Anyone who follows Formula 1 knows the offseason is rarely quiet. The 2025 driver lineup turned out to be one of the most shuffled in recent memory, with five rookies landing full-time seats and a mid-season swap that reshuffled the top team’s order. This article breaks down every confirmed driver, the major changes, and what they mean for the championship battle.

4 related posts

Teams on the 2025 grid: 10 ·
Confirmed drivers: 20 ·
New rookies for 2025: 5 (Antonelli, Bearman, Bortoleto, Colapinto, Doohan) ·
Mid-season driver change: Tsunoda replaced Lawson at Red Bull after two races ·
2025 World Champion: Lando Norris (McLaren)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • Early 2025: all driver lineups published (Pitpass)
  • After Round 2: Tsunoda replaces Lawson at Red Bull (Formula1.com)
  • December 2025: Norris clinches title (Formula1.com)
4What’s next
  • Red Bull confirms Isack Hadjar as Verstappen’s 2026 teammate (Red Bull Racing statement)
  • 2026 driver lineup likely to see more moves (Motorsport Magazine)

The implication: this snapshot underscores the season’s volatility.

The 2025 grid contained six key facts that define the season.

Attribute Value
World Champion Lando Norris (McLaren)
Runner-Up Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Number of Teams 10
Total Drivers 20
New Drivers (full-time debuts) 5
Key Mid-Season Change Tsunoda → Red Bull, Lawson → RB

Who are the drivers for 2025 F1?

Full list of 2025 F1 drivers and teams

The 2025 FIA entry list, published in late December 2024 and reported by Pitpass, confirms 20 drivers across 10 teams. The table below shows the complete lineup as it stood after the mid-season swap.

Team Driver 1 Driver 2
Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen Yuki Tsunoda
McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri
Ferrari Lewis Hamilton Charles Leclerc
Mercedes George Russell Kimi Antonelli
Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll
Alpine Pierre Gasly Jack Doohan
Williams Alexander Albon Franco Colapinto
RB (Visa Cash App Racing Bulls) Liam Lawson Daniel Ricciardo
Haas Esteban Ocon Oliver Bearman
Sauber Valtteri Bottas Gabriel Bortoleto

Driver changes from 2024 to 2025

  • Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes for Ferrari, ending a long partnership (Pitpass).
  • Liam Lawson was initially promoted to Red Bull, replacing Sergio Perez (Formula1.com).
  • Williams replaced Logan Sargeant with Franco Colapinto mid-2024, and Colapinto stayed for 2025 (Formula1.com).
  • Kimi Antonelli debuted at Mercedes, Oliver Bearman at Haas, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, Jack Doohan at Alpine (Motorsport Magazine).

Bottom line: The 2025 grid is the youngest in years, with five rookies and a reigning champion who switched teams. For fans, it means unpredictability; for teams, it’s a bet on youth over experience.

Why this matters

Half the grid turned over from 2024. The shake-up created the smallest experience gap between front and back markers in a decade.

The implication: the grid is younger and more competitive than ever.

Who is coming to F1 in 2025?

Kimi Antonelli’s debut at Mercedes

Kimi Antonelli, an Italian rookie from Mercedes’ junior program, was handed the seat alongside George Russell (Motorsport Magazine). He won the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship and tested extensively in Mercedes’ old machinery.

Oliver Bearman at Haas

Oliver Bearman, 19, made his F1 debut with Haas after winning the 2024 Formula 2 championship (Motorsport Magazine). His single-seater record includes victories in F3 and F2.

Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber

Gabriel Bortoleto, a Brazilian driver, joined Sauber after finishing second in F2 in 2024 (Motorsport Magazine).

The pattern: each rookie brought strong junior-form results and a direct pipeline from their team’s academy.

Who is replacing Yuki Tsunoda in 2026?

Isack Hadjar announced as Verstappen’s teammate for 2026

Red Bull confirmed that Isack Hadjar will replace Tsunoda as Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2026 (Red Bull Racing statement). Tsunoda was moved to Red Bull mid-2025 after Lawson’s short stint, but the team had already planned for Hadjar.

Implications for Tsunoda’s 2025 role

Tsunoda ended 2025 as a Red Bull driver, but his 2026 seat was already allocated to Hadjar. That left Tsunoda’s future uncertain, though he remained under contract with the Red Bull program (Motorsport Magazine).

The catch

Tsunoda got the 2025 Red Bull drive but was told he wouldn’t keep it. That rare “prove-it” deal puts enormous pressure on his performances.

The pattern: Red Bull’s long-term planning overrides short-term performance.

Which F1 driver has ADHD?

Known F1 drivers with ADHD

Based on publicly available driver profiles and health disclosures, no current F1 driver has publicly confirmed an ADHD diagnosis. The 2025 entry list data from Pitpass does not include medical information, and no driver has discussed ADHD in major interviews.

Impact on driving performance

Without a named case, it’s impossible to assess any impact. The topic remains outside the sport’s public discourse.

Are any F1 drivers LGBTQ?

Openly LGBTQ drivers in F1 history

There have been no openly LGBTQ drivers in Formula 1’s history. The 2025 grid is no exception: all 20 drivers are publicly known as heterosexual (Motorsport Magazine).

Representation on the 2025 grid

No official F1 representation statistics are published, but driver biographies and media profiles don’t indicate any LGBTQ identity on the grid.

Timeline of the 2025 F1 driver lineup

The following timeline tracks key lineup events.

Date/Period Event
Early 2025 All team lineups announced and FIA entry list published (Pitpass)
March 2025 (Rounds 1‑2) Liam Lawson races for Red Bull (Formula1.com)
After Round 2 Yuki Tsunoda replaces Lawson at Red Bull; Lawson moves to RB (Formula1.com)
December 2025 Lando Norris clinches championship at final race (Formula1.com)
Late 2025 Red Bull confirms Isack Hadjar as Verstappen’s 2026 teammate (Red Bull Racing statement)

This sequence highlights the rapid changes in the 2025 season.

Clarity: what’s confirmed and what’s not

Confirmed facts

  • Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren (Formula1.com)
  • Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull (after swap) (Formula1.com)
  • Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari (Pitpass)
  • George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes (Motorsport Magazine)

What’s unclear

  • Daniel Ricciardo’s exact role in 2025 (reserve or full-time?) (Motorsport Magazine)
  • Liam Lawson’s future beyond 2025 (Motorsport Magazine)

Quotes from the paddock

Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull with immediate effect.

Formula 1 official announcement via Formula1.com

Isack Hadjar will join Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the 2026 season.

Red Bull Racing statement via Formula1.com

Summary: what the 2025 lineup means for the future

The 2025 F1 driver lineup was a shock to the system: a mid-season swap at the top team, a wave of rookies, and a champion who changed teams. For the teams, the lesson is clear: talent pipelines matter more than ever, and contract loyalty is a thing of the past. For Red Bull, the choice is between backing a proven mid-season replacement (Tsunoda) and a junior prospect (Hadjar). The trade-off is immediate results vs. long-term development.

Related reading: 2025 F1 driver line-ups: latest contract news and rumours · FIA reveals 2025 entry list

Additional sources

dailycampus.com, formula1.com, formula1.com, formula1.com, youtube.com, f1lasvegasgp.com, reddit.com, redbull.com, youtube.com

For a detailed breakdown of the 2025 grid, including team-by-team analysis and key driver moves, see detailed breakdown of the 2025 grid.

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Frequently asked questions

Who is Daniel Ricciardo racing for in 2025?

Daniel Ricciardo remained with RB (Visa Cash App Racing Bulls) for 2025, partnering Liam Lawson after the mid-season swap (Motorsport Magazine).

Why did Michael Schumacher fall into a coma?

Michael Schumacher suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident in December 2013. The accident is not related to the 2025 F1 driver lineup.

Who is the billionaire son in F1?

Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) is the son of billionaire Lawrence Stroll. He has been on the grid since 2017 and remains with Aston Martin for 2025 (Pitpass).

What is the 2026 F1 driver lineup?

Only one driver for 2026 has been confirmed: Isack Hadjar will join Max Verstappen at Red Bull (Red Bull Racing statement).

What were the biggest driver transfers for 2025?

The biggest moves: Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari, Liam Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull (later swapped), and the five rookie entries (Motorsport Magazine).

How many rookies debuted in 2025?

Five rookies made their full-time F1 debut in 2025: Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Franco Colapinto, and Jack Doohan (Motorsport Magazine).

What is the 2025 driver lineup for Mercedes?

Mercedes fielded George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli for 2025 (Motorsport Magazine).