Formula 1 2025 Season Preview: Hamilton’s Ferrari Debut & Major Grid Changes

Three months after the end of a season that brought excitement, drama and controversy, both on and off the track, Formula 1 is back!

Race week in Australia is upon us, marking the start of a season of great ambitions and significant changes that have affected the entire grid.

Lewis Hamilton & Ferrari: In red for the first time

Before the first race of the 2024 season, the news came out of the blue that seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton was going to Ferrari. This was a shock for everyone in the Paddock after 12 years at Mercedes. During that time, he had a dominant car and won seven Formula 1 Championships before losing his primacy to Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing.

Did Lewis think that the Mercedes F1 Team could not make a winning car in 2025, or was the Formula 1 record holder attracted by the red colour of the Maranello team? Regardless, all eyes at Albert Park will be on Hamilton, who has been working with the Ferrari team since January and will drive in an official race for the first time. It will be a test of Ferrari's competitiveness and the start of a new era for the most successful team in history.

Grid changes in 2025: Eight new drivers

The 2024 season was the first in which we saw the same 20 drivers who competed the year before. This inevitably meant significant changes for the grid in 2025. Many experienced drivers lost their places in Formula 1, while eight teams presented new faces in Formula 1.

Only two teams kept the same drivers compared to 2024 —McLaren, which kept Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Aston Martin, which retained experienced two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Alongside Leclerc at Ferrari, current and four-time consecutive champion Max Verstappen also has a new teammate. Sergio Perez's disappointing second half of the 2024 season cost him his place, so Liam Lawson replaced him at Red Bull.

It will be Lawson's first entire season in F1 and a chance for Red Bull to regain the lead in the Teams' Championship. Last season, McLaren and Ferrari were ahead of the team led by Christian Horner in the Constructors Championship.

Toto Wolff chose Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton's successor. The Mercedes F1 GP CEO decided to go with a young and talented 18-year-old Italian.

George Russell will be the team leader, Antonelli the new star, and maybe the new Lewis for Mercedes. Brackley-based team is desperate to return to the Top and fight for Grand Prix victories and titles.

Among the other teams, Haas has changed its drivers. Instead of veterans Magnussen and Hulkenberg, the USA-based team signed Esteban Ocon and young Oliver Bearman to drive for them this season.

There is another combination of youth and experience in the Sauber team. Nico Hulkenberg will be a teammate of the young Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto.

Yuki Tsunoda did not get a seat in Red Bull for 2025, but he stayed in the RB Team. He will be accompanied by another debutant, Frenchman Isak Hadjar.

Carlos Sainz, the driver Lewis Hamilton replaced at Ferrari, will drive for Williams alongside Alexander Albon. Both Albon and Sainz were part of the Red Bull program.

Alpine is without one Frenchman in Esteban Ocon, but Pierre Gasly is still there. He will be joined in the team by Jack Doohan, who will make his debut at his home track in Australia.

The moment of truth at the Albert Park

Behind the drivers and teams are pre-season tests, which are very important for engineers and drivers to get to know the cars better and identify areas for improvement.

However, we will only get the real answers when the lights go out at Albert Park and we hear the famous "And away we go"!

The tests in Bahrain brought strange weather that did not match the conditions we are used to during the Grand Prix weekend, primarily in terms of temperature and weather conditions. Also, Bahrain is entirely different from Albert Park, where the season's first race is held, so even experts do not dare to make too many predictions.

How to Bet on Formula 1

Betting on Formula 1 is quite simple and beginner-friendly. The most popular bet is on the winner of the race, which is actually identical to betting on the winner of a Champions League match for example.

Formula 1 does not have too many betting options, but it still has the potential for big wins.

You need to understand the sport, have the right strategy, and choose a reliable betting platform for big wins.

Explore our blog for everything you need to know about betting on Formula 1!

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