In what looks to be one of the most competitive seasons in F1 history, pre-season testing painted a picture of an ever-more-condensed field.

While McLaren caught the eye, its advantage was small with Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, and even Alpine and Williams nipping at its heels.

It has created the belief that as many as a dozen different drivers could taste victory this season.

But there can only be one champion.

The early favourite is Lando Norris after the McLaren driver emerged as Max Verstappen’s strongest challenger in 2024.

A year ago, the Brit’s title hopes weren’t helped by a slow start to the year, a problem testing suggested McLaren won’t suffer from this time around.

That could see him, and teammate Oscar Piastri, far greater contenders from the outset in 2025.

Last season was a breakout year for Piastri who won twice as he further solidified his reputation as one of F1’s brightest prospects.

Secret to Verstappen’s success in 2024 was his fast start, winning six of the opening seven races of the year with a Red Bull that was clear the class of the field.

That’s not the case this year and the Dutchman is far less confident of his chances of a fifth title.

Testing showed the RB21 to be a solid car, perhaps without the sharpness of the McLaren but a machine in which Verstappen and Liam Lawson can challenge for podiums and race wins with.

Lawson has been promoted from Racing Bulls in place of Sergio Perez and expectations are being kept in check for the young Kiwi.

While Verstappen is tipped to be challenging for the title, Lawson has been tasked with simply staying out of trouble and scoring strong points regularly.

And that will be no easy feat as both Mercedes and Ferrari showed good pace in Bahrain last month.

Lewis Hamilton has switched camps and looks to have a new lease of life alongside Charles Leclerc in what is a potent combination – arguably the strongest on the grid.

George Russell has stepped up and will now lead Mercedes’ charge with a car that also looks a contender.

The squad did well to develop into a front-running team last year after a tough couple of campaigns.

Kimi Antonelli is a question mark for the squad, though the Italian is highly rated and accomplished, and showed himself to be incredibly rapid in the junior formulae.

How he adapts to F1 will be one of the key early storylines of 2025, together with the cohort of other rookies.

That includes Jack Doohan at Alpine, a team that can justifiably lay claim to being the happiest after testing.

It endured a torrid start to 2024 but, like Mercedes, developed itself out of trouble to prove a midfield force by year-end.

Doohan played a crucial role in that and has been rewarded with a race seat in a car that showed itself to be the fifth- or sixth-best.

The Aussie is under pressure thanks to Franco Colapinto, but he and Pierre Gasly look to have a solid car at their disposal affording them an opportunity to snag some impressive results.

Williams is in the same boat with the highly-rated Alex Albon set to be pushed by new team-mate and Ferrari refugee Carlos Sainz.

Testing highlighted some positive progress for the Grove squad, from which much is now expected.

Aston Martin is a dark horse.

It’s fair to say testing didn’t go to plan for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, but it still logged the same amount of running as Red Bull, so it was far from disastrous.

Whether it was sticking to its own program and sand-bagging, or if it really is struggling for pace will only be revealed in Albert Park this weekend.

It is the first of 24 races across the season – 30 if you include Sprints – with the destination of the world championship unlikely to be known until late in the year.

And with new regulations coming for 2026, how teams spend their pennies in this cost cap era could well decide its fate: chase the title now at the expense of 2026, or switch early and get the jump next year?

It promises to be an enthralling and competitive season.