Carlos Sainz, Jr. (#55 Williams FW47)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
When it comes to talent, Williams has probably the fourth-best lineup on the 2025 grid. The problem is it is Williams who has this talent and it will at best produce the seventh-best car.
This lineup is pretty even. Albon has been remarkable the last few seasons. We know Sainz, Jr. is incredible and can win if the car is good enough. That will not be the case this year. It is a step back from a Ferrari. Albon knows how to work through the difficult moments while Sainz, Jr. will likely experience some growing pains in a new team, but by the end of the season, Sainz, Jr. should be regularly ahead of Albon.
Where should Williams finish in the championship?
As what was written above, Williams is one of the best teams on paper. But, it is also Williams. Even if Williams doubled its points total from 2024, it still would have finished ninth in the constructors' championship last year. Does the addition of Carlos Sainz, Jr. triple its points total? That is mighty ask. It does feel like things should be better no matter what. Williams isn't signing Sainz unless it believes it can produce more. If both drivers can score 20-25 points, it will be an outstanding year. That could be enough for seventh.
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber
Drivers: Gabriel Bortoleto (#5 Sauber C45) & Nico Hülkenberg (#27 Sauber C45)
Who should win the intra-team battle?
It might not matter because it is Sauber, but Hülkenberg has a history of running for back-half teams and achieving respectable results. Bortoleto is coming off a Formula Two championship where he was consistently finishing in the top five. This car will likely be the greatest handful the Brazilian has ever experienced. For Hülkenberg, it will just be another season.
Where should Sauber finish in the championship?
Sauber scored four points last year and it did not score until the penultimate race of the season. It wasn't the worst car ever on the grid. Sauber had 23 finishes between 11th and 15th. Even a marginal improvement would only net a few points, but not enough to get up to ninth. Output should be a little better, but a little better will not net a recognizable improvement.
The opening practice for the Formula One season will take place at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday March 13. The second one-hour session will be at 1:00 a.m. on Friday March 14. Third practice will be on Friday evening at 9:30 p.m. with qualifying scheduled for 1:00 a.m. on Saturday March 15. The 2025 Australian Grand Prix will start at midnight on Sunday March 16.
