The brand new Method 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 heading in the right direction to deliver battle to the nonetheless nearly frontrunning Crimson Bull squad, it might even rival 2021 as a narrative-stuffed yr.
Whereas the title challengers will take the headlines, as ever there are fascinating subplots throughout with the sector 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 robust argument to say F1 has no backmarker squads for the primary time lately. This implies each staff has one thing to combat for, which in flip provides stress to their drivers.
Beating your team-mate is the primary job for any racer, however in F1 this yr the shut preventing provides an additional edge, as any underperformance will depart a staff uncovered. Therefore why Crimson Bull has lastly acted in dropping Sergio Perez, given how far he was ending from the continuing successes of Max Verstappen.
The driving 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 international sport and so the intra-team battles will likely be no much less vital even with this in thoughts, as how the drivers fare in 2025 might nicely change into vital additional down the road.
Right here then, is how we expect 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 thus far.
Alonso’s place at Aston Martin is rock stable and can see him into the brand new guidelines period in 2026
Picture by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Pictures
He is acquired at the very least a two-year contract having re-signed with Aston Martin final spring, which implies Fernando Alonso will likely be competing with Aston Martin as F1’s newest new guidelines period will get underway subsequent yr. How lengthy he stays with the inexperienced staff past that continues to be to be seen, with there being a larger likelihood of a break up if Aston cannot climb up the pecking order subsequent yr.
However Alonso clearly has the least stress from his team-mate given his robust file towards Lance Stroll within the metrics that basically 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 shortage of stress from the chance of line-up disruption total at Aston given Stroll’s place, the mixture means he ought to take the bottom spot on this rating for 2025.
Aston is adamant the latest hypothesis a few future place for Verstappen on the staff is nonsense and if the opposite superstars keep locked up elsewhere, it is exhausting 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 isn’t beneath menace given his father’s possession of the staff
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
Alonso’s clear superiority within the intra-Aston combat means Stroll should line up beneath 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 wish to proceed on the high-profile F1 path, which to date 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 instances in 2024 when he was in a position to outpace Alonso in qualifying, however they proved to be short-lived.
Following his glorious finish to 2024 and with an under-pressure rookie coming in alongside him, Gasly isn’t anticipated to face an enormous menace at Alpine
Picture by: Alpine
Pierre Gasly had a superb 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 through the early a part of the yr when the Alpine was obese, 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 yr’s finish.
With Ocon now at Haas, Gasly will likely be on acquainted floor from his AlphaTauri days in working with a rookie in Jack Doohan (at the very least 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 staff concord as he did so nicely final yr, that’d really be a plus.
17. Max Verstappen
Verstappen had Perez completely coated, however Lawson’s arrival brings a brand new dynamic
Picture by: Crimson Bull Racing
If he nonetheless had Perez as a team-mate, Verstappen would take the least-pressured spot on this record – and comfortably so given every little thing that F1 witnessed during the last 4 seasons. However now Liam Lawson is aboard the opposite Crimson Bull, there’s at the very least a crack of latest doubt for the world champion.
Verstappen stays the very best driver of this period, nevertheless, and so it is solely how the unknown provides into logical pondering which means he should climb a number of spots larger than may later be the case if that beforehand stable 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 likelihood of an exit rests solely on his personal decision-making.
Tsunoda’s future arguably doesn’t rely on how nicely he performs relative to Hadjar
Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Yuki Tsunoda is definitely in a fairly awkward profession place. Crimson Bull denied him the possibility 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 high degree.
Subsequently, it is all about what may occur with Aston, Alonso and Honda that would resolve Tsunoda’s future, not how he fares towards 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 count on 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 degree. However primarily based on the shortage of cool he so repeatedly confirmed over the Method 2 airwaves – a cost that may be levelled at Tsunoda at F1 degree that may have shaped a part of Crimson Bull’s late-2024 selection – proper now a lopsided Racing Bulls outcomes returned must 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 manner in F1
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
Ocon is certainly 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 contemporary period and by all accounts, he is been happy by what he is seen to date at his new staff. At Haas’s latest Jerez TPC check, Ocon was mentioned to have been impressed by simply how environment friendly the squad – a lot reworked for 2025 when it comes to its trackside make-up – labored.
He’ll have (half) rookie Oliver Bearman as his team-mate and is subsequently anticipated to be the intra-squad frontrunner. Ocon’s status as a formidable team-mate additionally pushes a few 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 must 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 yr will get going.
Bortoleto is within the enviable place the place his junior pedigree buys him grace towards Hulkenberg
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
Given there is no proof to go on for a few 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 record.
Bortoleto is among the three but to make an F1 bow, however his junior pedigree affords 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 – superb peddlers, all. To some, this may increase the stakes, however I am selecting to view it at the moment as an indication of extra good issues to come back for a driver mentioned to even be a totally good man.
He is racing towards 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 yr.
Hulkenberg had a terrific 2024, so Bortoleto getting overwhelmed by him this yr could be no disgrace. And, if it is the reverse, in any case, all’s the for the Brazilian.
Antonelli’s robust help from Wolff means he begins his F1 profession with little stress
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
Grouped with Bortoleto as a result of he too is but to begin an F1 race, however what retains Antonelli so removed from the stress sizzling 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 speedy profession development from all these Method 4 and Method 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 help Antonelli will take pleasure in at Mercedes.
After all, there’s stress in being Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes alternative, and Wolff’s help will not go on Stroll-style perpetually if Antonelli cannot hack in F1. However that he is acquired 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 wish to keep away from being overwhelmed by rookie Bortoleto
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
The expectation will likely 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 staff.
There are different components to contemplate in the case of intra-squad stress on this case.
One is that Hulkenberg, though armed with a multi-year contract to soak up the beginning of the approaching Audi period from 2026, was employed by earlier staff administration topped by former staff CEO Andreas Seidl. Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley had been signed afterwards as CTO/COO and staff principal respectively, with skilled sport affected by examples of stars being ultimately ousted as a consequence of such conditions.
Hulkenberg was a qualifying star when he was reborn in F1 at Haas, however each instances he was paired with Bearman in 2024 the Briton produced an ideal file of outqualifying him (thrice in complete factoring within the Brazil dash weekend).
That raises one other crack of uncertainty Bortoleto might be able to exploit with comparable beautiful tempo. And with Sauber needing optimistic outcomes after a dire 2024, Hulkenberg will discover the stress rising if that does change 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
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures
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 lately, I do not concern he is beneath any illusions in the case of how exhausting 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 keen to scrap as exhausting towards Bearman in his first yr with a brand new staff after every little thing that beforehand occurred with Perez, Alonso and Gasly at his former squads.
However Ocon is critically speedy and in contrast to Hulkenberg, has a observe file of silverware success on the highest degree. That alone means Bearman’s process is hard in 2025 and a poor return towards 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 yr.
Bearman might nonetheless very present nicely, nevertheless, and given staff boss Komatsu is iron-clad in his perception within the 19-year-old, a robust 2025 stays seemingly too. One factor he could look to take advantage of is how Ocon’s race tempo too typically got here in a lot adrift of Gasly for Alpine in 2024.
10. Isack Hadjar
Tsunoda is a confirmed drive in F1, and Hadjar is not going to have lengthy to impress with Lindblad respiratory down his neck
Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Once more, the shortage of F1-level information means we’re leaving the door ajar for the Frenchman, who might excel amidst the thrill of an sudden promotion to the highest degree a la Franco Colapinto.
However the Argentine is exactly the explanation Hadjar will likely 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 by means of with its plan to signal him from Williams.
Similtaneously this was being critically thought by means of by RB’s benefactor, Crimson Bull insiders had been suggesting Hadjar had little likelihood to make it to F1 even together with his F2 title problem final yr.
However circumstances swung his manner and he deserves a good crack now he is arrived on the high degree. The pressure-increasing drawback is that Crimson Bull offers its junior drivers so little time lately (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 yr, 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
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
Now on his fifth F1 staff, Sainz begins 2025 attending to know Williams.
Some could marvel if he’ll battle to deal with racing a lot additional down the pack – Russell blamed these 2020 early race-offs on the shortage of downforce he wasn’t used to from racing additional down the grid for a similar staff because it began its rebuild. And there is a suggestion a driver could battle when all of a sudden not racing for normal podiums. However Sainz is much too intelligent for any of this to use.
And he is so good total – simply fractionally off Leclerc on pure tempo final yr and displaying so fearlessly towards 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 occurring.
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
Picture by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures
Once more, expertise degree is on Oscar Piastri’s aspect in the case of how stress can construct inside F1 team-mate partnerships. Given how a lot he is already achieved, it is easy to overlook that 2025 will likely 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 risk that certainly one of its drivers actually can win their championship this time too.
Right here is Piastri’s twin drawback. In 2024, he was a lot improved on race tempo in comparison with his rookie yr, however on common was nonetheless 0.4s slower than team-mate Lando Norris – primarily based on my calculation of common race tempo from final yr.
And Piastri is aware of he was typically 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 huge steps on that path this yr, with a driver who has extra expertise of championship difficult and racing the dominant drive 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
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
Two issues safe Albon this spot in comparison with the drivers forward.
He is safe in his place at Williams – the staff simply loves him, his angle, his velocity and his nous. Plus, he virtually actually will not must 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 glorious standing.
Albon nonetheless has a status for being a tad too good and Sainz confirmed final yr how exhausting he is ready to race a team-mate when he has little to lose. This extends to scrapping within the midfield pack lately.
I fear a contact for the way Albon could fare total given he did all of a sudden look a bit uncovered towards Colapinto late final yr. However he is pulled off so many profession surprises that the opportunity of his defeating Sainz simply can’t be written off.
6. Charles Leclerc
With Hamilton coming into the equation, now could be the possibility for Leclerc to show himself a real Ferrari nice
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Pictures
Now we’ll see precisely how glorious Leclerc is in F1. Okay, he is nonetheless but to provide a full-season title tilt – about which new team-mate Hamilton is aware of every little thing – however his 2024 season was the choose of his seven years to date at this degree. He noticed off a waning Sebastian Vettel, defeated Sainz’s impressively close-run cost, now he comes up towards statistically F1’s greatest-ever driver.
Leclerc has loads on his aspect given he is been a Ferrari star for almost a decade – he is aware of the staff and the political Maranello environment very nicely. And Hamilton is kind of not the motive force he as soon as was on the peak of his powers for Mercedes in 2018 by means of 2020.
It is win-win in a way for Leclerc, as that time will likely be introduced up if he does defeat Hamilton. However Leclerc nonetheless has to really 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 crimson, 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 clarification, and Lawson could have nowhere to cover
Picture 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 might price the staff a 3rd constructors’ title in 5.
That each one mentioned, 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 boldness to offer Perez the finger in entrance of the Mexican’s residence followers amidst their battle every week later.
The mix of the 2 components coated to date 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-about 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
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
One other one the place the stress is actually coming from elsewhere within the staff, however how Doohan stacks up towards Gasly will likely 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 acquired a sort of team-mate stress that’s utterly distinctive on this record. And he lacks junior automotive racing titles to lift confidence stakes in comparison with a few of his fellow rookies.
That mentioned, Alpine staff boss Oliver Oakes insists “he is getting his truthful crack at it subsequent yr”. However he additionally claims, “It simply retains everybody trustworthy when it comes to how they’re performing and offers us choices”, which contradicts the primary assertion considerably.
And when Motorsport.com sources counsel 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 will likely be on Hamilton at Ferrari, the place he will likely be anticipated to shrug off a tough 2024
Picture by: Ferrari
He is profitable the low season together with his slick arrival at Ferrari, however that counts for nothing as soon as the actual motion will get going. And Hamilton is heading into 2025 off the again of a poor 2024, total.
Sure, he returned to profitable methods with that emotional record-extending win at Silverstone, however too typically he was off Russell’s tempo in qualifying and he struggled to manage finest with Mercedes’ fluctuating type. Based mostly on latest historical past, extra of this must be anticipated for Ferrari.
Maybe extra tellingly is that on race tempo averages final yr, Hamilton was marginally slower as nicely (0.01s down, in actual fact) in comparison with Russell. This must 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. It will massively amp up stress throughout the Ferrari storage on Hamilton – if he is repeatedly 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 yr Ferrari is totally again in championship competition. His enduring class might but win out.
Each staff and driver have uber-illustrious reputations on this case. However for Hamilton, a defeat to Leclerc after that inflicted by Russell final yr would imply extra harm created.
2. Lando Norris
Norris ended 2024 on high, however Piastri has already offered glimpses that he can take factors off his team-mate which might be expensive in one other battle with Verstappen for the drivers’ title
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Pictures
Norris must 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 ultimately price them each the race win to Leclerc, Piastri confirmed precisely how robust he might be in attaining 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 in all probability 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
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
One factor elevates Russell above Norris on this record: how defeat to Antonelli might depart him susceptible to a sudden Mercedes exit.
Sure, it requires different unsure transferring components – in that absolutely solely Verstappen has an opportunity of transferring into the squad for 2026 if he does resolve to drive his manner out of Crimson Bull early in any case. However Wolff simply would not cease wooing him for therefore lengthy final yr…
Therein lies the hazard for Russell. If Antonelli defeats him this yr, that will likely be an embarrassing reputational hit for the delightfully outspoken GPDA director. And if Verstappen is certainly accessible, then Wolff can all of a sudden 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 seems like a flash since his Mercedes promotion again in 2022, all of a sudden 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 must be an enormous confidence booster.
Russell has essentially the most to lose, however robust performances relative to Hamilton will give him confidence
Picture by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Pictures
On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Method 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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