So we can all finally breathe a sigh of relief as what feels like an eternity is finally over, and it’s race week as we hurtle towards the season opener this weekend with a trip back down under to Albert Park, Australia, for Round 1 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
There is always excitement with the start of a Formula 1 season: hope for your team, anticipation on who has got the winter break right in terms of development, and the level playing field as everyone starts from zero. This season, though, feels different; there is a buzz in the air made up of a huge amount of variables that have the potential to make this the closest fight since 2021 or not. Just why are fans so excited about the start of the 2025 season? Well, here are my top things that we can look forward to this season as we embark on the 75th installment of F1.
Mclaren Favourites
If you’re to believe everything from testing, then the other 9 teams may as well not bother showing up this season as it’s McLaren’s constructors’ title to lose, and it’s a foregone conclusion they have the best car, or have they? Whilst there can be no doubt that the current Constructors’ champions will go into 2025 as favourites, to suggest we are about to enter an RB19 domination era may well be short of the mark. McLaren looked good in testing, but we shouldn’t discount the chasing pack who are yet to show their true speed. Ferrari have opted for changes, including a new front suspension, a bold move in the final year of the regulations, and with a new driver (more to come on that), can’t be discounted. The Red Bull RB21 looked tricky and unpredictable in testing, and without the experience of legendary designer Adrian Newey to call on, many have written Pierre Wache and his team off before a wheel has been turned in Australia. That will suit Red Bull though,Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have done a great job of deflecting talk of the team to their rivals using their press to talk about others, but they know in Max Verstappen that if there is even a bit of chance the RB21 can reach the top step of the podium, then he’s the driver to deliver and keep them in the hunt whilst they fine-tune their updates and dial into the car with Liam Lawson in the other car with everything to prove may well make him a dark horse in the charging Bull.
Then there is Mercedes…..
The Silver Arrows are an X in an equation that no one knows the answer to, not even Toto himself. A car that looked good in testing, but given the cold weather, hopes are being cooled. Also, as we know traditionally, the Mercedes in recent years have done well in cold temperatures, so we have no idea if this has been solved or if the W16 is going to suffer in the sun like the W15. A driver lineup that’s as equally unpredictable as their car, George Russell, the team leader, is prone to mistakes. It seems when the pressure is on, he is going to have to step up. The questions still being asked are if he is the right man to lead Mercedes into a new era. The absence of a new deal also gives the impression that whilst he may be publicly backed by his boss, the pursuit of Max Verstappen and the lack of certainty over his future seem to also question this.
Then there is the rookie Kimi Antonelli, a complete unknown entity. Outrageous natural talent, born to race and not afraid to give it a shot, but with Toto warning what many are saying and that we all need to give this talent space for him to grow and make mistakes. All of this in the public eye of a sport that does the complete opposite, never gives time, and never lets you forget a mistake. A rookie with talent, pace, and zero fear may not be what George wants in a teammate, especially if they end up next to each other on the grid.
The Rookies
Kimi Antonelli though isn’t the only rookie this season. After starting last season with an uncharged driver line-up from the previous season, the complete opposite can be said for the 2025 season. 6 rookies will be on the grid this weekend, which are Oliver Bearman (Haas), Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), and Isack Hadjar (Visa Cash App RB). These rookies have a vast differing level of experience, with some having already tasted action in the F1 cars such as Lawson, Bearman, and Doohan, whilst others such as Antonelli have been through an extensive testing and training programme to prepare them to remain a complete unknown for this season. The rookies are a mixture of talent and inexperience, normally with a point to prove over their established teammates. What they lack in miles on track they make up for in abundance with hunger.
Car Development
2026 and new regulations may seem a little strange to be talking about them before 2025 even starts, but this could be the biggest unseen, unknown factor of all. With development allocated on a sliding scale and the cost cap hindering development with new regulations due next year, the pressure is on the teams, especially those at the top with limited wind tunnel and CFD design runs. To level the field even more, the FIA banned all car development until January 2025. This has placed a huge burden on the teams and could play a huge part should a team have taken a wrong turn down the 2025 route or a team be challenging for the title, leading to some tough choices. Do you gamble on 2025 and come to a compromise on 2026, or do you play safe and make sure 2026 is on track?
Lewis and Ferrari
Finally, the story that shook the foundations of F1, which has been a year in the making, is about to start on a new and what many believe to be the final chapter of the most successful driver in Formula 1 history. Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari is a story that a few years ago looked to be confined to the fairytale section. However, this is Formula 1, and after what seemed to be hesitation on Mercedes to commit to a long-term deal, Ferrari rode in on their prancing horse and snatched Lewis to set up a partnership with Charles Leclerc that is straight from the fantasy pages. Can Lewis rediscover the form that propelled him to domination with Mercedes? Can Charles establish himself as the number 1 against the toughest opponent he’s had as a teammate? Has age caught up for Lewis, or did he just need a change of scenery and new surroundings to help him rediscover his form?
All of these stories make the 2025 season one of the most exciting and unpredictable we have had in years, and all that’s left is the lights to go out in Australia to get us going and getting some of the answers to these questions.