Hamilton in red, Verstappen defends
‘The passion here is like nothing you’ve ever seen. They’ve got absolutely every ingredient they need to win a world championship and it’s just about putting all the pieces together.’

Lewis Hamilton settles into his new Ferrari seat, ready to chase history in F1’s 75th season.
Saeed KHAN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Paris, France (AFP) — The 2025 Formula One season has all the makings of a white-knuckle 24-race celebration to mark 75 years since the inaugural seven-race championship in 1950, while Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari provides an intriguing storyline.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen appears to have his work cut out to seal a fifth straight title with Lando Norris poised to knock the Dutchman off his perch.
Hamilton says his move from Mercedes to Ferrari has given him a new lease of life.
Here AFP Sport looks at five talking points before the season gets underway in Australia on Sunday:

Max Verstappen greets the challenge with a smile as he gears up to defend his F1 title in a fiercely competitive season.
Paul Crock/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Fifth title for Verstappen?
Seventy-five years after Giuseppe Farina claimed the first F1 world championship at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo, Verstappen embarks on the 2025 season in pursuit of a fifth successive title, a feat only achieved once before, by Michael Schumacher.
If he succeeds it will cement the Dutchman’s place as a titan of the sport.
He hoovered up seven of the first 10 races in his rampaging Red Bull last year, before a 10-race winless run as McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari ran riot.
But Verstappen had the last word, fighting back to win in Brazil and clinch title number four with two races to spare.
McLaren prised the constructors championship away from Red Bull to seal their long road back to the F1 summit.
The tough task facing Verstappen is underlined by the betting, which has him as the only second favorite behind Norris (who ended last season 63 points behind) for the 2025 crown.

Ferrari mechanics meticulously prepare Hamilton’s new machine, fine-tuning every detail for the season ahead.
Paul Crock/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Can Hamilton make Ferrari magic?
Hamilton is convinced he can help Ferrari win a first drivers’ championship since 2007 after the seven-time world champion made the move to Italy.
At 40, the Briton seems full of youthful enthusiasm for the new challenge.
“The passion here is like nothing you’ve ever seen. They’ve got absolutely every ingredient they need to win a world championship and it’s just about putting all the pieces together,” he said.

