2025 Formula One Season

The 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship is a motor racing championship for Formula One cars and the 76th running of the Formula One World Championship. It is recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body of international motorsport, as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. The championship is contested over twenty-four Grands Prix held around the world. It began in March and will end in December.

Drivers and teams compete for the titles of World Drivers' Champion and World Constructors' Champion, respectively. Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT, is the reigning Drivers' Champion, while McLaren- Mercedes are the reigning Constructors' Champions.

The 2025 season is the last year to utilise the power unit configuration introduced in 2014. A revised configuration without the Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H), but with a higher power output from the Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), will be introduced for 2026. 2025 also marks the final year of the ground-effect generation of cars introduced in , and the last year of the drag reduction system (DRS) introduced as an overtaking aid in as cars with active aerodynamics and moveable wings are being introduced in 2026.

2025 is the final season for Renault as an active engine supplier for its team Alpine, as the manufacturer plans to discontinue engine production post-2025.

Entries

All teams compete with tyres supplied by Pirelli. Each team is required to enter at least two drivers, one for each of the two mandatory cars.

Free practice drivers

Throughout the season, each team has to field a driver in one of the first two free practice sessions who has not competed in more than two races, on four occasions, twice for each car.

Team changes

RB discontinued its use of initialism and entered instead as ''Racing Bulls'', thus changing their team and constructor name.

Driver changes

Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes after twelve seasons to join Ferrari, ending his record-breaking streak of the most consecutive seasons driving for a single constructor, as well as competing in his first season without a Mercedes power unit. He replaced Carlos Sainz Jr., who left Ferrari after four seasons to join Williams on a multi-year deal. Sainz was initially set to replace Logan Sargeant, but Sargeant was replaced by Franco Colapinto part way through the season. Hamilton was replaced by Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was promoted from Formula 2. In January 2025, Colapinto left Williams to join Alpine as a reserve driver.

Haas is fielding an all new line-up in 2025; Nico Hülkenberg departed the team after two seasons to drive for Sauber, with whom he last competed in . He was replaced by Haas's reserve driver Oliver Bearman, who stepped up from Formula 2, having previously raced in the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for Ferrari, and in the 2024 Azerbaijan and São Paulo Grands Prix for Haas. Kevin Magnussen also departed the team after seven seasons across two stints. He was replaced by Esteban Ocon, who split from Alpine before the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after five seasons with them. Jack Doohan, who replaced Ocon for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, obtained the seat at Alpine for 2025.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both left Sauber after three years, the former rejoining Mercedes as a reserve driver after having previously raced for the team from to , and the latter joining Ferrari as a reserve driver. The vacant seat alongside Hülkenberg was filled by reigning Formula 2 Champion Gabriel Bortoleto.

Despite a previously signed contract until , Sergio Pérez left Red Bull Racing after the conclusion of the 2024 season. He was replaced by Liam Lawson, who was promoted from Racing Bulls after five Grands Prix in under the AlphaTauri moniker, and six Grands Prix in 2024 under the use of the initialism RB. Red Bull Racing reserve and 2024 Formula 2 runner-up Isack Hadjar was promoted to Racing Bulls in his place.

In-season changes

Following the Chinese Grand Prix, Liam Lawson was demoted back to Racing Bulls, with Yuki Tsunoda making his debut for Red Bull Racing at the subsequent Japanese Grand Prix.

Following the Miami Grand Prix, Jack Doohan was relegated to a reserve driver role for Alpine. His seat was given to former reserve driver Franco Colapinto on a "rotating seat" basis, with the latter debuting at the subsequent Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and being scheduled to race for the team until the Austrian Grand Prix. Colapinto previously raced for Williams in nine Grands Prix in .

Calendar

The 2025 calendar comprises the same twenty-four Grands Prix as the previous season. The Chinese, Miami, Belgian, United States, São Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix feature the sprint format.

Calendar changes

The Australian Grand Prix hosted the opening race of the 2025 season for the first time since . It was the third round in the past three seasons, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, respectively, with those events being pushed back in 2025 to avoid a conflict with Ramadan. The Russian Grand Prix was under contract to feature on the 2025 calendar. However, the contract was terminated in in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Regulation changes

Technical regulations

Minimum weight changes

The minimum driver weight allowance has been increased from to . As a result, the overall minimum weight limit of the car without fuel also increased from to . The change was made in the interest of the well-being of the drivers, especially those either taller or heavier.

Driver cooling

A driver cooling kit has been introduced for 2025. The system will only be mandated by the FIA in extreme heat conditions, with the minimum weight of the cars increased correspondingly when applicable. This is to avoid a repeat of overheating of the drivers witnessed at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. When the FIA predicts a temperature of over , a "heat hazard" will be declared. This will require teams to equip the drivers with their cooling systems, and the minimum weight will be raised by to compensate for the equipment.

Drag reduction system (DRS) parameters

The slot gaps for the rear wing between the two modes of the DRS have been changed, with the minimum gap reduced. It has been shrunk from to ; the upper boundary remains at with DRS open. The FIA has also tightened up the rules on the DRS modes, stating that there must only be two positions, and that ending the application of DRS must return the wing exactly as defined to the initial mode.

Number of gearboxes

There is no longer a limit on the number of gearboxes used by teams, as the reliability of current designs renders this restriction obsolete.

Wing flexibility

The FIA introduced stricter rear wing deflection tests that mandated the slot gap—the distance between the mainplane and rear-wing flap—be restricted to under a load, which was again reduced to from the onwards to counteract teams' usage of a "mini- DRS". Additional front wing tests were implemented in a four-month forewarned technical directive for the , reducing the deflection under a load from to .

Sporting regulations

Fastest lap point

The point awarded to drivers finishing in the top ten positions for setting the fastest lap in the race, which was reintroduced in , has been abolished.

Young driver free practice requirements

The requirements for fielding a young driver during free practice has been increased from once per season per car to twice per season per car.

Testing of previous cars

The sporting regulations has tightened the restrictions on the testing of previous cars (TPC). This sees a twenty-day limit imposed on TPC, and drivers competing in the championship are allowed to cover a maximum of over four days of testing. Testing will only be permitted at circuits that have featured on the calendar in the current or previous year. However, testing is not permitted on tracks which will host a race within sixty days of a test, nor "if the circuit is deemed, at the sole discretion of the FIA, to have undergone significant modification" since the last race.

Qualifying contingencies

The sporting regulations now include specifically prescribed provisions for how the starting grids for sprints and Grands Prix should be set in the event that qualifying for these sessions is cancelled. The starting grid will be set according to the drivers' championship standings. Previously it was left solely to the discretion of the stewards to determine the starting grid order if a qualifying session could not take place. If the Drivers' Championship standings cannot be applied to determine the starting grid order, it remains at the racing stewards discretion.

Starting grid formation

The protocol for closing up the grid when some cars do not make it to the start of a race was amended following the starting grid formation for cars withdrawn before the start of the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. The final grid will now be determined one hour before the start of the race. Cars that are withdrawn up to 75 minutes before the start will not be included in the final grid, and the following cars will all move up the relevant positions.

Regulation of public comments

Drivers comments are due to be subject to more stringent regulation, and stricter punishment. The issue had first come to light when Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in an interview that he wanted to see less bad language in Formula One. This was closely followed by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both being investigated and punished for swearing in Formula One interviews. The penalties for "driver misconduct" covers "language, .. gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offense, humiliation or to be inappropriate", as well as assault and "incitement to do any of the above". A first offence would incur a €40,000 fine, a second offence would see a €80,000 fine and a suspended suspension, with a third offence resulting in a €120,000 fine, a one-month suspension, and a point deduction. The same penalty scale will apply to any "moral injury or loss" to the "FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers" or its values. The making of "political, religious and personal statements or comments" which contravenes the FIA's neutrality will also be subject to the same penalties, with the added caveat that drivers will be required to make a full apology and retract their statement. Prior to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the FIA softened its stance, allowing race stewards more discretion in determining whether it is necessary to punish a driver for inappropriate language, and giving officials the option to suspend penalties in cases of mitigating circumstances.

Monaco Grand Prix

With the aim of promoting better racing, there was an increase in the number of mandatory pit stops for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Grand Prix saw the implementation of a minimum two-stop strategy, in both wet and dry conditions. The teams were also mandated to use at least three sets of tyres in the race, with a minimum of two different tyre compounds for a dry race.

Protocol for damaged cars

Following concerns raised during the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, where Sergio Pérez controversially returned to the pits to avoid a safety car deployment, helping teammate Max Verstappen win the race, the FIA has now introduced a new regulation to prevent severely damaged cars from attempting to return to the pits. Previously, drivers could navigate back to the garage even if their cars were damaged and posed a safety risk to others on track. The updated rule now allows the race director to instruct teams to retire a car if it has substantial structural damage or a critical failure that could endanger others or hinder competition. In such cases, the driver must pull over at the nearest safe location rather than continue towards the pit lane.

Formation lap for pit lane starts

Drivers starting from the pit lane are now required to participate in the formation lap, a change from previous seasons where they could remain in the garage until the race start. Under the new regulation, once all cars on track have passed the pit exit, pit lane starters must leave in the established order unless a delay occurs. They must then re-enter the pit lane at the end of the formation lap before the race begins. This adjustment aims to streamline race starts and ensure a more consistent pre-race procedure.

Season summary

Season launch

As part of the series' celebration of the sport's 75th anniversary, all ten teams took part in a collective season launch event called F1 75 Live at The O2 Arena in London on 18 February 2025. Each team unveiled their car liveries for the season while their drivers and team principals were interviewed in front of a live audience, with other live entertainment and previews of the Formula One film mixed in. The event was broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and ESPN in the United States, as well as Formula One's social media accounts. On YouTube, the event surpassed Formula One's previous live event viewership records, with 1.1 million concurrent viewers.

Pre-season

A single pre-season test was held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on 26–28 February. Carlos Sainz Jr., driving for Williams, set the fastest time in the three-day test.

Opening rounds

McLaren's Lando Norris took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix, which was held under changing, intermediate conditions. Norris led a majority of the race. He briefly lost the lead when he and teammate Oscar Piastri lost control in intermediate conditions. Because of this, Piastri was beached for a short time before he freed himself, dropping to thirteenth and later recovering to ninth. Max Verstappen, in the Red Bull, was trailing Norris as the race reached its closing stages. Norris kept Verstappen behind to win the Grand Prix, bringing McLaren its first win in Australia since 2012. In doing so, Norris also broke Verstappen's reign of consecutive days leading the Drivers' Championship, which the Red Bull driver had held since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix. Andrea Kimi Antonelli recovered twelve places from his sixteenth-place start to finish in fourth. Six retirements were observed: Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls, Jack Doohan for Alpine, Carlos Sainz Jr. for Williams, Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, Gabriel Bortoleto for Sauber, and Verstappen's teammate Liam Lawson.

Lewis Hamilton took sprint pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix, which he converted into a sprint victory ahead of Piastri and Verstappen. Norris qualified in sixth for the sprint, and finished in eighth. Oscar Piastri took pole for the main race, achieving his maiden career pole position. Piastri controlled the race from start to finish, leading a 1–2 with teammate Lando Norris – who was fighting an imminent brake failure – behind, followed by George Russell in third for Mercedes. This race marked McLaren's 50th 1–2 finish since joining the sport. Following the race, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly were disqualified due to their cars being underweight, while Lewis Hamilton was disqualified for excessive skid wear.

Max Verstappen took his first pole position of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix, marking the first time he started on pole since the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. He went on to finish the race with a commanding victory, ahead of the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes became both the youngest driver to lead a race and to set a fastest lap in Formula One history. The race featured no retirements.

Oscar Piastri took his second pole position of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix and controlled the race to win ahead of George Russell, whose car was suffering from numerous electrical issues, and Piastri's teammate Lando Norris. Williams' Carlos Sainz Jr. was the sole retiree during the race, having suffered a collision with Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull Racing, with Nico Hülkenberg being disqualified after the race due to excessive skid wear.

Verstappen took his second pole position of the season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, while Norris crashed out in Q3, leaving him tenth; he recovered to fourth during the race. His teammate Oscar Piastri, who started second, won the race ahead of Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, who took Ferrari's first Grand Prix podium of the season. The result meant that Piastri took the lead of the World Drivers' Championship for the first time in his career, also making him the first Australian to lead the championship since his manager Mark Webber at the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix. The race featured the retirements of Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the sprint at the Miami Grand Prix, but dropped to seventh following an unsafe release with Max Verstappen, who dropped to last – the first pointless finish for him in any race format since the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix – after a penalty was applied. After a late safety car period was called out for a heavy crash involving Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris was shuffled, and won the race, ahead of Oscar Piastri. Lewis Hamilton was in third after a well-timed strategy, while Charles Leclerc crashed during a reconnaissance lap and did not take part in the sprint. For the main race, Verstappen took pole ahead of Norris and Antonelli, but Piastri won ahead of Norris and George Russell. Four retirements were observed, those being Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Liam Lawson.

Mid-season rounds

Oscar Piastri took pole position for McLaren in what is expected to be the final running of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but lost the lead to Max Verstappen in Red Bull Racing's 400th Grand Prix start, by making a move into the ''Tamburello'' chicane. He kept the lead all the way to the chequered flag ahead of Piastri and Lando Norris. After disappointing in qualifying, Yuki Tsunoda made his way up to tenth, the two Ferraris made their way up the field to finish fourth for Lewis Hamilton and sixth for Charles Leclerc, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli recorded Mercedes' first retirement of the season with a mechanical failure. Additionally, Jack Doohan was substituted with Franco Colapinto at Alpine, with the latter occupying the seat until at least the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Monaco Grand Prix saw the introduction of a mandatory two stop strategy, in an effort to promote closer racing. Lando Norris of McLaren took pole position and converted it into victory ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and teammate Oscar Piastri. The race saw two retirements coming from Pierre Gasly of Alpine and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

Oscar Piastri returned to pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix, which he converted into a victory ahead of his teammate Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Following a retirement of Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes due to mechanical failure, a safety car was brought out on lap 53; shortly after the race resumed on lap 60, when Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing soon collided with Antonelli's teammate George Russell after the former was told to give the position back to the Mercedes driver after he overtook Russell off track. Verstappen ultimately received a ten-second time penalty, which dropped him down to tenth. Nico Hülkenberg was one of many beneficiaries, putting him in fifth place and earning Sauber's highest finish since the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso, who finished in ninth place, scored his first points of the season.

At the Canadian Grand Prix, George Russell became the first non-McLaren nor Red Bull driver to take pole position after doing so in his Mercedes. Championship leader Oscar Piastri started third and Lando Norris seventh after making a mistake in his hot lap. In a race ultimately defined by strategic calls, Russell won out in the end following a late safety car period, marking Mercedes' first win of the season. He finished ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing. The safety car was caused by Norris ramming Piastri's diffuser while attempting an overtake on the straight, forcing the former into the wall and breaking his suspension, resulting in his and the McLaren team's first retirement since the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. Russell's teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli recorded his maiden career podium in third to become the third-youngest podium finisher in Formula One history.

Results and standings

Grands Prix

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top ten classified drivers, and the top eight of the sprint. In the case of a tie on points, a countback system is used where the driver with the most Grand Prix wins is ranked higher. If the number of wins is identical, then the number of second places is considered, and so on. Points are awarded using the following system:

World Drivers' Championship standings

World Constructors' Championship standings

Notes

References

External links

{{World championships in 2025

Formula One
Formula One seasons
Formula One