We're a week into 2025, and with preseason testing still seven weeks away, ESPN unpacks the storylines that will define Formula 1 this year.

It can also suit the promoters. Zandvoort’s decision to stop hosting F1 after 2026 points to the pressures — and costs — involved in staging a race. Spa looked in serious doubt just a few years ago, and while the interest from the local stakeholders has certainly taken an uplift since then, a couple of off years may actually suit the track.

Max Verstappen has suffered a blow in comparison to his Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton following his Ferrari signing. Verstappen and Hamilton are the two names that have dominated the sport and the drivers' championship in recent history,