Ahead of a new Formula 1 season, Pit Debrief writers are predicting who will come out on top in the 2025 F1 World Drivers’ Championship.
Max Verstappen — Rachel Stephens
Let’s talk about our most recent world champion, shall we?
With a great (but not the best!) car in 2024, Max Verstappen still managed to show up the rest of the grid, finishing 63 points ahead of his major rival for the season, Lando Norris.
McLaren are back in the game and improving quickly, but it’s hard to know if it’s enough, with Norris crumbling under pressure throughout 2024. It seems more than likely that Verstappen’s talent and determination will lead him to the front of the grid once again, fighting to turn four world championships into five – he’s on a roll.
However, Red Bull’s critical loss of Adrian Newey has shaken things up internally. Jonathan Wheatley also left for Audi to become their team boss.
The brilliance of Verstappen behind the wheel
But Verstappen makes the difference. It may not come as easy to him as before, the circumstances may not be ideal, but if the team have produced a semi-decent car for 2025, he has a track record of turning it into something powerful and fighting off the McLaren’s, Ferrari’s, and Mercedes’ that race behind him.
With a new teammate in Liam Lawson at his side, expectations are high for the rookie but it’s hard to imagine that he will put up a meaningful fight against the world champion or steal many points away from him.
Regardless, Red Bull are majorly focused on the team game. If things are looking tight and Verstappen is behind, Lawson will likely play good teammate and let him through.
Unless the RB21 fails the team, Verstappen should secure his fifth title and become 2025 F1 World Champion. What he does after that, however, is another question.
Lando Norris — James O’Connor
2025 is set to be the most important year of Lando Norris’ F1 career to date. He starts the season as favourite for the World Championship.
While Max Verstappen is aiming for a fifth straight title, a lot of questions surround the Red Bull RB21. The RB20 had serious flaws that got exposed as 2024 went on.
Can Lando Norris take the final step?
At the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, the 25-year-old finally took his maiden Grand Prix win. While he had some luck with the Safety Car timing, his pace was phenomenal that day. McLaren’s upgrade for that event was a game-changing one.
Norris would go on to win at Zandvoort, Singapore and Abu Dhabi as well. He delivered when it mattered most for McLaren by beating Sainz to win at Yas Marina, sealing the Constructors’ Championship for them. It was their first since 1998.
That Sunday last December also showed Norris is able to handle big pressure moments. It will have done a lot for his confidence.
2nd in the Drivers’ Championship represented a strong season. However, the feeling of what could have been in 2024 very much lingers. Mistakes from his side, and strategy errors, cost him so many points.
The good news for the Brit is that the pace is there. His race pace and tyre management is generally very strong. On the evidence of 2023 and 2024, Norris has an edge on teammate Oscar Piastri, and it can be a decisive gap at times. Racecraft is the only area where the Aussie has an advantage.
In Mexico, he raced Max Verstappen perfectly. A brilliant late braking move with controlled aggression was needed after leaving the door wide open for the Dutchman in turn 1 at COTA. Ultimately the Red Bull driver got a sanction he deserved in Mexico City for his tactics a couple of corners later.
McLaren needs to help as well
If McLaren deliver another strong car and Norris holds a pace and points advantage over his teammate once again, they will need to make brave calls. That did not happen in 2024.
Crucially Norris seems more confident going into this campaign. All the ingredients are there for him to win his first Drivers’ Championship in 2025.
Charles Leclerc — Aslıhan Alp
My initial thoughts on Charles Leclerc are positive. Given his experience in Formula 1 and Ferrari’s recent developments, he has a solid shot at the championship.
However, this will be the case if and only if Lewis Hamilton is not the priority of the team. Before the Brit joined Ferrari, Leclerc was seen as the fundamental pillar of the team. This further resulted in naming Leclerc as the “Prince of Ferrari.”
A different team dynamic in 2025?
But this dynamic might change completely with a 7-time World Champion now alongside him. Leclerc might be hungry for a title but Hamilton is starving for his 8th since that bitter end of the 2021 season for him.
Moreover, there is this Ferrari who has been longing for a Constructors’ Championship since 2008. After losing the 2024 constructors to McLaren with a minor difference, I think Ferrari won’t risk anything too major this year.
To secure at least a Constructors’ Championship, they won’t create a possibility where their drivers battle each other on the track.
Therefore, I believe there will definitely be a precise distinction between Hamilton and Leclerc as a front player and a defender. However which one of them will be which is a matter of discussion and we will only understand their roles in the game throughout the season.
This will depend on Hamilton’s performance as much as Leclerc’s. As a result, this unfortunately does not help Leclerc’s situation since the team will prioritize whoever promises more potential to win the title.
Hamilton’s arrival does not only pose a risk for Leclerc. The Monaguesque can garner a lot from the seven-time world champion’s valuable insights and expertise in the sport and improve his championship mentality.
Their team dynamic will definitely push Leclerc to his limits which might eventually secure him the title. I believe the first races of the season will tell about what the Leclerc-Hamilton dynamic will look like and consequently, we will be able to make better predictions about whether Leclerc stands a firm chance in the fight.
Is Leclerc’s time coming?
After seeing the SF-25, Ferrari’s challenger for the 2025 season, and the confidence of the Italian team, I feel Ferrari will play for the top.
Leclerc has the talent and experience to become a World Champion. His increased consistency with high-performance results since he stepped on the F1 track and his stats are very promising. By taking more initiative during the races, he can elevate his performance even more.
With the recession of Red Bull’s dominance last season, the front is an easier goal to aim for. I don’t think McLaren’s rise is unmatchable for Ferrari.
As we witnessed in the previous season, there might be internal fights within McLaren which increases Leclerc’s chances even more. Also, Ferrari raised its performance throughout the latter part of the season, therefore its performance is very promising heading into 2025.
Thus, I believe we will see a very confident Ferrari and if Leclerc gets on top against Hamilton, the chances are high that we will conclude the season with title glory.
George Russell — Rohan Brown
Formula One’s 75th season is almost upon us, and I firmly believe it is George Russell’s chance to win his first drivers’ championship. He is going into the 2025 season with a different position in the Mercedes F1 driver lineup — he is now the senior driver of the two.
Expected to be the team leader
This means that there will be the expectation for him to be the team leader, but he has the benefit of a rookie teammate in Kimi Antonelli, which puts him in an optimal position for winning the Drivers’ Championship this year due to the combination of his experience and a rookie teammate. It is a situation not shared by any of the other top four teams in F1, although Liam Lawson has not started very many races.
The Briton comes off an improved 2024 season with two victories to his name. Capitalising on the Norris-Verstappen incident at turn 3 in Austria, and a dominant win in cool conditions in Las Vegas. These victories represent a strong foundation for the four-time Grand Prix winner and show how his experience offers the best argument for winning his first championship this forthcoming season.
Mercedes have also made improvements which allowed the team to capitalise in the 2024 season. The W15 was able to be the dominant force in cooler conditions, seen in their victories aat Silverstone, Belgium and Las Vegas. So this progress that both the team and Russell have made will certainly be a combination capable of producing a first championship for the number 63 driver.
Pushed Hamilton all the way over three seasons
Furthermore, Russell has proven why he deserves to be a champion contender in his three-season stint at Mercedes so far; he has enjoyed strong growth as a driver.
His average drivers’ championship finishing position has been sixth place, compared to former teammate Hamilton’s average of fifth place, which shows how he has proven to be a strong driver so far.
If Mercedes give him the car required, expect plenty of trophies for the King’s Lynn driver in 2025.
Oscar Piastri — Tayla Purves
Oscar Piastri comes into the season as a reigning champion with McLaren Formula 1 Team after their impressive 2024 Constructors’ title glory.
2025 will be the 23-year-old’s third F1 season and it will surely be one filled with confidence, grit, and some hardcore determination. Over the last two years, we have seen excellence on track, the type of talent that comes quite rarely; the talent that makes fans scream in the grandstand, and a driver deemed a hero.
Why Piastri is standing out
Piastri is a great in the making — his performance thus far has been nothing short of a primed, mature, and well exposed racing driver; a perfect mixture for success. Once the visor goes down, the energy evolves into power, hidden by his off-track façade; proving to the world why he is one of twenty F1 drivers.
It’s truly striking for fans, watching a driver talk to his machinery all while exuding pure control. This is something the Melbournite continually showcases.
With two Grand Prix wins and two Sprint race wins under his belt, there’s no question in whether or not the young Australian can contend for the Driver’s Championship title.
I believe that with the right car set up and support from McLaren that a world championship title is not out of reach for Piastri in 2025. We’ve seen him become a team player, aiding Lando Norris and the team when asked — we’ve also seen him drag a car into the points when the car fights him on every turn.
McLaren seem to have found their best over the last 12 months, providing their drivers with the perfect opportunity to win.
Norris was a runner-up last year, but given the right conditions and strategies, I would not put it past the driver in the 81-orange car to become the World Champion above the well-seasoned F1 grid in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton — Chiara Martin
Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of making history once again, and 2025 could be the year he finally secures his record-breaking eighth Formula 1 World Championship. After a challenging final season with Mercedes, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has revitalized him, providing the perfect combination of experience, hunger, and a team eager to reclaim its former glory. The stars seem to be aligning for one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history to achieve his ultimate dream: winning a title in Ferrari red.
Hamilton’s first interactions with Ferrari have been nothing short of electric. His seamless adaptation to the SF-25, coupled with his intense commitment to integrating himself into the team, has already had a profound impact.
From learning Italian to personally meeting every team member at Maranello, Hamilton has embraced Ferrari’s culture in a way that has already strengthened team morale.
This bond could prove instrumental in the title fight ahead.Ferrari has been steadily improving, coming within 14 points of the Constructors’ Championship in 2024.
With key technical developments, including a switch to a pull-rod suspension system aimed at unlocking greater aerodynamic performance, the Scuderia has shown it is ready to take the next step.
Rising above extremely tough competition
Hamilton’s unparalleled experience and ability to extract the maximum from any car will be invaluable in pushing Ferrari over the line.
The competition in 2025 will be fierce. McLaren ended the previous season as the dominant force, and Red Bull, spearheaded by Max Verstappen, will be eager to reclaim its superiority.
Yet, Hamilton’s consistency and race craft, give him an edge. He has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to rise above adversity, and with Ferrari now providing him with a competitive package, the pieces are in place for a triumphant season.
Potential history in the offing
What sets this campaign apart from Hamilton’s previous title battles is the emotional significance. More than just an eighth championship, this would be his first with Ferrari—the team he has long admired and a place where he wants to cement his legacy. The weight of expectation is immense, but if there is one driver capable of handling the pressure, it is Lewis Hamilton.
Unlike more journeymen F1 drivers — on Tuesday, Carlos Sainz noted he’s driven for half the grid in 10 years — Hamilton is moving to just his third team. It will be the first time he has driven without Mercedes engines and the first time he’s not racing for an English team.
As the 2025 season approaches, Hamilton is in peak physical and mental condition. His renewed energy, combined with Ferrari’s technical progress, makes him the prime candidate to take the championship crown.
If everything falls into place, the world will witness a historic moment: Lewis Hamilton, standing atop the podium in Ferrari red, as the undisputed greatest of all time.
“I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Hamilton told BBC Sport. “It feels natural, it feels right.”
Liam Lawson — Lucrezia Costa
An outsider bet for sure, Liam Lawson will not be your average rookie full-time driver.
The young Kiwi has in fact already eleven Formula 1 starts under his belt with Racing Bulls, with five rounds done in 2023 as substitute for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, and the others as replacement after the Australian’s exit occurred during the past season.
So far, he has achieved a best result of P9 three times. However, his speed and talent haven’t gone unnoticed. Lawson, who had joined RB with a contract up to the end of the season, will step up to Red Bull Racing and become Max Verstappen’s newest teammate.
He will have to adapt to the peculiar traits of the Red Bull, replacing Sergio Perez and assisting the four times World Champion in bringing back home another Constructors’ title.
He was preferred to his Racing Bulls more experienced teammate Yuki Tsunoda for his adaptability and capability of extracting the most out of his challenger with the least amount of time. Nonetheless, Red Bull will definitely pose more of a challenge to the former Carlin Formula 2 driver.
The young Kiwi has proven to be worthy of a full-time seat at a top team, and in the past he has also shown the talent to be consistently in the top spots, almost winning the DTM title in his debut season.
However, many previous drivers have stepped up from the sister team and struggled to perform at Verstappen’s levels.
Will this be the fate of Lawson as well, or will Formula 1 have a second championship winner from New Zealand in 2025?
Kimi Antonelli — Karishma Persad
While Andrea Kimi Antonelli will make his Formula 1 debut with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, there are few who will consider the rookie a serious contender for the 2025 title.
However, though the Italian driver’s experience behind the wheel of an F1 car will be considerably less than that of other title contenders, it is unfair to dismiss his potential. Antonelli has been described as an exceptional driver and has been commended for both his speed and intelligence behind the wheels. These traits make the 18-year-old Italian a strong contender for the 2025 title.
His FP1 crash at Monza in 2024
Critics will point to Antonelli’s hefty crash in first free practice in Monza when discussing the driver’s potential this season. They will blame his inexperience, and perhaps, his desperation to prove himself.
However, as reported in its aftermath, Antonelli’s crash was not as a result of the driver’s inexperience or immaturity. Instead, as claimed by senior personnel at Mercedes, Antonelli’s tremendous speed had simply been too much for the tyres to take.
As said by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, “What he did, the car couldn’t take…”
There is, of course, no doubt that the 18-year-old rookie will need to refine his technique. After all, speed is worth nothing if he cannot finish a race. There will, of course, also be the natural growing pains that come from a jump to F1, especially after only a single, and admittedly difficult, season in F2.
However, Antonelli has shown that he is intelligent enough to adapt quickly. That he finished sixth in the 2024 F2 championship in his rookie season despite having missed the final round, and especially despite having skipped F3 completely, is proof enough.
The raw speed is there
There is no doubt that Antonelli has what it takes to become a world champion. His teammate, George Russell, certainly believes him to be capable of it.
“Every driver who has won championships in their career is fast. You can place [Kimi] in a top team in his first year, just like Lewis once did at McLaren (…) Kimi will learn from that. Either you have the speed, or you don’t. Kimi has it.”
What is the question is when and 2025 seems as good a year as any. Despite his inexperience, Antonelli has a place at a top team, and the support and confidence of Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team. He also has raw natural talent behind the wheel, and if the 2025 F1 car shows the potential that the W15 did especially in the latter half of the 2024 season, Antonelli, despite his rookie status, can win the 2025 drivers’ championship title.
At the very least, he will be a strong contender for the title, as his predecessor Lewis Hamilton was in his 2007 debut season at McLaren.
