The Dakar Rally has claimed its first high-profile victims, and the chequered flag has fallen on the Dubai 24 Hours with victory claimed by the Al Manar Racing by WRT BMW. After a short lull whereas gravy-soaked turkey and pigs-in-blankets had been consumed, motorsport is nicely and really again.
The yr forward guarantees quite a few speaking factors throughout the spectrum of classes. From Formulation 1’s most profitable driver partnering up with its most storied staff, to the return of a large to the highest class of the Le Mans 24 Hours and one other shake-up to the World Rally Championship’s factors system within the offing, listed here are our correspondents’ nominations for what to look out for in 2025.
Entries by Haydn Cobb, Stuart Codling, Ewan Gale, Tom Howard, Oleg Karpov, James Newbold and Ben Vinel
Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Hamilton takes over from Sainz as Leclerc’s team-mate this yr, following the top of his lengthy Mercedes tenure
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
Extra important even than the anomalous (on this period) presence of six rookies on the grid, Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile transfer to Ferrari is F1’s prime new storyline of 2025. Few different sportspeople get to open such important new chapters of their careers on the age of 40.
You may suppose that after seven world championships and 105 grand prix wins, Hamilton has nothing left to show – and that the dangers of becoming a member of Ferrari outweigh the potential advantages. Nevertheless, following that premise means misunderstanding what makes Hamilton what he’s. Ask him about earlier races, even his best victories, and he’ll admit to a reasonably fuzzy recall of them; it is a man all the time trying forwards, not again.
Hamilton has additionally spent an important lots of his 40 years on this earth proving doubters unsuitable. Like all nice sportsperson, he has immense self-belief however that is underpinned not simply by real expertise however by a forceful work ethic. And he expects these round him to imbue their efforts with the identical vitality as him.
So, although Hamilton now lists ‘racing driver’ because the third of his skilled occupations on his LinkedIn profile, this isn’t a cynical try at squeezing a couple of extra salary-paying years. Neither is his purpose of successful extra races and titles at Ferrari some quixotic fantasy.
Positive, there are obstacles – he’s struggled with the traits of this technology of vehicles, and Ferrari’s growth trajectory stays open to query – however what’s extra energising for Hamilton is the chance for a contemporary begin after turning into disillusioned at Mercedes.
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As to the consequences of age – nicely, famously, Jack Brabham mocked those that disparaged the consequences of his advancing years by arriving on the grid of the 1966 Dutch GP with a strolling stick and a pretend beard whereas affecting a limp. After which, at 40, gained the world championship. SC
Marc Marquez to run riot in crimson
Marquez switches from satellite tv for pc Gresini bike to manufacturing facility Ducati this yr, demonstrating the knowledge of ditching Honda
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Pictures
Simply 12 months in the past Marc Marquez was the story going into the 2024 MotoGP season as he jumped off the sinking ship Honda for Gresini Ducati. From the outset, it was thought of a raffle, however because the marketing campaign progressed it was a masterstroke for rider and staff.
Regardless of year-old equipment, the eight-time world champion was the one rider to persistently take the struggle to title contenders Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia. Notably, a 1,000-day anticipate victory marked an emotional finish to a redemption arc after years of career-threatening accidents and ill-tempered equipment. However Marquez’s insatiable concentrate on battling for titles once more meant his climb up the MotoGP hierarchy wanted to scale a contemporary peak for 2025.
A contract saga landed Marquez a slot on the manufacturing facility Ducati squad, muscling out a spot that was earmarked for Martin, placing the largest title in MotoGP onto the dominant bundle. To underline Marquez’s focus, he has, quickly not less than, placed on maintain long-time sponsors Crimson Bull and Oakley resulting from Ducati associate clashes – specializing in a title problem forward of profitable private offers – whereas portray a constructive early integration into the staff.
How lengthy which will final inside the Ducati fold is anybody’s guess. However to present credit score to the Italian producer it did deal with the difficult state of affairs of Bagnaia vs outgoing and eventual champion Martin beautifully within the crunch weeks of 2024. Marquez and an intra-factory Ducati tussle might create larger complications, significantly if Martin on the Aprilia generally is a disruptive power in opposition to the all-dominating Ducati steady of current seasons.
Even 18 months in the past, Marquez racing for the manufacturing facility Ducati squad was unthinkable. However as actuality bites, it could possibly be the match-up MotoGP has been dreaming of and a nightmare realised for the remainder of the grid. HC
A primary peek at what Antonelli can do in F1
Antonelli has had fleeting outings in FP1 within the public eye, however now may have many extra eyeballs on him as he replaces Hamilton at Mercedes
Picture by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures
No Formulation 1 debut has been as thrilling to me as Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s since Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen joined the world championship in 2007 – most likely as a result of, like them, he’ll race for a prime staff in his maiden season (although Kovalainen’s Renault R27 ended up being manner off the tempo all through that marketing campaign, however the Enstone-based squad nonetheless was the reigning constructors’ champion).
Antonelli was price maintaining a tally of as quickly as he joined the Mercedes academy in 2019, which he proved worthy of by successful back-to-back titles within the CIK-FIA European Championship’s OK class in 2020 and 2021. He went on to take 4 extra crowns in his maiden two full campaigns in single-seaters, thrashing the opposition in Formulation 4’s best championship in Italy – he scored 12 pole positions and 13 wins.
Final season was admittedly mildly underwhelming, however one should not neglect the Italian jumped into F2 at 17 from the Formulation Regional European Championship, bypassing a normally unmissable F3 step. In that context, his sixth place total was honourable – particularly when the pecking order was typically eyebrow-raising.
Antonelli had ups and downs, however he nonetheless took two wins. His highly-rated, extra skilled team-mate Oliver Bearman was outqualified (6-5, excluding Monaco resulting from cut up qualifying teams) and outscored (113 factors to 75, with two fewer races for the Briton).
Not dissimilarly to Hamilton with McLaren a few many years in the past, Antonelli is graduating to a robust staff he has been affiliated with for six years, and has large footwear to fill… changing this exact same driver, whose partnership with Mercedes is essentially the most profitable within the historical past of F1.
Toto Wolff is aware of he must put as little stress as potential on his teenager, however the Austrian will search the precise stability by way of mindset after Antonelli crashed out on his first flying lap in Free Apply 1 at Monza. The Italian attacking flat out definitely made for entertaining viewing, but it surely was clearly not what his staff wanted – significantly so early within the session.
That is what we will count on this yr: flashes of pace and the occasional rookie mistake. To me, there may be little doubt Antonelli will give George Russell a tough time; what no one is aware of is how onerous. BV
Newgarden’s bid for a three-peat
Newgarden pounced on O’Ward to win one other Indy 500 final yr – however can he make historical past and full the hattrick?
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures
Group Penske’s Josef Newgarden might not have had the 2024 he was aiming for initially of the IndyCar Collection season, however he did make historical past by turning into solely the fifth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in back-to-back years.
The American did so in simply as dramatic a style as he had when successful in 2023, disposing of Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward across the exterior at Flip 3 on the ultimate lap, only a few hundred metres down the highway from the place he handed Marcus Ericsson 12 months beforehand.
With the dramatic finish got here the primary driver to defend the Indy 500 since Helio Castroneves managed the feat in 2002 and now gives Newgarden the possibility to turn into the primary to handle three on the bounce.
It’s onerous to see why he would not be within the combine given his type on the superspeedway prior to now two years – Penske in a position to finely tune his equipment throughout the ‘Month of Might’ to make sure it was in tip-top situation for the principle occasion. Though the debut of hybrid engines on the Brickyard will current a brand new problem, Penske drivers gained 5 of the seven races staged on ovals following its mid-season adoption at Mid-Ohio final yr, so the possibility for the hat-trick actually is on.
In fact, Newgarden may have 32 different drivers thirsty to drink the milk come the top of the 200 laps, and there may be absolutely no manner he can up the ante within the drama stakes in comparison with the final two years. But when he can add his face to the Borg-Warner trophy for the third time, then think about the excitement it can create. The 109th Indy 500 cannot come quickly sufficient! EG
Verstappen dealing with third-fastest automobile all yr
If Crimson Bull does not deliver the very best automobile to the observe in 2025, there could possibly be a repeat of Hungary radio fury from Verstappen
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar
By the top of final season, Crimson Bull had largely sorted out its automobile, which Max Verstappen described as a “monster” in Monza. The Dutchman nonetheless managed to win in Brazil and, extra importantly, in Qatar on a dry observe. And whereas the second half of the season has been difficult for each the staff and the champion, the title was by no means actually unsure because of the hole Verstappen managed to construct initially of the yr.
It was nonetheless wonderful to see how he managed to maintain Lando Norris at bay as McLaren acquired faster and faster, scoring factors meticulously and squeezing out most of his alternatives – not less than as a rule. However that very same hole allowed him to dictate his personal phrases to Norris, and the Briton was by no means able to push his rival as onerous as he may need appreciated.
This yr could possibly be totally different, although, and it is not too unreasonable to think about that Verstappen might find yourself with the third-fastest automobile on most tracks, albeit by a really small margin. And if that is the case, he’ll undoubtedly present loads of leisure.
Probably the most intriguing query is what type it can take: can he proceed to get the very best outcome week in and week out, capitalising on his rivals’ errors, or will he ultimately let his frustration creep in? Verstappen is incredible in a dominant automobile, as 2023 proved, however he does not actually maintain again when he is indignant. Hungary final yr was the most recent proof that he isn’t all the time calm and picked up when issues do not go his manner.
Will he stick with Crimson Bull if he isn’t given the fabric to problem for an additional title, or will he look elsewhere for the longer term? No matter it’s, if Crimson Bull cannot persistently problem McLaren and Ferrari, Verstappen will not be pleased with merely ending fifth – however precisely how he reacts might be fascinating to look at. OK
Aston Martin’s Le Mans return
Aston Martin will enter the Valkyrie AMR-LMH in its bid for a primary outright Le Mans win since 1959
Picture by: Aston Martin
Ferrari has been the largest title in motorsport for many years, although hardcore sportscar followers may plump for Porsche. However, for some Brits, Aston Martin could possibly be thrown into the combination, particularly with regards to Le Mans. It definitely is for this author.
Being introduced up on a mix of Formulation 1 on TV and attending Aston Martin House owners Membership occasions, I discovered about Aston’s combined motorsport historical past from a younger age. A chunk of schoolwork achieved on the age of eight centered on the exploits of Aston and Stirling Moss on the way in which to the 1959 sportscar world title. I respect now that was most likely a fairly odd factor for my instructor to mark, however not less than I may be certain nobody else handed in one thing related!
The purpose is that, regardless of Aston Martin’s current F1 efforts, endurance racing and Le Mans is its true residence, which is why the inexperienced staff’s dedication to the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class is the large factor I’m trying ahead to in 2025 (other than Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, which absolutely pursuits everybody!).
Aston’s solo total Le Mans success got here in 1959, since its sporadic appearances have largely been tales of unfilled potential, disasters, or success within the GT courses. The thought that the Coronary heart of Racing/manufacturing facility effort needs to be higher positioned than most Aston makes an attempt for the reason that Nineteen Fifties is tantalising.
And so is the truth that Aston goes down the LMH route, like Ferrari and Toyota, reasonably than the cheaper LMDh path favoured by most, together with Porsche. The Valkyrie AMR-LMH’s 6.5-litre V12 is prone to surpass Cadillac’s 5.5-litre V8 because the best-sounding WEC automobile and Aston’s return to Le Mans makes it onerous to suppose which producers are left on the sportscar lovers’ want checklist… KT
Rovanpera’s full-time return and a less complicated WRC factors system
Rovanpera took 4 wins in a part-time marketing campaign final season and now returns with batteries recharged to a new-look WRC with out hybrid and that includes new tyres
Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Final yr’s World Rally Championship title struggle was a totally entertaining affair and might be remembered for its dramatic season finale, however this yr’s could possibly be even spicier. That’s all the way down to a lot of variables however chief amongst them are the full-time return of two-time world champion, Kalle Rovanpera, a brand new factors system and adjustments to technical and sporting laws.
Throughout a partial marketing campaign final yr, Rovanpera continued to point out his class by racking up 4 wins. That was two greater than the eventual world champion, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, though the Toyota man did benefit from a highway positional benefit.
There isn’t any hiding away from Rovanpera’s supreme expertise behind the wheel and now rejuvenated after what he described as a enjoyable 2024 mini-sabbatical, the Finn is hungry for a 3rd world title – a worrying thought for his rivals. Rovanpera’s return poses an attention-grabbing narrative for a possible four-way title struggle that may little question be fiercely defended by Neuville, now with out the stress of being the WRC’s almost man.
Neuville’s Hyundai team-mate Ott Tanak may even be determined to proper the wrongs of 2024 whereas Toyota’s Elfyn Evans might be aiming to go one step higher after ending 2024 because the title runner-up for a fourth time.
Including additional intrigue to the battle is the very fact all of the drivers are successfully ranging from scratch, with hybrid energy now faraway from Rally1 vehicles which is able to now run on a brand new management tyre equipped by Hankook. It’s nearly not possible to foretell which driver and automobile mixture will excellent the adjustment the quickest.
This title struggle may even be performed out throughout a brand new factors system that seems on paper to be much less advanced than final yr’s radical idea, whereas retaining the weather that made WRC Sundays must-see motorsport motion. TH
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Prototype racing again at Silverstone
ELMS might be again in motion at Silverstone for the primary time for the reason that pandemic
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
It might ‘solely’ be the European Le Mans Collection, however the return of worldwide sportscar racing to Silverstone on 14 September is one thing to have a good time. As Gary Watkins explored in his column when the information was introduced in October, it will possibly solely be hoped that the primary ACO-sanctioned race held at Britain’s most storied circuit since 2019 does function a precursor to a World Endurance Championship comeback.
However within the meantime, for sportscar racing followers from these shores, the four-hour race for LMP2, LMP3 and LMGT3 equipment will maintain loads of curiosity. The complete entry checklist has but to be revealed, however a 44-car grid may be anticipated and supporters of British drivers might be spoiled for selection with the likes of Oliver Jarvis, Ben Hanley, Nick Yelloly and Jamie Chadwick main the road.
The brand new technology of LMP3 machines, powered by Toyota twin-turbo V6 engines ready by ORECA, will make a UK bow whereas the variability on show within the GT ranks – which incorporates six producers – will make a three-day normal admission of £40 (with under-16s going free) nicely worthwhile. JN
There isn’t any scarcity of storylines for racing followers to sit up for in 2025
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
On this article
Motorsport.com employees writers
Formulation 1
IndyCar
Common
MotoGP
WRC
WEC
Lewis Hamilton
Josef Newgarden
Marc Marquez
Kalle Rovanperä
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
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