Roll up, roll up – it’s pre-season predictions time!
The 2025 season has all of the foundations to be one of the crucial action-packed within the sport’s 75-year historical past, with a title race set to be extraordinarily shut and ’s transfer to sure to draw to the game.
is the favorite, given McLaren’s final yr, with four-time world champion his closest contender, chasing a fifth title in a row.
There are additionally six new full-time rookies on the beginning grid, together with British teenager Ollie Bearman – who impressed on debut for Ferrari – and Hamilton’s substitute at Mercedes, 18-year-old Italian hotshot Kimi Antonelli.
Lower than two weeks out from the season-opener in Melbourne, these are the predictions for 2025:
World champion – Lando Norris
Earlier than testing, I used to be inclined to go along with Charles Leclerc, on the premise that Ferrari might have closed the marginal hole to McLaren within the low season. However in Bahrain have modified that.
McLaren’s standout race-pace final week, with Norris on the helm of their 2025 MCL39 automobile, was the principle on-track headline. Regardless of a tightly congested high 4, McLaren are clearly the frontrunners forward of the brand new marketing campaign.
This yr ought to see a restricted variety of race-by-race automobile developments, as all 10 groups look to divide sources between the present marketing campaign and new engine and chassis laws in 2026. Race 9, in Spain, may very well be a turning level, when the FIA’s new directive on flexi-wings comes into impact, when groups will face stricter limitations on the flexibleness of their wings.
Nonetheless, it offers whoever has a bonus at the beginning a large alternative to make hay whereas the solar shines. And it offers Norris what might maybe be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.
There’s a college of thought that Oscar Piastri might problem him strongly this yr and the Australian will little doubt be eyeing an enchancment in qualifying to pose a real menace over the course of 24 races.
But Norris is their standout driver. He wants to enhance – – however the Briton does have the standard to turn into a world champion. As he has acknowledged, if he’s armed with the quickest automobile, there may be “no excuses” this time round.
Constructors’ champions – McLaren
Whereas there was little to decide on between Ferrari, Crimson Bull and Mercedes in testing, McLaren had been the clear winners. Their 2024 constructors’ title – as they broke a 26-year duck – makes the papaya favourites this yr and testing did nothing to dispel that.
Led by chief designer Rob Marshall (previously of Crimson Bull), McLaren have cracked the code of this ground-effect period of laws. The massive query is: have they realized their lesson from a fractious intra-team coverage final yr?
Will Norris and Piastri ? McLaren and Ferrari, with two of the strongest driver pairings on the grid, can ill-afford for his or her drivers to take factors off each other, with clear lead drivers in Verstappen and George Russell at Crimson Bull and Mercedes.
However the indicators are that, not less than early on, McLaren could have the quickest automobile.
Constructors’ picket spoon – Sauber
It was a torrid 2024 season for Sauber.
In 24 races, the staff scored simply 4 factors. Valtteri Bottas, the ex-Mercedes race winner, didn’t register a high 10 end. Each the Finn and Zhou Guanyu had been dropped on the finish of the season.
The signings of skilled German driver Nico Hulkenberg and Method Two champion Gabriel Bortoleto current a stable lineup. However testing nonetheless noticed them effectively off the tempo. They may do effectively to keep away from ending final once more in 2025
Audi could have one hell of a job on once they take over for 2026.
Who finishes larger out of Hamilton or Leclerc at Ferrari?
Will the performances match the hype? That’s the massive query forward for Hamilton.
Regardless of the joy on the , the 40-year-old comes into this season after his worst-ever championship place of seventh. He additionally endured a torrid , shedding 19-5 to Russell at Mercedes.
That might be firmly in his thoughts as he takes on arguably F1’s quickest driver over one lap. Leclerc has 26 pole positions however simply eight race wins – the next conversion charge might be on his thoughts this yr.
Total, I again Leclerc to complete larger – and be Norris’s closest challenger.
Greatest shock: Carlos Sainz will win a grand prix
Who’s the one driver, apart from Max Verstappen, to win a race in every of the final three years? F1’s so-called “easy operator”.
The unluckiest man on the grid, Sainz was pressured to chop quick his Ferrari world championship dream after Hamilton’s transfer. The Spaniard has taken the long-term choice at Williams, persuaded by James Vowles’s .
But Williams seemed surprisingly fast in testing, regardless of all sights set on 2026. Sainz topped the timesheets on day two and set the quickest lap throughout all three days.
It’ll want a moist race. It’ll want retirements. However ought to he be offered with a possibility on the entrance, Sainz has proved he can capitalise. He oozes composure.
It will be additional particular, too, given Williams haven’t received an F1 race since Pastor Maldonado’s victory in Spain 13 years in the past. And undoubtedly one of many tales of the season.
Greatest rookie – Kimi Antonelli
For sake of readability, I see there being six full-time rookies this yr: Antonelli at Mercedes, Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, Jack Doohan at Alpine, Ollie Bearman at Haas and Liam Lawson at Crimson Bull.
The latter two are included, regardless of three and 11 race begins respectively, given it’s their first full-time seat within the sport.
When it comes to pure tempo, Antonelli impressed in testing. Toto Wolff disregarded the likes of Sainz and Fernando Alonso to advertise the highly-rated Italian, who he sees as the game’s subsequent Max Verstappen. His junior document is terrific, too, and he’ll be wholesome competitors for George Russell on the Silver Arrows.
Greatest race – Brazil
I mentioned Silverstone final yr – and it was among the finest with Hamilton’s – however for level of distinction, I’ll go along with Brazil this yr.
It’s a protected guess. Come rain or shine, Interlagos not often disappoints.
Who would be the new drivers on the grid in 2026?
Franco Colapinto, if it hasn’t occurred already at Alpine, with Doohan’s spot already trying beneath strain even earlier than the season begins.
Aside from that, all different groups look fairly full for 2026, with two-year contracts aplenty. One punt may very well be British teen Arvid Lindblad – a member of Crimson Bull’s junior staff – ought to Yuki Tsunoda or Hadjar be moved on at Racing Bulls.
As for Cadillac’s potential 2026 entry? See under.
Who will drive for Cadillac in 2026?
Going by the remit of 1 skilled driver and one beginner, I’m going to go for Valtteri Bottas and Colton Herta.
A lot to the shock of many, Bottas has opted to remain inside the F1 paddock this yr as a Mercedes reserve as an alternative of driving off into the sunshine. That speaks volumes about , regardless of his first season and not using a race seat in 12 years.
As for IndyCar star Herta, I believe Cadillac will in the end look to choose an American driver. Herta was near a transfer to RB a couple of years in the past, having impressed in a personal take a look at for McLaren. He appears to be like the best-placed American to make the change throughout the pond.
