The 2025 Formula 1 Season is set to begin in mid-March at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. This season is one of the most anticipated of all time, due to all the chaos and excitement last season brought, as well as an even more hectic offseason.
In February of 2024, the F1 world was left in shock after it was announced that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes, with whom he won six of his World Championships, to move to Ferrari. Ferrari has not had a great past decade, trophyless since 2008. However, this year looks like it will be better for Ferrari, as they have arguably the best driver pairing in F1 this season, as Hamilton will be joined by Charles Leclerc, who has won eight Grand Prix’s throughout his career.
Ferrari’s main competition this year will likely be last year’s Constructors’ champions, McLaren. McLaren will be led by British driver Lando Norris, who finished second in the Drivers’ Championship and had four Grand Prix wins.
McLaren fan Hunter Hayes ’27 has faith in his team, stating, “Lando Norris and McLaren will win this year. I don’t think the Red Bull car will be good this year, and McLaren’s duo works well together. I don’t think Red Bull are ready to compete with them since they have rookie Liam Lawson as their other driver.”
The Drivers’ Championship may be even better. The favorites for the 2025 season are Max Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton, and Leclerc. Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc finished first, second, and third respectively last season and will look to repeat their success this year.
Verstappen has been the favorite for each of the past three seasons, and he won all of them. 2024 was the only season in which he was really challenged. Benji Taylor ‘27 believes that Verstappen’s streak will come to an end this year, saying, “I think Charles Leclerc will win the Drivers’ Championship. He had a very good 2024 and should have an even better car for this year.”
Two dark horses for the Drivers’ Championship could be McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Mercedes’ George Russell, both drivers having won multiple Grand Prix’s last season. Unfortunately, Piastri will start the season as the number two driver for McLaren, behind Norris, meaning he may be asked to sacrifice his race to help his teammate. Furthermore, the Mercedes car may not be at the level Russell needs it to be to win a Championship.
Regardless of who wins either championship, the 2025 season is set to be one of the most entertaining and dramatic seasons in F1 history.
