The upcoming 2025 Formula 1 season has all the ingredients to become a truly memorable one. As we gear up for the opening race in Australia, nearly half of the 20 drivers in the lineup stand a genuine chance of clinching the championship title.
Reflecting on the tightly contested 2024 season, which saw Red Bull start strong before McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes caught up, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation. These four powerhouses, along with seven out of their eight drivers, secured every single victory across 24 races last year, a feat not seen since the high-stakes seasons of 2012 and 2021.
As we look to 2025, there’s a feeling that this year might surpass even the last. A sentiment echoed by Zak Brown, McLaren’s chief executive, during the F1 75 Live event in London. He enthused, “This season should be epic and even closer,” hinting at the unpredictable nature of the races. Last year, even though the top four teams consistently led, there was always a surprise disruptor. Brown speculates that this trend might continue, expecting even more teams to step into the winner’s circle.
The excitement isn’t limited to the frontrunners. Among the six slower teams of last year, the competition was just as fierce, with every team managing to score points. The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, despite finishing last in the standings, showcased significant improvements as the season progressed.
Looking back at the 2024 finale in Abu Dhabi, the qualifying gap between Lando Norris of McLaren and Jack Doohan of Alpine was a mere 0.803 seconds. This close margin underscores the tightening field, a testament to the minimal rule changes impacting car designs this year. As Norris pointed out, “Every year regulations don’t change, it gets closer and closer.” By the end of last year, the midfield teams were catching up, and that trend shows no signs of slowing.
However, not everyone is fully convinced. Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who snatched the 2024 drivers’ title from Norris, remains cautiously optimistic. He acknowledged the spectacle an exciting season could offer, but noted that teams often conceal their true potential until the first race kicks off. His pragmatic view was echoed by Pierre Gasly of Alpine, who hopes for a tightly-knit field but remains wary of unexpected upsets as the season unfolds.
The ingredients for a gripping title race are all there. With the stability in car design and the momentum from last year, it’s shaping up to be a season where the margins will be razor-thin across the grid. If this holds, we could witness the first multi-team championship battle since 2021. Back then, Red Bull and Mercedes were neck-and-neck, with both teams vying for top honors until the very end.
This year, the potential for a more competitive fight is real. Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 showdown with Red Bull may not be the last one we see, as more teams could join the fray this time. And should four or more teams contend for the title, it might just rekindle memories of the 2010 season—when Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren were in the mix till the last race.
Lando Norris anticipates that we might see victors emerging from outside the established top four teams of McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull, which he believes is positive for the sport. However, George Russell from Mercedes points out McLaren’s dominance in the latter half of 2024, making them the favorites this year, especially after winning five of the last 12 races and taking the constructors’ championship.
All teams have the additional challenge of beginning design work on their 2026 cars, adhering to a new set of design rules, while ensuring their 2025 models remain competitive. Balancing these priorities within the confines of Formula 1’s cost cap will be crucial.
Russell notes, “The team that keeps pushing development might clinch the 2025 championship, but it could come at a cost in 2026.” He highlighted how Mercedes backed off from developing their car in 2021 yet managed to find significant performance gains in the second half of the year. This insight leads him to a conclusion: While the competition may be tight, McLaren is poised to be a leading contender once again.
