A Thrilling 2025
December is a time for pauses and reflection, sometimes for decisions, such as those concerning Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez, and certainly for expectations regarding the upcoming season. Indeed, 2025 is shaping up with very intriguing prospects: Red Bull will need to defend the Drivers’ Championship but does not currently have the upper hand on the technical side; Ferrari has finished the season strong and boasts the explosive Lewis Hamilton – Charles Leclerc pairing; McLaren has the best starting foundation and full confidence following its Constructors’ Championship victory; while Mercedes can rely on the enthusiasm of the George Russell – Kimi Antonelli duo and its consistently winning mentality.
It’s difficult to predict who will emerge victorious from this eight-way battle. Red Bull, however, has the advantage of being the team with the clearest distinction between first and second driver. This has always been a firmly held belief in Milton Keynes, and with the Max Verstappen – Liam Lawson pairing, it has become so obvious that they no longer even need to pretend to treat their drivers equally.
Christian Horner’s comments
“Max Verstappen is F1’s most valuable asset,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told talkSPORT. “We may approach these decisions a bit differently from other teams, but it’s about communication, being clear with the drivers. Max is our lead driver: if Liam can get close to him, that’s great. But the reality is that Max is expected to win.”
Based on this philosophy, Christian Horner expressed skepticism about Ferrari’s choice to form the Lewis Hamilton – Charles Leclerc duo: “In football, you can’t play with two heavy strikers. A team like Ferrari will have two drivers taking points off each other. You need to support both drivers, but that can sometimes lead to divisions within the team. We have different approaches, and it’s fascinating.”
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