F1 Season 2025: Full race schedule, schedule, driver lineups and latest sprints

The 2024 Formula 1 season ended with Max Verstappen as drivers’ champion for the fourth year in a row, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all won multiple races, with McLaren winning its first constructors’ championship in 26 years.

As always, there is not much time left before the 2025 season begins with pre-season testing in Bahrain and then the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Here’s a look at everything you need to know ahead of what could be one of F1’s big years.

When do pre-season tests take place?

Like last season, the 2025 season will only feature one official pre-season test. This will take place from Wednesday February 26 to Friday February 28 inclusive at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain. This hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the format will likely be three days of two four-hour sessions with a one-hour lunch break in between.

When will the first race of the 2025 season take place?

Unlike 2024, the new season begins with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne. This runs from Friday March 14th to Sunday March 16th.

How many races will there be in 2025?

For the second time in F1 history, the season will feature 24 grand prix and six sprint races, ending with the season finale at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi on December 8.

When and where do sprint races take place?

They are in China, Miami, Belgium, Austin, Sao Paulo and Qatar. The format will remain the same in that there will be sprint qualifying to set the grid for the sprint race and eight world championship points will be awarded to the winner up to one point for eighth.

In short, the 2024 sprint race weekends are as follows.

• Chinese Grand Prix, March 21-23

• Miami Grand Prix, May 2-4

• Belgian Grand Prix, July 25-27

• United States Grand Prix, October 17-19

• Sao Paulo Grand Prix, November 7-9

• Qatar Grand Prix, November 28-30

When is summer vacation?

The year 2024 included both an official summer vacation – including a mandatory two-week down period for all F1 team personnel – and an unofficial autumn vacation with three consecutive weekends off . However, this has disappeared from the 2025 calendar with races generally a little more spread out.

July and August are perhaps less hectic than before, with a three-week gap between the British Grand Prix on July 6 and the Belgian Grand Prix on July 27. The summer vacation begins this year after the Belgian Grand Prix on Monday August. 4. The action returns on Friday August 29 with practice for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Who are the crews?

There are quite a few changes to the grid between now and 2025 with no less than five rookies for the full season. Yes, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson (who will either be at RB or Red Bull) have all competed in races but none of them have started a season before. They are joined by Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes and Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, who have never raced in F1.

There are also changes elsewhere as Lewis Hamilton makes his Ferrari debut, Carlos Sainz moves to Williams, Esteban Ocon moves to Haas and Nico Hulkenberg moves from Haas to Sauber.

What is the complete 2025 calendar?

How to watch the 2025 F1 season

As has been the case for some time now, in the UK, Sky Sports F1 has near-exclusive coverage rights for the season. They will broadcast all practice sessions, qualifying sessions, sprint qualifying and races throughout the season. Most likely also pre-season testing.

Channel 4 will once again broadcast its qualifying and racing highlights, with the British Grand Prix in July broadcast live.

If you’re outside the UK, you may also be able to subscribe to F1’s F1TV for a monthly subscription throughout the season.

How did the 2024 championship end?

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