The brand new Formulation 1 season is now simply across the nook, with the 2025 marketing campaign anticipated to be a continuation of final season’s unpredictable battle proper throughout the grid. With McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all seemingly on target to convey battle to the nonetheless nearly frontrunning Crimson Bull squad, it may even rival 2021 as a narrative-stuffed 12 months.
Whereas the title challengers will take the headlines, as ever there are fascinating subplots throughout with the sphere as compressed as it’s. Given Sauber’s late-2024 features, if issues are nonetheless as tight as the brand new season begins then there is a sturdy argument to say F1 has no backmarker squads for the primary time lately. This implies each group has one thing to battle for, which in flip provides stress to their drivers.
Beating your team-mate is the primary job for any racer, however in F1 this 12 months the shut combating provides an additional edge, as any underperformance will go away a group uncovered. Therefore why Crimson Bull has lastly acted in dropping Sergio Perez, given how far he was ending from the continued successes of Max Verstappen.
The motive force market should not be fairly as turbulent this time round, as groups will need stability heading into the 2026 guidelines reset. However notion rapidly turns into actuality in world sport and so the intra-team battles shall be no much less essential even with this in thoughts, as how the drivers fare in 2025 may nicely develop into essential additional down the road.
Right here then, is how we predict the stress stacks up forward of 2025 for every driver, given the competitors from throughout their respective garages and within the context of their careers and reputations up to now.
Alonso’s place at Aston Martin is rock strong and can see him into the brand new guidelines period in 2026
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photos
He is bought not less than a two-year contract having re-signed with Aston Martin final spring, which implies Fernando Alonso shall be competing with Aston Martin as F1’s newest new guidelines period will get underway subsequent 12 months. How lengthy he stays with the inexperienced group past that continues to be to be seen, with there being a larger probability of a cut up if Aston cannot climb up the pecking order subsequent 12 months.
However Alonso clearly has the least stress from his team-mate given his sturdy file in opposition to Lance Stroll within the metrics that actually matter – with 38-8 and 29-5 scores from their qualifying and race head-to-head counts from the final two years.
And, as we’ll come onto, given the dearth of stress from the danger of line-up disruption general at Aston given Stroll’s place, the mix means he ought to take the bottom spot on this rating for 2025.
Aston is adamant the current hypothesis a few future place for Verstappen on the group is nonsense and if the opposite superstars keep locked up elsewhere, it is onerous to see how even the approaching Honda period means any extra stress on Alonso’s place. Not that that issues proper now.
19. Lance Stroll
Stroll’s place at Aston Martin just isn’t beneath menace given his father’s possession of the group
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Alonso’s clear superiority within the intra-Aston battle means Stroll should line up under him on this train, however his place because the proprietor’s son signifies that issues little or no.
Stroll’s place is safe so long as he and his father Lawrence need to proceed on the high-profile F1 path, which thus far has yielded three podiums and one pole from 166 race begins since 2017. Stroll is, nevertheless, but to take any silverware or pole stats beneath the Aston banner.
There have been occasions in 2024 when he was capable of outpace Alonso in qualifying, however they proved to be short-lived.
Following his wonderful finish to 2024 and with an under-pressure rookie coming in alongside him, Gasly just isn’t anticipated to face an enormous menace at Alpine
Photograph by: Alpine
Pierre Gasly had a wonderful 2024 season when he had a team-mate that pushed him extraordinarily shut. Esteban Ocon was really a fraction faster on common in qualifying and held sway throughout the early a part of the 12 months when the Alpine was chubby, however after that and their Monaco crash, it was actually all Gasly. Even Ocon’s wet-weather brilliance in Brazil wasn’t sufficient to overtake his team-mate’s factors haul by the 12 months’s finish.
With Ocon now at Haas, Gasly shall be on acquainted floor from his AlphaTauri days in working with a rookie in Jack Doohan (not less than for now). Given the Australian’s lack of expertise bar that Abu Dhabi cameo – the place he certified and completed 14 and eight spots respectively again on Gasly – there’s little actual stress of a battle between them at this stage.
If that had been to develop and Gasly performs a mentorship function and sustains group concord as he did so nicely final 12 months, that’d really be a plus.
17. Max Verstappen
Verstappen had Perez completely lined, however Lawson’s arrival brings a brand new dynamic
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Racing
If he nonetheless had Perez as a team-mate, Verstappen would take the least-pressured spot on this listing – and comfortably so given every thing that F1 witnessed over the past 4 seasons. However now Liam Lawson is aboard the opposite Crimson Bull, there’s not less than a crack of recent doubt for the world champion.
Verstappen stays the perfect driver of this period, nevertheless, and so it is solely how the unknown provides into logical considering which means he should climb a number of spots greater than may later be the case if that beforehand strong 0.3s tempo hole over Perez is sustained with Lawson.
The questions over his long-term future with Crimson Bull proceed in 2025, however any probability of an exit rests fully on his personal decision-making.
Tsunoda’s future arguably doesn’t depend upon how nicely he performs relative to Hadjar
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Yuki Tsunoda is definitely in a reasonably awkward profession place. Crimson Bull denied him the prospect of a promotion for 2025 when it ditched Perez and its emotions in the direction of Tsunoda are unlikely to alter given how lengthy it is had him on its books and competing on the prime stage.
Due to this fact, it is all about what may occur with Aston, Alonso and Honda that would resolve Tsunoda’s future, not how he fares in opposition to new team-mate Isack Hadjar in 2025. Tsunoda’s appreciable backing from Honda may enchantment to Aston commercially from 2026 onwards, however one can hardly anticipate Andy Cowell and Adrian Newey to contemplate such a swap an improve on Alonso.
At this stage, it stays unknown how Hadjar will fare at this stage. However based mostly on the dearth of cool he so usually confirmed over the Formulation 2 airwaves – a cost that may be levelled at Tsunoda at F1 stage that can have shaped a part of Crimson Bull’s late-2024 alternative – proper now a lopsided Racing Bulls outcomes returned needs to be anticipated.
That is firmly in fifth-year F1 driver Tsunoda’s favour.
15. Esteban Ocon
Ocon was picked out by Haas to steer its new period and team-mate Bearman continues to be discovering his approach in F1
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Ocon is considered one of 4 drivers experiencing a distinct type of stress in 2025: a longtime star settling in at a brand new squad.
He is been handpicked by Haas boss Ayao Komatsu to successfully lead its recent period and by all accounts, he is been happy by what he is seen thus far at his new group. At Haas’s current Jerez TPC check, Ocon was stated to have been impressed by simply how environment friendly the squad – a lot reworked for 2025 by way of its trackside make-up – labored.
He’ll have (half) rookie Oliver Bearman as his team-mate and is due to this fact anticipated to be the intra-squad frontrunner. Ocon’s status as a formidable team-mate additionally pushes a number of the stress in the direction of Bearman. There’s unlikely to be a lot quarter given from his VF-25.
However Komatsu has made it clear he will not tolerate them crashing and so Ocon should be cautious he cannot be too feisty in the event that they do find yourself scrapping over the identical bits of asphalt as soon as the 12 months will get going.
Bortoleto is within the enviable place the place his junior pedigree buys him grace in opposition to Hulkenberg
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Given there isn’t any proof to go on for a number of the 2025 rookies – a sure contradiction at play for half of the six given Doohan, Bearman and Lawson have began a handful or much less of races – particular issues each separate and group them on this listing.
Bortoleto is among the three but to make an F1 bow, however his junior pedigree provides him a level of consolation.
The final three drivers to have secured back-to-back F3/GP3-F2 titles are Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri – advantageous peddlers, all. To some, this may increase the stakes, however I am selecting to view it at present as an indication of extra good issues to return for a driver stated to even be a totally good man.
He is racing in opposition to veteran Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber. He will not supply any handouts, however Haas insiders say he warmed to Bearman over their two weekends as team-mates in Baku and Brazil final 12 months.
Hulkenberg had an awesome 2024, so Bortoleto getting overwhelmed by him this 12 months could be no disgrace. And, if it is the reverse, in spite of everything, all’s the for the Brazilian.
Antonelli’s sturdy assist from Wolff means he begins his F1 profession with little stress
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
Grouped with Bortoleto as a result of he too is but to start out an F1 race, however what retains Antonelli so removed from the stress scorching seats can also be what introduced him to F1.
That is Antonelli’s shut private relationship with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, to whom he has to thank for his fast profession development from all these Formulation 4 and Formulation Regional titles in 2022 and 2023.
Wolff is claimed to have come to grasp that giving Antonelli a house F1 weekend debut in FP1 at Monza was a mistake, however how forcefully the Austrian went out to bat for his cost within the press convention after that shunt exhibits the energy of assist Antonelli will get pleasure from at Mercedes.
After all, there may be stress in being Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes substitute, and Wolff’s assist will not go on Stroll-style eternally if Antonelli cannot hack in F1. However that he is bought this far so quick suggests he ought to.
12. Nico Hulkenberg
Hulkenberg loved an outstanding 2024 at Haas, however as he adapts to rejoining Sauber will need to keep away from being overwhelmed by rookie Bortoleto
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
The expectation shall be for Hulkenberg and his 227 F1 race begins to blow away Bortoleto in 2025. However the German can also be discovering his toes once more at Sauber, 11 years after he final raced for the Swiss group.
There are different parts to contemplate with regards to intra-squad stress on this case.
One is that Hulkenberg, though armed with a multi-year contract to absorb the beginning of the approaching Audi period from 2026, was employed by earlier group administration topped by former group CEO Andreas Seidl. Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley had been signed afterwards as CTO/COO and group principal respectively, with skilled sport plagued by examples of stars being finally ousted on account of such conditions.
Hulkenberg was a qualifying star when he was reborn in F1 at Haas, however each occasions he was paired with Bearman in 2024 the Briton produced an ideal file of outqualifying him (3 times in whole factoring within the Brazil dash weekend).
That raises one other crack of uncertainty Bortoleto might be able to exploit with related beautiful tempo. And with Sauber needing constructive outcomes after a dire 2024, Hulkenberg will discover the stress rising if that does develop into the case.
11. Oliver Bearman
Bearman has two race begins for Haas already beneath his belt, however is aware of new arrival Ocon will not give an inch
Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photos
It is Bearman’s team-mate and his feisty status that amps up the stress for the still-started-three-races rookie in his first marketing campaign with Haas.
Having spoken to Bearman just lately, I do not concern he is beneath any illusions with regards to how onerous Ocon may make it – “everybody tells me that he is very fast” and “I do know he’ll be powerful” statements telling. And, certainly, Ocon is probably not fairly as prepared to scrap as onerous in opposition to Bearman in his first 12 months with a brand new group after every thing that beforehand occurred with Perez, Alonso and Gasly at his former squads.
However Ocon is severely fast and in contrast to Hulkenberg, has a monitor file of silverware success on the highest stage. That alone means Bearman’s job is hard in 2025 and a poor return in opposition to Ocon would stunt the momentum he is constructed up quickly as a junior and enriched additional with that calm cameo in his Ferrari Jeddah debut final 12 months.
Bearman may nonetheless very present nicely, nevertheless, and given group boss Komatsu is iron-clad in his perception within the 19-year-old, a robust 2025 stays probably too. One factor he could look to take advantage of is how Ocon’s race tempo too usually got here in a lot adrift of Gasly for Alpine in 2024.
10. Isack Hadjar
Tsunoda is a confirmed pressure in F1, and Hadjar won’t have lengthy to impress with Lindblad respiratory down his neck
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Once more, the dearth of F1-level knowledge means we’re leaving the door ajar for the Frenchman, who may excel amidst the thrill of an sudden promotion to the highest stage a la Franco Colapinto.
However the Argentine is exactly the explanation Hadjar shall be beneath stress as if it weren’t for Colapinto’s many crashes as his Logan Sargeant-replacement stint wore on late in 2024, then Crimson Bull could nicely have gone via with its plan to signal him from Williams.
Concurrently this was being severely thought via by RB’s benefactor, Crimson Bull insiders had been suggesting Hadjar had little probability to make it to F1 even together with his F2 title problem final 12 months.
However circumstances swung his approach and he deserves a good crack now he is arrived on the prime stage. The pressure-increasing downside is that Crimson Bull offers its junior drivers so little time as of late (see Nyck de Vries) and the varieties of radio outbursts Hadjar displayed in F2 will not go down nicely.
Tsunoda, within the different RB, demonstrates this. And he gave Daniel Ricciardo an almighty problem – extra of which has the potential to make Hadjar’s F1 stint brief if he cannot step up as he’ll be hoping.
Then there’s Crimson Bull junior Arvid Lindblad beginning out in F2 this 12 months, already possessing some momentum inside Helmut Marko’s fiefdom. If he goes nicely, that will increase stress on each present RB drivers.
Sainz and Albon are anticipated to be simply matched at Williams in 2025
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Now on his fifth F1 group, Sainz begins 2025 attending to know Williams.
Some could surprise if he’ll wrestle to deal with racing a lot additional down the pack – Russell blamed these 2020 early race-offs on the dearth of downforce he wasn’t used to from racing additional down the grid for a similar group because it began its rebuild. And there is a suggestion a driver could wrestle when abruptly not racing for normal podiums. However Sainz is way too intelligent for any of this to use.
And he is so good general – simply fractionally off Leclerc on pure tempo final 12 months and displaying so fearlessly in opposition to him in battle. Being badly overwhelmed by Albon would, nevertheless, considerably alter his hard-work-won F1 profession notion and so therefore this rating spot. I simply do not see it taking place.
8. Oscar Piastri
Now a confirmed F1 race-winner, Piastri wants to scale back his qualifying and race tempo deficits to Norris for McLaren to defend its constructors’ title
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Photos
Once more, expertise stage is on Oscar Piastri’s aspect with regards to how stress can construct inside F1 team-mate partnerships. Given how a lot he is already achieved, it is easy to overlook that 2025 shall be simply the Australian’s third season in grand prix racing.
However his McLaren squad now has a constructors’ crown to defend, with further stress coming from the very actual chance that considered one of its drivers actually can win their championship this time too.
Right here is Piastri’s twin downside. In 2024, he was a lot improved on race tempo in comparison with his rookie 12 months, however on common was nonetheless 0.4s slower than team-mate Lando Norris – based mostly on my calculation of common race tempo from final 12 months.
And Piastri is aware of he was usually undercooked in qualifying too, the place Norris typically excelled. These decrease grid spots have a knock-on impact within the ongoing period of fragile tyres and soiled air, when it then involves race tempo averages.
Piastri has the potential to be an F1 nice however should take two massive steps on that path this 12 months, with a driver who has extra expertise of championship difficult and racing the dominant pressure of Verstappen wheel-to-wheel nonetheless as his direct comparability.
Albon has a stern check with Sainz arriving at Williams, elevating the prospect of him not being its primary
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Two issues safe Albon this spot in comparison with the drivers forward.
He is safe in his place at Williams – the group simply loves him, his perspective, his velocity and his nous. Plus, he virtually definitely will not should take care of the extra exterior stress of racing for wins and titles, given the place Williams nonetheless is in its rebuilding section.
However he now has a correctly top-rated team-mate for the primary time since his painful Crimson Bull days. That would spell hazard for his personal hard-won wonderful standing.
Albon nonetheless has a status for being a tad too good and Sainz confirmed final 12 months how onerous he is ready to race a team-mate when he has little to lose. This extends to scrapping within the midfield pack as of late.
I fear a contact for a way Albon could fare general given he did abruptly look a bit uncovered in opposition to Colapinto late final 12 months. However he is pulled off so many profession surprises that the potential of his defeating Sainz simply can’t be written off.
6. Charles Leclerc
With Hamilton coming into the equation, now’s the prospect for Leclerc to show himself a real Ferrari nice
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
Now we’ll see precisely how wonderful Leclerc is in F1. Okay, he is nonetheless but to supply a full-season title tilt – about which new team-mate Hamilton is aware of every thing – however his 2024 season was the decide of his seven years thus far at this stage. He noticed off a waning Sebastian Vettel, defeated Sainz’s impressively close-run cost, now he comes up in opposition to statistically F1’s greatest-ever driver.
Leclerc has lots on his aspect given he is been a Ferrari star for almost a decade – he is aware of the group and the political Maranello environment very nicely. And Hamilton is sort of not the motive force he as soon as was on the peak of his powers for Mercedes in 2018 via 2020.
It is win-win in a way for Leclerc, as that time shall be introduced up if he does defeat Hamilton. However Leclerc nonetheless has to truly try this first, within the full glare of F1 fan curiosity. It isn’t for nothing that Hamilton’s first Ferrari laps this week have generated headline after headline…
Leclerc is greater than only a one-trick qualifying star – his 2024 outcomes confirmed that and he is stopped crashing when the stress is on in qualifying. However with Hamilton alongside him in purple, it is instantly his most intense intra-team season since he joined Ferrari in 2019.
5. Liam Lawson
The stress of being team-mates with Verstappen wants no rationalization, and Lawson can have nowhere to cover
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Like Hadjar, the stress comes from throughout the Crimson Bull empire for Lawson, as Marko, Horner and co will dispense with any underperforming driver if they do not construct up appreciable credit score like Perez did together with his defence on Verstappen’s behalf at Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Earlier than that, the Dutchman’s team-mates in Gasly and Albon had been quickly dropped. And that was with Crimson Bull but to get again to title-challenging standing pre-2021. Now, any repetition of Perez’s factors haul in comparison with Verstappen may value the group a 3rd constructors’ title in 5.
That each one stated, Lawson does appear to be fearless. On his ‘rookie return’ in Austin he instantly incurred Alonso’s wrath together with his gutsy driving. Then, he had the arrogance to offer Perez the finger in entrance of the Mexican’s residence followers amidst their battle every week later.
The mix of the 2 elements lined thus far means Lawson’s season is already assured to be fascinating. However Verstappen’s status as team-mate breaker stands alone in elevating the stress thought of right here on the New Zealander.
4. Jack Doohan
With the notoriously impatient Briatore signing Colapinto and Hirakawa as reserves, Doohan has no scope to drop the ball
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
One other one the place the stress is admittedly coming from elsewhere within the group, however how Doohan stacks up in opposition to Gasly shall be what’s most readily cited if he’s dropped early in his F1 stint.
Alpine’s resolution to rent Colapinto as reserve has already been interpreted as an indication that it has severe doubts about Doohan, which implies he is bought a form of team-mate stress that’s fully distinctive on this listing. And he lacks junior automotive racing titles to boost confidence stakes in comparison with a few of his fellow rookies.
That stated, Alpine group boss Oliver Oakes insists “he is getting his honest crack at it subsequent 12 months”. However he additionally claims, “It simply retains everybody sincere by way of how they’re performing and offers us choices”, which contradicts the primary assertion considerably.
And when Motorsport.com sources recommend Toyota World Endurance driver Ryo Hirakawa has additionally been employed as an Alpine reserve with the promise of a possible 2026 seat, that too highlights simply how a lot stress will pervade on Doohan because the 2025 season begins.
3. Lewis Hamilton
All eyes shall be on Hamilton at Ferrari, the place he shall be anticipated to shrug off a troublesome 2024
Photograph by: Ferrari
He is profitable the low season together with his slick arrival at Ferrari, however that counts for nothing as soon as the true motion will get going. And Hamilton is heading into 2025 off the again of a poor 2024, general.
Sure, he returned to profitable methods with that emotional record-extending win at Silverstone, however too usually he was off Russell’s tempo in qualifying and he struggled to manage finest with Mercedes’ fluctuating kind. Based mostly on current historical past, extra of this needs to be anticipated for Ferrari.
Maybe extra tellingly is that on race tempo averages final 12 months, Hamilton was marginally slower as nicely (0.01s down, in truth) in comparison with Russell. This needs to be of alarm given how tyre administration and race execution stay Hamilton’s largest strengths.
And in Leclerc, he now has F1’s quickest qualifier as a team-mate. This may massively amp up stress throughout the Ferrari storage on Hamilton – if he is usually lining up behind Leclerc (see the race tempo caveat above for Piastri too).
However Hamilton has all these 356 begins, seven titles, 105 wins and 104 poles. He has achieved precisely what Leclerc continues to be dreaming of, as they each hope 2025 is the 12 months Ferrari is totally again in championship competition. His enduring class may but win out.
Each group and driver have uber-illustrious reputations on this case. However for Hamilton, a defeat to Leclerc after that inflicted by Russell final 12 months would imply extra harm created.
2. Lando Norris
Norris ended 2024 on prime, however Piastri has already supplied glimpses that he can take factors off his team-mate which might be pricey in one other battle with Verstappen for the drivers’ title
Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Norris needs to be a title challenger from the off this time, given how McLaren was going as 2024 concluded. And he took that masterful, pressure-filled walk-off win in Abu Dhabi to ship its first constructors’ title in 26 years.
However his excessive rating right here is all to do together with his team-mate. In that Monza transfer, which finally value them each the race win to Leclerc, Piastri confirmed precisely how sturdy he will be in reaching his personal glory at Norris’s expense.
Piastri will certainly be even higher in 2025 and Norris was nonetheless making tiny errors at the same time as his sixth F1 season got here to a detailed (his Brazil dash quali slips and lacking the Qatar yellow flags, for instance).
He simply should be excellent within the face of what’s most likely essentially the most intense intra-team scrap on the grid this time round.
1. George Russell
Russell ended 2024 strongly with Las Vegas win, however new menace of Antonelli will must be handled
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
One factor elevates Russell above Norris on this listing: how defeat to Antonelli may go away him susceptible to a sudden Mercedes exit.
Sure, it requires different unsure shifting elements – in that absolutely solely Verstappen has an opportunity of shifting into the squad for 2026 if he does resolve to pressure his approach out of Crimson Bull early in spite of everything. However Wolff simply would not cease wooing him for therefore lengthy final 12 months…
Therein lies the hazard for Russell. If Antonelli defeats him this 12 months, that shall be an embarrassing reputational hit for the delightfully outspoken GPDA director. And if Verstappen is certainly out there, then Wolff can abruptly match the racer he clearly views because the Dutchman’s potential successor because the pre-eminent F1 driver with the prevailing one, who he missed out on signing from F3 in 2014.
In what appears like a flash since his Mercedes promotion again in 2022, abruptly Russell is the Silver Arrows driver with most to lose. However he in contrast so nicely to Hamilton of their three years collectively, that alone needs to be an enormous confidence booster.
Russell has essentially the most to lose, however sturdy performances relative to Hamilton will give him confidence
Photograph by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Photos
On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Formulation 1
Fernando Alonso
Lewis Hamilton
Nico Hulkenberg
Carlos Sainz
Max Verstappen
Esteban Ocon
Pierre Gasly
Lance Stroll
George Russell
Charles Leclerc
Alex Albon
Lando Norris
Liam Lawson
Jack Doohan
Isack Hadjar
Yuki Tsunoda
Oscar Piastri
Oliver Bearman
Gabriel Bortoleto
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
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Author : Motorsports
Publish date : 2025-01-25 15:05:09
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