The record-breaking 2024 season has come to a close with Max Verstappen a four-time title winner and McLaren the constructors’ champions for the first time since 1998.
Attention now turns to the 2025 campaign, the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship, where big names are moving to rival teams and exciting rookies are joining the grid.
The news that Lewis Hamilton had signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari was released before the 2024 season had even begun, so the excitement levels for finally seeing the seven-time world champion in red are sky-high.
After 12 years and six individual titles with Mercedes, Hamilton – who turns 40 in January – is leaving to partner Charles Leclerc at the Italian team.
The first glimpse of Hamilton driving for Ferrari will be at pre-season testing in Bahrain from 26-28 February, before the 2025 season opener in Australia from 14-16 March.
In June, Sergio Perez signed a new two-year deal to stay at Red Bull until the end of 2026, but that hasn’t stopped speculation about his future.
The Mexican ended the campaign eighth in the drivers’ championship – 285 points behind team-mate and champion Max Verstappen.
Team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports on the grid before the finale they would “sit down this week and reflect on the season”.
Rumours have suggested either Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson could take Perez’s seat at Red Bull, with reserve driver Isack Hadjar making the step up from F2 to RB.
Oliver Bearman gets a full-time seat next year after impressively stepping in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, and for Kevin Magnussen twice at Haas – the team he is joining.
The 19-year-old scored seven points in his three appearances in 2024 and will become the fourth British driver on the grid along with Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris in 2025.
Mercedes have opted to go down the rookie route by naming 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the driver to replace the departing Hamilton. The Italian has been promoted after just one season in Formula 2.
Also joining the grid is 21-year-old Australian Jack Doohan – son of five-time MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan – who made his debut for Alpine at the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi. Brazilian F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, 20, has been signed by Sauber in their final season before becoming Audi.
With Hamilton incoming – and Leclerc securing a lengthy contract extension in January – Carlos Sainz was left searching for a new home after four seasons with Ferrari.
The Spaniard secured all four of his career victories with the Scuderia, including two this year in Australia and Mexico. But with Mercedes snapping up Antonelli, and Red Bull initially deciding to stick with Perez until the end of 2026, his options for a spot with a top team were limited.
Ultimately, a very persuasive James Vowles convinced Sainz to switch to Williams – a challenge the 30-year-old says he will “embrace with excitement and positivity”.
Fans can look forward to another 24-race calendar, although there are a couple of fresh things to look out for in 2025.
Australia returns to its traditional position as the first grand prix of the new season, while Bahrain and Saudi Arabia move to an April slot because of the timing of the holy month of Ramadan.
The nine-month campaign finishes in Abu Dhabi on 7 December.
Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium will host its first sprint race since 2023, joining Shanghai, Miami, Austin, Sao Paulo and Qatar as part of the six events for next year.
The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will stage its penultimate race, with the event dropping off the calendar after 2026.
As this is a milestone year for Formula 1, the entire grid will be coming together for a special two-hour season launch event on 18 February.
Fans will gather at the O2 Arena in London from 20:00 GMT to watch all 10 teams show off their 2025 liveries together – a change from the usual individual unveilings.
How much of the newly developed cars we will get to see other than the liveries, however, remains a bit of a mystery.