Two years after NASCAR, it’s now Formula 1’s turn to recognize its 75th anniversary. Max Verstappen of the Netherlands is coming off a fourth world driver’s championship, with the McLaren tandem of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri looking to dethrone him. In other news, legendary actors Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem, and director Joseph Kosinski are creating a brand-new F1 movie set to hit theaters in June 2025. Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming: all of the new silly season moves for the 2025 Formula 1 season!
Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari after twelve seasons and six world titles with Mercedes.
The end of an era (2013-2024) has ended for the Brit. Lewis Hamilton partners with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari and their Tifosi. Sir Lewis, the seven-time world champion, finished 7th in his final season with the Silver Arrows, with two wins at home in Great Britain and Belgium, respectively. His mission? To pass the great Michael Schumacher is the only eight-time world champion in the sport’s history.
Top Mercedes prospect Andrea Kimi Antonelli joins Mercedes on a one-year deal, replacing Hamilton following a 6th-place finish in the 2024 Formula 2 standings.
The Italian joins the Silver Arrows following the departure of Hamilton. A FRECA champion in 2023 with PREMA, Antonelli finished 6th in the 2024 Formula 2 Championship despite skipping Formula 3. Graduating from the Mercedes Junior Team, Antonelli’s racing number will be #12, as he pairs up with fellow race-winning teammate and graduate George Russell. The number was last worn by Felipe Nasr in 2016.
Red Bull promotes former Formula 2, Super Formula, and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson as Sergio Perez’s replacement.
Lawson, a Kiwi, was previously the team’s reserve driver, filling in for Daniel Ricciardo at sister team Racing Bulls to end the season. He placed 3rd in the 2022 Formula 2 Championship with three victories and 2nd in the 2023 Super Formula season for Team Mugen, also culminating in three wins.
Jack Doohan, son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan, partnering Pierre Gasly at Alpine
The Aussie was most recently the Alpine reserve driver last season, taking the role following a 3rd place finish in the 2023 Formula 2 Championship. Replacing Esteban Ocon, Doohan will be the teammate of 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner Pierre Gasly. Doohan’s racing number, #7, was last worn by Kimi Raikkonen in 2021.
Haas revamping lineup: Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg out, Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman in
Replacing Kevin Magnussen is the aforementioned Ocon, who won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with his former team, Alpine. The 2015 GP3 Series champion wound up 14th in the final standings last season. Bearman, the former reserve driver of Ferrari and Haas, competed in three races (One with Ferrari, two with Haas) last season. He finished 12th in Formula 2 last year and 6th in 2023. Magnussen made the switch to endurance racing in the offseason. Bearman’s racing number will be #87, the first wearer in F1 history.
Red Bull development driver Isack Hadjar is running his maiden F1 season for Racing Bulls, replacing Daniel Ricciardo/Liam Lawson.
Red Bull Academy driver Hadjar graduates to F1 after finishing 2nd in the 2024 Formula 2 Championship, with four wins. He replaces Daniel Ricciardo at Racing Bulls, who currently remains unemployed. Liam Lawson also replaced Ricciardo in the final six rounds of the previous season. Hadjar, hailing from France, will wear the #6, last worn by Nicholas Latifi in 2022.
Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri Bottas out at Sauber as former Formula 3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto and former Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg added one season before Audi rebrand.
Sauber is the second F1 team with a brand-new lineup, consisting of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg. Bortoleto was the 2023 Formula 3 Champion and 2024 Formula 2 Champion, winning two races last season. The Brazilian will wear the #5, last worn by Sebastian Vettel in 2022. Hulkenberg makes the switch from Haas, still seeking his first podium in the sport. The German finished 11th in the standings in 2024. Zhou and Bottas became the new reserve drivers at Ferrari and Mercedes, respectively.
Carlos Sainz lands at Williams following departure from Ferrari
One of only two Spaniards to win a Grand Prix, Sainz makes the move to Williams following four seasons with the Tifosi. His new teammate is fellow Red Bull reject, Alexander Albon of Thailand. Sainz finished 5th with two victories last season.
Can anyone thwart Verstappen from a fifth consecutive title? Will the F1 movie become #1 at the box office? Will the 75th season live up to its name? Kickoff in the land down under means only time will tell until December.
