The 2025 F1 season is set to see a tense battle for the world championship between the top four teams as Max Verstappen looks to defend his crown.
The Dutchman has been almost unstoppable in the ground effect era, winning four titles on the bounce with Red Bull. But heading into 2025, he no longer has the advantage.
McLaren appear to have the fastest car after pre-season testing in Bahrain, with Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull in the mix behind them.
The Woking-based outfit will be keen to take advantage of the performance of the MCL39 and win the drivers’ title with Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri. 2025 marks the final year of the current regulations with the field set to be shaken up in 2026.
F1’s new regulations will set a whole new spec of car with an emphasis on sustainability – the power units will be a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power. The grid will also see significant changes with the arrival of Cadillac and Audi to the sport.
Many of the current teams will also take on new engine suppliers, with Red Bull parting ways with Honda to supply their own power unit in collaboration with Ford. Aston Martin will take on the Japanese manufacturer as Lawrence Stroll looks to build a title-winning team.
David Coulthard thinks Fernando Alonso needs some ‘magic’ to win another F1 championship
Aston Martin are a hugely exciting project with Stroll Sr investing heavily behind the scenes in new facilities at Silverstone and making several key hires.
Adrian Newey has begun work at the team as he looks to spearhead their operation in 2026. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will hope their car will be competitive after a slump in development in recent months.
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Ted Kravitz thinks Aston Martin are ninth-quickest after testing in Bahrain – and David Coulthard is also not optimistic about their future. Speaking with RacingNews365, he thinks Alonso needs some ‘magic’ to win a third championship with the team.
Talking about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Coulthard said: “Put to one side the controversy of Max’s first title, even without that there were still possibilities for Lewis to be an eight, nine-time world champion.
“It’s a bit like Fernando with two. We all I think would accept that Fernando had the skills to be more than a two-time world champion.
“It’s just the way things played out, that’s what he’s got on his CV and that’s probably where he’ll end on his CV because his time will keep marching on.
“Unless Adrian [Newey] and the team at Aston deliver the magic for the ’26 car, which is possible.
“And then, big challenge for Fernando would be can he beat Lance Stroll across a season?”
Has Fernando Alonso already ‘written off’ 2025?
Alonso will hope Aston Martin can provide a competitive car come 2026. The Spaniard has committed his future to the team until then – he will be eyeing race wins under Newey’s guidance.
But as Coulthard says, it may take a miracle for the 43-year-old to return to the front of F1. Aston Martin went backwards in 2024 and could be set to go further back in 2025.
Aston Martin staff looked miserable after pre-season testing in Bahrain. The Silverstone-based outfit finished 2024 with arguably the slowest car on the grid – and the AMR25 does not seem to have brought much improvement.
The F1 paddock say Alonso is ‘not pleased’ with his 2025 machine already. The two-time champion and teammate Stroll may struggle for regular points and fall further back.
Journalist Ben Anderson says Alonso has ‘written off’ 2025. He is banking on Aston Martin getting the 2026 regulations spot on and proving a car worthy of race wins.
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