F1: What are the changes to the grid for 2025?
Among the main driver movements for next year, Lewis Hamilton heads to Ferrari and Carlos Sainz to Williams
The passage of the seven-time English world champion Lewis Hamilton of mercedes to Ferraria team in which he will replace the Spanish Carlos Sainzwill be the main change, with a view to next year, on the grid of the Formula 1in which in the 2025 At least three of the drivers who rode on Sunday in the last Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi, will not be there.
The news of the signing of Lewis Hamilton by Ferrari It was the big news bomb at the beginning of the year, even before the start of the preseason, and a hard dish to digest for Carlos Sainzwho combined great resilience with his talent and achieved two victories (Australia – two weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis – and Mexico) bringing his win ratio in the premier category to four. All of them in his four years with the Maranello team, with which he achieved 25 of his 27 podiums in the F1as well as the six pole positions and three of his four fastest laps.
“I am proud of these four years, but I am even more proud of this last one; for having maintained the motivation and determination to push throughout the year,” he declared. Carlos Sainz30 years old, EFE after competing in his last race with Ferrari in Yas Marina, where this week the talented Madrid pilot will get on the Williams.
The hole it will leave Lewis Hamilton in mercedes –a team in which he has captured six of his seven titles– the young Italian will cover him Andrea Kimi Antonelli (18 years old), who already took to the track in the first free practice session in Monza (Italy), where the pressure got the better of him.
Carlos Sainz is going to Williamsone of the historic teams (9 constructors’ titles and 7 drivers’ titles), in which he will be a teammate of the Thai Alex Albon; who shared these last nine Grand Prix with the Argentine Franco Colapintosubstitute on the Grove team for the American Logan Sargeant from Monza (Italy).
The future of Franco Colapinto –born 21 years ago in Pilar (Buenos Aires)– is uncertain, since, in theory, the grill is closed, but in reality F1 You can almost never take anything for granted. Until now, the future of Czech Perez with Red Bull. The companion of the Dutch quadruple world champion Max Verstappen He was quick to remember, as soon as he arrived in Abu Dhabi, that next year he has a contract in force with Red Bullbut after confirming a season to be forgotten with another retirement in the last race of the year, ‘himself Czech Perez He admitted that he doesn’t know “what’s going to happen.”
“We will see what happens in the next few days. I have a contract with the team and we have been talking. It is about discussing what is best for everyone; and moving forward,” he said. Czech Perezwith six victories and 39 podiums in the premier class at the age of 34.
McLarenwho won the Constructors’ World Cup, repeats training and English Lando Norrissecond in the championship after winning on Sunday in Yas Marina — ahead of Carlos Sainz— will form a pair again with the Australian Oscar Piastrifourth in the World Cup, with two points more than the Spanish.
The Asturian double world champion Fernando Alonso –32 victories and 106 podiums in the F1–, who continued to shine at the age of 43 with a very weak Aston Martinwill once again form a duo with the Canadian Lance Strollthe son of Lawrence Stroll, owner of the Silverstone team.
In Abu Dhabi, the French Esteban Ocon –that is going to haas— has already been replaced by the Australian Jack Doohan –son of the legendary Mick Doohan, five-time world motorcycling champion–, in Alpinea team in which the oceanic will be an official pilot in the 2025.
Esteban Ocon will be a companion of the young Englishman Oliver Bearman –18 years old, who this year has already run two races, one of them replacing Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, when the man from Madrid had to undergo surgery for appendicitis– in haas. A team that completely changes its formation: the German Nico Hulkenberg is going to Sauber; and the Danish Kevin Magnussen said goodbye to the F1 with the fastest lap in the race on Sunday at Yas Marina.
Kick Sauber is the other team that replaces a duo of drivers, since the new teammate Nico Hulkenberg It will be another debutant: the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoletowhich on Sunday certified its final victory in the championship. The Finnish double world runner-up Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou, the first Chinese to race in the F1the two drivers of the Hinwil (Switzerland) team during this season, competed in their last race in the premier category on Sunday in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
