Image by Michael Kastelic from Pixabay
Excitement was at an all-time high ahead of the start of the 2025 Formula One season. Reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen suddenly appeared vulnerable to the blisteringly quick McLarens. At the same time, Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari had fans dreaming that the GOAT could claim a record-breaking eighth world championship with the Scuderia. But seemingly out of nowhere, a new contender has emerged.
Step up, Oscar Piastri. The Australian is in just his third season in the sport, and many considered him to be McLaren’s second-tier driver behind team lead Lando Norris. The Brit was the one to take the fight to Verstappen last season, but this year, he has been left in the dust by his upstart teammate.
Piastri Builds an Early Championship Lead
Following the recent Miami Grand Prix, Piastri has already amassed a 16-point lead at the top of the driver standings, prompting online gambling sites to install him as the favorite to win the world championship. The latest online gambling at Bovada odds currently make the Aussie the -165 betting favorite to win his first title this year, with teammate Norris narrowly behind at +185 and the reigning champion Verstappen a whopping +800 outsider. But how has the 24-year-old managed to place himself in such a strong position?
Well, it’s a feat made all the more impressive because the championship leader spun in the opening race of the season on home turf in Melbourne. That untimely mistake saw Piastri finish way down in ninth, while Norris emerged victorious. It seemed as though the balance of power inside the McLaren garage was exactly where it was supposed to be, with the Brit in charge and his younger teammate playing catch-up.
Piastri, however, would strike back. He managed to win in the second race of the season in China, before Verstappen’s victory in Japan turned the title race into a three-way fight. Since then, though, it’s been the Australian who has taken over.
Three straight victories in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and now Miami have seen Piastri blow his rivals out of the water and claim top spot in the championship standings. His most recent triumph was perhaps the most impressive, battling his way past pole sitter Verstappen and ultimately on to victory. However, Norris’ late charge, cutting the deficit to his teammate from ten seconds to just four by the time they passed the chequered flag, proves that there is still much more to come in this season’s championship battle.
Hamilton’s Dream Ferrari Move Becomes a Nightmare
In preseason, all the talk was surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster move from Mercedes to Ferrari. The British superstar has long been a dominant force in the sport and claimed six of his seven world championships with the Silver Arrows, helping build a dynasty unlike anything seen before. However, following his failure to claim an eighth world championship in 2021 – in controversial fashion no less – Mercedes’ vice-like grip over the rest of the grid was weakened, allowing Red Bull and Verstappen to take center stage.
Hamilton did manage to claim two victories last season, bringing to an end the longest drought of his career, spanning almost two and a half years. However, that wasn’t enough to keep him with the Brackley-based outfit; instead, he penned a dream move to Ferrari to see out the remainder of his career. Teaming up with the sensational Charles Leclerc, expectations were high over at Maranello, but the 40-year-old has made a slow start to life in red.
The Brit has finished above seventh place just once in the opening five races, while a disqualification in China seriously hindered his championship hopes. He did manage to win the sprint race in Shanghai, a result that led supporters to believe that the Greatest of All Time was finally a contender once again. However, that ultimately hasn’t come to fruition.
The seven-time champion has struggled to make an impression so far this year. He is yet to finish ahead of his teammate, and any hope of adding to his almighty haul of 105 victories looks like a distant dream.
American Interest
Following Logan Sargeant’s departure from Williams at the back of last season after two disappointing years in the cockpit, there isn’t a single American driver lining up on the grid this season. There is, however, a Stateside-based team lining up, namely Haas F1.
The team has been involved in Formula One since 2016, experiencing some highs and some lows. A disastrous spell with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in the team saw Haas fall to the back of the grid. However, two years of rebuilding with the experienced duo of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg saw them close the distance.
Now, the exciting pairing of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman has the American outfit dreaming of a prosperous future. The team already has two double-point finishes in the opening five races, and they will be aiming to pile more points on the board and become a genuine midfield competition.
Outside of Haas, there are also plenty of American races taking place on the 2025 calendar. The States have no fewer than three races hosted in the Land of the Free this year, more than any other country. The Miami Grand Prix has just taken place, while further races in Austin and Las Vegas are scheduled toward the end of the year.
