Formula One set for a Thrilling Title Battle in 2025

Oct. 28 - Max Verstappen’s overwhelming dominance of Formula One (F1) in recent years has not pleased too many people outside of the Red Bull community. However, there have been signs this season that his superiority is waning, setting the stage for what could be a thrilling title battle in 2025. With that in mind, we take an early look at some key talking points ahead of next year, starting with a drive who will be eager to knock Verstappen off his perch.

Piastri Gunning for the 2025 World Title

Oscar Piastri has played a key role alongside Lando Norris in McLaren’s resurgence this season. He claimed his first win of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, powering through the pain of a broken rib to beat Norris and F1 legend Lewis Hamilton. The Australian subsequently recorded another victory in Azerbaijan and is well on course to finish fourth in this season’s Drivers’ Championship. Given the progress he has made this year, it is not unthinkable to imagine that Piastri will be in contention to win the world title next season.

He will be one of the bookmakers’ favourites to get the job done, although Norris and Verstappen will also come in for plenty of support from bettors. Aussie punters will undoubtedly be clamouring to access the ante-post odds on this full list of online bookmakers when they are published after the conclusion of the 2024 campaign. If McLaren provide Piastri with a competitive car, it would be a brave move to back against him becoming the first Australian F1 champion since Alan Jones in 1980.

Team Haas Eager to Shine Next Season

Team Haas have always been underdogs in F1. Their modest budget means they are generally playing catch-up, and 2024 has not sprung many surprises. However, Ferrari’s sister-team have taken a huge step towards reversing their fortunes ahead of the 2025 season with a line-up overhaul on the cards. Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are set to leave the team at the end of the season and will be replaced by Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman. Ocon will become the first F1 race-winner to join Haas thanks to his success at the Hungarian Grand Prix back in 2021, and the team will pin their hopes of a turnaround on his experience.

Bearman has been making waves in F2, and he carried his impressive form into his F1 debut. He has done enough to earn a spot alongside Ocon in the all-new Haas line-up, and the duo could form a solid partnership. Haas have struggled at the bottom of the standings in recent years, but the new pairing raises hopes of a fresh start and potentially better results next season. The team isn't going to leap to the front of the grid in 2025, but the new mix of experience and youth could bring a better points tally if they play their cards right.

Lawson is the Right Man to Replace Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo’s return to F1 was met with plenty of excitement, but it quickly became clear that he is a shadow of the driver who won eight Grand Prix. In typical Red Bull fashion, the United Kingdom-based team axed Ricciardo from their drivers' line-up mid-season and replaced him with highly-rated rookie Liam Lawson. The controversial decision paid immediate dividends, as the New Zealander produced a fine drive to finish ninth in the United States.

All eyes will be on Lawson to see how he handles the pressure of delivering consistent results during the rest of the 2024 season. Replacing Ricciardo will not be an easy task for Lawson, although he can hardly do any worse than his Australian counterpart. Lawson has long been touted as a future F1 star, and he will be relishing the opportunity to prove he is the right man to permanently replace Ricciardo.

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