The 2025 Formula 1 racing season is now in full swing, and fans have already been treated to some high-octane thrills at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, 16 March on the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit and at the more recent Chinese GP on Sunday, 24 March on the Shanghai International Circuit.
There were lots of driver changes made just in time for the start of the new season, and plenty of team restructuring also took place.
Let's dive straight in and take a closer look at how team dynamics have changed and will continue to change throughout the remainder of the 2025 F1 season.
Which F1 teams have recently changed their drivers?
Interestingly, most teams competing in Formula 1 made significant changes to their teams. Out of the 10 F1 teams, eight secured the services of new drivers by replacing at least one of their current drivers.
In other words, only two Formula 1 racing teams still have the same driver lineup as last year (2024). The only two teams that have retained the same drivers as the previous season are Aston Martin and McLaren.
Aston Martin kept Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, and McLaren kept Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Lando Norris finished first at the opening Grand Prix (GP) of the season in Australia, picking up 25 points, and teammate Oscar Piastri earned 2 points for finishing the race in ninth.
At the same Grand Prix, the other two teammates who raced together last year could only manage 8 points. Lance Stroll finished in sixth, and Fernando Alonso didn't finish the race, which earned him zero points.
At the Chinese Grand Prix on 23 March, McLaren's Piastri picked up 25 points by finishing the race in first place, and teammate Lando Norris finished in second place, which earned him 18 points.
Lance Stroll earned 2 points for finishing in ninth, and, once again, Alonso did not finish (DNF).
While both of these teams have the same drivers who raced together as teammates last year, you could safely say that McLaren's decision not to change their drivers is currently working out for them. However, things don't seem to be working out as well for Aston Martin.
What does the F1 Team Standings table look like after just two Grand Prix events?
As it stands, McLaren is currently flying high at the top of the constructors/team standings on the official 2025 F1 season leaderboard. The table for the top five teams currently looks like this:
1. McLaren - 78
2. Mercedes - 57
3. Red Bull - 36
4. Williams - 17
5. Ferrari - 17
You also have Haas with 14 points, Aston Martin with 10 points, Sauber with 6 points, Racing Bulls with 3 points and Alpine Renault, who have failed to earn any points yet.
Additionally, McLaren's Lando Norris is at the top of the driver's standings with 44 points, followed by second-place Red Bull's Max Verstappen with 36 points, third-place Mercedes' George Russell with 35 points, fourth-place McLaren's Oscar Piastri with 34 points and fifth-place Mercedes' Oscar Piastri with 34 points.
How have team dynamics changed for the 2025 F1 season?
F1 fans have already witnessed several significant team dynamic shifts, with some teams reshuffling and others getting completely new drivers. For example, Lewis Hamiton shocked everyone in the F1 world when he moved to Ferrari.
Sergio Perez was replaced by Liam Lawson at team Red Bull, making him Max Verstappen's new partner, and Carlos Sainz switched allegiance from Ferrari to Williams. He is now partnered with Alex Albon. Kimi Antonelli replaced Lewis Hamilton, meaning his new teammate is George Russell.
There was also Nico Hulkenberg's move to Sauber, which led to him partnering with Gabriel Bortoleto, and Oliver Bearman's new partner at Haas is Esteban Ocon, who moved from Alpine.
Some teams also welcomed new principals, and are having to forge new relationships with their new teammates. All teams are having to adapt to a few new F1 rule changes.
It will take a little bit of getting used to each other on the circuits, but the new pairings were made for a reason. The teams that made driver changes will be hoping that their understanding of each other will occur sooner rather than later.
Upcoming F1 races
On Sunday, 6 April, it's the Japanese GP on the Suzuka Circuit, followed by the Bahrain GP on the Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, 13 April. Other upcoming F1 GP races you can look forward to over the coming weeks are the Saudi Arabian GP on 20 April on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and the Miami GP on 4 May on the Miami International Autodrome.
Conclusion
According to the latest odds based on the current F1 standings and team/driver performances, Lando Norris is the current odds-on favourite to win the 2025 F1 Driver's Championship outright, and team McLaren are the odds-on favourite to win the 2025 F1 Constructors Championship outright.
Lando Norris is currently priced at around 17/20 in the fractional odds format, which is 1.85 in decimal odds and -118 in American/moneyline odds. This means he has a 54.05% implied probability rate of winning, and McLaren is currently priced at around 2/15 (1.13 or -750) with an even greater 88.26% chance of winning this season outright.
It will likely take a few more Grand Prix races before the new teams start to gel on the track. Only time will tell if the F1 teams that made driver changes have improved or worsened their team dynamics. We will just have to wait and see.
On a final note, if you decide to place wagers based on the odds mentioned above, remember to gamble responsibly and stick to betting on fully licensed and regulated online sportsbooks that are controlled by trusted operators.
Consider setting deposit limits or using any other safer gambling tools they provide. To give your F1 bets the best chance of winning, stay on top of the latest F1 news from reputable sources. You can even see what the expert tipsters have to say before placing any bets to help you make more informed decisions.
