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Lore & Background

The 2025 season was defined by intense battles for the World Drivers' and Constructors' titles. Lando Norris secured his first championship in his seventh season, driven by McLaren alongside Oscar Piastri. The title fight went down to the final race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Norris led with a 104-point advantage that narrowed to just 12 points before the checkered flag. Despite Max Verstappen winning the finale for Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT, finishing within two points of Norris, the British driver's third-place finish was sufficient to claim the title. This victory made Norris the 35th overall champion and the eighth for McLaren. Meanwhile, Piastri, who led the standings for 15 rounds, finished third, 13 points behind his teammate.

In Their Own Story

The competitive narrative of 2025 was shaped by significant driver movements and in-season drama. Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes after twelve seasons to join Ferrari, replacing Carlos Sainz Jr., who moved to Williams. Mercedes promoted Kimi Antonelli from Formula 2 to fill the void. At Haas, an all-new lineup saw Oliver Bearman replace Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Ocon take over for Kevin Magnussen. The Red Bull Racing lineup also shifted after Sergio Pérez departed; Liam Lawson joined but was demoted to Racing Bulls following the Chinese Grand Prix, allowing Yuki Tsunoda to make his debut at the Japanese Grand Prix. On the track, McLaren secured both titles, a feat not achieved since 1998. At Singapore, they retained the Constructors' Championship, moving second on the all-time list with ten titles, ahead of Williams.

Reader's Guide

The 2025 calendar featured 24 races, matching the previous season's count. The Australian Grand Prix returned as the opening race for the first time since 2019, displacing Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to later dates to avoid Ramadan conflicts. Sprint formats were introduced at six events: China, Miami, Belgium, the United States, São Paulo, and Qatar. Technical regulations evolved to prioritize driver well-being, increasing the minimum weight allowance from 80kg to 82kg and introducing a mandatory cooling kit when temperatures exceeded 30.5 °C. Gearbox limits were removed entirely due to improved reliability, while stricter deflection tests were enforced on rear and front wings. A new penalty structure for driver misconduct was implemented, starting with a €40,000 fine for first offenses.

Did You Know?

• Lando Norris ended Max Verstappen's four-year reign as champion with a third-place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
• The minimum driver weight allowance was increased to 82kg to promote well-being, raising the car's minimum weight (excluding fuel) to 800kg.
• McLaren secured both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles for the first time since 1998.
• Yuki Tsunoda made his Red Bull Racing debut at the Japanese Grand Prix after Liam Lawson was demoted following the Chinese Grand Prix.
• The Russian Grand Prix, which had a contract to feature in 2025, remains off the calendar due to the termination of its contract in 2022.