A rundown of the teams and drivers for the 2025 Formula One world championship starting in Australia Sunday (drivers: nationality, age, position/points last season):
McLaren
Engine: Mercedes
Team Principal: Andrea Stella (ITA)
Drivers:
Lando Norris (GBR) 25, 2nd/374pts
Oscar Piastri (AUS) 23, 4th/292pts
Norris came tantalisingly close to knocking Max Verstappen off his world championship perch last year. Having caught a glimpse of the prize, the Briton has vowed to get "his elbows out" to finish the job in 2025. If successful it would complete McLaren's return as F1 kings after years in the wilderness. McLaren undoubtedly had the faster car last term, they deservedly clinched the constructor's title, with Piastri enjoying a superb season as Norris' teammate. That was the British outfit's 18th world title but first constructor's crown since 1998. Under the assured stewardship of Stella and Zak Brown they are arguably the team to beat in 2025, with bookmakers installing Norris as favourite to seal the deal. The 25-year old is notoriously self-critical, blaming himself for not taking the fight to Verstappen. "I have to do better, and I don't need to be told that," he said at the launch of their 2025 car at Silverstone. "I need to get my elbows out (against Verstappen) and show I am not willing to give him any positions. I also have to be a smart driver. You have to be smart to go up against Max."
Ferrari
Engine: Ferrari
Team Principal: Fred Vasseur (FRA)
Drivers:
Charles Leclerc (MON), 27, 3rd/356pts
Lewis Hamilton (GBR), 40, 7th/223
Hamilton's blockbuster move from Mercedes to Ferrari, announced in February last year, triggered wild excitement among the Scuderia's tifosi fanbase. Hamilton, his legion of fans but perhaps not his new teammate will be praying the gamble pays dividends by delivering a record eighth drivers' title. One thing's for sure, after 12 heady years at Mercedes, Hamilton, at 40 years old, is dreaming like a boy again. Emerging from the fog after his first drive at the Fiorano test track near Ferrari's Maranello base Hamilton spoke about the significance of his presence in Italy on a two-year contract. "I've been lucky enough to have many firsts in my career, from the first test to the first race, podium, win and championship, so I wasn't sure how many more firsts I had. But driving a Ferrari car for the first time this morning was one of the best feelings of my life." Early signs augur well as he becomes acclimatised to his new surroundings. "I am really enjoying the car. We're slowly bonding," he said at testing in Bahrain. It will be fascinating to see how Hamilton gels alongside Leclerc, who finished third in the driver's standings last year after three wins topped by finally taking the chequered flag on his home streets of Monaco.
Red Bull
Engine: Honda
Team Principal: Christian Horner (GBR)
Drivers:
Max Verstappen (NED) 27, world champion/437pts
Liam Lawson (NZL) 23, 21st/4pts
Verstappen's reign as F1 top dog is under threat. The Dutchman secured his fourth world title in 2024 only after a roller-coaster ride from the pre-season scandal surrounding Horner that rumbled on and on, then that remarkable 10-race winless run mid-season. He eventually extinguished Norris' challenge in Las Vegas with two rounds of the championship to go. Red Bull ceded the constructors' title to McLaren, in part due to Sergio Perez's dramatic loss of form. The Mexican paid the price with Lawson appointed as Verstappen's new teammate. The New Zealander steps up from Red Bull's sister team RB after three top-10 finishes in 11 grand prix over two seasons. "Liam's performances over the course of his two stints with Racing Bulls (RB) have demonstrated that he's not only capable of delivering strong results but that he's also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top" says Horner.
Mercedes
Engine: Mercedes
Team Principal: Toto Wolff (AUT)
Drivers:
George Russell (GBR) 27, 6th/245pts
Kimi Antonelli (ITA), 18, debut season
Hamilton's announcement in February last year that he was quitting Mercedes hung heavy over the former serial champions' season. Four wins, two apiece from Hamilton and Russell, were the highlights in another inconsistent campaign that dropped the Silver Arrows to fourth, their lowest placing since 2012. Team principal Wolff confirmed all the noise from the paddock when appointing Antonelli as Hamilton's successor at the start of September, days after the gifted Italian teenager had turned 18. Despite the lack of grand prix miles, Wolff is adamant his gamble will pay off with a driver who has been under the team's wing as a junior driver for years. "He's been in the team, integrated for such a long time...We've known him since he was 11, and in that respect, he's been prepared, he's ready to go and he can't wait," said the Austrian. Antonelli has already notched up one important milestone - in January he passed his driving test. Russell is hungry to move up to become team leader. "I recognise my role as the more experienced driver. I am entering a new chapter in my career. I am ending my beginning and entering the mid stage." Wolff is anxious to get racing, saying: "We’ve been scratching our head a lot last year. Like all the other teams, we had ups and downs. But, at the end of the day, when the flag drops, we're going to see in qualifying in Melbourne where we stand."
Aston Martin
Engine: Mercedes
Team Principal: Andy Cowell (GBR)
Drivers:
Fernando Alonso (ESP), 43, 9th/70
Lance Stroll (CAN) 26, 13th/24pts
Aston Martin struggled to repeat their encouraging 2023 season, picking up just 94 points compared to 280 the year before. But they still ended up fifth, the best of the rest behind the big four. The future looks bright for the team bankrolled by Lance's father Lawrence, with the catch of the season in Adrian Newey, the F1 design guru from Red Bull. The team "have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team," Newey said. "I am very much looking forward to helping them reach that goal." Alonso, the evergreen two-time world champion is seeking his first win since 2013. Aston also signed former Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile as chief technical officer, and ex Mercedes engine chief Cowell as team principal.
