Is Lewis Hamilton washed?, is Max Verstappen loyal? and more: 5 uncomfortable questions 2025 season is going to answer

The 2025 F1 season would be Lewis Hamilton's first season in red. The 7x world champion has been in the middle of extensive coverage from the media as the iconic partnership is set to begin. If we hear what James Vowles has to say, the upcoming season would be the closest one we've had in the history of the sport.

When a season is this close, the gaps are marginal, and that's where individual brilliance makes a difference. As we head into the pre-season test in Bahrain, it's safe to say that the 2025 F1 season is going to answer a few uncomfortable questions. Let's take a look at a few of them.

#1 Did Adrian Newey make the biggest difference at Red Bull?

It's never the individual but the team. That has been the mantra in F1 for time immemorial, but yet one should not forget that the teams are built with individuals. When Red Bull first began the process of building a championship-winning juggernaut, Adrian Newey was one of the first hires.

He was a part of the squad for two decades, and one thing anyone could always claim about Red Bull was that regardless of what the engine/power unit was, the car would have brilliant aerodynamics. Well, the 2025 F1 season would be the first time that the team won't have Newey in the squad, and it would be the first car with no contribution from the wizard.

If the car is a complete disaster, it won't come as a surprise who would get the blame in that scenario, and it might even end up proving what Newey was worth to the team.

#2 Has Mercedes rushed Kimi Antonelli's debut?

Kimi Antonelli's F2 season in 2024 was impressive. He had a few strong results, and there were moments that showed the kid was a true talent. The season did not however scream 'F1-ready'. Part of it was down to the car, and part of it was down to the driver, as there were errors that he should not have been making.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, however, has taken the plunge. He thinks that the young Italian is ready to be Lewis Hamilton's replacement. The sharp end of the grid does show up drivers very very quickly and if Kimi Antonelli has been rushed into F1, it would become evident in the first half of the season already.

#3 Is Lando Norris F1 championship material?

There are quite a few F1 pundits who believe that Lando Norris should have won the 2024 title. McLaren had the fastest car for a chunk of that season, and some basic areas where the driver messed up were what cost him the title.

Two areas that stand out more than anything else is the starts that Lando had where converting a pole position became a task for him. At the same time, the other was the wheel-to-wheel battle with Max Verstappen where the driver was flummoxed by the approach his off-track friend had taken.

The 2025 F1 season should have McLaren right up there with the rest in terms of performance. It would be interesting to see if Lando Norris had made those adjustments and improvements, which are a trademark of a world champion. If the marked improvements are not evident from the driver, it would limit the ceiling of how he is perceived as a driver in the sport.

Could Lando Norris become the first world champion from McLaren since Lewis Hamilton? 2025 is arguably going to offer a crystal clear answer to that question.

#4 Is Lewis Hamilton 'washed'?

Lewis Hamilton shocked the F1 world when he announced that he would be leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024. The driver had been a part of the team since 2013 but decided that it was time for a new challenge.

Lewis Hamilton, however, would not have expected his 2024 F1 season to go the way it did. He was quite comprehensively beaten by teammate George Russell over the year. So much so that there are questions around him as he steps into a Ferrari.

While the hype and coverage around Lewis Hamilton's first season with Ferrari is justified, a good year would go a long way in proving the doubters wrong. If the driver performs at a level F1 fans are used to seeing him perform, then that would quell a lot of speculation.

If he has the same fate against Leclerc as he did against Rusell in 2024 then the 'Lewis Hamilton is washed' brigade might get another spring in the step.

#5 Is Max Verstappen loyal to Red Bull?

One of the major questions that could become a talking point of the 2025 F1 season is if Red Bull builds a car that's just not good enough to fight for the title. If the team is unable to make the gains in winter that help them fight at the front then it means Max Verstappen would not be contending for a title for the first time since 2020.

Mercedes approached Max Verstappen last season as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton. Aston Martin has reportedly approached the Dutchman as well. The question would come down to loyalty to Red Bull because if Verstappen is looking to move after just one season where the team hasn't built a strong car then that would show a more mercenary side of the driver, something we've seen in the past with Ayrton Senna as well.