The driver line-ups for the top three teams in Formula 1 are set after Red Bull opted to keep Sergio Perez. The world champions announced on Tuesday that Perez had signed for another two years.
The Mexican will partner Max Verstappen at the Milton Keynes outfit for a fifth straight season. There’s no indication that the latter will look to get out of a contract that runs until the end of 2028.
McLaren were one of two teams who went into the season with their 2025 plans already sealed. Both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were fresh from signing extensions, precluding any speculation.
The other team was Ferrari. The Scuderia dropped a bombshell at the start of February when they announced the signing of Lewis Hamilton, a deal that only leaked in the final hours.
Hamilton will partner Charles Leclerc at the Italian marquee, with Carlos Sainz losing his seat. Many will regard this as one of the best driver line-ups in Formula 1 history.
The Briton is the most successful driver the sport has ever seen with 103 wins and seven world titles. While Leclerc has only taken six victories so far, Ferrari have the unique luxury of two drivers within the sport’s highest bracket, at least according to those in the paddock.
‘Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will take points off each other more than Red Bull duo’
Perez’s deficit to Verstappen, described as ‘ridiculous’ by one racing driver, could leave Red Bull vulnerable in both championships. First and foremost, the Dutchman won’t be able to count upon a ‘rear gunner’ unless his teammate can close up.
That’s because Ferrari and McLaren have both made strides through upgrades, effectively ‘filling the gap’ between the two drivers. Indeed, Perez hasn’t finished on the podium since the latter introduced their ‘astonishing’ package in Miami.
It follows that the constructors’ title could also be up for grabs. Ferrari have narrowed the gap to just 24 points after Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix.
However, The Race journalist Glenn Freeman is looking at things another way. He says the ‘evenly matched’ duos at rival teams ‘will be taking points off each other’ while Verstappen is almost always the lead driver at Red Bull.
“Yes, Perez’s fluctuations in form will leave Verstappen exposed if he faces a real test from the Ferrari and/or McLaren drivers across the whole season,” he wrote as several journalists issued their verdict on Tuesday’s announcement. “But Max is more than capable of fighting that battle on his own.
“And while the more evenly matched pairings of Leclerc/Hamilton and Norris/Piastri will occasionally leave him outnumbered, they will also be taking points off each other in a way that won’t be happening at Red Bull.”
Why Hamilton won’t make the same mistake as Fernando Alonso at Ferrari
While the focus for now will be on the ongoing title battles, much of the talk in F1’s off-season will centre on Ferrari’s new-look line-up. Many will be wondering who will prevail in the tussle between Hamilton and Leclerc.
There’s no denying who has the edge when it comes to pedigree, but equally Leclerc is clearly in better form. He’s taken control of his scrap with Sainz, beating him in the past four Grands Prix, while Hamilton is struggling against George Russell.
The hope among Hamilton’s supporters will be that he raises his level in more competitive machinery. Ferrari could conceivably contend for the title next year, while Mercedes are marooned halfway between the midfield and the frontrunners.
F1 expert Peter Windsor says the Englishman won’t arrive at Maranello with the same hubris as Fernando Alonso when he joined McLaren in 2007. Windsor feels Alonso underestimated Hamilton, but 18 years on, the latter be under no illusions as to the threat posed by Leclerc.
The post ‘Won’t be happening at Red Bull’: Journalist says Ferrari have a 2025 problem after Sergio Perez extension appeared first on F1 Oversteer.