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Wolff, Brown and Horner share their predictions ahead of F1 2025 'epic season'
The upcoming 2025 F1 season is rumoured to be one of the most exciting due to the closeness between the top teams, with McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing having been evenly matched throught the 2024 season. Although Mercedes was never really a -consistent- contender, its team principal, Toto Wolff, did not refrain from issuing his predictions, along with McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, and Red Bull's team principal, Christian Horner, ahead of the 2025 season.
Wolff cautious about Mercedes' chances in 2025
Last year was not a good one for Mercedes... again. The team's performance changed was like night and day, even across sessions during the same race weekend. "We've been scratching our head a lot last year, particularly in the beginning. Like all the other teams, we had up and downs, very dominant performances in Vegas and then other races that were not so good," said Wolff to Sky Sport.
Ultimately, the question is, can Mercedes finally become a challenger for loftier prizes come 2025, before the regulations change dramatically in 2026? "At the end of the day, you know, when the flag drops, the bullshit stops. And we're going to see in qualifying in Melbourne where we stand", concluded the Austrian team boss.
Will Verstappen make it five on the trot?
Before sizing up Red Bull Racing's potential come next season, Horner seems to agree with most experts and pundits. "I think [2025] is going to be a mega year," said the Briton. While acknowledging McLaren's 2024 success, he also reminds his rivals that Red Bull have something they don't: Verstappen.
"I think that McLaren had a strong year last year. We still won more individual races than any other driver. Almost double any driver. Max will be tough to beat, but we don't underestimate the opposition," said Horner.
Brown, wary of McLaren's rivals next season
Many in the F1 paddock are naming McLaren driver, Lando Norris, as the favourite to take the Drivers' title in 2025, in that regard, Brown reamins rather coy. "I heard about that today, but I actually haven't seen it yet," adding that "I think he's definitely one of the favorites."
Who else does he see as potential championship candidates? The list is rather long. "I put Oscar in there, put Max in there. I put Charles in there. I put Lewis in there. I put George in there," while also remembering Mercedes' new driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli set to make his debut this year. How will the Italian fare? "I think Kimi's probably going to win a race or two. Obviously, as a rookie, [it will] be tough to put together 24 races without having a few rookie days."
Red Bull is the other top team who saw a veteran, Sergio Perez, make way for a hungry youngster, Liam Lawson, who Brown thinks will be strong this year, before reminding the F1 grid not to "rule out" his former driver, double world champion, Fernando Alonso, in what the American concluded would be "an epic season."
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