Predictions For The 2025 F1 Season That Will Once Again Make Me Look Like A Total Genius
Ladies and gentlemen, we have made it!
A new Formula 1 season is upon us with the Australian Grand Prix returning to its old spot as the opening race on the schedule, which means it's time for one of my favorite pieces to write, my annual F1 predictions!
Who could forget some of those great predictions from years past, like last season when I correctly predicted that Lewis Hamilton would be back on the top step of the podium in his final season with Mercedes?
Of course… there are also times when I predicted things that were way off, like in 2023 when I predicted that Nyck de Vries would outscore Yuki Tsunoda for AlphaTauri…
..they ended up giving de Vries the booth after about ten races.
You can't win them all, but you can try to win them all, which is what we're going to do in this year's batch of Formula 1 predictions that will once against
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber: Hulkenberg Q3 Appearance Before Summer Break
Last year was brutal for Sauber, and there’s really no way to go but up on their final season before morphing into the Audi works team.
Sauber has a brand new lineup combining grizzled vet Nico Hulkenberg and 2024 F2 champ Gabriel Bortoleto which will be an interesting one.
Hulkenberg is a known quantity who had a habit of getting the most out of his car while at Haas, while Bortoleto is still obviously a talented driver, but he’s also one of the many rookies on the grid this season who is getting thrown into the deep end given how hard it is to be a rookie in F1.
I’ll be honest. The bar is low here so it was hard to think of a prediction by ol’ F1 Mattsradamus has one for you.
Last season, Sauber started to get a bit stronger in qualifying, and that’s where Hulkenberg really shined with Haas.
Put them together? I’m calling for a Hulk to get that Sauber of his into Q3 by the summer break.
Can he do it? Sure, as long as this year’s car doesn’t have any of the goofy problems — like not being able to remove wheel nuts — that last year’s Sauber ran into at times.
Williams is bringing one of the strongest driver lineups to the grid in 2025 with Carlos Sainz (Right) joining Alex Albon. (Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Williams: P6
We mentioned it already but one of the big storylines at least for the start of the season will be the influx of rookies, with five of the teams fielding rookies (six of you count Red Bull’s Liam Lawson starting his first full-time F1 season.
There will be growing pains for the youngsters as is often the case with the limited amount of time drivers get on track, which is why I think that Williams — which now fields one of the most experienced lineups on the grid with Alex Albon and the newly acquired Carlos Sainz — is in a position to take advantage of that and climb up the standings this year.
The key here is going to be back at the factory. Williams has two proven drivers, with Sainz being a race winner, so it’ll be up to the team to give them a car that can compete for points every week.
I’m predicting P6 for the team, but they’ll need consistency. Over the last couple of years, Williams has been good at circuits that allow teams to rely on straight-line speed. But they need a more well-rounded car to compete in what is always a crowded midfield.
Racing Bulls: Breakout Season For Yuki
Racing Bulls (which is now what RB stands for) is another team fielding a rookie with Red Bull Junior driver Isack Hadjar joining alongside veteran Yuki Tsunoda who now slides into an unquestioned team leader role.
Yuki was passed over for a spot at Red Bull this season and is also looking for a ride in 2026. Add those two situations together and I think you’re going to see a big year out of him.
Tsunoda continues to be — in my opinion — the most underrated driver on the grid, and I think there will be a lot of interest in him, especially with another strong season.
As long as RB brings a solid car, I think Yuki will be able to compete for points on most weekends.
As a bonus prediction, I think he’ll be wearing British Racing Green in 2026, but more on that in a bit…
Esteban Ocon has a track record of butting heads with teammates. Will that continue this year at Haas? (Photo by Sam Bloxham/LAT Images)
Haas: Esteban Ocon Burns Another Bridge
Look, Esteban Ocon is a Grand Prix-winner and by all accounts a very nice guy, but there's no way around this: he has a habit of butting heads with teammates.
It happened at Racing Point when he was paired with Sergio Perez.
It happened at Alpine when he was paired with Fernando Alonso.
And, boy, did it ever happen again at Alpine with his long-time rival Pierre Gasly during last year's Monaco Grand Prix.
This year, Ocon will be paired with Ollie Bearman at a Haas team that is undeniably on the ascent. So, the last thing they need is for some driver drama, but Ocon definitely has a track record.
Perhaps being paired with a rookie will help since Ocon should come in as the defacto team leader.
But, like I said, with so many examples of head-butting, I think we're going to see some fireworks at Haas this season.
Alpine: Gasly Sneaks Onto Podium
One of the biggest stunners of the 2024 season came late in the year when Alpine — who started off the season in horrendous form — caught a phenomenal bounce in Brazil and wound up with both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly on the podium.
That result made them leapfrog Haas of P6 in the standings.
This year, Gasly is back while Jack Doohan replaces Ocon full-time after substituting for him at the season finale in Abu Dhabi back in December.
Alpine has had some issues over the years, with the biggest being a confusing leadership structure and the least powerful engine on the grid.
However, as they did Brazil, Alpine does have a habit of finding a way to capitalize on lucky bounces whenever they come their way.
We've seen podiums for Gasly over the years, and Ocon's win in Hungary a few seasons ago are prime examples.
I think we're going to see this again, with Gasly being the driver to pounce if the team catches a break this season.
Aston Martin: Big Step Back
It’s a shame how much Aston Martin has stalled. In 2023, Fernando Alonso was competing for podiums almost every week, but now, they’re struggling to get into Q3.
They’ve been out-developed in a big way by the teams around them over the last couple of years, and it shows.
The team had what many believe was the worst preseason test of any team, and considering design wiz Adrian Newey just started at the team within the last few weeks (and, if they’re smart, they’ll make him focus on the 2026 car), this season might hurt.
After a P5 finish last year, I think we’re going to see a real slide down the order for Aston this season. I’m talking P6 or P8, maybe P9.
But there might be a silver lining. A skid like that could be what Lawrence Stroll needs to realize his son, Lance, isn’t the guy the team needs in the cockpit if they want to be competitive.
2026 will also see the team switching To Honda power units. Do you know who Honda has been a massive supporter of over the years?
Yuki Tsunoda.
It’s a new engine formula in 2026, Honda has a bit of a streaky record in the turbo-hybrid era starting with the ill-fated "Size Zero" engine it built for McLaren and finishing with championship-winning engines for Red Bull.
I’d expect a strong engine to 2026 for Aston Martin, and couple that with an Adrian Newey-designed car and an Alonso-Tsunoda driver lineup would be a recipe for success.
But before that can happen, it’ll be a painful 2025… according to me.
Mercedes prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli makes his F1 debut this season, and I don't think we'll have to wait too long for him to get on the podium. (Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images)
Mercedes: Andrea Kimi Antonelli On The Podium By Monaco
With all of the rookies in the field this year, the one who will be most front and center will without a doubt be Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
He’s taking over for Lewis Hamilton — one of the best to ever do it — at Mercedes and will have to drive against another top-tier driver in George Russell.
It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, Antonelli should have the best car of any rookie (unless you count Lawson as a rookie; I don’t know that I would) but that comes with its own pressures to perform on top of all of the pressure he’s facing in following Hamilton.
Can he do it? Time will tell, but the team certainly thinks so, otherwise, he wouldn’t be in the car.
I’m inclined to think he’s the real deal, and I’m calling for a podium for the young Italian before we get to Monaco, which means within the first 7 Grand Prix.
That’s a bold prediction given how all signs point to another crowded battle at the front of the grid, but what can I say? I’m a bold guy.
New Zealander Liam Lawson (Left) jumps up to Red Bull this season where he'll drive alongside the reigning four-time champion, Max Verstappen. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Red Bull: Liam Lawson Wins A Grand Prix
Speaking of double-edged swords, how about the one Liam Lawson is facing by being the latest driver to partner up with Max Verstappen on Red Bull?
On the one hand, you’re going to get a good car. On the other, your teammate is notorious for breaking teammates because of how good he can be.
Your teammate is your best measuring stick, and that’s a big challenge for Lawson who has done well in F1 appearances over the last two seasons, but keeping up with Verstappen week after week is a tall order.
Still, there’s a reason Red Bull has kept Lawson around as long as they have before they had a full-time seat for him. He’s good.
Very good.
Red Bull will be happy to have Lawson qualify toward the front to give them a rear-gunner for Verstappen which then opens up some strategy options, but if he does end up toward the front, why couldn’t he win a race?
I think he can, I think we’re going to see Lawson on teh top step of the podium after a Grand Prix at least once this season.
F1 great Lewis Hamilton making the jump to Ferrari is going to be a major talking point this season, and will take some getting used to. (Photo credit should read Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Ferrari: Lewis Beats Charles In Standings
Ferrari will be one of the most fun teams to watch this season.
They looked good in testing, and expect them to be running up front this year.
They’ve also got arguably the best driver lineup in the sport with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, but that combo could make things very interesting.
Sure, Lewis is a legend and a 7-time champion, but Leclerc is the Ferrari golden boy and has been for years. What happens if all of a sudden Lewis comes in and becomes the team’s lead driver in the standings and starts to get the favorable strategy calls?
Great TV, that’s what happens.
It’s not really a bold take to say one of the best drivers ever could outscore his teammate, but I think Hamilton might do exactly that pretty easily. I think we’re going to see a rejuvenated Lewis in his first season at Ferrari, plus, I think he tends to make fewer mistakes that end up costing points than Leclerc has over the years.
That consistency is what I think will help him outscore an extremely talented teammate like Charles Leclerc.
After a stellar 2024, it looks like this year's championship is Lando Norris and McLaren's to lose. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
McLaren: Lando Is World Champ But Has To Fight Oscar For It
I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn't consider McLaren to be the Constructors' Championship frontrunner this season, and I think most would agree that Lando Norris is the popular choice to win the Drivers' Championship as well.
I would put myself in this camp as well, but I don't think it's going to be quite so cut and dry because Norris' teammate is one Oscar Piastri.
Piastri — who signed an extension that was announced this week ahead of his home race, the season-opening Australian Grand Prix — is a phenomenal driver, who I think has a habit of being a little more even-keeled than Norris.
Consistency goes a long way, and I think that could make the end of the season very interesting if McLaren finds themselves with two drivers scrapping for every last point in hopes of winning a championship.
Still, I think Norris will end up winning more races, which will ultimately give him the title.
Bonus Prediction: Cadillac’s Line-Up
Hey, would you look at that! We've got a little bonus prediction and this one has to do with the new 11th team that will make its way onto the F1 grid in 2026, Cadillac.
I think this is a great thing for the sport. Getting a major American automaker on the grid and in a few years' time building engines is massive.
There will be plenty of Cadillac talk in the months to come, but the big topic will be their driver lineup.
The team will have no shortage of options with plenty of driver who have recent F1 experience — like Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher — currently on the beach.
On top of that, a few current drivers are without contracts for next season including RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes George Russell.
Then there are of course drivers coming up through the F2 ranks to consider.
But the one driver who always comes up is IndyCar star Colton Herta. This is because the team has talked about wanting an American driver (albeit one chosen on merit) to fill one seat. As far as American's with Formula 1 Super Licenses the pickings are slim.
Herta is a solid choice and currently drives for Andretti, which is owned by TWG Global which is running this Cadillac team.
I think Cadillac will with one rookie — Herta — and one experienced driver, and that's where it gets really interesting. Drivers like Sergio Perez and Zhou Guanyu bring some nice funding and sponsorship, as does Daniel Ricciardo who is also immensely popular and known outside of F1.
But I think the best option for them is Bottas, who currently serves as a Mercedes reserve driver.
So, I'm calling it now: Colton Herta and Valtteri Bottas will be Cadillac's driver pairing when the lights go out in 2026… but if I'm wrong keep it to yourself.
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Whew, that was a long one, but I'm fired up for this season and I bet you are too, so feel free to send me your predictions for this season over on X (@Matt_Reigle) or by email (matthew.reigle@outkick.com).