F1's 75th Anniversary: Everything You Need to Know Before Watching the Sport in 2025
F1's Historic 75th Anniversary: A Global Phenomenon
Formula 1 has reached an unprecedented milestone in 2025, celebrating its 75th anniversary with spectacular fanfare and record-breaking achievements. The sport has evolved from its humble beginnings into a global entertainment juggernaut that rivals the Olympics and FIFA World Cup in terms of worldwide appeal and viewership.
The numbers speak for themselves: Formula 1's global fanbase has exploded to 826.5 million fans, representing a staggering increase of 90 million from the 2023 season. This remarkable growth demonstrates the sport's expanding reach across all continents, with China leading the charge with a 39% increase in followers over the past year. The United States market has also shown impressive growth, expanding by 10.5% and bringing in nearly 90 million new fans, building on a previous 10.5% increase in 2023.
The 2025 season kicked off with the spectacular F1 75 Live event at London's iconic O2 Arena on February 18, 2025. For the first time in Formula 1's illustrious history, all ten teams came together for a single, grand season launch event. This milestone celebration brought fans closer than ever to the action, showcasing all 20 drivers alongside their team principals, with each team unveiling their 2025 car liveries in front of a live audience of thousands.
The Financial Powerhouse: Driver Salaries and Commercial Success
Formula 1's commercial success is perhaps best illustrated by the astronomical salaries commanded by its top drivers. Max Verstappen, the reigning four-time world champion, sits atop the earnings pyramid with an estimated annual salary of $65 million, making him the highest-paid driver on the current grid. This figure excludes performance bonuses and endorsement deals, which can significantly boost his total earnings.
Lewis Hamilton, despite his move to Ferrari in 2025, trails Verstappen by approximately £4 million, earning around £48 million annually with the Italian team. The seven-time world champion's salary represents a significant increase from his Mercedes days, reflecting Ferrari's determination to secure his services for their championship ambitions.
The financial hierarchy continues with Charles Leclerc earning £27 million in 2025, almost half of what Verstappen commands, while Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris share the fourth position with annual salaries of £16 million each. These figures demonstrate the sport's evolution into a premium entertainment product where top talent commands premium compensation.
The sport's commercial appeal extends beyond driver salaries, with attendance at race events remaining robust throughout the 2024 season. Over 6.5 million fans attended races in 2024, setting a new record with a 9% increase compared to 2023, while 17 out of 24 races established new attendance records.
The 2025 Season: 24 Rounds of Global Racing Excellence
The 2025 Formula 1 calendar represents the sport's most ambitious schedule to date, featuring 24 rounds of breathtaking racing action across five continents. The season commenced with the Australian Grand Prix on March 14-16, where Lando Norris claimed victory in a thrilling season opener, and will conclude with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 5-7.
This year's calendar showcases Formula 1's commitment to geographical flow optimization, with the Australia, China, and Japan Grand Prix scheduled consecutively, followed by European races concentrated during the summer months, and American continent races clustered in the autumn. This strategic scheduling reduces travel fatigue for teams and drivers while maximizing fan engagement across different time zones.
The 2025 season features six sprint races at Shanghai, Miami, Spa, Austin, São Paulo, and Qatar, providing fans with additional high-intensity racing action. These shorter format races have proven increasingly popular, offering condensed excitement and unpredictable outcomes that keep spectators on the edge of their seats.
Notable calendar adjustments include the postponement of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to April, taking into consideration the Ramadan period in March 2025. The traditional three-week summer break between the Hungarian and Dutch Grand Prix has been maintained, providing teams and drivers with essential recovery time during the intense championship battle.
Hollywood Meets the Track: The Brad Pitt F1 Movie Phenomenon
The intersection of Hollywood glamour and Formula 1 racing reached new heights in 2025 with the release of the Brad Pitt-starring F1 movie, simply titled 'F1.' This ambitious production, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced with Lewis Hamilton's involvement, represents the most authentic motorsport film ever created, thanks to unprecedented access to real Formula 1 circuits and races.
The film's production utilized genuine F1 venues including Silverstone (UK), Hungary, Spa (Belgium), Monza (Italy), Suzuka (Japan), Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, and Mexico City circuits. The production team created a fictional 11th F1 team called APXGP, using a modified Dallara-built Formula 2 chassis designed to resemble an F1 car for racing footage.
What sets this production apart is its integration with actual Formula 1 race weekends. The filming took place during real Grand Prix events, with the APXGP cars participating in formation laps and practice sessions alongside genuine F1 machinery. This approach provided unprecedented authenticity, allowing viewers to experience the sport's intensity and spectacle through Hollywood's cinematic lens.
The film premiered on June 16, 2025, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on June 27. Despite mixed reviews from motorsport purists, the movie has grossed $144 million against a $200-300 million budget, introducing Formula 1 to new audiences worldwide.
Technical Evolution and Regulatory Changes
The 2025 Formula 1 season represents a significant transitional period in the sport's technical evolution. This year marks the final season utilizing the power unit configuration introduced in 2014, featuring the complex hybrid system with both MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit-Heat) and MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic) components.
Starting in 2026, Formula 1 will implement a revised power unit configuration that eliminates the MGU-H system while increasing the power output from the MGU-K component. This change aims to simplify the hybrid systems while maintaining the sport's commitment to sustainable technology development.
The 2025 season also represents the final year of the ground-effect aerodynamic regulations introduced in 2022, which were designed to improve wheel-to-wheel racing by reducing the aerodynamic disruption caused by following cars. The drag reduction system (DRS), introduced in 2011 as an overtaking aid, will also be retired after 2025, replaced by active aerodynamics and moveable wings in 2026.
These technical changes reflect Formula 1's ongoing evolution as both a sporting competition and a technology showcase. The sport continues to push the boundaries of automotive innovation while ensuring competitive racing that entertains millions of fans worldwide. Teams have invested heavily in developing their 2025 packages while simultaneously preparing for the radical changes coming in 2026.
Driver Market Dynamics and Team Strategies
The 2025 Formula 1 season witnessed one of the most dramatic driver market shuffles in recent memory, headlined by Lewis Hamilton's blockbuster move from Mercedes to Ferrari after twelve seasons with the German manufacturer. This transfer ended Hamilton's record-breaking streak of consecutive seasons with a single constructor and marked his first season competing without a Mercedes power unit.
Hamilton's departure triggered a domino effect throughout the grid, with Carlos Sainz Jr. leaving Ferrari to join Williams on a multi-year deal. Mercedes filled Hamilton's seat with their junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, promoting the talented youngster directly from Formula 2 in a bold move that reflects the team's confidence in their development program.
Other significant changes included Haas fielding an entirely new driver lineup, with Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon replacing the departing Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen. Hülkenberg moved to Sauber, reuniting with the team he last drove for in 2013, while Ocon joined Haas after five seasons with Alpine.
The driver market activity continued with in-season changes, most notably Yuki Tsunoda's promotion from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing following the Chinese Grand Prix, switching places with Liam Lawson. These mid-season adjustments demonstrate the fluid nature of Formula 1's competitive landscape, where performance and opportunity can rapidly reshape team compositions.
Global Expansion and Cultural Impact
Formula 1's global expansion in 2025 extends far beyond traditional European markets, with significant growth in emerging territories demonstrating the sport's universal appeal. China's remarkable 39% increase in fan following reflects the successful return of the Chinese Grand Prix to Shanghai, while markets like Canada (+5%), Argentina (+5%), and Saudi Arabia (+25%) show substantial growth rates.
The sport's cultural impact transcends mere viewership numbers, influencing fashion, technology, and lifestyle trends worldwide. Formula 1 drivers have become global celebrities, with their personal brands extending into fashion collaborations, gaming partnerships, and social media influence. Max Verstappen's partnerships with EA Sports, Heineken, and Viaplay exemplify how modern F1 drivers leverage their sporting success into broader commercial opportunities.
The Netflix 'Drive to Survive' series continues to play a crucial role in attracting new fans, particularly in the United States, where the documentary's behind-the-scenes access has demystified the sport for American audiences. This success has paved the way for additional content creation, including the Brad Pitt movie and various digital initiatives designed to engage younger demographics.
Formula 1's commitment to sustainability and technological innovation also resonates with environmentally conscious consumers, positioning the sport as a leader in developing efficient hybrid technologies and sustainable practices. The upcoming transition to new power unit regulations in 2026 demonstrates the sport's dedication to remaining relevant in an increasingly eco-conscious world while maintaining its core appeal of high-speed competition and cutting-edge technology.
