In this article, we take a look at the entire driver lineup of the 2025 Formula One grid.
All ten teams have their lineups locked in, with multiple debutants set to get a taste of the highest quality of motor racing. With VCARB announcing Isack Hadjar as replacement for the Red Bull–headed Liam Lawson, we finally have the full grid for the 2025 F1 season.
Of course, the biggest driver shake-up remains Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, while we also have Kimi Antonelli, Liam Lawson, Jack Doohan, and Oliver Bearman in their full debut seasons.
Oracle Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen
The quadruple-defending World Champion comes into the 2025 season on the back off a hard-fought title defence in 2024 against Lando Norris. This season, he should be in for another long and rough season, if not more hardships. With McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes taking giant steps towards the front of the grid, the Dutchman and Red Bull will have their task cut out.
After joining Red Bull in 2016, when he took the world by storm in his debut race, Verstappen went on to become the team’s talisman over the next few seasons before taking his first world title in a tightly-contested season against Lewis Hamilton in 2021. He dominated the next two seasons, defending his title in a commanding manner before facing his first real title defence last year.
While McLaren would feel like they should’ve won both the Championships, Verstappen showcased why he is an all-time great as he managed to hold on to his title despite Red Bull falling behind.
Liam Lawson
Kiwi driver Liam Lawson has been part of the Red Bull junior team since 2019. After finishing third in the 2022 Formula 2 season, he served as a reserve and test driver for AlphaTauri and Red Bull the same season.
Lawson made his F1 debut at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, standing in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, and finished P13. He further participated in four more races that season in Ricciardo’s stead, finishing P9 at the Singapore Grand Prix to score his first points before moving back to his reserve role once Ricciardo was fit and returned.
The 23-year-old was back on the grid midway through last season, once again for Ricciardo, but this time under different circumstances as the Aussie was dropped after a string of poor performances. He saw out the 2024 season with VCARB, putting in a couple of strong drives to earn a call-up to the Red Bull team for the 2025 season to partner Max Verstappen. This will be Lawson’s first full season in F1.
Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari’s golden boy, the one the team have invested heavily in, Charles Leclerc enters his seventh season with the Italian team. This time, he will have a new teammate in the seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.
Leclerc, who stunned the world in his debut season at Ferrari by getting the better of his decorated then-teammate Sebastian Vettel, has slowly become the team’s No. 1 man, with the Maranello-based team looking to win their first title in almost two decades.
Leclerc has grown from being just a talented fast driver to a mature and capable team leader, but if he wants to write his name into the Ferrari history books, he needs to take that extra step to become a champion. He has already come out on top against a former several-time World Champion teammate; it remains to be seen if he can do it again.
Lewis Hamilton
The seven-time World Champion, one of the best to ever race in the sport, Lewis Hamilton made his highly-anticipated move to Ferrari earlier this year after more than a decade with Mercedes, during which time he won six world titles.
Even though he might be nearing his forties, the British star still has it in him to get on the top step of the podium whenever he has a car that can fight, which he showed last year. While it was a tough season for Hamilton personally, he moves to the iconic Italian team at a time when they have slowly moved back to fighting for titles after a tough couple of seasons.
Hamilton is partnering Ferrari’s golden boy Charles Leclerc to form what should be an explosive duo. He has previously had a tight equation with teammates who have also been battling for the win rather than playing second fiddle to him, so it remains to be seen how the veteran champion goes about his business with the Scarlet Red outfit.
Hamilton has won World Championships at McLaren and Mercedes. Now, not only he has a chance to win with the iconic Ferrari, he also has a chance to create history by becoming the most decorated driver in the history of the sport with eight titles.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
George Russell
British driver George Russell will be taking up the role of the team leader in what will be his fourth season with the Silver Arrows after Hamilton’s departure. The 27-year-old, who won the GP3 series in 2017 and followed it up with a championship-winning season in his debut Formula 2 campaign, made his Formula One debut with Williams Racing in 2019.
While the Williams machinery was one of the slowest on the grid, Russell continued to put the team much ahead of where they should have finished. A podium with Williams in 2021 saw him help the team avoid a bottom-of-the-table finish. In 2022, Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes to partner Hamilton. He took his first career win at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix, after which he has been on the top of the podium a further two times.
With Hamilton now at Ferrari, Russell now will have to take the reins as the talisman as he will be partnering the young and inexperienced Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Kimi Antonelli
The 18-year-old Italian racer joins the Formula One grid on the back of an incredible junior series record. The talented youngster has an Italian F4 Championship, an ADAC Formula 4 Championship, one FIA Motorsport Games Formula 4 Cup, one Formula Regional Middle East Championship, and a Formula Regional European Championship under his belt. His talent and pedigree is something Mercedes simply did not want to let slip through their fingers.
Mercedes signed Antonelli as a test driver in 2024, and the youngster is now set to make his full Formula One debut in 2025 for the Silver Arrows alongside Russell.
McLaren Formula 1 Team
Oscar Piastri
The young Australian, who now has two full seasons under his belt, helped McLaren win their first Constructors’ Championship in 25 years last year. After making his F1 debut in 2023, Piastri took home his first race win in 2024 and even troubled his more experienced teammate, Lando Norris, on multiple occasions. Piastri won two races last year, which saw him finish a brilliant fourth in Drivers’ Championship, ahead of veteran drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.
The 23-year-old Australian is contracted with the team until the end of the 2026 season and has already shown that he’s got what it takes to race and beat the big boys. Piastri is one of the most talented young drivers to have entered the sport in a long time, and his brilliant race craft is evident from the success he has had this early in his career, having not let his controversial contract termination with Alpine affect his on-track performance.
With two strong drivers in the mix, McLaren are once again frontrunners for the Constructors’ Championship for the upcoming season.
Lando Norris
After making his debut in the 2019 season for McLaren, Lando Norris has seen his career go up and up. The British driver has slowly cemented himself as one of the best drivers on the grid. While McLaren didn’t have a proper challenger in his early seasons with them, the British team have been able to make a push for race wins in the last few seasons, something Norris has made the most of.
McLaren took major steps in 2024, making the most of Red Bull’s struggles to have the fastest car on the grid for the majority of the season, which gave Norris his first shot at the Drivers’ title. While the nerves got to him at certain occasions, the title tussle would have made him a better driver.
Norris has already proven that he can compete with the likes of Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton and even beat them on his day. Heading into the new season, he is one of the favourites to take home the Drivers’ title as he goes about helping McLaren retain the Constructors’ title.
Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team
Fernando Alonso
In what will be his 22nd season in Formula One, the sport’s most experienced driver will continue to lead the charge for Aston Martin. Having made his debut way back in 2001 with Minardi, the double World Champion has raced for some of Formula One’s most iconic teams, such as Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari.
After winning back-to-back titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, Alonso made a big move to partner a rookie Lewis Hamilton at McLaren for the 2007 season. After being pushed to the limit by Hamilton, Alonso returned to Renault in 2008, where he spent two more years before moving to Ferrari. He came agonisingly close to winning the Drivers’ title twice as he finished second in 2010 and 2012.
After a couple of underwhelming seasons with McLaren between 2015 and 2018, Alonso walked away from the sport at the end of the 2018 season to try other forms of racing. He made a comeback in 2021 with Alpine, 20 years after his debut, and was immediately impressive.
In 2023, Alonso racked up eight podium finishes for Aston Martin on his way to a fourth-place finish in the Drivers’ Standings. However, Aston Martin failed to live up to their 2023 form as they fell down the grid in 2024. However, with the iconic Adrian Newey joining the team, they’re once again one to look out for, especially with the old horse Alonso still able to showcase his magic when he has a car worthy of his talent.
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll, son of Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll, will be driving in his ninth full season in Formula One as he gets ready to partner the veteran Fernando Alonso for yet another season. After an impressive debut with Williams in 2017, the Canadian driver moved to Racing Point in 2019 after his father led a consortium to keep the team afloat.
Stroll’s time with Racing Point—now Aston Martin—has been underwhelming, to say the least. Barring an impressive 2020 season, where he scored two podiums, Stroll has failed to live up to his expectations from his time at Williams. While there have been calls for his head at Aston Martin, Stroll remains on the grid for another season. Should Adrian Newey be able to provide the team with a proper challenger, Stroll will want to deliver a strong season to shut out the critics.
Also read: MSC Cruises to sponsor three Formula One races in 2025
BWT Alpine Formula One Team
Pierre Gasly
Another member of the Red Bull academy, Pierre Gasly made his Formula One debut with Toro Rosso for the final few races of the 2017 season. After a consistent season with the sister Red Bull team, he was promoted to the senior Red Bull team in 2019 but failed to handle the pressure, which saw Red Bull send him back to the sister team mid-season in 2019.
Gasly answered his critics in style, taking a stunning win at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix and helping AlphaTauri (previously Toro Rosso) become solid midfield contenders over the next few seasons. Gasly parted ways with the Red Bull system for good in 2023, moving to Alpine.
While he hasn’t been able to get on the top of the podium in his two seasons at Alpine, Gasly has provided the team with two podiums and has cemented himself as their lead driver moving ahead. The Frenchman will be partnering debutant Jack Doohan this year, and it remains to be seen if he can continue to lead the team up the table.
Jack Doohan
Son of motorcycle racing world champion Mick Doohan, Jack Doohan has racing in his blood and is set to make his full-season F1 debut with Alpine this year. The 22-year-old, who finished third in the Formula 3 Championship in 2021 and then third in the Formula 2 Championship in 2023, has been a reserve and test driver for Alpine since 2023.
Doohan’s performances in the junior categories got him a call-up to the senior Alpine setup to replace the departing Esteban Ocon. With Ocon leaving the team even before the 2024 season got over, Doohan made his F1 debut at last year’s season finale, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The young Australian qualified at P20 but managed to finish P15 in his first race.
This year, Doohan will be partnering the experienced Gasly, with Alpine hoping their dynamic duo helps them win some crucial midfield battles.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon
After winning the Formula 3 European Championship in 2014, French racer Esteban Ocon made his F1 debut with the now-defunct Manor Racing. As Manor left the grid the season after, Ocon was picked up by Force India, where he stayed for the next three seasons and proved himself as a solid midfield driver.
A member of the Mercedes academy, Ocon was left without a seat after the 2018 season as Force India became Racing Point following the struggles of their then-owner, Vijay Mallya. After spending a year as a reserve driver with Mercedes in 2019, he returned to the grid in 2020 with French team Renault.
Renault became Alpine in 2021 and Ocon gave the team the first win in their new guise at a chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix that same year. The 28-year-old stayed on with Alpine for the next three years, scoring two more podiums. Yet, Alpine’s inability to fight regularly at the front of the midfield saw them cut Ocon at the end of last season, after which the Frenchman was recruited by Haas.
Oliver Bearman
Partnering Ocon at Haas will be Oliver Bearman, who will be racing in his first full season in Formula One after three substitute appearances last year. A member of the Ferrari academy, Bearman finished third in the Formula 3 Championship in 2022 before joining Scuderia Ferrari as a reserve driver in 2024. Bearman was also announced as a reserve driver for Haas the same season, making his F1 debut with Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in place of the injured Carlos Sainz.
Racing as the youngest-ever driver for Ferrari, Bearman qualified a brilliant P11 before holding off the experienced Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to finish a stunning P7 on debut. Soon after, Haas signed Bearman on a multi-year contract starting from the 2025 season, though the 19-year-old made an early debut for Haas, this time subbing in for an injured Kevin Magnussen. He finished P10 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but failed to make it three out of three at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber
Nico Hülkenberg
One of the most experienced drivers on the grid, Nico Hülkenberg has moved to Sauber for the 2025 season. The 37-year-old German, who made his Formula One debut way back in 2010 after spending three years as a reserve and test driver with Williams, made his debut with the British team in the 2010 season. Hülkenberg picked up a stunning pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix that year but unfortunately failed to capitalise on that. He has since then driven for Force India, Sauber, Renault, and Haas and is now back at Sauber.
Hülkenberg also holds the unfortunate record of having the most number of Formula One starts without a podium, something he will want to change with Sauber this year.
Gabriel Bortoleto
Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto is also making his full-time F1 debut this year. Bortoleto comes into the 2025 season having won the Formula 3 Championship in 2023 and the Formula 2 Championship in 2024 before being picked up by Sauber on a multi-year deal.
Bortoleto was part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, which he left at the end of last year. He will be the first-ever Formula 2 Champion since Mick Schumacher to get a direct promotion to F1 right after winning the junior category.
Williams Racing
Carlos Sainz Jr.
Another Red Bull academy member, Carlos Sainz is coming into the new season with a new team, having moved from Ferrari to Williams Racing.
The 30-year-old, who made his Formula One debut in 2015 alongside Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso, spent a couple of years at the sister Red Bull team before moving to Renault towards the end of the 2018 season. After a season and half with Renault, he made the move to McLaren, which got his career going. While McLaren were far from being contenders, Sainz gave the team stellar results and podium finishes, which saw him get a call-up to Ferrari to replace Sebastian Vettel.
Sainz’s move to Ferrari finally saw him get on top step of the podium, though his time with Ferrari failed to yield him a championship battle. After four seasons with the Scuderia, during which time he won four races, with his best performances coming in the 2024 season in terms of both standings and points, he was replaced by Lewis Hamilton.
With not a lot of options open on the field, Sainz made a move to Williams, who have been taking small steps towards moving up the midfield. Sainz is set to partner the talented Alex Albon, and should the British team be able to provide them with a worthy car, both drivers have the capabilities to take them up the field.
Alex Albon
Thai-British driver Alex Albon, a part of the Red Bull academy, moved to Formula One after a third-place finish in Formula 2 in 2018. After getting the seat at Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso in 2019, Albon was promoted to Red Bull in the middle of that very season, with Pierre Gasly struggling on the main team. Albon struggled to find consistency at Red Bull, however, and after two tough seasons he was demoted to being a test driver for them for the 2021 season.
Albon made his comeback to Formula One with Williams Racing in 2022. While it was a tough debut season for him at Williams, he put in stellar drives in the next two seasons to score important points for the team and get them off the bottom of the grid.
Albon has now cemented himself as Williams’ lead driver, though this year he has a much more experienced teammate in Carlos Sainz. Now that Williams have two capable drivers in Albon and Sainz, they will need to provide them with a strong challenger if they are to move up the midfield.
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team (VCARB)
Yuki Tsunoda
A member of the Red Bull academy, Yuki Tsunoda grabbed everyone’s attention following his F4 Japanese Championship win in 2018 and a third-place finish in Formula 2 in the 2020 season.
Tsunoda was signed for Red Bull Racing’s sister team AlphaTauri in 2021, where he scored on debut. While he still awaits a first podium finish, the 24-year-old has slowly become a reliable force for VCARB and will be leading them in the 2025 season alongside debutant Isack Hadjar.
Isack Hadjar
A fourth-place finish in Formula 3 in 2022, which he followed up with a runner-up finish in Formula 2 the year after, saw French racer Isack Hadjar get the call by Red Bull to make his full F1 debut with Racing Bulls in 2025.
After impressing the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, at the Free Practice session of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as well as the post-season testing, Hadjar was announced as Yuki Tsunoda’s partner for Racing Bulls, replacing Liam Lawson, who headed to Red Bull.
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