F1
The 2025 Formula One season is the last before a major rule change. As Max Verstappen races for a fifth world championship, let’s look at what’s new and how it affects the season ahead.
Big rule changes can have a dramatic impact on the order of teams as they adjust car design and tactics to suit the new regulations. In 2022, the new rules introduced radical changes to the use of aerodynamics to create cars with huge levels of downforce and reduced backwash. Oracle Red Bull Racing quickly grasped the new concepts and raced away as the front runners. With Max Verstappen at the wheel, the 2023 RB19 chassis was the most dominant in the history of F1.
Last season saw the other teams closing the gap to Red Bull Racing, meaning that fans will be anticipating one of the tightest title races of all time in 2025 – which is also the 75th anniversary of the championship. For the teams, success in 2025 will be a question of how much resources do they need to commit to winning on track versus preparing for a fresh start in 2026.
01
No point for setting the fastest lap
The extra point for the claiming the fastest lap in a Grand Prix has been a useful source of championship points for Red Bull Racing since the rule was introduced in 2019. Max Verstappen has claimed more of those single points than any other driver, taking a total of 29 bonus points so far in the World Championship while Red Bull Racing have 39 points in the Constructors’ World Championship.
The extra point added an extra element of competition, especially when drivers could pit in the closing laps in a bid to claim a bonus point. But the fastest lap point has never proven decisive in either title race and with only drivers finishing in the top 10 able to score the bonus point, it’s rarely benefitted teams further down the grid.
02
More opportunity for young drivers
From 2025, junior driver get twice as many opportunities to take part in free practice. Since 2022, teams have to give a run in each of their cars to a rookie driver at least once. This season, that has doubled allowing inexperienced drivers more chances to shine and hone their driving skills.
This will help the Red Bull Junior Team to continue developing young drivers to join the F1 grid in the future. The current grid is bursting with Red Bull Junior Team graduates with Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda now joined by Liam Lawson. Along the garage, former alumni include Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, who is being joined at Alpine by Jack Doohan as another former Red Bull Junior Team driver moves into the elite racing.
After several years with little to no change in driver line-up, the 2025 season sees a wealth of young talent make the step up to F1 including Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman and Gabriel Bortoletto. This rule change will also help prepare even more young talents for a future in F1.
03
F1 drivers are now cooler - official
A new rule for 2025 takes pity on the drivers as the cars are now equipped with a driver cooling system that can be used when racing in extreme heat. Races like the Singapore Grand Prix, Qatar and Miami can see races held in temperatures head north of 38ºC.
The introduction of Heat Hazard protocol allows the drivers to use a cooling system – a shirt fitted with a tube filled with cooling liquid. The minimum weight for drivers has also been raised by two kilos making it safer and healthier for taller (and therefore heavier) drivers to compete without having to skip a meal or be dehydrated to hit the target weight.
04
Building a new engine for 2026
Trackside, all eyes turn to the 2025 title race, but behind the scenes the teams will be devoting considerable resources to preparing for the 2026 season. The biggest shift is a move to new engines which will be powered by 100-percent sustainable fuels and half their power will be from kinetic recovery systems.
Oracle Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls will meet the challenge by making their own engines for the first time in 20 years of racing. Red Bull Ford Powertrains is currently designing and refining the engines that will power the teams into a new era of F1. Last month, the FIA announced the 2026 season will open with three special, three-day tests for the new engines to help the teams get to grips with the new technology.
05
New F1 cars take shape
The teams also need to ready the new RB21 and VCARB02 chassis for 2026. These are designed to be lighter and more agile with some clever tech to encourage even more close racing. Active aerodynamics will allow the front and rear wings to move, enabling drivers to close on the car in front. When within a second of the car in front, a boost of battery power will make it easier to pass. The cars will also be stronger than ever to improve driver safety.
06
How do rules affect F1 racing?
The rules are complex and precise but still result in very different approaches by teams in their car design. So it’s worth taking a step back to look at the rules in the context of the wider aims of motorsport – it’s not purely about entertainment but also developing next-gen vehicles, engines, tires and fuels as well as ensuring they are sustainable, reliable and re-useable. Another aim is to expand the sport and make it even more competitive by adding more teams – so keeping costs down is essential.
With that in mind, the rules not only limit the number of new engines, tires and components available to teams but also the amount of resources they can pour into developing more: it’s all about efficiency.
07
Sprint Races continue to evolve
Sprint Racing is back with six more rounds. Brazil is the only ever-present on the Sprint Race schedule, while the Belgian Grand Prix returns after sitting out 2024. The format remains unchanged with Free Practice on Friday followed by a Sprint Race qualifying session in the afternoon. The next day opens with the 100km Sprint Race and then Quali for the feature race, with the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The six Sprint Race rounds in 2025 are in Shanghai, Miami, Spa, COTA, Interlagos and Lusail.
08
The 2025 F1 World Championship calendar
The main changes in the 2025 calendar sees the Australian Grand Prix restored to its traditional position as the championship curtain raiser. And there are five back-to-back races and three triple-headers, including Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April and the season-closing Las Vegas-Qatar-Abu Dhabi. Check it out below...
