This Weekend Marks the Official Start of the New F1 Season. The drivers will face each other for the first time this year in Australia, setting the stage for the season ahead. Will Max Verstappen manage to claim another world title, or is his dominance finally over? Read all about it in this article.
Teams
Max Verstappen has been dominant in F1 over the past few years, but his lead has been shrinking recently. That’s why it’s no longer certain that he will take home the title this year. In 2024, he was mostly lucky to secure good results at the beginning of the year, as it became harder to reach the podium as the season progressed. Verstappen is racing for the Red Bull team alongside New Zealander Liam Lawson.
His biggest challenger might be Lando Norris. The British driver for the McLaren team finished second in last year’s standings and is now fully aiming for the championship. McLaren also won the constructors’ title in 2024, so we can expect their cars to be among the fastest in many races. Norris is joined by Oscar Piastri, another talented racer who could deliver strong results.
Lewis Hamilton has joined Ferrari with the goal of winning the title this year. The seven-time world champion was dominant in the pre-Max Verstappen era, but now aims to return to past glory. He is teaming up with Charles Leclerc, the young Monegasque who has been making a name for himself in F1. Hamilton takes over the Ferrari seat from Carlos Sainz, who will race for Williams this year.
Mercedes, now without Lewis Hamilton, made some progress during winter testing. However, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff remains uncertain about their season, admitting that rivals like Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren probably have an edge. This year, Mercedes will race with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Russell finished just inside the top five in last year’s driver standings and is expected to deliver results for the British team. Antonelli is making his F1 debut this season.
Alpine had a rough start to the 2024 season, with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon struggling to break through and score points. However, the team reportedly gained confidence during winter testing and is starting the season with renewed optimism. Gasly will continue with the team, now partnered with Jack Doohan.
Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, has moved to the Haas team. The American outfit had a solid season last year, finishing seventh in the constructors’ championship. With Ocon and Oliver Bearman, they hope to fight for podium finishes in some Grands Prix this year.
Aston Martin has secured a top driver in Fernando Alonso. The team had a disappointing season last year, but with several upgrades, they could become a more serious challenge for the competition. Alonso is paired with Lance Stroll.
As mentioned earlier, Carlos Sainz will now drive for Williams Racing. Williams struggled last year, finishing ninth overall. Franco Colapinto stepped in for Logan Sargeant and brought some quality to the team, but the big news is Sainz. He will be racing alongside Alex Albon this season.
Other teams include Alfa Romeo, Kick Sauber, and Racing Bulls. The Bulls have Yuki Tsunoda, who scored the most points for the team last year, and he will be racing alongside Isack Hadjar this season. Kick Sauber had a tough 2024 season, scoring points in only one race, thanks to Zhou Guanyu. This year, Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will represent Kick Sauber.
Calendar
The 2024 season was already the biggest F1 season ever, with 24 races in 21 countries across four continents, and this year will be no different. The season starts slightly later but ends around the same time as last year. As mentioned earlier, the drivers will kick off in Australia before heading to China and Japan. The final race will be held in Abu Dhabi. Below is a list of all the races throughout the year:
- 14-16/03: Australian GP
- 21-23/03: Chinese GP
- 04-06/04: Japanese GP
- 11-13/04: Bahrain GP
- 18-20/04: Saudi Arabian GP
- 02-04/05: Miami GP
- 16-18/05: Emilia-Romagna GP
- 23-25/05: Monaco GP
- 30/05-01/06: Spanish GP
- 13-15/06: Canadian GP
- 27-29/06: Austrian GP
- 04-06/07: British GP
- 25-27/07: Belgian GP
- 01-03/08: Hungarian GP
- 29-31/08: Dutch GP
- 05-07/09: Italian GP
- 19-21/09: Azerbaijan GP
- 03-05/10: Singapore GP
- 17-19/10: United States GP
- 24-26/10: Mexican GP
- 07-09/11: Brazilian GP
- 20-22/11: Las Vegas GP
- 28-30/11: Qatar GP
- 05-07/12: Abu Dhabi GP
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