What does the 2025 grid look like after Isack Hadjar's official announcement at Racing Bulls?

Article updated on December 20, 2024 after the announcement of Isack Hadjar's tenure at Racing Bulls. 

Slowly but surely, the 2025 grid of F1 is taking shape. In a year in which the transfer market is lively as rarely, it has just experienced a new episode. The transfer window had started with a bang in February, with the shock announcement of the transfer of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari. Haas had then followed up by making official the departure of Nico Hulkenberg at the end of the current campaign, while Audi announced the recruitment of the German for 2026 who will wait at Sauber in 2025.

A few weeks later, it was the turn ofEsteban Ocon to announce his departure fromAlpine by "mutual agreement" before joining Haas. Sergio Perez and Yuki tsunoda have, for their part, extended within the fold Red Bull. Carlos Sainz ended up finding refuge with Williams wheras'Alpine announced its second driver with the start of Jack Doohan who will accompany Pierre Gasly who recently re-enlisted on the long term.

Mercedes then ended the (false) suspense by making official the debut of Andrea Kimi Antonelli in F1 next year, before being imitated at the beginning of November by Sauber. The Swiss team confirmed the presence alongside Nico Hülkenberg next year of the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, leader of the F2 and 20 years old. With all these recent movements, what does the 2025 grid look like now?

Perez extended for two years, but fired

Among the reigning world champions, alone Max Verstappen had his seat assured for the next exercise. Under contract until 2028, the Dutchman is on course to continue the adventure even if Toto Wolff dreamed of him at Mercedes. The stranger lived on the other side of the garage with a Sergio Perez who was coming to the end of his lease.

Just before the Canadian Grand Prix, the ninth round of the season, the Austrian team announced the Mexican's contract extension until the end of 2026. An announcement that caused a stir on social media because this extension comes at a time when Pérez was starting to show some signs of weakness (elimination in Q1 at Monaco, 8th at Imola, etc.) and the form of Czech has not improved since then. To the point of finally being thanked by his team at the end of the season. He will be replaced in 2025 by Liam Lawson, promoted from Racing Bulls.

Mercedes trusts youth

By securing the services of Lewis Hamilton, associated with Charles Leclerc From 2025, Ferrari has forced Mercedes to probe the transfer market. After the announcement of the Englishman's departure, several names were mentioned to join Brackley, but it is finally the driver of the German academy, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will take over the seat of the seven-time world champion.

A big task for the 18-year-old Italian, who is touted as a world champion in the making and will make his debut in the discipline next year. George Russell, for his part, is continuing the trend, having extended his contract last summer and is emerging as the new leader of Mercedes.

McLaren and Aston Martin, nothing moves

McLaren don't have to worry about next year. On the Woking side, Zak Brown is in charge perfectly and is already assured of being able to count on Lando Norris et Oscar piastri in 2025, both having recently sworn loyalty to the Oranges.

At Aston Martin, status quo since Fernando Alonso extended at the beginning of April followed by Lance stroll, the same day as Pierre Gasly. It is therefore continuity that awaits the Greens, at least until 2026.

Alpine : Ocon leaves, Gasly stays and Doohan arrives

Plagued by sporting difficulties since the start of the season but in better form recently, Alpine also had to manage the Ocon/Gasly case. In the end everything happened quite quickly. A few days after the Monaco Grand Prix and the episode which marked internally, the French team announced the end of its collaboration with Esteban Ocon whose contract will simply not be renewed. Pierre Gasly for his part is part of the long term since he extended over the long term.

The latter will be supported by Jack Doohan. The Australian, reservist for the French team, was able to prove himself convincingly to obtain second place at stake on the side ofAlpine and will now make his debut in Formula 1.

Haas: Bearman and Ocon starters in 2025

Nico Hülkenberg expected at Sauber, Haas took advantage of the British Grand Prix to confirm what was an open secret: the tenure of Oliver Bearman for the 2025 season. Very good for his first in F1 when he had to replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, the one nicknamed Ollie, scored big points on this occasion. A Scuderia academy driver, the Briton drove in two Free Practice 1 sessions with Haas in 2023 and made a good impression.

As for the identity of the second representative, it will be Esteban Ocon. Expected for many weeks, the announcement of the arrival of the Frenchman within the American team fell on Thursday July 25 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. The Normandy driver has signed a multi-year contract with Gene Haas' team.

Sauber and RB… Make way for youth

Sauber, for its part, must now find Nico Hülkenberg's future teammate. At the end of the contract, Valtteri Bottas et Guanyu-Zhou are not retained. The name of Carlos Sainz has come up insistently with a view to the arrival of Audi in 2026, but the Madrilenian has finally decided to bounce back at Williams.

Indeed, at Grove, James Vowles had the ambition to bring together two world-class drivers. At least that's what he indicated. in our columns with the assurance that Alex Albon continue the adventure. Carlos Sainz has therefore decided to be part of this ambitious duo for the British team, notably rejecting the recent advances ofAlpine. It was finally Gabriel Bortoleto who was chosen to support Nico Hülkenberg. At 20 years old, the champion F3 2023 and current leader of F2 will therefore make his debut in the premier class as part of an ambitious project, driven by Audi's desire to position itself as quickly as possible at the front of the grid.

Finally, Racing Bulls activated the one-year extension of Yuki Tsunoda, shortly after the renewal of Sergio Pérez within the parent team. After the announcement of the departure of Liam Lawson to Red Bull, the Italian team will trust Isack Hadjar. The Formula 2 vice-champion will be the third French representative on the grid in 2025.

F1 - The 2025 Grid (as of 20/12/2024)

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