Formula 1
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.

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.

Table of Contents
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 British Grand Prix Review: The Race Of A Lifetime
The Formula 1 British Grand Prix was a story to tell for most drivers. A dream podium, a home race win, rain chaos, and multiple DNFs, the British GP had everything on offer.

Whenever Formula 1 visits Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, it always turns out to be one hell of a weekend, and this race was no different. It had everything you would want when you’re sitting in front of the screen on a Sunday afternoon with a drink in hand. There was rain, there was chaos, there was even Nico Hülkenberg on the podium – a race full of uncertainties.
Controversial Home Race Win
Lando Norris made it two wins in a row on Sunday, beating teammate Oscar Piastri to the finish line. Oscar led most of the race until a 10-second time penalty for reckless driving was given to him due to aggressive braking, which caused Max Verstappen to take evasive action. Soon after the restart, Max was overtaken by Lando Norris, which put him in the net race lead. This turned into P1 on track shortly after the pit stop onto slicks, as Oscar served his penalty.
Lando joined the club of 8 time race winners, an A-list with some great names, and what a way to do it – by winning your home race!
Hülkenburg Counters The Odds
Nico Hülkenberg writes a story of his own. 239 Race Starts later, the man in green has gotten himself and Sauber a podium. After 15 long years, the wait came to an end, and the stars finally aligned. Following the rainy chaos, Nico made all the right calls to propel himself up the grid. He was running P4 behind Lance Stroll, where an overtake on the Aston followed shortly after.
In the dying laps, he was being chased by a desperate Lewis Hamilton in Scarlet Red. However, he kept his cool and achieved what hadn’t been possible for so long.
Wonderful commentary, beautiful scenes 😍#F1 #BritishGP @stakef1team_ks pic.twitter.com/rgbdm2P1EP
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 6, 2025
The Streak Ends With Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton had a 13-year-long streak of scoring podiums at his home race. However, every tale must come to an end. Lewis Hamilton fell one position short of the podium, a valiant effort from the Brit. He expressed his disappointment in a post-race review, saying he was not at all happy about the race.
Lewis Hamilton's podium streak at the British Grand Prix has ended 🇬🇧❌ pic.twitter.com/7cREhBsBTk
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 7, 2025
Charles Leclerc, on the other side of the garage, had a worse day. Jumping the gun on the slick tires early was a gamble he made, but it was a gamble that did not work. Later on, he struggled with tires following a series of VSCs, he even had an off at Beckets, cutting across the grass to add to his dismay. At the end, no points were scored by the Monegasque, a day to write off for him.
Mercedes Missed Out On An Opportunity
Following reports of talks between Max and Mercedes, they were in the spotlight coming into this weekend. A decent qualifying from the pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli gave them a fighting chance on Sunday. George called the change onto slicks at the end of the formation lap, and Kimi was rear-ended by Isack Hadjar, causing heavy damage to his diffuser, resulting in a retirement. George kept being in the wrong place at the wrong time, ultimately crossing the line in P10, scoring one singular point.

Verstappen Struggles On Track
Red Bull ran a low downforce setup for the race, which cost them when a rain shower had showered on the track. Max was caught sliding on multiple corner exits due to the lack of downforce. Despite this, he held a strong challenge for the starting half of the race. However, at the Safety Car restart, he had a spin on the entry of the Vale chicane.

A good recovery by the Dutchman limited damage and placed him P10. From there, a decent effort to fight back moved him up into P5, scoring decent points. Teammate Yuki Tsunoda found it difficult, saying he did not know why the pace of the car disappeared in the race. He finished P15, last of the classified drivers.
Williams Return To Points
After a treacherous recent few rounds for the Williams outfit, finally, some luck struck with a points finish. Although Carlos missed out on points by a slim margin, teammate Alex Albon scored a respectable P8 in changing conditions
That's a wrap on the British GP 🇬🇧
— Atlassian Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) July 6, 2025
A tough race in changing conditions, but we add another four points to the tally 📊@Myprotein #DrivenbyMyprotein pic.twitter.com/yRLNWKraok
Aston Get Two Cars Into The Top 10
Both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso secured a points finish on Sunday, even though both of them complained about the car and the package after the race.
Lance, at one point, was running in the podium positions, but he was overtaken by Nico shortly after. He ended up crossing the line in P6. Tire degradation was a prominent issue in the car, according to him in a post-race interview.
Fernando scored P8, but he showed frustration at the team’s strategy and how they always get it wrong for him.
Race Results
THE TOP 10 AT SILVERSTONE 👏#F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/FKv8RznzUm
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 6, 2025
Standings
DRIVER STANDINGS (12/24 races)
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 6, 2025
Piastri's lead is cut to eight points 👀#F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/hXuMhyUOmP
TEAM STANDINGS (after 12 rounds)
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 6, 2025
Hulkenberg's podium sees @stakef1team_ks move up three places to sixth! 👏#F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/DHN0ca6MxU
Next Round In Spa
For the next race weekend, we head to the hilly forest of Spa-Francorchamps. A part home race for Lando and Max. The high-speed spectacle is sure to put on a show, the longest track on the F1 Calendar includes many overtaking spots and iconic corners such as Eau Rouge and Radillon
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 One’s Constant: The British GP

The F1 Paddock heads to Silverstone this weekend. The place where it all started. Silverstone is one of the most historic tracks on the Formula 1 Calendar.
The 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix roars into Silverstone this weekend, bringing with it a fierce championship battle, homegrown heroes, and the electric atmosphere only this iconic circuit can deliver. As Round 12 of a tightly contested season, all eyes are on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, currently locked in a close title fight as they look to extend their dominance on home soil. Meanwhile, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton returns to his home Grand Prix in Ferrari red, adding another layer of drama for British fans. With sell-out crowds, unpredictable weather, and the historic weight of Silverstone, this year’s race promises to be one of the most thrilling yet.
About The Track

(credit – f1.com)
Silverstone Circuit is renowned as one of Formula 1’s most iconic and challenging tracks, blending high-speed straights with a technical mix of sweeping corners. Measuring 5.891 kilometers, the former RAF airfield is a true test of car balance and driver bravery, especially through legendary sections like Maggots, Becketts, and Chapel, where rapid directional changes demand razor-sharp precision. The track’s fast-flowing nature rewards aerodynamic efficiency and cornering stability, making it a favourite among drivers. With unpredictable British weather often playing a role, and overtaking opportunities at corners like Stowe and Vale, Silverstone delivers both strategic complexity and spectacular racing action year after year.
Pirelli’s Specifications
The midpoint of the season sees Formula 1 return to where it all began 75 years ago. Read more here 👉https://t.co/TipE2j5mh5 #BritishGP #f1 pic.twitter.com/H8WP1t3I9s
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) July 1, 2025
Stories This Weekend
Special Liveries
McLaren dropped a gorgeous livery for their home race in Silverstone. A lot of chrome on the car to keep them standing out on track. This is a throwback to their iconic Vodafone Chrome livery in the late 200s
Chrome is where the heart is 🧡🇬🇧#F1 #BritishGP @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/91mdRHAYgr
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 3, 2025
VCARB also brought out a fancy spray paint livery after a good result for them in Austria.
Sprayed for Silverstone 🎨🇬🇧@visacashapprb unveil a bold new livery for the British Grand Prix, designed by artist, Slawn 🤩#F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/gnr2HtDQcf
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 1, 2025
Hamilton At Home In Red
Lewis Hamilton makes his first appearance at home for the Scarlet Outfit. He has a record of a 14-year-long streak of top 3 finishes at his home race. He will be looking to keep that going coming into this weekend.
Rumours Of Verstappen x Mercedes
Sky Sports Italy put out a post on X saying that talks are in advanced stages between Max and Mercedes, George Russel and Max’s future remains uncertain at this stage. George expressed his will to stay at Mercedes for the foreseeable future.
F1 Movie Release
The long awaited F1 Movie produced by Lewis Hamilton starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris makes its first appearance in the big screens. With a lot of positive reviews, the movie is a recommended watch.
Weekend Schedule
📅 | Here is the Weekend Schedule for Formula 1's 🇬🇧 British GP and DTM round at 🇩🇪 Norisring.
— Desi Racing Co (@DesiRacingco) June 30, 2025
Note: All timings mentioned are in 🇮🇳 Indian Standard Time.#F1 #Formula1 #BritishGP #DTM #Norisring pic.twitter.com/vDnOcIKCRJ
Weekend Forecast
Friday: 22°C, Wind 29 km/h, 10% chance of rain
Saturday: 21°C, Wind 24 km/h, 45% chance of rain
Sunday: 21°C, Wind 24 km/h, 10% chance of rain.
It’s windier than usual, making cars unpredictable. Droplets of rain are expected during Qualifying
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
Austrian GP Review: Lando Withers The Storm, Piastri Falls Short, Sauber Double Points
A scintillating Austrian GP brought out the best of our Championship Leaders. From Lando and Piastri’s tussle on track, Antonelli misjudges his braking zone and takes out Verstappen, Lawson P6, and Sauber, getting both cars in the points! The race in Spielberg had a lot to offer.

A scintillating Austrian GP brought out the best of our Championship Leaders. From Lando and Piastri’s tussle on track, Antonelli misjudges his braking zone and takes out Verstappen, Lawson P6, and Sauber, getting both cars in the points! The race in Spielberg had a lot to offer.
McLaren Top The Charts

Lando Norris scored a near-perfect weekend, topping every session he participated in. Formula 2 rookie Alexander Dunne got a taste of Formula 1 in FP1, setting a lap just two-tenths away from the top time that session.
Lando topped the sheets in Qualifying, landing him a clear road ahead for the start of the Austrian GP. Lando got away well at the beginning, maintaining his lead. A 21-lap-long attack from his teammate Piastri for the lead of the race was long and intense. It brought out the best that the Leaders had to offer, with no room for error; maintaining the lead was crucial for a strategic advantage.
Lando was holding off his teammate, giving him priority in the pit stops. Piastri employed an overcut strategy and attempted an attack on Lando in the dying stages of the Austrian GP. However, passing backmarkers who were in a battle of their own wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
At the line, the McLarens crossed the line P1 and P2, scoring maximum points for the team and making the WDC Battle a whole lot more interesting.
Our championship leader bags more valuable points 💪#F1 #AustrianGP @OscarPiastri pic.twitter.com/Iz21c6XLrc
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 29, 2025
Ferrari Scores Valuable Points
The team in P2 of the Constructors scored big points on Sunday, with Charles Leclerc scoring P3 and Lewis Hamilton falling short of the podium in P4. However, it was not sunny days for the Scarlet Outfit. Once again, another miscommunication and strategy blunder by the Ferrari team ruled out any opportunity for Lewis to move up the field. With 20 laps to go in the race, Lewis Hamilton was on the Hard compound tires and wanted to run to the end on that set, possibly. Ferrari ignored that call and brought Lewis into the pits anyway.
Two Sides Of The Coin for Mercedes
Rookie Kimi Antonelli got into trouble early on in the Austrian GP, misjudging the braking point in T3 and running into the back of Max Verstappen and ending both their races prematurely on Lap 1.
George Russell was our race winner last race weekend in Canada; however, this time, the package wasn’t present. He was 60s off the leading pair, finishing P5.
Sauber Scores Double Points
For the first time in a while, Sauber dragged both their cars into the points, with Gabriel Bortoleto in P8 and Nico Hulkenberg in P9. The upgrade package seems to be working for Sauber.
Sauber has outscored Red Bull over the last 3 races. Sauber has scored 20 points, whereas Red Bull has scored 19.
Williams Faces Issues
Williams has not had the most incredible run of races in the most recent rounds. This round, however, was much worse—a double DNF for the prestigious British outfit. Carlos Sainz was on the back foot all weekend long. A stalled car on the formation lap was the cherry on top. Even though he was able to get the car running, an early retirement led to disappointment.
His teammate had no better luck, facing a DNF as well.
DOUBLE POINTS FINISH 💚👏
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) June 29, 2025
What a race! Both drivers bring home points at the #AustrianGP 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/mn6veUtx2G
Other Notable Performances
Liam Lawson scores his best result of the season, earning a well-deserved P6 for the VCARB driver, which secures him some much-needed points.
Fernando Alonso crossed the line in P7, making it points scored in 4 consecutive races for the Spaniard. It was a massive comeback after what was considered his career-worst start to the season.
Esteban Ocon landed Haas a single point; a very well-run, under-the-radar race brings home a valuable point.
Austrian GP Results
🏁 RACE CLASSIFICATION 🏁
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 29, 2025
Lando Norris takes the chequered flag for the third time this season 👏👏👏#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/Ta8ZpRIfZE
Standings
DRIVER STANDINGS (after 11/24 rounds)
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 29, 2025
Norris closes the gap to Piastri to 15 points 👀#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/z1pk0XbjKN
TEAM STANDINGS (after 11 rounds)
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 29, 2025
McLaren's 1-2 sees them extend their lead further 📈#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/UiGGXABgeM
Next Race In Silverstone
Its Lewis Hamilton’s first home race in red! He’ll be looking to continue his 11 year long record of finishing in the top 3 in Silverstone.
The WDC gap closes and gets tense.
Mercedes and Verstappen look for redemption.
Williams look for solid ground.
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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