Red Formula 1 car leading a race on a sunny track, with other cars blurred in the background.

Nail-biting close calls, high-speed battles, jaw-dropping crashes — it’s never a dull moment in Formula 1 (F1) racing. Widely considered the pinnacle of motorsports, the F1 league unites the top racecar drivers from around the world, pitting them against one another in a heart-pounding race series that spans roughly 10 months. As the drivers journey across the globe, they vie for the top spot on the track, on the podium, and in the hearts of fans.

Whether you’re already an F1 fan or eager to experience the action for the first time, here’s some good news: another season is right around the corner.

But before you settle in for another exciting season, it’s important to know what to expect from the year ahead — and this guide breaks it all down for you. Here you’ll find a recap of the 2024 season, insights on the teams and drivers, and exciting news updates guaranteed to shake up the league.

ICYMI: A Recap of the 2024 Formula 1 Season

Like all others before it, the 2024 F1 season was packed with highs, lows, shake-ups, and fresh starts.

It also delivered some key moments that many spectators were expecting, chief among them the victory of Max Verstappen. This marks the fourth consecutive win for the Dutch wunderkind, who has proven himself to be an unstoppable force. Verstappen claimed the #1 spot in nine of the 24 races, scoring 437 points overall. Lando Norris of McLaren and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished second and third, respectively.

While the World Drivers’ Champion came as no shock, the World Constructors’ Champion did. McLaren-Mercedes secured the win with an impressive 666 points. This marked McLaren’s ninth championship title overall and their first since 1998.

McLaren also had a great year on the driver’s side, with Lando Norris performing brilliantly. Not only did he place second in the competition overall, but he scored his first-ever race win at the Miami Grand Prix.

AlphaTauri (now known as RB) also shocked fans when it dropped seasoned Aussie driver, Daniel Ricciardo, ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. The team replaced Ricciardo with reserve driver, Liam Lawson, who had only competed in one F1 race prior.

Lawson wasn’t the only newbie on the track this year. After coming down with appendicitis, Carlos Sainz was forced to pull out of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second race of the season. In his place went 18-year-old British driver, Oliver Bearman, who made his F1 debut. Bearman finished seventh and made history by becoming the youngest Brit to compete in F1. Sainz returned for the following race in Australia and claimed the #1 spot.

Ferrari’s good fortune didn’t end there, either. Charles Leclerc reached a major milestone when he won the Monaco Grand Prix, his home race. Although he had qualified on pole position twice before, Leclerc had never managed to win…until now. As it turns out, the third time really is a charm.

Longtime record-holder, Lewis Hamilton, also managed to win his home race in 2024. He claimed the top spot on the podium at the British Grand Prix, making it the ninth time he’s won this specific race. The victory was particularly meaningful for a couple of reasons. First, it put an end to Hamilton’s two-year win drought. Second, it would be his last British Grand Prix with Mercedes, as he announced during the 2024 season that he’d be leaving the team after a 12-year partnership.

Breaking Down the Basics: When & Where Does the 2025 F1 Season Start?

Now that you remember what happened in 2024, it’s time to look forward to the 2025 season. In 2025, the F1 season will see 24 blood-rushing races take place across the globe. Things will kick off in Melbourne at the Australian Grand Prix, with racing events running from 14-16 March. The final race of the season is set to take place in Abu Dhabi from 5-7 December.

The Formula 1 2025 calendar listing 24 races with dates, locations, and national flags on a fiery-themed background.

Switching Sides: Which F1 Drivers Are Moving Teams?

This year, F1 is going to look very different, largely because several drivers are moving to different teams.

Without question, the most groundbreaking transfer of all is Lewis Hamilton. After 12 long years at Mercedes, the seven-time drivers’ champion has decided to head to Ferrari. In explaining the shock decision, Hamilton said that it’s been a longtime dream of his to race for Ferrari. He said that his childhood idol, Ayrton Senna, had intended to drive for Ferrari at some stage before his untimely death in 1994.

To make room for Hamilton, Ferrari had to say goodbye to Carlos Sainz, who will be transferring to Williams. When he first heard about Ferrari’s decision to replace him, Sainz admitted he was hurt: “I was hurt because I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t prepared for that kind of news. I was a bit in shock for a while.”

Red Bull is also shaking things up, replacing longtime driver, Sergio Perez. Although they haven’t officially announced his successor, it’s rumoured to be Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.

Other changes include Nico Hülkenberg leaving Haas to join Sauber and Esteban Ocon moving from Alpine to Haas. Oliver Bearman will also move from reserve driver at Ferrari to full-time driver at Haas.

The Ones to Watch: Your Top Contenders in 2025

No list of F1 favourites would be complete without the last season’s top three. With that in mind, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc are topping the list of 2025 contenders.

While Verstappen may seem like the obvious choice, the 2025 World Drivers’ Championship could fall into anyone’s hands. In 2024, Norris put up a valiant fight against the reigning champ — so much so that Verstappen himself is predicting a battle in 2025.

“I’m very excited about [the 2025 season] because it does look like it’s going to be a proper fight between a lot of teams,” he said.

You also can’t count out the top championship holder, Lewis Hamilton. With a fresh team, a fresh car, and fresh motivation, there’s no telling what tricks this veteran could have up his sleeve. There are also a number of rookies to keep your eye on. Mercedes is replacing Hamilton with a total newbie: Andrea Kimi Antonelli, an 18-year-old promoted from Formula 2. Australian Jack Doohan — son of Mick Doohan, five-time MotoGP world champion — will also be joining the grid, representing Alpine. Although they likely won’t claim the top spot in 2025, who’s to say how far they’ll go in the future? This year could mark the beginning of record-breaking journeys — and you could say that you were there to witness it all.

Close-up of two Formula 1 cars racing closely, showcasing team branding and intense action.

New & Improved: Rebranded F1 Teams Coming Soon

A few of F1’s key teams are getting makeovers in the years to come. So, who’s switching up their look?

AlphaTauri has rebranded for 2025, with the new team name being the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team (or the common abbreviation of RB).

F1 ACADEMY (the all-female league) is also set to see some exciting additions to its roster in the 2025 season. British racing team, Hitech Grand Prix, will join the grid and operate three cars, which will bring the grid’s total to 18 cars.

Though we won’t be seeing them in 2025, an honourable mention goes out to a couple of other teams. One is Audi, which acquired the Sauber team and will be joining F1 in 2026 as both an F1 team and a power engine manufacturer.

General Motors is also expected to make its first appearance during the 2026 F1 season, most likely under the name Cadillac.

Cracking Down: New Rules & Regulations

You can also expect to see some major rule changes in the 2025 F1 season.

The most significant? No points for setting the fastest lap. The rule was first introduced in 2019, and since then, it’s played a big role in Max Verstappen’s success. He has claimed more of these points than any other driver in the league.

The 2025 season will also be the last to allow the drag reduction system (DRS). Introduced in 2011, DRS is a driver-controlled tool that helps people overtake each other on the track.

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is also increasing the fielding requirements for young drivers. As of 2025, teams will have to field a junior driver in free practice twice per season, instead of just once.

A Year of Excitement Ahead

With the 2025 F1 season still a couple of months away, there’s much we don’t know about how the competition will play out. Who will be crowned champion? Will we get underdog victories? Edge-of-your-seat battles? Tearjerking triumphs? Only time will tell. But if one thing’s for sure, it’s that the world is in for another masterclass of sports entertainment, packed with more twists and turns than ever before.