Art by Rebecca Horowitz
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After two races in the Formula 1 season, Mercedes and Ferrari are dominating the track. Mercedes currently leads the Constructors’ Championship with 98 points, while Ferrari follows in second with 67 points, creating a significant gap from the rest of the grid. The question now is: can they maintain this momentum throughout the season?
We’re in for an exciting racing season, likely featuring a championship battle between Mercedes and Ferrari. Mercedes has what it takes to secure both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. I predict driver George Russell will claim his first championship title. That said, I expect Ferrari to put up a strong fight as the season progresses, and we could even see a four-way battle for the Drivers’ Championship.
Mercedes has shown impressive dominance so far, securing pole positions and double podiums. The team appears to have benefited from the new regulations. At the Australian Grand Prix on March 8, Russell took the win, with teammate Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli finishing second. This opening race showed Mercedes was prepared to compete for victories this season.
At the Chinese Grand Prix on March 15, Mercedes again claimed the top spots. Antonelli celebrated his first Grand Prix win with Russell in second. This achievement was historic for Antonelli, who became the youngest driver to complete a hat trick of Pole, Podium and Fastest Lap during his first victory, according to the Formula 1 social media platforms.
Early season wins like these show great promise for Mercedes. Over the past two weekends, the team has demonstrated reliability in their car and effectiveness in their strategy. After narrowly missing out last season, Mercedes has returned to the top.
After struggling last season Ferrari has emerged as a strong contender this year, closely trailing Mercedes. Last season, Ferrari struggled to consistently secure podiums for both drivers and remain near the top of the standings, but the team seems to have turned a corner.
At the Australian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc finished third, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in fourth. Ferrari’s new innovations and car updates appear to have paid off, keeping them competitive against Mercedes.
The Chinese Grand Prix offered another strong showing for Ferrari. Hamilton claimed third place, marking his first podium with the team, while Leclerc finished fourth. These results underscore Ferrari’s comeback early in the season.
Beyond the racing, Formula 1 also offers memorable human moments. During the podium celebration in China, Russell stepped aside to allow Peter “Bono” Bonnington a moment with his former driver, Hamilton, and current driver, Antonelli. This podium overall was a symbolic scene representing Mercedes’ past, present and future.
While the spotlight has focused on Mercedes and Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have faced a challenging start. Once the center of attention last season, these teams have struggled to keep pace.
After two races, McLaren surprisingly sits third in the Constructors’ Championship with 18 points but remains far behind the leaders. Red Bull is in fifth place with 12 points, trailing Haas. Teams that dominated last season are now clearly behind the top two.
For McLaren, Lando Norris has been the standout, scoring fifteen of the team’s eighteen points, while Oscar Piastri has managed only three. For Red Bull, the gap between drivers is smaller: four-time world champion Max Verstappen has eight points, and teammate Isack Hadjar has four.
The contrast in performance highlights how teams are adapting to the new regulations. Mercedes and Ferrari have adjusted quickly and effectively, while McLaren and Red Bull face struggles, possibly due to the regulations or Red Bull’s recent switch from Honda to Ford power units.
As for Red Bull and McLaren, it’s still too early in the season to make a clear judgment. If I had to guess, Red Bull may find their form later on, with both drivers potentially reaching the podium. However, at the moment, both teams appear to be struggling.
Although it is still early in the season, it is clear which teams are benefiting from the changes. Yet, as always in Formula 1, the battle for championships is unpredictable, anything can happen and every race matters in the fight for the top.
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Contact Ava Walton via email: ava.walton@pepperdine.edu