After a long winter break, Formula One is finally back and it looks set to be one of the most exciting seasons in its long history. Nobody can seem to predict how exactly this season will go. Pre-season testing in Bahrain only raised further questions, especially regarding Ferrari’s lack of pace on day three.
Despite the unpredictability of Formula One, I (in all my infinite wisdom) will attempt to predict the upcoming season’s final driver standings. Here are my predictions for the 2025 Formula One season.
The Backmarkers
20. Jack Doohan - Alpine
Alpine have hired four reserve drivers, with the most notable being Franco Colapinto. The Argentine has signed a four-year deal with BWT Alpine, after an impressive half-season alongside Alex Albon at Williams. Rumours have circulated the paddock throughout the off-season about the nature of his contract. Therefore, I think Doohan will not be given a fair opportunity and will be replaced before the Australian scores his first points as an F1 driver.
19. Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls
Much like his new teammate Yuki Tsunoda, Hadjar is often heard screaming expletives on the radio, struggling to manage his anger. Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” has exposed that the higher ups at Red Bull weren’t a fan of Tsunoda’s behaviour on the radio and another driver like this could result in another mid-season driver change. Arvid Linblad, another exciting Red Bull prospect, has recently stepped up to F2 and he would likely be the obvious candidate to replace Hadjar.
While I do believe Hadjar will be given the full season, his inexperience and a potentially slow car means I think he will be at the back of the grid.
18. Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber
The 2024 Formula Two champion and former McLaren academy driver, Bortoleto is a very exciting prospect. The Brazilian joins F1 in the final year of Sauber, before the team complete their transition to Audi in 2026. All development will likely be spent on next year’s car and the Swiss team will be spending this season regarded as the worst car on the grid. Bortoleto will not be able to extract any performance out of the black and green car, meaning he too will sit at the back of the grid week-in, week-out.
17. Oliver Bearman - Haas
Making it four rookie drivers in the bottom four positions, Oliver Bearman is a Ferrari academy driver and this is what will hold him back for the 2025 season. Haas are a team who need to build for the future, especially with a big regulation change coming next season. Bearman, if all goes to plan, should only be driving for the American team for a two or three seasons before making the step up to Ferrari. Haas will prioritise his teammate Esteban Ocon, so it's 17th place for Bearman.
16. Nico Hulkenburg - Kick Sauber
The first driver who isn’t in their rookie season, and the first driver to leave Haas and not be without a team, Hulkenburg is an experienced driver who has proven he can outperform a poor car. He has likely joined Sauber due to his German routes, meaning Audi have a German driver representing their German outfit in the first season in Formula One. While Sauber will likely be the worst car on the grid, Hulkenburg is the type of a driver to capitalise on a crazy race and score points for the Swiss team.
The Edge of the Points
15. Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
One considered as a hot prospect, during his time at Williams, Lance Stroll is now seen as one of the worst drivers on the F1 grid. Many fans believe he only remains in the sport due to his father’s role in the ownership of Aston Martin. Despite his talent behind the wheel, Stroll appears to not be passionate about Formula One anymore, almost needing to be taken away from the sport.
Aston Martin have just created their own World Endurance Championship (WEC) team, many believe Stroll will be moved into this championship. This would create a space in the team for Max Verstappen (who they have been consistently linked to) for the 2026 season, recreating the Verstappen-Newey combination. Therefore, it will be a poor season for Stroll in his last year in F1.
14. Yuki Tsunoda - Racing Bulls
In recent years, Tsunoda has proven he is a fast driver but he is yet to be given an opportunity to compete at the top level. With just the 2025 season left on his contract, he looks set to leave the Red Bull family but he will want to impress this year to secure a deal next season.
I think Tsunoda will regularly get the best out of a poor car, consistently finishing in the top 10 and scoring points despite the true performance of the car.
13. Esteban Ocon - Haas
Esteban Ocon’s reputation has been damaged due to his relationships with previous teammates. He often finds himself competing with them and crashing into them, costing the team dearly. However, Ocon is a race winner and a previous member of the Mercedes driver programme. The Frenchman is a very talented racer and his talents will see him reach the top 10 on several occasions, propelling Haas forward for 2025.
12. Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
Alonso enters his 22nd season in Formula One, a career older than some drivers’ age, but it could be another challenging year for the former World Champion. Aston Martin will likely spend the 2025 season preparing for 2026, in what will be their first year where Adrian Newey will be able to design the car from scratch. A lack of car development, and a potential lack of motivation given the prospects of the season, could see Alonso near the bottom of the championship. However, his proven talent and experience will see him drag the British team into the points regularly.
11. Alexander Albon - Williams
The Thai-British driver completes one of the best driver lineups on the grid with Carlos Sainz. While focus is clearly on the 2026 season, James Vowels will not be happy with another year at the back of the grid. I believe that Vowels will see the opportunity that is this season and ensure his team are focused on this season and fight for every point in the championship. Albon is a very talented driver and has led Williams to several points finishes in the past, he will continue to do so, potentially even finishing in the top 5 at certain tracks.
The Top 10
10. Andrea Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli is one of the most exciting prospects in Formula One, so why have I put him at just 10th? While the Italian is very promising, he is also just 18 years old and has an unbelievable amount of pressure on his shoulders. He is replacing the most successful driver in the history of the sport, in what could be the most competitive season F1 has ever seen. I do believe he will be a great driver but 2025 will not be Kimi Antonelli’s year.
9. Carlos Sainz - Williams
A proven race winner, Carlos Sainz is one of the best drivers on the Formula One grid. However, he has found himself at Williams for 2025 and he will likely be struggling to score serious points regularly. Despite this, Sainz’ quality and the potential pace of the Williams car will see the Spaniard into the top 10 if he can become comfortable with his new surroundings in Grove.
8. Pierre Gasly - Alpine
I believe that Pierre Gasly is one of the most underrated drivers in Formula One. The former Red Bull driver has proven on many occasions that he can get the best out of a poor car and deliver unbelievable results. Gasly is another driver to fall victim of the second Red Bull seat curse, but since he has left Milton Keynes he has impressed regularly. With uncertainty about his teammate, Gasly will provide the security that Alpine need for the 2025 season.
7. Liam Lawson - Red Bull
The Lightning McQueen fanatic is Red Bull’s latest attempt to find a suitable teammate and competitor for Max Verstappen. He replaces Sergio Perez after several underwhelming years at the team and Lawson will be under pressure immediately. However, Lawson appears to be a man who does not care about pressure. I think the 2025 season will be a good season, scoring podiums, but his aggressive driving will see him lose out on points that count Red Bull out of the constructor’s championship.
6. George Russell - Mercedes
Mercedes’ new team leader, Russell is a quality driver but he is yet to have a car where he can compete for a championship. Unfortunately for the British driver, I think this year will be another where the car just isn’t capable of competing for race wins week-in, week-out. While I do believe Russell will win a race, he will be unable to compete for the podium every race and will therefore finish 6th in the championship.
5. Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is possibly the most exciting transfer in the history of the sport. However, the seven-time world champion has struggled in recent seasons and appeared to be finding the Ferrari difficult to drive in pre-season testing at Bahrain. Like George Russell, I think Hamilton will be a race winner in 2025 but I do not think he will be on the podium at the majority of races. Being at Mercedes for so long, he will need time to adapt to the car and his new surroundings - this year should purely be a preparation year for 2026.
4. Oscar Piastri - McLaren
Oscar Piastri has recently signed a new deal at McLaren, meaning he will stay at the team until 2028. In his short time in F1 he has demonstrated he is fast, has great racecraft and that he can be aggressive when necessary. Despite this, I think Piastri will finish outside of the top 3 and again be beaten by his teammate Lando Norris. The Australian driver will win races, record pole positions and even win the constructor’s championship, but he will fall short of a driver’s championship battle.
The Championship Contenders
3. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
Four-time world champion, and it will stay that way as Verstappen will not win the 2025 driver’s championship. I think he will fall short simply because his car will not be competitive enough. After pre-season testing, several pundits have claimed the Red Bull is the fourth fastest car. While I think it won’t be that slow, I still believe Verstappen will struggle to reach the top step of the podium. However, the Dutchman’s sheer quality will take the Red Bull to the very end of championship fight.
2. Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
This championship battle will go down to the wire, Abu Dhabi in December could see a three-man fight for the victory. Charles Leclerc will be looking to win his first championship in Formula One but the Monegasque will have to wait another year for his first title. The Ferrari driver will definitely be a multiple race winner and keep the fight going to the very end, but I think the Italian team will set their sights on 2026 if results at the start of the season don’t go their way. A poor pre-season test (from the outside looking in) could mean they have already decided this, only time will tell.
1. Lando Norris - McLaren
Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2025 World Driver’s Championship, Lando Norris. The British driver will take the opportunity and win the championship in the final race of the season. McLaren appear to have a great car, but their “mini-DRS” will be removed in Spain, if they are still using it after testing, and their big advantage over the rest of the grid will be lost. I think Norris will win the majority of the opening races, but will then struggle to maintain his dominance after Barcelona. Ultimately, I think his start to the season will prove too difficult to catch and he will win the championship after a long battle.