With the announcement of Nico Hulkenberg’s move to Sauber in 2025, which confirms expectations that he would race for Audi from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards, another piece of the puzzle for the upcoming 2025 season falls into place. However, there remain some important questions to be answered in the coming weeks.
Will Max Verstappen continue at Red Bull? Despite the contract until 2028, the Dutchman’s stay seems uncertain due to internal conflicts within the team. If he opts to leave, Mercedes would be an attractive option perhaps for 2026, but for 2025 the German team represents a setback. The most likely scenario is that Verstappen and Sergio Perez will remain at Red Bull in 2025, with the possible arrival of Alex Albon in 2026.
Who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes? Toto Wolff has Verstappen, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Fernando Alonso in his sights. Alonso, who renewed with Aston Martin, is already off the list. Mercedes can wait for Verstappen, but if that’s not possible, Antonelli will need to stand out in Formula 2 or even do an ‘internship’ in F1 with Williams. A temporary solution with Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas or Nico Hulkenberg is also considered.
At Audi, who will be number 1? The German brand takes over Sauber in 2026, but is already looking for drivers for 2025. Hulkenberg is confirmed, but his partner remains to be defined. Carlos Sainz would be ideal, but this has not yet been confirmed, but the stability and protagonism promised by Audi in 2026 could weigh in favor of the team.
Which young talents will have a chance? After a year without debuts, drivers like Antonelli, Zak O’Sullivan and Franco Colapinto could appear in 2025. Liam Lawson is also a strong candidate at RB, if Daniel Ricciardo does not perform well in the remainder of the current season, or even during this year. Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman is also expected to fight for a place on the grid, after his excellent P7 finish when he replaced Sainz in the Saudi Arabian GP this year.
And Alpine, what is the future of the French team? The team is going through a delicate moment and the permanence of Ocon and Pierre Gasly seems to be the only option in the short term. With rumors of the sale of the team, for now denied by Renault, Alpine is unlikely to attract good drivers.
A possible F1 grid for 2025 could be as follows (remembering that this is just an assumption):
Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Mercedes: George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
RB: Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson
Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Oliver Bearman
Williams: Alexander Albon and Guanyu Zhou
Sauber: Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg
Alpine: Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
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