Elsewhere, Ollie Bearman – another driver to impress as a super sub last year – will go up against Ocon at Haas, while the 2024 F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto and runner-up Isack Hadjar are each set to become team mates with Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda at Kick Sauber and Racing Bulls respectively.
All in all, that means there will be several fascinating intra-team battles to keep an eye on during the 2025 season…
Sainz vs Albon
And speaking of team mate rivalries, another one that is equally worth watching is that between the new Williams pairing of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, with the Spaniard joining the Grove-based squad after making way for Hamilton at Ferrari.
Team Principal James Vowles made no secret of his desire to recruit Sainz, having been impressed by the four-time race winner’s track record in terms of improving the teams that he has driven for. Vowles said of the signing: “I needed a leader, not just someone who is quick in the car.”
Racing alongside a driver with Sainz’s level of experience will be a new challenge for Albon, who has long been the leading presence at Williams after being paired with less experienced team mates in recent years.
Vowles is confident that the squad’s new line-up is the “best” on the grid – but which driver will come out on top in the intra-team battle? Just one of many questions that we’re excited to find out the answer to in the season ahead…