With Formula 1 wrapping up this weekend, it is time for a whole season wrap-up as well as an introduction to Formula 1.
If you are new to F1, and I assume you are, it is the pinnacle of motorsports. There are 10 teams on the grid, each team has two drivers, for a grid of 20 cars. In the end, they have 24 races to win the Constructors’ Championship and the World Drivers’ Championship.
The 2024 season ended with Max Verstappen as the World Drivers’ Championship and McLaren as the Constructors’ Championship. All eyes were on them to see who would win this year.
To score points in a race, the driver must finish in the top 10, with each position giving a set value of point, first, giving the driver 25; second, providing 18; third, giving 15; fourth, with 12; fifth, with 10; sixth, with 8; seventh, with 6; eighth, with 4; ninth, with 2; and tenth with only 1 point. Each race offered the chance to earn an extra point for the fastest lap.
The 10 teams making up the grid and their drivers include Mercedes (with their drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli), Red Bull Racing (with Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda, McLaren (with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris), Williams (with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon), Haas (with Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman), Ferrari (with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton), Sauber (with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto), Cash App Racing Bulls (with Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar), Aston Martin (with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll), and Alpine (with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto).
With five rookies making up part of the 20, this was going to be an interesting season. A rookie is someone new to the season. Cash App is starting two rookies on its team: Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson. The rest of the rookies would fall under these teams: Mercedes with Kimi Antonelli, Sauber starting with Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alpine having Jack Doohan for the first few races, then replacing him with Franco Colapinto.
The 2025 season started in Melbourne, Australia. It started off challenging with rain. By the end of the race, six cars did not finish; four of those were rookies. The race ended with Norris leading the championship, but that would remain this way for a while.
In April, Piastri would take the lead away from his teammates, and lead the season up until October in Mexico City, when his teammate Norris would take the lead back. With Red Bull not performing as it used to, not many people believed Verstappen was still in the race.
By the end of the season, Verstappen would return to the fight and become part of the three competing for the WDC (World Drivers’ Championship). In Abu Dhabi, it came to a head with Verstappen, Piastri, and Norris vying for the title. With Norris needing to finish higher than sixth to win, it was in his best interest to do so. In the end, Verstappen would secure first, Piastri second, and Norris third, sealing his championship victory.
That is your Formula 1 wrap-up. I hope you found the slightest interest in this great motorsport, and to answer the question, a kilometer is .621 of a mile! Come back to Anchor News to cross the checkered flag!
