Transfers, calendar, rules… What will change in Formula 1 in 2025

Transfers: the big upheaval

If the 2023-2024 off-season was exceptionally stable in terms of transfers, this is not at all the case for this 2025 season with numerous transfers, departures and arrivals in Formula 1 ! It's quite simple: except McLaren (Lando Norris - Oscar piastri) and Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso - Lance stroll), all the teams have changed at least one of their drivers, if not both! Obviously, the transfer of the year that shook the transfer window in 2024 is of course the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. The Briton will fulfill his dream of driving for the Team, and his departure from home Mercedes completely shook up the transfer market last year.

Carlos Sainz, victim of this incredible transfer, will find refuge with Williams while Mercedes will trust the young Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton. The 18-year-old Italian, the third youngest driver in Formula 1 history, will not be the only rookie in 2025, far from it: six new drivers will compete in their first full season in F1, something never seen since 2010! Among them, we will find Oliver Bearman at Haas, Liam Lawson at Red Bull, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, Jack Doohan at Alpine and finally, Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls. The Frenchman joins the contingent of French drivers, now numbering three with Pierre Gasly et Esteban Ocon. The latter will also join Haas in 2025 in place of Nico Hulkenberg, who left for Sauber.

F1 2025 – All Transfers

🇮🇹 Andrea Kimi Antonelli: Formula 2 (2024) ➡️ Mercedes (2025)
🇬🇧 Lewis Hamilton : Mercedes (2024) ➡️ Ferrari (2025)
🇪🇸 Carlos Sainz : Ferrari (2024) ➡️ Williams (2025)
???????? jack doohan : Reservist Alpine (2024) ➡️ Alpine (2025)
🇫🇷 Esteban Ocon : Alpine (2024) ➡️ Haas (2025)
🇬🇧 Oliver Bearman : Formula 2 (2024) ➡️ Haas (2025)
???????? Nico Hulkenberg : Haas (2024) ➡️ Sauber (2025)
🇧🇷 Gabriel Bortoleto : Formula 2 (2024) ➡️ Sauber (2025)
🇳🇿 Liam Lawson : Racing Bulls (2024) ➡️ Red Bull (2025)
🇫🇷 Isack Hadjar : Formula 2 (2024) ➡️ Racing Bulls (2025)

Departures after 2024

🇲🇽 Sergio Perez : Red Bull (2024) ➡️? (2025)
(I.e. Kevin Magnussen : Haas (2024) ➡️ Endurance with BMW (2025)
???????? Logan sargeant : Williams (2024) ➡️ Endurance with IDEC Sport (2025)
???????? Daniel Ricciardo : Racing Bulls (2024) ➡️ ? (2025)
🇫🇮 Valtteri Bottas : Sauber (2024) ➡️ Mercedes Reserve (2025)
🇨🇳 Guanyu-Zhou : Sauber (2024) ➡️? (2025)
🇦🇷 Franco Colapinto : Williams (2024) ➡️ Reserve Alpine (2025)

Calendar: minor changes

The 2025 grid will see major changes, of course... but in terms of the calendar, it's hard to be more stable! Compared to 2024, we find the same 24 Grands Prix, with no new features or starts. However, some dates and locations have been changed for the upcoming season. The main change is the opening round, which will this time be held in Australia, in Melbourne, on March 16. The Albert Park circuit will host the first race of the season, as was the case until 2019. Due to the Ramadan holiday, which will take place from February 28 to March 29, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix have been moved back to April 13 and 20, 2025, after the Asia-Pacific tour.

After a now customary stopover in Miami in May, the paddock will take part in the European season from May to September – with a detour via Canada in June, however – before the American tour in the autumn and a return via the Middle East to conclude the season, and complete the loop. In total, the calendar includes five back-to-backs but above all three triple headers (a series of three Grands Prix in three weeks): Japan-Bahrain-Saudi Arabia in April, Imola-Monaco-Barcelona in May-June, and Las Vegas-Losail-Abu Dhabi in November-December.

F1 2025 – The calendar

1. 🇦🇺 Australia (Melbourne) – March 16, 2025
2. 🇨🇳 China (Shanghai)* - 23 March 2025
3. 🇯🇵 Japan (Suzuka) - April 6, 2025
4. 🇧🇭 Bahrain (Manama) - April 13, 2025
5. 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) - April 20, 2025
6. 🇺🇸 Miami (United States)* - May 4, 2025
7. 🇮🇹 Emilia-Romagna (Imola) - May 18, 2025
8. 🇲🇨 Monaco (Monaco) - May 25, 2025
9. 🇪🇸 Spain (Barcelona) – June 1, 2025
10. 🇨🇦 Canada (Montreal) - 15 June 2025
11. 🇦🇹 Austria (Spielberg) - 29 June 2025
12. 🇬🇧 Great Britain (Silverstone) - July 6, 2025
13. 🇧🇪 Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)* - July 27, 2025
14. 🇭🇺 Hungary (Budapest) - August 3, 2025
15. 🇳🇱 Netherlands (Zandvoort) - August 31, 2025
16. 🇮🇹 Italy (Monza) - September 7, 2025
17. 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan (Baku) - September 21, 2025
18. 🇸🇬 Singapore (Singapore) - 5 October 2025
19. 🇺🇸 Austin (United States)* - 19 October 2025
20. 🇲🇽 Mexico (Mexico) - 26 October 2025
21. 🇧🇷 Brazil (São Paulo)* - 9 November 2025
22. 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (United States) - 22 November 2025
23. 🇶🇦 Qatar (Losail)* - 30 November 2025
24. 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) - December 7, 2025

*Sprint format

Rules: Fastest lap point is over

Before the big upheaval of 2026 and the introduction of the new technical regulations, the technical and sporting regulations will not change much in 2025. On the technical side, some changes have been made, in particular the minimum weight which increases to 800 kilograms since the minimum weight authorized for the driver (helmet and equipment included) increases from 80 kg to 82 kg. A new cooling system for the driver is also introduced to avoid high temperatures in the cockpit. Finally, the "Mini-DRS" effect is indirectly prohibited with clarifications made on the opening gap and the flexibility of the rear wing.

On the sporting side, the main change for 2025 will be the removal of the point for the fastest lap. Introduced in 2019, this additional point for the driver who sets the fastest lap in a race – on the condition of finishing in the Top 10 – has never been unanimous and will therefore be abandoned from this year. Among the other points to note, the fact that the teams will have to have a rookie driver participate in four Free Practice 1 sessions (two per car) over the entire season, compared to two in 2024 (one per car). Finally, for the first time in history, a joint presentation of the ten single-seaters – or at least their livery – will be organized on February 18, at the O2 Arena in London (United Kingdom), in the presence of all the teams and all the drivers.

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