F1-75 London Launch: Our First Look at the New Lineup
Our first look at the 2025 Formula One season is extraordinary already, and not just because of its banner 75th anniversary. Not only does this year see the addition of six new rookies, but driver line-ups have changed for eight out of the 10 total teams. Aston Martin and McLaren are the only teams untouched. Earlier today in London, all 10 teams showed their new driver lineups, cars, and liveries at the O2 Arena. However, most importantly, this was the first time that all 20 drivers were under the same roof, giving us our first look at the new 2025 line-up. Let’s take a look at some of the drivers that promise an enthralling upcoming season.
The most highly awaited driver presentation, if crowd participation is anything to believe, was that of Lewis Hamilton, vacating his 13-year-old seat at Mercedes for a brand new one at Ferrari. He entered, alongside Ferrari stalwart Charles LeClerc, hardly able to hide his smile. If the rumored in-team competition between the two is true, then neither driver showed it. When asked to share his “word for the season,” Hamilton’s answer was, “Invigorating… I feel so full of life and so much energy because everything is new.” We’ll see if “new” is just what this seven-time World Champion needs to make him a legend.
This season is also the debut year for many drivers on the new lineup. We got our first look at the six new rookies starting this year, including Lewis Hamilton’s replacement: Formula Two rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. At only 18 years old, Antonelli is the youngest driver on this year’s line-up, though his racing history is impressive enough to capture the attention of team principal Toto Wolff. Despite his short time in racing, Antonelli has been racing under the Mercedes three-point star as a junior driver since 2019. As was discussed on the O2 stage, Antonelli stated he had “the right support from Mercedes” to handle the “pressure and privilege” of the upcoming season.
Still, the title of youngest ever driver, at least one that has raced under Ferrari, goes to Oliver Bearman, the second 2025 rookie under the 20-year-old mark. More mature than Antonelli by a whole year, Haas’s Bearman rose from Formula Four to Formula One in just three years. The opportunity of a lifetime came for him when he stepped in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia back in 2024. From our first look at the rookie at the O2 Arena, he is ready to step onto the track in his own right, racing not as a replacement but as one of the most promising rookies of the season. A potentially apt metaphor for the Haas team itself.
