With the 2025 Formula 1 season on the horizon, the paddock is buzzing with speculation over who will emerge as the dominant force in what could be one of the most chaotic, unpredictable, and fiercely contested championship battles in years. But according to Juan Pablo Montoya, the real fireworks won’t be coming from Red Bull or Max Verstappen—instead, he believes that Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari experiment and McLaren’s growing driver rivalry will be the storylines that define the season.
Can Hamilton Make Ferrari His Kingdom?
Montoya, a seven-time Grand Prix winner, sees Hamilton as a genuine title threat in his first season with the Scuderia—but only if Ferrari plays its cards right.
“When anyone moves teams like Lewis, you’re always going to say that you’re happier and feel more comfortable. That’s the corporate line. But I really do believe he wants it really bad. He wants to win at Ferrari, and that’s going to go a long way.”
Ferrari ended 2024 with a car closer in performance to McLaren than Red Bull, a promising sign. But Montoya warns that internal team dynamics will be Ferrari’s biggest challenge. How will Hamilton and Charles Leclerc coexist?
“The biggest thing is how they interact. How well are they going to work together? Ferrari will say publicly it’s equal, but let’s be honest—teams always favor one driver. If they’re smart, they’ll focus everything on Lewis. I think they will.”
However, convincing Leclerc to accept a secondary role could be an impossible task.
“Charles is a very complete driver. It’s really hard to tell him that someone can teach him a lot. If he can swallow his pride and play the team game, Ferrari could be unstoppable. But if it turns toxic? That’s going to be a disaster.”
If Ferrari can manage the delicate balance of ego, strategy, and team politics, Montoya believes Hamilton could win the 2025 championship.
Red Bull: The End of Their Dominance?
For years, Red Bull and Max Verstappen have been the gold standard of Formula 1, but Montoya is not convinced they’ll be the team to beat this season.
“Max Verstappen is not going to be Lewis’s problem this year. I’d be surprised if Red Bull comes out swinging like the last few years.”
Montoya’s skepticism is rooted in Red Bull’s reported internal issues, including the departure of legendary designer Adrian Newey, who was integral to their recent dominance.
“Newey himself said the problems at Red Bull are not as simple as they think. When a team that’s been at the top suddenly struggles, how far back do they go to fix things? And at what point do they start second-guessing everything?”
Could Red Bull’s golden era be slipping away? If Montoya is right, 2025 might be the first real crack in their armor, leaving Ferrari and McLaren to fight for supremacy.
McLaren’s Rising Civil War? Norris vs. Piastri Could Get Ugly
McLaren ended 2024 as arguably the most well-structured, fast-improving team on the grid. But their biggest strength—having two elite young drivers in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—could become their greatest weakness.
“McLaren right now is the best team at identifying what’s needed and making it work. But if they have a big advantage at the end of the season and they let Norris and Piastri fight, it could get ugly.”
Piastri is no longer content playing second fiddle to Norris, and if McLaren finds itself in a title battle, their equal status could ignite an all-out war.
“They’re being fair to each other now, but that can change. If they’re both in the championship fight late in the season, I don’t see either of them backing down. McLaren has done a great job keeping them happy, but can they really keep control if both see a title within reach?”
McLaren’s leadership, led by Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, will face a brutal test—do they let their drivers race freely and risk throwing points away, or do they prioritize one over the other and risk a team meltdown?
2025 F1 Season: The Most Open Championship in Years?
The oddsmakers already see a changing tide in F1, with Norris (9/4), Verstappen (5/2), and Leclerc (4/1) among the top favorites for the title—but Hamilton looms as the biggest wildcard.
Montoya’s bold predictions hint at a season where the old hierarchy is disrupted, team rivalries explode, and new contenders emerge. Will Hamilton and Leclerc coexist? Can Red Bull stop their slide? Will McLaren’s driver battle implode?
One thing is certain—Formula 1 in 2025 is shaping up to be an all-out war.
(Quotes supplied by OnlineCassino.com.br)