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F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for

From driver changes to new faces, this season has a lot to offer. With the Australian GP – the season opener – right around the corner, let’s take a look at everything to keep an eye out for this milestone of a season.

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F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Formula 1

Formula 1 returns after a winter break lasting almost 100 days. The much-awaited season marks the 75th anniversary of the sport. After slight glimpses of the cars from the livery reveal at the O2 Arena during the one-of-a-kind F1 75 Live event and the 3-day long preseason testing, the fans are ready to experience the roar and thrill of all 20 cars finally racing on the track.

From driver changes to new faces, this season has a lot to offer. With the Australian GP – the season opener – right around the corner, let’s take a look at everything to keep an eye out for this milestone of a season in this F1 2025 Season Preview.

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
F1 75 event hosted at the O2 Arena (Image credits: Formula 1)

END OF GROUND EFFECT REGULATIONS

The F1 2025 season marks the final year of the current regulations which were introduced in 2022. The 3 years of the ground effect era have seen Red Bull dominance with Max Verstappen clenching the World Drivers Championship each year.

As we reach the final season for the ground effect cars, the teams face a grave decision of choosing between investing in the current season or shifting focus towards developing the 2026 car. For instance, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber would certainly like to improve upon their 2024 season where they finished last garnering only 4 points, however, they might also fully invest in their next year’s car as they get ready to transition into Audi. Either way, the end of regulations always provides some great racing as the cars reach their maximum potential.

Even though the major regulation changes lie ahead for the 2026 season, the FIA has introduced some rule changes for this year as well. The major ones include:

  • Removal of Fastest Lap Point: Since 2019, the drivers finishing inside the top 10 could grab the fastest lap of the race for an extra point. This has been dropped for the 2025 season.
  • Driver Cooling Systems: In case a weather forecast predicts 310C or above during either a Sprint or Grand Prix, the teams will be required to fit a driver cooling system in the cars, to accommodate this, the weight limit of the cars will be increased for the session.
  • FP1 Rookies: The teams must run an inexperienced rookie twice per car, i.e. 4 times, in an FP1 session, across the season, against the 2 times in previous seasons.

DRIVER CHANGES

Lewis Hamilton

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Scuderia Ferrari

One of the greatest drivers joins forces with one of the greatest teams in Formula 1. The 7-time world champion breaks his 12-year partnership with Mercedes to drive for the iconic team from Maranello. As he moves on from the most successful driver-constructor pairing in F1 history to the most successful F1 team, we’ll witness the Briton drive a non-Mercedes powered car for the first time ever in his career of 18 years.

Carlos Sainz Jr

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Williams

The 4-time race winner leaves his seat at Ferrari being replaced by Hamilton. Sainz partners Alex Albon at Williams for the 2025 season. The Spaniard with lots to offer, motivated to show his worth must perform incredibly to secure a seat in a top team in the upcoming seasons. Also taking over the role of director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, his time at Williams will surely be one of the most important stints of his career.

Esteban Ocon

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Haas F1 Team

Son of a mechanic, the boy from Normandy, is set to partner rookie Oliver Bearman at Haas in 2025. Ocon finished 14th in the 2024 Driver Standings, which was his worst performance in a full season ever. 19 points behind his teammate Pierre Gasly, Esteban struggled in his final season at Alpine. At Haas, he seeks a new beginning. Under team principal Ayao Komatsu, Haas looks forward to an uphill climb in performance and with the French driver bringing his experience to the table, 2025 looks promising.

Nico Hulkenberg

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Stake F1 Team

Making way for Ocon and Bearman, Haas dropped both their 2024 drivers, Magnussen and Hulkenberg, for the 2025 season, with the latter joining Sauber. This is his second time racing for Sauber, the last time being over a decade ago in 2013, where he finished 10th in the Driver Standings. The German driver is infamously known for having the most race starts without securing a podium. Although unlikely to happen this year, he hopes to break the curse when Sauber officially transitions to Audi next year.

STORYLINES TO FOLLOW

Mclaren the team to beat

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: McLaren

The British team that clenched the Constructors’ Title in 2024 after a 26-year drought are certainly the one to beat this year as well. The defending champions look extremely strong with their young but talented line-up of Lando Norris, last year’s WDC title contender and Oscar Piastri, the up-and-coming Aussie star.

With Adrian Newey’s departure and their gradual decline in car performance, RedBull doesn’t look to be at their highest, considering they are the ones that dominated the current ground effect era of the sport. But Mclaren doesn’t have it easy, as Ferrari and Mercedes continue to develop their cars with the intent of closing the current regulations with a title in their hands. Whichever way it goes, 2025 is going to be one of the closest battles for constructors’ title we have seen in a while.

8th for Lewis or 1st for Charles

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Scuderia Ferrari

Ferrari does seem to be the favourites for the 2025 season with their all-star pairing of golden boy Charles Leclerc and 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The 40 year old Briton has chased the dream of collecting the most championships for a long time. As he currently sits level with the legendary Michael Schumacher for the number of championships won, winning his 8th would make him the first to achieve that milestone in f1 history.

But the Monegasque he is paired with cannot be disregarded. If provided with a championship winning car, Leclerc is more than capable of getting the best results with his consistency. This teammate battle would be a treat to the viewers as they fight for their own personal milestones.

New Era New Faces

F1 2025 Season Preview – What to look out for
Image credits: Formula 1

Coming from a season that started with no rookies at all, we enter 2025 with 6 new faces, 3 of which have never raced in F1 before.

We have seen Oliver Bearman with his overachieving debut with Ferrari at Jeddah 2024, a points finish at Baku and a great recovery drive at Sao Paulo, the latter 2 with Haas. He’ll be partnering race winner Esteban Ocon at Haas this season.

A shocking swap promoted Liam Lawson from the sister team VCARB, placing him next to reigning world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the 2025 season. Will the Kiwi succumb to the Red Bull second driver curse, underperforming to the 4-time champion, or can he show the world his talent and keep Max on his toes.

Jack Doohan, the man from down under, joins Alpine teaming up with Pierre Gasly. Although he won’t have the pleasure of debuting at his home race this season as he had stepped up, replacing the leaving Esteban Ocon, for the final race of the 2024 season at Abu Dhabi finishing p15. Rumors have it he is under pressure to perform extraordinarily starting this year as his seat is under jeopardy with Alpine’s signing of young talent Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver this season, who is already eyeing a permanent F1 seat.

Coming to the ones we haven’t seen race in F1 yet. Both the 2024 F2 championship contenders have moved up to the pinnacle of motorsport this year. F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto joins Sauber while his rival who finished second, Isack Hadjar secured a seat at VCARB (Racing Bulls). While at the mere age of 18, Mercedes star-kid Andrea Kimi Antonelli, replaces Hamilton to be seated next to George Russell for the 2025 season. None of them have ever driven in a Formula 1 session before, with the exception of Antonelli who made his free practice debut at Monza last year.

All of these young new faces have the talent to perform beautifully and it would be a delight watching them flourish and grow in their respective teams.

Just a few days till ‘Lights Out’ in Australia, and our excitement cannot be contained. The teams pushing their designs to the absolute limits. Both the championships up for grabs and all the top teams fighting for it, wanting to close this chapter with a bang. Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton and Russell all challenging Verstappen for the Drivers’ Championship. Great midfield battles as the cars get the closest to each other in performance, in a long time. All of this action, ready to unveil at the Australian Grand Prix kicking off the 75th season of the pinnacle of motorsport. F1 IS SO BACK!

Follow Desi Racing Co. for more motorsport related content: Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

Formula 1

Formula 1 Returns To Red Bull Ring: Weekend Preview

After a short break Formula 1 is back in action, this time heading to the famed Red Bull Ring for the Austrian GP.

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F1 during their visit to Red bull Ring in Austria in 2024
Credit: Red Bull Content Pool

As Formula 1 roars into the Styrian hills, the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix promises another action-packed weekend at the Red Bull Ring. Known for its short, high-speed layout and dramatic elevation changes, this classic Spielberg circuit has delivered thrilling battles in recent years, and with championship stakes tightening, this year’s edition is set to be no different. From intense midfield rivalries to the fight at the front, all eyes are on how teams will tackle the high altitude challenge and whether any surprise contenders can shake up the grid ahead of Sunday’s race.

About The Track

Formula 1 Returns To Red Bull Ring: Weekend Preview

(Credit – f1.com)

The Red Bull Ring is a high-altitude, low-downforce circuit that places a premium on power unit output, braking performance, and traction. With only 10 corners and three long straights, it’s one of the most throttle-sensitive tracks on the calendar. Key overtaking zones come at Turns 1, 3, and 4, each preceded by a DRS zone and requiring strong stability under heavy braking. Elevation changes, particularly into Turns 1 and 3 (uphill) and Turn 4 (downhill), challenge both brake balance and weight transfer. The flowy middle sector tests aerodynamic efficiency, while the high-speed Turns 9 and 10 demand precise turn-in and rear-end grip. ERS deployment, tire temperatures, and traffic management are crucial on this short, intense lap.

Pirelli’s Specifications


Pirelli has selected the C3, C4 and C5 compounds for this race, opposed to the C4, C5, and C6 used at Canada.

Stories This Weekend

F1 Movie Release

The long-awaited F1 Movie starring Brad Pitt was produced by Lewis Hamilton. The movie was finally released on the 27th of June, with mostly positive reviews about the movie, it looks to be worth a watch.



McLaren Look To Find Ground

After both the McLaren’s collided last round in Montreal, Lando Norris enters Austria with a disadvantage, 20 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri. Lando will look to hit the ground running here, as his teammate will want to cement his WDC lead.



Max Verstappen Runs With Simon Rennie

This weekend, Max Verstappen’s adaptability will be put to the test. His race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will be absent for this race due to personal circumstances. Simon Rennie is given the position for this weekend, an opportunity to race engineer the 4- time World Champion.

Formula 1 Returns To Red Bull Ring: Weekend Preview
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JUNE 27: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing arrives in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Antonelli Passes His Exams

Rookie Kimi Antonelli cleared his exams in the 2 weeks off. This means the rookie can finally shift his full focus to the gruelling F1 season.



F1 Driver Dinner

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali took the F1 Grid out for dinner ahead of the Austrian GP.



Weekend Schedule



Weather Forecast

Friday: 26°C, Wind 9 km/h, 55% chance of rain
Saturday: 29°C, Wind 9 km/h, 5% chance of rain
Sunday: 31°C, Wind 7 km/h, 1% chance of rain.

Temperatures are notably higher than usual for this weekend.

Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/XInstagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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Formula 1

George Russell Takes The Flag At Canada, McLarens Collide, Antonelli On The Podium: Formula 1 in Montreal

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George Russell celebrates after winning the Canadian Grand Prix
Credits: Lat Images

George Russell had a perfect weekend in Canada, scoring the pole position on Saturday and converting it into a win on Sunday. The joy was doubled for Mercedes as Kimi Antonelli scored his first podium, coming home in P3 and helping Mercedes get a double podium in Canada. The same can not be said for championship leaders McLaren, as the day everyone in the team feared arrived, Lando Norris made contact with Oscar Piastri, resulting in a DNF for Norris.

Read The Race Preview Here: Formula 1 Heads To Canada: What To Expect

Mercedes Score Big

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have had a dream race day in Canada, after Antonelli’s rut over the triple header where he did not score a single point, the 18-year-old rookie qualified P4 and overtook WDC Leader Oscar Piastri to take his first ever F1 Podium.

His teammate also kept his cool, after taking pole on Saturday and starting alongside Max Verstappen, George Russell had a challenge set up for him on Sunday. Early pressure from the Dutchman was applied, but Russell kept his marbles together. There was another late effort by Max, but ultimately, the Brit managed to take his first win in his 2025 campaign. Mercedes scored a very respectable double podium.

George Russell Takes The Flag At Canada, McLarens Collide, Antonelli On The Podium: Formula 1 in Montreal
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli celebrate a double podium for Mercedes after the Canadian Grand Prix. Credit: Sonntag, Jiri Krenek

Title Rivals Collide

It was a sub-par qualifying for both the McLarens, with Oscar Piastri lining up P3, and Lando Norris lining up a disappointing P7. A new challenge awaited the pair on Sunday, with both Mercedes and Max being competitive enough, moving forward would not be as easy as it seemed.

Oscar was overtaken by Antonelli, dropping him to P4, and a recovering Lando Norris lined up P5, putting pressure on his teammate in the final 10 laps, on Lap 67, Lando got close to the rear wheel of his teammate and went for a gap on the inside wall of the Start-Finish straight, this move resulted in a DNF for Lando, losing him some very valuable points, and thankfully no harm was caused to his teammate, who was able to bring the car home in P4.

Verstappen Keeps His Nose Clean

Max Verstappen is just 1 penalty point away from a race ban, and in this race he almost got the final point when he was controversially brake-checked by George Russell under a late race Safety Car, a move that was protested after the race by Red Bull. But thankfully for Max, the FIA were understanding of the situation and decided not to take any action.

George Russell Takes The Flag At Canada, McLarens Collide, Antonelli On The Podium: Formula 1 in Montreal
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – JUNE 15: Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing on the podium with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Sam Bloxham/LAT Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Leclerc Debates Ferrari

Charles Leclerc had an underwhelming Qualifying, facing a challenge on Sunday. He, along with Lando, started on the hard compound tires. Notably, mid-race, when Leclerc was asked if he wanted to extend for a One-Stopper or come in for a Two-Stopper, Leclerc opted for the 1-Stop Strategy. A call that was later disregarded by his team, who brought him into the pits anyway for a tire change. It was a puzzling call from Ferrari, trying to secure an already guaranteed P6 position.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other side of the garage, ran a disadvantageous race. After running over a hedgehog early on in the race, damage was done to the floor, which lost him 30 points of downforce, reportedly worth 0.5s a lap; he did the best he could to score decent points.

Other Notable Performances

Fernando Alonso scored points for the second time this season, showing that the upgrades on his Aston Martin are effective. This is his second race in a row where he has scored points, finishing a notable P7 after an impressive Qualifying.

Nico Hulkenberg also utilises the upgrades on his car to propel himself to the top 10, and Sauber off the bottom of the WCC. Alpine are now last in the Constructors Championship, disappointing considering the start they had to the season.

The one-stop strategy rewarded both Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz, who finished P9 and P10, scoring a few points for the team, and solidifying their position in the Midfield.

Race Results



Standings

Next Race In Austria

Formula 1 has a 2-week break until their next outing at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, and the pressure is building on Lando Norris to bring home the results. Mercedes might be becoming a real contender now after their performances in Canada. A clean race by Verstappen, but he is still nearing a race ban due to the penalty points.

These are some of the considerations for the next outing on the 29th of June.


Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X/, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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Formula 1

FORMULA 1 TRIPLE HEADER REVIEW: CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE SO FAR

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Formula 1
Credits: Red Bull Content Pool

The Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix that took place on June 1 2025, wrapped up the second triple header of the 75th edition of Formula 1. Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya held the last Spanish Grand Prix, as the event is set to relocate to Madrid from 2026.

As two of the three triple headers of this season end, with the McLaren duo separated by 10 points and Max Verstappen breathing down their necks, let’s review how each of the 3-week long racing action has affected the championship battle.

FORMULA 1 TRIPLE HEADER REVIEW: CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE SO FAR

Max, Lando and Oscar [Left to Right] at the Japanese GP 2025

Japan-Bahrain-Saudi Arabia

The opening triple header of the season delivered some great racing action. Max Verstappen proved to the world that he is never out of the championship fight, with his dominant pole-to-victory performance, despite McLaren having the car advantage. The Flying Dutchman marked his 4th consecutive win at Suzuka while the Papaya duo completed the podium. Hadjar gained his first points in Formula 1 in P8.

Oscar Piastri stood at the top step of the podium at Bahrain for his 50th Formula 1 race, delivering McLaren’s first ever win at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The young Australian started at pole and led every lap, showcasing his talent, while his teammate and championship rival, Lando Norris, finished P3 despite his 5-second penalty for a false start. Multiple technical failures and a pit signal fault resulted in Max finishing P6, costing him several championship points. The Dutch wasn’t the only one suffering from technical issues, as George Russell’s Mercedes faced multiple troubles, despite which he finished P2 fending off Norris.

Another weekend, another win for Piastri. This one is even more special as it led to him becoming the first Australian to lead the championship since Mark Webber, his manager, in 2010. Even though Verstappen received a 5-second penalty during the race, he finished P2. Ferrari seemed to finally get back into their rhythm as Charles Leclerc garnered the Italian team’s first podium of the year with a solid P3. Williams’ double points finish marked their surge among the midfield, pushing them up to 5th in the championship.

The triple header ended with Oscar Piastri leading the championship, 7 points ahead of teammate Lando Norris, who himself was just 5 points ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen. With the top 5 separated by only 30 points, the fight for the championship was on.

Imola-Monaco-Spain

The second and the most recent triple header had all three title contenders win each race. Max Verstappen overtook pole-sitter Oscar Piastri on the first lap to secure his 4th win here, while Lando and Oscar completed the podium. Franco Colapinto, who replaced rookie Jack Doohan from this race onwards, started and finished at P16, delivering a lukewarm debut performance.

At Monaco, Lando Norris secured his first win at the Principality, fending off homeboy Charles Leclerc in P2. Oscar stayed in P3, as most of the grid finished exactly where they qualified, apart from Fernando Alonso, claiming to be “the unluckiest driver”, who retired from P6 due to an engine failure.

FORMULA 1 TRIPLE HEADER REVIEW: CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE SO FAR

Lando after his win at the Monaco GP (Credits: Formula 1)

The latest race, the Spanish Grand Prix, delivered equal parts of racing and drama. All was well till lap 60 when the safety car came out. RedBull pitted Max for a fourth time and sent him out with brand new hard tires, which, due to not warming up properly for the restart, led him to lose a position to Leclerc. Another incident with Russell resulted in Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase requesting him to let the Briton through. Initially refusing, on lap 64, Max appeared to let Russell go past him, but swerved into him on turn 5, causing a collision.

This unnecessary action and RedBull pit wall’s questionable decisions resulted in Verstappen being handed a 10-second penalty and 3 penalty points, which critically impacted his championship battle. Nico Hulkenberg in his Sauber, overtook 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari on the penultimate lap, securing a P5 finish. Fernando Alonso also ended his pointless run, garnering 2 points at his home grand prix. The McLaren duo clinched a 1-2 finish, avoiding all the drama behind them.

FORMULA 1 TRIPLE HEADER REVIEW: CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE SO FAR

The second triple header ends with Ferrari shooting up two places to reach P2 in the Constructors’ Championship Standings, although McLaren leads with a comfortable 197 points.

The Drivers’ Championship is very close, with Norris only 10 points behind the leader Piastri. Max, however, due to his 10-second penalty, lags by 49 points, staying at P3.

FORMULA 1 TRIPLE HEADER REVIEW: CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE SO FAR

The next and final triple header consists of the last three races of this season: Las Vegas-Qatar-Abu Dhabi. As the championship stands, it’s fair to speculate that the battle could go on till the final triple header. As we lie in wait till the next race weekend in Canada, let’s enjoy the on and off-track drama unfolding in front of our eyes.

Will Oscar Piastri be the first Australian World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980, or will teammate Lando Norris be successful in retaking the lead of the championship? Never count Max Verstappen out, as he also has the chance to defend his title. Any mid-season upgrades could bring George Russell or Charles Leclerc to the fight as well. The prestigious 75th anniversary of Formula 1 is definitely providing some great battles, which unfortunately can only be won by one.

Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X/, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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