2025 Formula 1 Season: Preview and Tips
Max Verstappen hung on to claim a fourth successive World Drivers’ Championship in 2024, but off-grid drama, the departure of aerodynamic mastermind Adrian Newey and a waning mechanical advantage leave the Dutchman as second favourite for the title for the first time since the season of his maiden win heading into the 2025 campaign.
Lando Norris leads the way following McLaren’s fantastic development, but Mercedes have made strides forward during the off-season and Ferrari boast the enviable driver pairing of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton and will be hoping they have the machinery to do them justice.
F1 2025 Season Predictions
- Charles Leclerc to win the Drivers’ Championship @ 5/1
- Ferrari to win the Constructors’ Championship @ 29/20
Tip 1 – Charles Leclerc to win the Drivers’ Championship @ 5/1
2024’s top two drivers are the favourites for the Drivers’ Championship, but 2025 could be the year of Charles Leclerc as he looks to build on his best-ever points tally.
The Monegasque driver took the bronze medal last season, but Ferrari enjoyed a strong end to the season and Leclerc understandably looked more at home in the Prancing Horse than new-arrival Lewis Hamilton during pre-season testing.
Leclerc, who won a career-high 356 points last season, ended the year with four podiums from his last six races and, if Ferrari have the pace, his consistency could swing the title in his direction.
He finished outside the top five just three times in the entirety of 2024 and one of those was due to his retirement in the Canadian Grand Prix, while a summer trip to Silverstone was the last time Leclerc finished lower than fifth.
In the 12 Grands Prix since then, the 27-year-old took eight podiums - more than any other driver over this period - and stood on the top step twice.
Combined with his extraordinary and well-known one-lap pace in qualifying, Leclerc looks a fantastic price for a maiden Drivers’ Championship.
Tip 2 – Ferrari to win the Constructors’ Championship @ 29/20
Leclerc aside, Ferrari boast another world-class driver in their ranks in Lewis Hamilton, who appears to have rediscovered his hunger to win after a few barren years in the ailing Silver Arrows.
This calibre of driver is something that none of the other teams can match, with reigning champions and pre-season favourites McLaren coming the closest with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The papaya team are understandably favourites and did look the quickest in pre-season testing, but they took just two podiums and one race win in the final six races of 2024 and, if Ferrari are close in terms of speed, the Scuderia’s driver lineup could make all the difference.
On the Red Bull side of the grid, Verstappen is always likely to be in the mix, but Liam Lawson is effectively a rookie coming into a top team and that is something that has rarely worked well for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, with Mercedes looking at the same problem with Kimi Antonelli.
The Scuderia ended last season with eight podiums in their final six races and looked almost on par with McLaren in pre-season testing. If they can pick up where they left off, they have a strong chance of a first constructors win since 2008.
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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change