The 2025 season of Formula 1 starts this weekend – here’s everything you need to prepare.
In my latest endeavor, I’ve delved into the world of Formula 1– the world’s most high-speed sport. Formula 1 is the highest class of international racing. It’s wildly competitive, extremely prestigious and so exciting to watch.
While I’m not usually a sports fan, Formula 1 has fully taken over my every thought for the past few months. So much so that I’ve watched all 7 seasons of Drive to Survive, a documentary series on Netflix following the sport and drivers, all in about a month and a half. I’m here to share my basic Formula 1 knowledge just in time for the start of the 2025 season this weekend.
Let’s start with how it works. There are 10 teams, and two drivers on each team that start on the grid. Each team also has a reserve driver that usually makes appearances for press, media, and steps in if a driver on their team is unable to drive in a race.
Here is the list of teams and drivers as standing for the 2025 season:
Team Alpine:
- Pierre Gasly
- Jack Doohan
Team Aston Martin
- Lance Stroll
- Fernando Alonso
Team Ferrari
- Charles Leclerc
- Lewis Hamilton
Team Haas
- Esteban Ocon
- Oliver Bearman
Team Kick Sauber
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Gabriel Bortoleto
Team McLaren
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris
Team Mercedes
- George Russell
- Kimi Antonelli
Team Racing Bulls
- Isack Hadjar
- Yuki Tsunoda
Team Red Bull Racing
- Max Verstappen
- Liam Lawson
Team Williams
- Alexander Albon
- Carlos Sainz
With 20 drivers total on the grid, there are two championships they are racing to win. The World Constructors Championship (WCC) is essentially the team championship, and it contests the cars and the points they win for each race. At the start of each season, each team designs and builds a brand-new car that the drivers race with to gain points. The team with the most points wins the WCC at the end of the season.
The World Driver’s Championship (WDC) is the championship that contests the 20 individual drivers. That means that while the two drivers on each team are competing with every other team to win the WCC, they’re also competing against each other to be the World Drivers Champion. Let me just say, this creates some serious drama on and off the grid.
So how do racing weekends work?
There are a total of 24 races across 21 countries from March to December. Racing weekends usually take place over three days. Friday is Practice Day where teams get two 60-minute sessions to set up their cars, practice the circuit, and work out kinks.
Saturday is Qualifying Day which determines the racer’s spots on the starting grid for the race. The spot a driver starts and finishes in will range from P1 (also referred to as Pole position) down to P20 (the bottom place on the grid.) The qualifying session is split into three stages.
In stage Q1 the slowest 5 drivers are eliminated and placed at the bottom 5 on the 20-driver grid. In Q2, the next 5 drivers are placed in P11-P15. In Q3, the top 10 drivers are placed from fastest to slowest driver. The qualifying position determines what place the driver starts on the grid for Sunday, Race Day.
While drivers want to get the advantage to start as close to the front of the grid as possible, their place in qualifying doesn’t necessarily mean they will end the race in that position. That being said, only drivers in positions P1-P10 at the end of the race get points for themselves and their teams.
What should you know about the upcoming season?
The 2025 season is the 75th anniversary of Formula 1, and it’s quite an exciting season. This year all eyes are on Lewis Hamilton who left his 12-year run with Mercedes to join Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton is a 7 time World Driver Champion, who had some difficult final seasons with Mercedes. He last won the WDC in 2020, and in 2021 Max Verstappen won his first WDC over Lewis Hamilton, and he’s won consecutively since.
In the race for World Drivers Champion is Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton’s teammate and the people’s prince in Italy. Ferrari has a massive fan base, and with two strong contenders, we’re all itching to see how they’ll work together and compete against each other. The grid is also full of exciting rookies in this new season that we’re all excited to see prove themselves.
To prep for this weekend and the rest of the 2025 season
I definitely recommend watching Drive to Survive on Netflix, to get a better sense of the sport, and explore the behind-the-scenes to get to know the racers. You can also download the F1 app and read up on articles, and watch race highlights, and videos. The Formula 1 world is full of glamour, prestige, and furious racing- I promise you’ll love it!
The season kicks off on Friday, March 14th for Practice in Melbourne. The Australian Grand Prix will be on Sunday, March 16th as the first race of the season.
Until then, read up on your F1 lore, and watch those driver edits on TikTok. You won’t be disappointed ;) I look forward to updating you on an exciting F1 75th season.
Forza Ferrari! Go Lewis Hamilton! Lights out and away we go!